Author Topic: 4 door - undesirable? (Read 7489 times)

75BMW2002 · « **on:** July 04, 2008, 02:07:25 PM »

I am looking for a nice E30 that will get decent MPG's. I have found what seems like a nice 91 318i 4 door on craigslist. I wasn't really looking for a 4 door but the advantage is it will more rear seat leg room and will be easier for my kids to get out of versus a 2 door.

No offense to those with 4 door E30s but how undesirable are they really? I mean are they like many cars in that if it is a 4 door the value drops significantly?

Also, is 30 MPG a reasonable possiblility on the 318s?

Thanks

bmw327 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 04, 2008, 02:22:30 PM »

I like my 4 dr - easier with the kiddies for sure. It's mechanically very similar to the is - I think the differential has slightly taller gears and the anti-roll bars are thinner in the 4 dr, but that's about it. The 2 dr has sport seats, a rear spoiler, and weighs very slightly less. Of course, the bars, diff, and seats can be fitted to a 4 dr easily. My 4dr came with a ltd slip diff, fogs, and an is front lip along with fat tires on light-ish wheels and a chip, so I'd bet it'll stay with a stock 2 dr pretty easily. I'm planning on upgrading bars soon, too. Currently I'm at ~27 mpg in mixed driving. Others claim 30+.

rhogg · « **Reply #2 on:** July 04, 2008, 04:16:42 PM »

I shopped specifically for a 4 door for my kids car:

Downsides - no front and rear spoilers - Which mine now have - cost $200
Comfort versus sport seats more likley
Suspension is softer than the 318is - mine replaced with the std H&R Bilsien + ST swaybars for about $1200

So I wanted the 4 door for all the obviously benifits and then as I reconditioned the car, removed the supposed downsides. The front seats will also eventually be replaced.

I did a mostly highway trip yesterday 250km 16.5 litres of fuel thats 42 MPG CDN or I think 36.5 US mpg I was driving around 110km ie 68mph. The car was rated at 46mpg at 80kmh/50mph when it was new.

Gas consumprion increases dramatically at higher revs ie above 70mph. Around town mileage is dependent on your foot 30+ mpg city is possible if boring.

nomad · « **Reply #3 on:** July 04, 2008, 04:46:44 PM »

I like the sport seats, that for sure. But then again, at this point many seats need reupholstering anyhow so the cost of getting sports and covering them is about the same for you, unless you just keep the stockers.

Really, the only thing the 4 door doesn't have that is truly worth it is the rear end. Guess what, my iS has an open 4.10, and no front lip so I lost out anyhow.
I'd say if you have kids go for the 4 door, nothing wrong with it that you wouldn't already be looking to replace (suspension, diff, wheel/tire, spoilers and lips etc. I'd take a 4 door at this point if I needed it as a daily car. A modded out 4 door is cool (to me). But I have two 4 door hatches for daily use as they are great for kids and for hauling.

tony92ic · « **Reply #4 on:** July 04, 2008, 05:28:50 PM »

As for value there is really little difference between a 4 door and 2 door. They aren't collectable in the sense a shoe box ford or 57 Chevy Bel Aire are. In that a two door is worth many multiples of a 4 door car. (I suppose a 3.0cs and Bavaria would be a good comparison in the BMW world.)

People will generally have a preference one way or another and shop for that. Value is determined largely by condition. To most people these are just used cars. In that sense the 4 doors may be more desirable to most.

Buy what makes sense for you. As has been mentioned everything worth having from a 2 door is easily fittable to a 4 door and generally readily available at your local boneyard.

I'm around 27 mpg in daily driving. I did the cop conversion a few weeks ago and Mustang injectors are slated for next weekend. We'll see if that has an effect.

John W · « **Reply #5 on:** July 04, 2008, 08:33:18 PM »

I was actually looking specifically for a 4-door, but ended up with a 318is instead. The main thing I like better about the "is" are the sport seats. Interestingly, more of the 4-doors (compared to the "is") got limited slips.

30mpg is possible, especially on the interstate. You do need premium, though.

tjts1 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 04, 2008, 09:08:24 PM »

Well i put sport seats in my 4 door. Everything can be swapped over. The suspension, shocks, springs, sway bars are all the same between 2 door and 4 door. Differential is also the same. Our M42 powered 4 door E30s are also extremely rare because they were only offered in america for 1 years. The 318i 4 door in europe could only be had with the 8 valve M40 engine.

rhogg · « **Reply #7 on:** July 05, 2008, 11:40:24 AM »

+1 on rare. I looked for 16 months before finding one 300 miles away. Went to look at it and passed, then stumbled stumbled across another one a couple of days later that was much better.

If you want the IS look with 4 doors it is going to cost you more than the car is worth so make sure you will keep it a while. The return comes from use rather than resale.

xwill112x · « **Reply #8 on:** July 05, 2008, 11:56:35 AM »

make it look like an is more than the value???
haahahahaa
buy the spoilers -200$
junkyard IS seats - 40$ tops
bottle caps (i prefer bottle caps over basket weaves) 70$
IS emblem at junk yard-5$

i do beleive his car is worth more tthat 317$ and looks like a iS

rhogg · « **Reply #9 on:** July 05, 2008, 06:20:17 PM »

Poor choice of words on my part - I meant look including the suspension and lowering, and worth meaning you won't gat the cost back in added value. You are right about "look" cost but look without the suspension = poser.

Maybe you could ship me those $40 seats:D

You can keep the IS emblem though.

tony92ic · « **Reply #10 on:** July 05, 2008, 08:32:47 PM »

Quote from: rhogg;52672

You are right about "look" cost but look without the suspension = poser.

Sorry but the suspensions on the 2 door and 4 door are the same.

From real OEM
    318is Coupe   318i Sedan   318i convertible

Front Spring 31331131030   31331131030   31331132073
Front Bar 31351130850   31351130850   31351132337
Rear bar 33551127344   33551127344   33551127344
Rear Spring 33539058788   33539058788   33539057349

The only real difference is the lower lip spoiler (which most used cars are missing anyways), the trunk lip spoiler and the seats. The LSD was an option on either car.

The s on the coupe was little more than a marketing ploy. (And a look at things to come. The next year with the intro of the e36 the is was applied to all coupes and i to all sedans. Nearly all coupes got sport seats and nearly all sedans comfort seats. The s signifying a sport package car became a thing of the 80's)

Besides its not like its an M suspension. New springs and swaybars are an almost necessary upgrade anyways.

gearheadE30 · « **Reply #11 on:** July 05, 2008, 09:04:09 PM »

4-doors are the exact same length and wheelbase anyway, and they are even a bit stiffer torsionally than the coupes. For someone who is as tall as me, though, it takes a bit of contortion to get in and out.

bmwman91 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 06, 2008, 01:16:43 AM »

I really really wanted a 4-door M42 car after I crashed my first 318iS. They are DAMN hard to find in good condition though. I am still looking around for one to some extent...maybe someday.

Quincy56 · « **Reply #13 on:** July 06, 2008, 07:42:12 AM »

I guess we were lucky to find the 4 door we did. Little to no rust, just wicked dirty. List of things to do is getting shorter...

75BMW2002 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 06, 2008, 11:10:35 PM »

Oh well, moot point on this one - owner certainly didn't describe the true condition of the car so when I saw it, I left in about 5 minutes - needed everything and he still wanted $1800 as his bottom dollar