Help me choose. 318i or 325i convertible?

[Paidlikearockstar]

Hi All,

Just about to buy my first E30. Looking at two, one is a 93 318i manual with about 50k on the clock, the other is a 88 325i with 77k on it. Both original and both in excellent condition and both are around £7,000.

I'll be doing about 10,000 miles a year in it. Which will be the best to live with and which is the most desirable and would appreciate in value in years to come?

Looking forward to getting into E30 ownership!
Al

[ross_jsy]

With a name like paidlikearockstar I'm sure you and Diable will get on perfectly w*nking about incomes

The 325i will be the better car all round. Lesser spec models, especially 4 pots, aren't overly desirable.

[ivqii]

Welcome

Both are on face value over-priced

Realistically they should be £4500-5000 assuming everything is right

And neither should be used as a daily driver especially if you are looking for appreciation

[Grrrmachine]

If you're prepared to throw 7000 pounds at an E30 then a 318i will leave you very, very cold. As others have said, you're paying way over value, although it's good to hear E30 prices are on the rise.

The 318i isn't a bad car; if you're used to driving similar period classics then the 1.8 engine will feel nippy compared to some of its stablemates. But the cabrio shell is a heavy beast, and if your 10,000 annual miles include a lot of city traffic then you'll soon get tired of having to wind up the little four-pot motor continuously to cope with the stop-start traffic.

In contrast, the 325i is a glorious beast; tons of noise, lots of torque, and a six-cylinder engine you can be proud of. Again, in cabrio form it won't win any drag races, but those extra two cylinders are essential if you're doing motorway miles. The downside is that the big engine is very thirsty, but if you're prepared to pay seven bags for the car then I expect you know how to use all your Nectar points prudently.

Don't rule out the 320i Cabrio if you come across one. They might have the same power as the 318i and the same fuel bills as the 325i, but the straight-six is silky smooth, and is the Essence Of Waft if you want a cruising cabrio - it makes the 325i feel harsh in comparison.

[Fastroad]

If you got a £7k budget it would be worth considering buying a slightly higher mileage one and tearing the engine out and adding a V8 beast (my 325i and E39 M5 do roughly the same mileage.. Lol), as for future value it's going to be sometime before you see the price hike above £7k as you will be adding 10k miles extra every year a˜€

[daimlerman]

You may,just,if you were very polite to me be able to buy my 2.7 engined cabbie for a mere 7 bags...

[aimlessrock]

go for the 325i, as has already been advsied above the cabby is a heavy car and the extra 2 pots makes a pleasant drive. Grrmachine is right in that you should not rule out a 320I cabby (i have one), not as quick as the 325I but a very nice car for cruising and drive on the A roads in the sun.

Given i paid £600 for mine years ago (resto) its good to see that good ones are now commanding descent money.

[atlantis]

Or mine for much less



Definitely go for the 325

[gooner1]

Or mine for much less



Definitely go for the 325

Nice looking cab mate, how much less?

[Nobby_N]

/\/\Nice /\/\

Also those badges are truely awful on yours Daimlerman! Lose em like the duck!

[Quaser]

I personally got annoyed with the noise from the cabby roof when on the motorway - I would definatly recommend a hard top if you were considering the cab

[atlantis]

Half the price the OP is paying

[Paidlikearockstar]

Thanks all, did post a reply earlier but didn't send for some reason.

Didn't mention I wouldn't be paying the asking price. I'm not quite earning rockstar income just yet but working on it.... Prices seem to vary widely. Four Star Classics have some expensive stuff but they look good. I know they've got a '89 325i Cab coming in at £10k!!!

Old Colonel Cars seem to have had a few reasonably priced ones, any experiences of either of these outfits?

Liking the site and the banter by the way.

[Grrrmachine]

Both of those sites are well known for massively inflating their prices, but since their willing to stake their reputation on selling cars for top dollar there's a grudging admiration for them - neither of them are cowboys.

But if you want a decent E30 for sensible money, keep your eye on the For Sale section of this very forum.

[Paidlikearockstar]

Thanks Grrrmachine. I'm hoping for a low mileage example around 50 to 70,000 miles. All the reasonable price ones seem to have done 100k plus. Luckily my company will be picking up the fuel tab so I think it's definitely going to be a 325.

[Grrrmachine]

If you're going by mileage on the clock, you're assessing an E30 by completely the wrong criteria. These engines are good for a million miles, and it's thinks like rust and perished rubber you need to be concerned about - both problems which have nothing to do with how many miles the car has done.

200k miles on the clock and a wad of service/repair bills is worth infinitely more than a 50k car with no history.

[Jamie8GTi]

Wouldn't a 1993 318 be an e36?

[Rich2388]

325i all day long!

[Grrrmachine]

Wouldn't a 1993 318 be an e36?

Not for convertibles:

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/index.php/Cabriolet

[gooner1]

Half the price the OP is paying

Baring in mind the below, is the above still correct?




Paidlikearockstar
"
Didn't mention I wouldn't be paying the asking price."