Author Topic: Convince me to go 4cyl (Read 18857 times)

Grimm862 · « **on:** October 15, 2007, 10:16:13 AM »

Why should I buy an m42 powered e30? There's one for sale near me a 1991 red 318iS. Heres a link to some crappy pictures on craigslist.

http://tampa.craigslist.org/car/445321123.html

I use to have 2 other e30's but recently sold them. I had a 1984 325e"s" It was stripped out and fun to drive. My other e30 the 1986 325 was completely gutted and was fun as hell to drive.

I'm just worried that if I get this 318is I'm going to be extremely dissapointed in the power department.

I really just need a DD for good 2 or 3 years. I don't need to drive fast but knowing my car is realllly slow just makes me angry.

Please convince me into getting this car. Cause I think it would be a amazing DD.

PS: I hate the wheels on it, and after I bought it they'd be promptly sold and replaced with either 15in weaves or the lamer 14in weaves.

e9nine · « **Reply #1 on:** October 15, 2007, 10:25:37 AM »

..people who are usually convinced into getting what they don't like don't keep the acquisition for long.

If you don't like it - don't get. Not trying to be curt but there's no other way say it.

The 318iS is faster than an eta. I owned both at the same time. The 318iS can be just about as fast as a 325i/iS. The 318iS is low on torque and thus deceivingly slow to most. Most also don't take care of their 318i/iS cars and they are in bad tune. A nicely maintained m42 is a nice daily driver.

I have owned m20b27, m20b25 and m42b18 cars and like them all. Most hate everything except for the m20b25. I yearn to get a cheap m10 to go whup butt with in auto-x someday. (I deliberately left the s14 out of this conversation as that's just another can of worms)

G. luck

Wise Old Dog · « **Reply #2 on:** October 15, 2007, 10:25:37 AM »

Wrong link posted. If you are looking for a "stoplight car" the 318 is not for you. This is a momentum car. Great through the turns, 2nd and 3rd gear are probably as fast as the 325. Maybe you should drive one first.

Grimm862 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 15, 2007, 10:32:19 AM »

Well, I'm pretty sure both my 325e's would crap on almost all 318's m42 or m10. They weighed less than a stock 318.

Like the first guy said if you get convinced into buying a car then you probably won't like it. I just can't find a 325i for the life of me. And this thing is close and in decent shape for the price.

EDIT: FIXED THE LINK!!

bmwman91 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 15, 2007, 10:45:49 AM »

If you had modded the hell out of the ETA's then they might be quicker than the M42. I have had some stoplight races with ETA's in the past and they got smoked. The M42 cars are by no means fast, but the ETA's are still slower.

That said, go check the car out. If the motor makes any diesel / grinding noises then you are in for potentially expensive engine maintenance. People let one little $40 part go, and it causes $500+ in parts to poop out, possibly $1000+ if it gets to a certain point. Namely, the timing chain tensioner piston goes, allowing the chain to slap around, wearing out all parts in the timing train, usually shattering some roller shells, which can later be sucked into the oil pump, destroying only the front half of the motor if you are lucky. Phew...

Go check it out. The M42 is not forgiving like the M20 cars, you have to revv the dogshit out of it. It is very rewarding, but takes some getting used to. Either way, an E30 is still loads of fun!

Grimm862 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 15, 2007, 11:01:22 AM »

Well, I only got the guy down to 1500 cash. I don't think that's that bad of a deal for a 1991 318is with only 120k on it. Both my eta's had over 160k on them.

However he says the blower only worked on number 4 but now it doesn't work at all. Could it just be the resistor? I really don't wanna have to get a new blower.

EN318isPDX · « **Reply #6 on:** October 15, 2007, 11:30:14 AM »

Quote from: Grimm862;35749

Why should I buy an m42 powered e30? There's one for sale near me a 1991 red 318iS. Heres a link to some crappy pictures on craigslist.

http://tampa.craigslist.org/car/445321123.html

I use to have 2 other e30's but recently sold them. I had a 1984 325e"s" It was stripped out and fun to drive. My other e30 the 1986 325 was completely gutted and was fun as hell to drive.

I'm just worried that if I get this 318is I'm going to be extremely dissapointed in the power department.

I really just need a DD for good 2 or 3 years. I don't need to drive fast but knowing my car is realllly slow just makes me angry.

Please convince me into getting this car. Cause I think it would be a amazing DD.

