318iS as a daily driver (65 miles a day)?

[pugboy]

I currently use an Audi diesel for my daily commute. However I dont like it and I car share so only actually drive 2 days a week now.
Thinking of selling it and using the BM so my question is how useable is an old car like this on a daily basis? As I car share I cant be messing about.

My car has only done 47k and has full BMW history so its been well looked after. Engine runs perfect and is very quiet.

Oh and obviously fuel economy is an issue. I never get less than 45mpg out of the Audi, but can nudge that up to 50mpg if I am careful.
I used to run a 1.4 Citroen that could do 40mpg and that was fine fuel wise. Anything less than 35mpg and I'll struggle to cover the cost.
My workmates E36 323i returns 33mpg so fingers crossed a smaller engine in a lighter car should be able to nudge 35mpg.....

Oh something else I should add - I cant afford to run both the E30 and the Audi so one of them will need to go long term.

[ShepsEvo3]

I am using a 318is as a daily driver. Its returning around 33/36 MPG, but it starts drinking it when you use the motorway and cruise around 85/90. at that point its reving at 4250-4500 RPM.. poor thing. Drop back to 70 though and she's economical again. I have bought a different diff to bring the motorway high RPM's down. Yes it may hurt a little bit of the spritly performance, but petrol isn't cheap these days.

FWIW, My Evo2 was just as economical once mapped.

[Dave_M3]

I got 40mpg out of my iS on the way back from the UK... Was delighted since I was used to 27mpg in my 316

But something is up with here at the moment since it's struggling to get 270miles to a tank
23 fooking MPG!!!
And that even trying to drive stupidly ecomical. Keeping around 2000 rpm most of the time
Maybe it just doesn't like the Irish soil...

[hoshy]

I use the iS daily. no problem for me.

[anisotropy]

I use a 318is for my 80 mile commute, its got a bit less economical recently with the 4.27 diff, but I get to look forward to the twisty country road at the end whilst I'm bored on the dull motorway. Tbh they're not a great motorway cruiser. Seems (when I had a 4.10 stock diff) to naturally want to sit at about 60 OR blat along at 80-90 -they just don't really cruise at 70 the way other cars do. I have got about 40 mpg on occasion though.
Where did you find such a low mileage car? 182k on mine and it does 300 miles a week no probs (well few).

[Dave_M3]

Good few of my friends use an iS as an everyday car. 60-80 miles to a tenner is great for day to day driving.
Earlier on I was out with one of them and he noted that his iS was probabbly the best value out of all the cars he's owned in all aspects such as Realibilty, running costs and fun to drive.

[pugboy]

Where did you find such a low mileage car? 182k on mine and it does 300 miles a week no probs (well few).

I imagine its pretty hard to get one with such low mileage these days. The condition reflects the mileage as well.
My cousin was given it by his grandma last year who had owned it from new hence the full BMW history, but he cant afford to run it as he has quit his job and gone off to University. So I offered to take it off his hands as it was in the way on the drive (I'm good like that).

[ShepsEvo3]

Where did you find such a low mileage car? 182k on mine and it does 300 miles a week no probs (well few).

I imagine its pretty hard to get one with such low mileage these days. The condition reflects the mileage as well.
My cousin was given it by his grandma last year who had owned it from new hence the full BMW history, but he cant afford to run it as he has quit his job and gone off to University. So I offered to take it off his hands as it was in the way on the drive (I'm good like that).

And I bet you're gonna steal it too

[Oversteer]

My IS was a great surprise when I drove it in a daily basis a couple months ago.
Keep it under 3.5krpm and it'll be more frugal than any 1.4 petrol engined little car. Plus it's very cheap maintenance wise.

(Un)Fortunately, I own a Citro C1 1.0, and nothing beats that when it comes to fuel economy, so the IS just gets driven part-time.

[78dude]

Offcourse you can use an 318iS for every day use.... BMW make good cars!

[n1tr0_9]

I use an 'iS as my daily driver, getting about 300 miles from £40 of fuel. If you drive with care you can get much better than this.

[JohnnyBlazE]

Okay someone sort my car... or my right foot! I got just shy of 200 miles out of £40! Then again i do mainly in town driving to the station and back daily and around to mate's houses etc... Plus I do like the occasional burst of acceleration

I think I just need to drive a bit more conservatively, but this stop start nonsense won't help!

If you keep the Audi pugboy, the 318is with such low mileage will net you a fair bit of dosh!

[neilofla]

I get 28 - 32 mpg out of my 318is, mostly 28mpg as I'm doing way too much town driving these days. The engine really doesn't like stop start business. If you get 45mpg out of a diesel audi then you'll prob get low to mid thirties out of your iS, but it'll be tight if you say 35mpg is the lower limit moneywise.

I'd wager a proper engine tune up will see you getting mid thirties or better; plugs, filters, vacuum hoses, rubber fuel pipery (the stuff thats age related, not mileage related - 47k is looowww mileage) - at least I hope it will cos thats what I want to do with mine.

If I can get near 40mpg I'll be happy cos every time I speak to my dad he tells me hes getting 50mpg from his 320d, and theres only so many times I can respond with the "yeah dad but mine has purer handling" talk !

[Frenchy]

Mine is not used as a daily driver,but will ge t used more on a regular basis when the sun comes along,fuel economy though not measured is brillsville.

Keep on top of it maintenance wise and treat it with some respect it will go for ever

[b4gga83]

My E36 IS has a 63 litre tank, which if I drive carefully on a mixture of town and motorway driving gives me approx 470 mile.

That's 34 mpg, the e36 is a lot heavier than the e30, so I should imagine that achieving 34+ in a e30 to be plausible.

[appletree]

I took it very steady on the way back from the pod last year and got 32mpg out of it even with it supercharged but i was mostly driving below real boost was very hard though.

when i first got my IS it was as econmoical as the *cough* punto 1.2 i ran before it

[Frenchy]

What was it doing when blasting up the strip though !

[Dave_M3]

My E36 IS has a 63 litre tank, which if I drive carefully on a mixture of town and motorway driving gives me approx 470 mile.

That's 34 mpg, the e36 is a lot heavier than the e30, so I should imagine that achieving 34+ in a e30 to be plausible.

The E36 having varible intake lengths might help too if its a later model.

]I took it very steady on the way back from the pod last year and got 32mpg out of it even with it supercharged but i was mostly driving below real boost was very hard though.

when i first got my IS it was as econmoical as the *cough* punto 1.2 i ran before it

Hmm, maybe should turbo my road car too if it will still get relatively good mpg, lol

[andyaskew]

I put £40 in mine the other day and I got about 80 miles!! 50p a mile!!! It was fun though

[jmc330i]

^^About 10mpg from an iS I couldnt get that low in my 325i
(if my maths is right)

[e30_singh]

change the diff use the 325 one for lower gearing. Will reduce feul cost.

[fozzymandeus]

Really, for the car they are, the 4pot E30s do reasonable mpg. I get around 34mpg from my 316i, and my Mini Cooper S only gives me 31.