E30 Zone

Hey folks,

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

325i sport......definatley. Welcome by the way.

yep definitly the 325i as you cant beat that sound from the straight six

i pmed ya boss

It won't be a particularly great Sport for £2200 - personally I'd go for a good 318is.

how much will it cost you to tune the 318is up to the power of a standard 325? if the costs are similar to importing and taxing a 325 then better to go with that

Hmm,
Cheers for the replies lads.. Seems to be a majority 325i vote, and I suppose I hadnt really factored in the fact that tuning the 318is might cost a fair bit..
What kind of MPG do people get from a 325i?

between 10 and 35 mpg depending how its being used.

I gotta 325 (not a sport ) 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?
Welcome to the zone !

Stick a MAF on the 325i instead of the AFM and you can easily achieve 30mpg average, with better throttle response and power! Possibly not 30mpg with a Sport though, owing to the lower gear ratios of the close-ratio gearbox...

OK... my mind might be made up for me.

My mate has found me my ideal 318is and in this country too for a bargain price in perfect nick etc.

Going to see it soon so I might be posting it up here soon

GingerTim wrote:Also how economical would a 318is be when tuned?

Kos' old 318iS had a live remap, removed the throttle plate and put in a K&N Panel filter, and his was easily as fast as a 325i and he managed to get on average about 40 mpg... and the mods cost him a total of under £300

you will never get 35mpg from a 325i i don't care what anyone says. You can get 30 just with cruise control on the motorway for a whole tank at 65-75mph

Iv never seen more than 26mpg but i read somebody achieved 35mpg and didn't want to offend.

Cheers lads - I'd be happy with anything over 30!

Furthermore.. I have a question about LSD's..

What LSD's will fit a 318is?

Standard ratio is 4.1, something around there would suit best.

Best bet would be a 3.91, as trying to find a 4.10 is ny on impossible, i've only seen 1 for sale and he wanted £400 for it

Personally I would go for the iS too, better on fuel for sure,

stuartgallafant wrote:Kos' old 318iS had a live remap, removed the throttle plate and put in a K&N Panel filter, and his was easily as fast as a 325i and he managed to get on average about 40 mpg... and the mods cost him a total of under £300

Not that expensive to mod either really...

Welcome to the Zone too bud..

Pal

Cheers

So will a 325i 3.91 LSD go straight on?

Were they fitted to the E28 too?

stuartgallafant wrote:

GingerTim wrote:Also how economical would a 318is be when tuned?

Kos' old 318iS had a live remap, removed the throttle plate

Can you tell me more about this mod please Stuart?

Commited wrote:Cheers

So will a 325i 3.91 LSD go straight on?

Were they fitted to the E28 too?

It will go straight on, with no mods what so ever... You lose a little on your top end, but gain some better acceleration through the lower gears..

I'm not sure if they were fitted to the e28 tbh so can't help with that one my friend

HTH

Pal

SPADGE wrote:

stuartgallafant wrote:

GingerTim wrote:Also how economical would a 318is be when tuned?

Kos' old 318iS had a live remap, removed the throttle plate

Can you tell me more about this mod please Stuart?

Are you refering to the plate spadge??

Pal

Pal318is wrote: It will go straight on, with no mods what so ever... You lose a little on your top end, but gain some better acceleration through the lower gears..

I'm not sure if they were fitted to the e28 tbh so can't help with that one my friend

HTH

Pal

Excellent!

I'll leave anymore questions until I actually buy one - I have loads!

BTW, a 3.91 LSD will increase the gearing very slightly over standard (4.1), not lower it. So you will loose a little acceleration and increase top speed. Or am I confused again...

Reggiegasket - I thought that this was the case, and after some reading it would appear that you are correct

Seeing as I'll be using it mostly as a cruiser - 3.91 will do fine!

reggiegasket wrote:BTW, a 3.91 LSD will increase the gearing very slightly over standard (4.1), not lower it. So you will loose a little acceleration and increase top speed. Or am I confused again...

Wrong way round, apologies...I knew what I meant, just came out back to front..

Pal

stuartgallafant wrote:

GingerTim wrote:Also how economical would a 318is be when tuned?

Kos' old 318iS had a live remap, removed the throttle plate and put in a K&N Panel filter, and his was easily as fast as a 325i and he managed to get on average about 40 mpg... and the mods cost him a total of under £300

Fair play to him! Mine has only once been 25 mpg and it did not stay that high for long!

the highest ive seen is 22.6mpg in my 325i se with jus stop/starts town driving and shes crying out for a service so higher is achievable

Ouch. I dont think I could deal with 23mpg! Think 318is is the best for me at the moment

stuartgallafant wrote:

GingerTim wrote:Also how economical would a 318is be when tuned?

Kos' old 318iS had a live remap, removed the throttle plate and put in a K&N Panel filter, and his was easily as fast as a 325i and he managed to get on average about 40 mpg... and the mods cost him a total of under £300

I wouldn't call it easily...although it's certainly close enough to be in doubt. Some days you'd get the jump on a 325, some days he'd get the jump on you. Above 70 on a motorway you have to drop into 4th to keep up with a 325 in 5th.

That's in a straight line of course...

mate! i can get around 38-40 mpg!!!! i am not joking!

right, my iS had the standard 4.10 diff which i killed so i got a 3.64 ( beggars cant be choosers) from justin at etech. with the 3.64 on my car does 100mph in 3rd gear ( as opposed to about 80mph with 4.10) and fuel economy is well improved. dont ask me about the acceleration tho!!! did add some time to the traffic light sprint. i hope this enlightens....

Pal318is wrote:

SPADGE wrote:

stuartgallafant wrote: Kos' old 318iS had a live remap, removed the throttle plate

Can you tell me more about this mod please Stuart?

Are you refering to the plate spadge??

Pal

Yes mate the removal of the throttle plate?

indeed 318iS have a massive heater plate on the throttle body, removing it allows only cold air to get into the engine thus a very small improvment in performance

Going to look at it tomorrow morning

Hopefully have some good news for you soon

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