PS: I hate the wheels on it, and after I bought it they'd be promptly sold and replaced with either 15in weaves or the lamer 14in weaves.

I just traded my 1986 ETA for a M42 powered e30. I have to say that my ETA had full suspension and the M42 takes the corners about twice as good. I feel alot less understeering with the less weight up front... Oh why do you need someone to convice you? These cars speak for themselfs.. i gave up my 2 grand in parts to get a better rig to start with. Ok so ETA = 6 cylinder torque gas hog. M42 takes 92octane but holy smokes i save a ton on gas even at 3 dollars a gallon. That price for that M42 is crazy cheap. If you liked your eta's then you will never go back once you have an M42. I'm speaking from experience here.

Grimm862 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 15, 2007, 11:49:58 AM »

Quote from: EN318isPDX;35758

I just traded my 1986 ETA for a M42 powered e30. I have to say that my ETA had full suspension and the M42 takes the corners about twice as good. I feel alot less understeering with the less weight up front... Oh why do you need someone to convice you? These cars speak for themselfs.. i gave up my 2 grand in parts to get a better rig to start with. Ok so ETA = 6 cylinder torque gas hog. M42 takes 92octane but holy smokes i save a ton on gas even at 3 dollars a gallon. That price for that M42 is crazy cheap. If you liked your eta's then you will never go back once you have an M42. I'm speaking from experience here.

That's the inspiring words I was looking for! From a fellow eta owner none the less.

EN318isPDX · « **Reply #8 on:** October 15, 2007, 12:31:15 PM »

Quote from: Grimm862;35760

That's the inspiring words I was looking for! From a fellow eta owner none the less.

The guy i got my M42 from wanted 2000 for it even though it was broken down on the side of the road.. I just gave him my runner and bought a new driveshaft and tranny for it.. in the process i put a new clutch in and reoiled everything (Redline in rear end and tranny, didnt do synthetic on the motor yet because i know im going to tear into the timing chain) and the car amazes me everytime i take it on the back roads S turns. I took it because the body was 100% perfect and the interior was 95% perfect. The kid i got it from didnt know anything about mechanics so i came out ahead after i spent 1500 on the car in new parts.

ducatipaso · « **Reply #9 on:** October 15, 2007, 02:32:48 PM »

nearly 30MPG on the highway?

jpod999 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 15, 2007, 05:24:00 PM »

Drive the car, if you don't like it...then you don't like it and move on. 120k is pretty damn low, I have over 100k more than that and I just did a track day with no problems at all.

EN318isPDX · « **Reply #11 on:** October 15, 2007, 05:37:16 PM »

Quote from: ducatipaso;35768

nearly 30MPG on the highway?

more than enough reason IMHO. $3 per gallon. 30 miles for 3 dollars aint bad

sheepdog · « **Reply #12 on:** October 15, 2007, 06:04:58 PM »

If you test drive it, take it up to redline. Or else you will not be happy, you cannot drive it lazy and expect it to run fast. Great daily driver though no matter how you slice it. Not many cars get this kind of mileage, performance and luxury.

As has been said, it is a momentum car, but they are not bad. Keep in mind you were comparing stripped out cars to one with a full interior.

If the car is decent, that price is a steal.

Go in with an open mind and drive the piss out of it, the car with thank you and beg for more. The owner may freak, but who cares

D. Clay · « **Reply #13 on:** October 15, 2007, 08:11:05 PM »

Do people actually buy cars without driving them, based on what a group of obviously opinionated forum members say. This is M42Club.com. Do you really believe we are going to say anything other than we like 318i's and 318is's.?

gearheadE30 · « **Reply #14 on:** October 15, 2007, 08:13:06 PM »

I test drove a track-ready 325is with a cage and no interior, a 325es, and an m10 318i before I bought my car. The 325is was amazing in a straight line, but in the corners it felt rather ponderous in the nose. The es was cool, but I was underwhelmed after driving the 325is. The m10 was an auto and it sucked, but I want one with a stick just because it is a classic BMW engine. i ended up buying my 318is sight-unseen off of ebay without ever seeing an m42. The only reason I bought it was because of the price and the people on this forum. Turns out that the 318is doesn't feel much worse than the 325is if you aren't looking at the speedo, and its balance is in a whole different world. The only thing it doesn't match is the exhaust note

BTW I'm going to florida this week. My grandparents live in Venice, so I'll be on the lookout for other e30's