E30 Zone

Whats the best, performance wise. I've only ever driven a 320 (and it was a while ago) Ideally I'm looking for a circa £1k 325 coupe - without the M-Tec kit but I see so many more Is and 320 models that I'm starting to consider them instead

Whats everyone's opinions. I don't do many miles (bike pretty much everywhere) so economy is less of an issue but I like to drive and apart from a mk1 gti I've always hankered after the e30 coupe

Cheers for opinions

Bernie

318is no brainer.

even if it allegidly is:
made of adamantium which doesn't allow it to rust or break, with the famous M42 engine that sucks in CO2 and blows out pure oxygen and cute furry bunny rabbits out of the tailpipe, and requires no petrol. Its so quiet it could sneak george bush and tony blair through an al queda camp in broad daylight and not be noticed. Optional extras may include time machine which at 88mph (which coincedentally on takes 2.5 seconds to achieve) you can go forward or back to any time period you wish, the famous 318is OBC, developed by a NASA scientist (rumoured to have the Deep Blue-HAL upgrade!). And they also magically stop baby's crying!








(only the last sentance is true! the others may or may not have been made up, use your common sence!)

Just waiting for the flaming from the 318is crew, little do they know I have one and love it!

Here we go again...

Hahaha not wise!!

Ok should have also mentioned,

318is is better on fuel, far more rev happy, faster, and marginally lighter (better handling).

arguably the 320 is an old lazy six pot, great noise but about the same on fuel as a 325i with less performance than an IS, they have their fans though, like an e30.

320i are slow as

318is, some say the poor mans m3.

I say get a descent 325i with a lsd

I have both (had both until the 320i engine grew into a 2.7l - the 320i is the car I bought that started my E30 craze as well).

The 318is is a great revvy engine, the car is nimble and nippy and comes with the M-Tech suspension as standard.

When in 320i guise my car had a 325i exhaust manifold and twin system, which made it a bit quicker and the six cylinder engine does sound great!! I also fitted M-Tech suspension so the handling is good.

If I had to go for the standard car (off the shelf) I would opt for the 318is (but would miss the 6 cylinder burble).

If I was allowed to modify and tweak the car it would have to be the 320i (and I would love every minute of the engine).

I wouldn't say a poor mans M3 I'd say a baby M3!

and better than the lump of scrap that is the m20b20.

haha not making any friends today am I?

Ought to mention I own an IS and a sport, the Sport is heavily lowered and a great cruiser but I do alot of miles and the 318is is a far better everyday mobile.

i agree... but ulitmately its all about the 325i with lsd

318is every time.

but baby jesus cries every time anyone even thinks about comparing one in any way to an m3

Baby m3 lol

this was obviously made up by some yuppie who couldn't afford an m3 in the late 80's

Get a 320 over 3.5k and then say it's a lazy car. Just doesn't have the low-end torque of 325i's

320i are gutless,

an 8v mk2 golf gti will nail one and there pretty slow.

Baby m3 lol

this was obviously made up by some yuppie who couldn't afford an m3 in the late 80's

This was a term created at the time by the journalists of the day, someone even posted up a scanned magazine article where that exact term was used, a while back. Besides we're only repeating it 'cause its true!

keep telling yourself that.

you still driving a baby jeep royds?

sorry,

just trying to wind up the IS boys

take the bait if you must

325i is better

Unfortunately yes, selling when i leave uni in a few weeks.

gunna get something economical and slow (was thinking 318is) while i rebuild the touring.

Been in talks with ant

I've got both, no bother to me.

Have you not finished the engine yet????

Now forget your IS and our 325i, a Turbo 325 with LSD is a weapon.

No engine not finished yet, trying to sort a holset and manifold.

Just bought some Corbeau Evolution buckets seats, they will look great with the cage and striped interior.

The plan is to slowly aquire parts to finish the lump and in the mean time get the touring ready to just drop the engine in.

get an m3, they are better, or an e46 m3 vert, they are better. or a porsche they are better. or or or.


test drive each, make up your own mind.

320i sucks on performance, and fuel consumption. Havent driven a 318is but would trade mine in a heartbeat for the infinately better 318is.

318is. Clearly.


But with a slightly bigger engine....

Its like an M3 but with a standard shell, missing about 80bhp and standard E30 suspension geometry (albeit the better version of the standard geometry).
Gotta love the 14inch BBS though, they're kinda cute

now who's easy to wind up!

Ultimately I have no real illusions as to what my car is, a 17 year old 1.8, low spec red car. Still makes me smile to drive it though.

I love driving my 318iS - yes, it does have it's drawbacks - Adamantium is costly to pull dings out of, the electric gizmos only work when i press a button, i can only get 37mpg out of it in time travel mode, the M42 lump (currently on 201,000 miles) requires oil changes twice a year, someone removed the secret turbo that the car came with from the factory, and i find it's time-consuming to fulfill all the ladies that follow me and my car around...

