320 vs 318is

[uncle_festa]

i got my f reg 320 last year and i love it to peices, its such a good car to run,

how ever i just got my other car on the road so i need something more economical,

is a 318is about the same kind of performance and what sort of mpg do they do. . realy dont want to get rid of my 320 as i love the sound

[gra325i]

used to have a 320i..now ive got a 325i sport and the mrs has a 318is...my 320 used as much fuel as my sport does and was no where near as quick as the "318Is" is but like you said...that straight 6 growl is georgeous and worth the extra petrol.....imho

[ed325i]

The 318is is a faster then the 320 but only a bit more economical.
Lighter on the front end to so should handle better to.

[pacerpete]

I am not a huge fan of a 318is as an ownership proposition BUT they are the most economical E30 by far, 30 mpg no problem, motorway driving within the confines of the law can see nearly 40 mpg !. Alas a 320 owner can only dream of these figures, unless its a 'lightweight' scotch spec touring !
At this stage unless you have a decent budget, buy the best condition /best spec car you can find. I would rather a really clean nice spec 320 than a rattly rusty tired iS.

[iDreamBeemer]

318iS will also be cheaper to insure than 320....have to agree with you on the sound but as an overall package the iS is better....but I am also biased!

[jaistanley]

I have had a 318is and recently swapped the engine to a 2.5 M20. Whilst I love the growl, teh iS handled so well and was such a sweet engine. I'd reccomend the iS EVERY time over the 320. Plus you get all of the sport goodies: black headlining, sports wheel/seats etc etc.

I love the iS. Watch out for timing chain rattles at 3k rpm though. Easy enough to fix but why buy one you have to fix?

Jai

[E30Dale]

i get about 35mpg in my 318iS in my opinion the 318IS is a cracking car due to the sport extra's and the M42 engine but i must say cant beat the sound of a six pot engine!

[e30bmlover]

i get 270 - 280 miles to a tank driveing around norwich, on a long run, i got to wales on just under half a tank. not bad for a ''thirsty'' b20. real bmw's have 6 cylinders(s14 excluded)

[uncle_festa]

cheers for the info guys, im gona have a little look at a 318is closer at the next bmw show, maybe take one for a test drive when i see one in one of my local car dealers but i think its the way im going to go, love the e30 to much to change for another car.

[kieron]

i have a 320 and when im driving around like we are meant to the mpg gauge regularly shows around 30 mpg.

I can put it in fifth and drive as slow as about 20 if i want to, although obviously there isnt very good acceleration at that point. in my opinion the 320 does not seem like an un-economical car at all. quite good in fact.

I am planning on doing a 400 mile each way journey to scotland in august and dont think it will be bad at all. I did the same trip last year in a 1 litre mini and spent about £60 on petrol each way.

[uncle_festa]

yeah a mini is my other car and even tho its a 1380 stage 4 trackday engine its still doing about the same if not better than the bmw mpg. the 320 isnt terible but im just after something better

[jibowski]

I've got both and i can say the 318is is a lot better in my opinion, the m42 is a really sweet little engine, revvy tunable and econonical if your light footed, it has all the suspension mods and brakes as standard 325i that my 320i has had a lot of money spent on it to replicate, i'd love to have an alpina which must be bloody awesome but more as a muscle car i reckon than an m3

and the lighter front results in a lot more evenly balanced chuckable car without all that extra weight right at the nose

[jibowski]

gotta say if i'm light footed in my 320i though its not too bad and you have so much torque you dony need to rev it, often get high 20s to 30 on a run

[gra325i]

i have a 320 and when im driving around like we are meant to the mpg gauge regularly shows around 30 mpg.

I can put it in fifth and drive as slow as about 20 if i want to, although obviously there isnt very good acceleration at that point. in my opinion the 320 does not seem like an un-economical car at all. quite good in fact.

I am planning on doing a 400 mile each way journey to scotland in august and dont think it will be bad at all. I did the same trip last year in a 1 litre mini and spent about £60 on petrol each way.

why?..you comin to the callender show? 25 e30s in 1 place is gonna be

[Dan318-is]

i get 270 - 280 miles to a tank driveing around norwich, on a long run, i got to wales on just under half a tank. not bad for a ''thirsty'' b20. real bmw's have 6 cylinders(s14 excluded)

I got 370 miles to a tank out of my 318is on the way to france against the wind too! Its the only time i have ever cared about economy but it shows the difference those two cylinders make.

[jaistanley]

I was getting 270 out of a tank on ave with the 318is, now getting 240-250 with the 2.5. Same car otherwise (including the 4.1 diff).

Jai

[E30Mark]

In my old 318iS it used to average 37mpg... i managed to get 420miles to the tank - only once! If you drive like petrol is rationed.. then you can get 40mpg from the old girl. But it will obviously depend where you live (hills etc) how you drive (18 or 80 year old) and obviously how well tuned the engine is. I had a 2nd 318iS that although identical to my first, never retuned as good a mpg.

The chice is yours, economy or sound

[Andyboy]

I don't go along with all the '318iS' are a nightmare stuff. Yes, the timing chains can let go but when a good used engine is £200, it's not the end of the world. M42 chains aren't that bad a job to do and it's a toss up between doing the chain or just driving it and fixing it if it does go. I've seen E36 318iS Coupes with 200k and the first chain so a lot of is is Munich Leg Ends syndrome.
The 320i is a nice smooth thing but the iS is a bit special.

[iDreamBeemer]

The 320i is a nice smooth thing but the iS is a bit special

Special......? Is that as in

[e30bmlover]

The 320i is a nice smooth thing but the iS is a bit special

Special......? Is that as in

no, no, as in rimedial.

[kieron]

why?..you comin to the callender show? 25 e30s in 1 place is gonna be

no, im pretty new to the e30 scene, dont know what that show is.

Im having a relaxing week away, my girlfriends grandma owns a cottage near the mull of kintyre, plus it was a great driving for ages in one go especially on those country roads a little after glasgow. end of hi-jack.

[adit]

here,here! ive had a few beemers but only recently bought an is. what a luvly little car, quick,light,economical, well impressed! not too bothered about the sound, ill leave that for the saxo/corsa boys outside mcdonalds! oh dear, suddenly i feel old!

[tailoutcharlie]

ill leave that for the saxo/corsa boys outside mcdonalds! oh dear, suddenly i feel old!

saxo's and corsa's have shi**y little fourpots, i do not place them in the same league as a M20

[gra325i]

same league?...not even the same sport mate

[BadDave]

why?..you comin to the callender show? 25 e30s in 1 place is gonna be

No

Im having a relaxing week away,plus it was a great driving for ages in one go especially on those country roads a little after glasgow. end of hi-jack.

Sounds like our proposed meet at Callander