I'm new enough around here, but after driving a friend of mines E30 M3, I am hooked! Unfortunately due to the fact that I'm 22 and live in Ireland, it's impossible for me to get insured on one.
So, at first I was looking at the 325i Sports but discounted them due to cost. Then the same friend told me about 318is's, so I set about with the plan to buy one in the best nick possible, chip it, fit a decent exhaust and induction kit, and fit an LSD and be done with it - looking at about 160bhp from what I've read?
Today my insurance renewal arrived on my current weekend car (2000 Rover Mini Cooper) and it was about half the price I was expecting. Even better, a 318is was only another ~£130 to insure and a 325i sport about an extra ~£240 to insure (not a huge increase on initial ~£600 premium).
So suddenly a 325i Sport was in the picture.
I do fairly high mileage (maybe 15000 miles/year in my private car - have company car too which at the moment is doing 5000 miles/month as I'm not using the Mini!), so fuel consumption is a bit of an issue - how much thirstier is a 325i Sport?
Also, Ireland being Ireland, tax is ┚¬821 (approx £550) on a 325i and ┚¬511 (approx £350) on a 318is for a year.
If I import one, we also have a beautiful thing called import tax - it's about ┚¬1000 (£670) for a 325i Sport and ┚¬350 (£230) for a 318is. So £450 more
So I'm looking at about £300/year and £450 more initially (not including how much more a 325i Sport costs) to run one, without fuel.
My question basically is - is it worth it??? Considering my budget would be about £2200 for the car - would I be better off buying as mint a 318is as I could find? I'd be happy enough with 160bhp in the long run!
There is a 325i Sport for sale over here for ┚¬5k at the moment which is tempting me (about a grand more than it'd cost to bring over a mint 318is.. if I could find one!), but I really would like to know how thirsty they are before I commit to anything!
Sorry for the long first post, but really hope to be joining you guys in E30 ownership soon
Mark
) I do quiet short trip's usually and my in car computer say's 18-19 mpg average. On motorway over christmas i averaged 25 mpg, that dropped a couple as my speed increased (not that i'd ever break the speed limt 
) Not sure if that sound about right for a 325? Any help to you? Also how economical would a 318is be when tunned?
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You lose a little on your top end, but gain some better acceleration through the lower gears..
so can't help with that one my friend
