opinions on compacts

[DanThe]

328i saloon fragger FTW

[Kos]

hello dan


compacts, they are not as well built as an e36, but they are still a decent car. in the right colour with the right options they can tick every box. as pete sad a 318ti with an m44 and MAF is the one to go for.

as fro engine swops, dan will tell you that its pretty straight forward and a 328ti with a 3.25 LSD is fun fun fun

[RustyRuss]

My Dad bought a brand spanker Compact Sport when he retired in 2000 on a W plate, fern green, half leather, 1.9 lump in it. It was a lovely lovely car.

[ajm]

i'm using the std 328 cats, then the first section of the catback exhaust mated to a y-pipe which is attached to a 3' HKS exhaust. the 2 single pipes from the original back section is used as far as possible before mating into the y-pipe and HKS b/box.

cannot tell you how/if the exhaust gas flow is adversly affected or not except that some exhaust people i've spoken to have advised minimal disruption to the original flow, hence the y-pipe attached directly to the b/box.

previously i've shortened the original 328 backbox on another 328 compact but just found it too quiet, but on the HKS box the bung can be used if i feel the need to silence the car.

others use a a Z3 exhaust that goes 2 into 1 to the back. hope it helps you with the m50 conversion.

[leeparkes]

previously i've shortened the original 328 backbox on another 328 compact

How?


Im using a 6 pot E46 rear box mated to the standard 328i front section. E46 boxes are about 10mm shorter than E36 so they fit under the floor pan well, also they have twin 50mm diameter pipes
Z3 rear sections fits on the hangers and sits perfect but Z3's are slightly longer than a compact so it has to be extended to fit, then you have to put a Y piece in somewhere to join them up.

As for what 6 pot compacts are like to live with, ive been using one as a daily for nearly a year now and i would highly recommend one, ok they look a bit dodgy but they are good fun nice to drive and very practical with the hatchback, they make a great 'sleeper' too as most folk think all compacts are 4 pots, i get coments like "What the f*ck you got in that"

As for the handling they do the job just fine and tbh they dont feel nose heavy as expected, mine only gained 20kg over the M44 and i couldnt tell the difference, even when throwing it about.

Id like an E46 compact but there's something about the front end that i hate...

[ajm]

shortened the exhaust by grinding a few cms off the catback where it joins the cats, then welded up the original connectors (unequal lengths) to the rest of the catback.

'Im using a 6 pot E46 rear box mated to the standard 328i front section'

which e46 is the backbox from and what is the sound like?

[e30kev]

Id like an E46 compact but there's something about the front end that i hate...

aye they look a bit rover/mg ish at the front

[pnd]

Id like an E46 compact but there's something about the front end that i hate...

bloody heavy as well 1480 for the 325 and full of expensive to fix gizmos too. think i will go for the simpler, lighter e36

[leeparkes]

I weighed my compact with the M44 and it came in at 1240kg, with the M52 it was 1260kg.
Thats a fully dressed sport with the kit, leather 18" wheels aircon etc..
A fully stripped out compact would be a weapon

[pnd]

[quote="leeparkes"]I weighed my compact with the M44 and it came in at 1240kg, with the M52 it was 1260kg.
Thats a fully dressed sport with the kit, leather 18" wheels aircon etc..
A fully stripped out compact would be a weapon [/quote

but yours is an e36 the e46's are much heavier.

[martauto]

I have just recenly bought a 318Ti sport , 1999 and the spec on it is superb!
It handles like a dream and is really decent on gas returning at least 30 around town and the M44 is a pure joy to drive and VERY responsive.

They are relatively cheap to buy and in my opinion are VERY underated .



Mart.