But i was slightly smug when my boss couldn't lose me in his '06 335 diesel twin turbo on the way back from lunch today

Go for the iS, all joking aside it is a better car than a 320i, though a 325i Sport will murder it.

dodgem wrote:I love driving my 318iS - yes, it does have it's drawbacks - Adamantium is costly to pull dings out of, the electric gizmos only work when i press a button, i can only get 37mpg out of it in time travel mode, the M42 lump (currently on 201,000 miles) requires oil changes twice a year, someone removed the secret turbo that the car came with from the factory, and i find it's time-consuming to fulfill all the ladies that follow me and my car around...

But i was slightly smug when my boss couldn't lose me in his '06 335 diesel twin turbo on the way back from lunch today

Go for the iS, all joking aside it is a better car than a 320i, though a 325i Sport will murder it.

As a purveyour of the finest b20 rightness, in a cab none-the-less, I'd like to add that the is is missing a couple of cylenders. It also sounds like a bunch of angry wasps trying to sting their way out of the engine bay!!

Indeed the IS is the ASBO car of the range. While the b20 may lack in performance, it makes up in it's silky smooth delivery, an orchestral engine note and the correct number of cylenders.

So while the socially acceptable is mixing with it's comtempories, holding sophisticated conversation, the m42 (sounds like an M-Way to me) is down the park with a bottle of White Lightning Cider, trying to impress it's school-age girlfriend by smashing stuff up and grafitti-ing any innocent surface with badly grammared declarations; Kev luvz Shaz, innit!

You're absolutely right Mr. Arrogance - i did forget to mention that the iS does all this with a third less cylinders than the big boys, and has a "unique" engine note (read 4 parrots in a washing machine on spin cycle!!). If you like the sound of your car warbling up through the rev range then you'll surely want a 6pot, and if that means a 320i then so be it. If you don't mind the fact that your engine is screaming at you that Polly bit Paul's crackers then an iS is great fun for little outlay and little modding.

I prefer to think of the 4-pot variants as being slightly leaner than the 6-pots, rather than a cider in the park analogy i'd choose a welterweight vs middleweight scenario - one of them has bigger arms and sounds scarier while the other is more nimble. Whichever way you look at it they're good for something, and whenever you ask a question concerning number of cylinders you'll get the same old responses, with "more is better" usually winning out because there ARE more 6pots than 4pots anyway

So while the socially acceptable is mixing with it's comtempories, holding sophisticated conversation, the m42 (sounds like an M-Way to me) is down the park with a bottle of White Lightning Cider, trying to impress it's school-age girlfriend by smashing stuff up and grafitti-ing any innocent surface with badly grammared declarations; Kev luvz Shaz, innit!

You know me so well!!

iDreamBeemer wrote:

So while the socially acceptable is mixing with it's comtempories, holding sophisticated conversation, the m42 (sounds like an M-Way to me) is down the park with a bottle of White Lightning Cider, trying to impress it's school-age girlfriend by smashing stuff up and grafitti-ing any innocent surface with badly grammared declarations; Kev luvz Shaz, innit!

You know me so well!!

I thought you'd like the pink dig better mate!!

I just felt like defending my lowly 320!!!!!

(takes of Clarkson-esque hat)

hmmm, what about a 320 with a rising rate regulator valve -there's an extra 25-30 bhp/lb-ft that's keeping the acceleration in line with the is...
Add in some suspension mods then perhaps even a lsd... It seems you can get at least as good as, for less initially in terms of car availability and price -am i too far wrong?

goosiegander wrote:hmmm, what about a 320 with a rising rate regulator valve -there's an extra 25-30 bhp/lb-ft that's keeping the acceleration in line with the is...
Add in some suspension mods then perhaps even a lsd... It seems you can get at least as good as, for less initially in terms of car availability and price -am i too far wrong?

Just chuck a 325i in there for 200 notes, 320i final drive and it'll kick arse!!

316 final drive and it'll kick even more arse to 120mph, at which point it will redline in 5th

munky30 wrote:316 final drive and it'll kick even more arse to 120mph, at which point it will redline in 5th

More like spit it's own arse out!!

You not killed it yet??

Oh and apparantly you've been secret squirrelling to get my work IP blocked to catch up on my post count??

Touring Collaborators

(like my sig addition?? )

blatantarrogance wrote:

goosiegander wrote:hmmm, what about a 320 with a rising rate regulator valve -there's an extra 25-30 bhp/lb-ft that's keeping the acceleration in line with the is...
Add in some suspension mods then perhaps even a lsd... It seems you can get at least as good as, for less initially in terms of car availability and price -am i too far wrong?

Just chuck a 325i in there for 200 notes, 320i final drive and it'll kick arse!!

Exactly. Firstly, that's why I chose the 320i originally. A 2.5 lump in there and your away for a lot less than buying a 325 outright. Especially when buying a cab like i did. Secondly, I'm cheap.