Looking at BMW E30 Tourer models

[rosebarn]

Hi there

I've reached that age when I quite fancy a BMW Tourer!
Basically my wife says I've got to get an estate and we don't have masses of cash to spend, so I've been looking at 306 HDI Estates and similar.
However I've got a hankering for a 1991 ish BMW Tourer. I love the 325i - this is the one I'd go for myself due to that fantastic engine. I've had a quote of £179 for insurance so thats good.

Anyway I was just wondering if anyone can point me to specs of the following options

318i tourer
320 tourer
325i tourer

Up to 1992 but no older than 1990.

I'm looking for 0-60, performance times, mpg, that sort of thing.
The other option was an Audi 80 Estate but I prefer the styling on the BMW - I like the round double headlights - reminds me of my old MK1 Golf GTI

Anyway, if anyone can help I'd appreciate it. If anyone has any comments on the different models that would be good also. I've heard the 325i can be a handful in the wet - does that apply to the other models too?

Many thanks

Phil Palmer

[pnd]

fuel consumption will be 25-30 mpg depending on model with the 320 being the worst.
0-60 8-11 seconds
the bmw is a much morer sporty option than the audi
all rear wheel drive cars can be a handful in the wet but with good tyres and some respect these cars are not that bad. the 325 is the one to go for with strong smooth engines but make sure its been looked after as they can get expensive to put right if its been neglected.

[rosebarn]

I guess its a straight decision between the 318i (sensible option) and the 325i (sporty option!)
I'm currently on the adverts page having a browse.

Phil : )

[gIzzE]

I had a 2005 S4 Avant and I would not swap my E30 325i for it, the BMW is so much nicer to drive, the S4 was the worse car I have ever owned. I have also driven an Audi 80 for 2 years, back when it was new, and even then it was a bit of a barge!!

325i is the one to get, I see about 25mpg from mine, and that is all short journeys, by that I mean sub 15 mile.
You can get 30+ on a run, but it takes 4 miles for it to get to temp on a good day and nearer 8 miles on a really cold day, and at that point it is drinking the old juice.

I wouldn't limit yourself to years either, I was only looking for a late 325i tourer and no more than 80k miles, in the end I got a 1988 (or is it 89?) with 170k on the clock, but it felt tight, with mint sport interior, new shocks, springs and mounts, and a near gearbox that made it all feel really good for a 18 year old car.
Bad points were it needed a near centre box, there was a ding on the wing and the blowers in the car sqeaked.

Whole new 3 piece exhaust system, because mine is a 2 pice and had to find, was £140, the ding I will knock out when I get a spare day and the sqeak was sorted with some WD40 and only took 20 minutes to do.

Find the best example for the best price, don't ignore one cause it is an '89 model.


I am not sure if it is a handful, I wouldn't say so, just don't slam your foot down on a corner, it's all about physics.
FWD Audis are more of a handful imho, try and accelerate coming off a wet roundabout, the back end squats down, the front rises and the wheels spin like mad, you end up with your nose sticking out but not getting anywhere.

[rosebarn]

Thanks for the reply. I guess I'm looking for a 325i tourer!! Then I get the fun I want from a car (if its possible to have "fun" anymore) and I keep my wife happy with the estate option.

[Rosc0PColtrane]

TOURING

[alex-e30]

why do people call it tourer? :S

[fuzzy]

why do people call it tourer? :S

because not everyones so anal as to know the bmw terminology for an estate car.

[gIzzE]

why do people call it tourer? :S

Do you mean as opposed to calling it a touring?? Or instead of estate?

It is marketed in some countries as the BMW tourer and in others, like the UK, as the BMW touring.
Although that seems to be changing and more countries are now calling it a touring.

[rosebarn]

tourer sounds better than estate.

It's not really an estate though - its looks like an estate but doesn't have the capacity of other estates - hence the name tourer.
Enough for 2 dogs and a weekend case.
.

[StuBeeDoo]

why do people call it tourer? :S

Probably the same reason as why they call face-lift cars "phase2" and sports seats "Recaro's". They've heard someone else say it (or read a post with it in) so that makes it correct.

[M3Macao]

sorry to go a bit off topic ish..but correct me if im wrong..isnt the e30 Touring the first ever estate car that BMW had in its line up? Its a bit of an argument with a mate at work!!

Ive got an 88 325i touring and i love it!!

[Nelly]

There was a 2002 Tourer in the past - Dip's also has one of these in his collection

[Rosc0PColtrane]

tourer sounds better than estate.

It's not really an estate though - its looks like an estate but doesn't have the capacity of other estates - hence the name tourer.
Enough for 2 dogs and a weekend case.
.

It's Touring

The 2002 was also a Touring.

I believe some French turds are referred to as tourers, or even some mobile homes, not E30's!

[Rosc0PColtrane]

sorry to go a bit off topic ish..but correct me if im wrong..isnt the e30 Touring the first ever estate car that BMW had in its line up? Its a bit of an argument with a mate at work!!

Ive got an 88 325i touring and i love it!!

Europe had an e28 estate, iirc

[Scruffymurphy]

sorry to go a bit off topic ish..but correct me if im wrong..isnt the e30 Touring the first ever estate car that BMW had in its line up? Its a bit of an argument with a mate at work!!

Ive got an 88 325i touring and i love it!!

I'm pretty sure there was an E28 5 series estate. Not sure if they were called touring or not.

[M3Macao]

I know about the 2002 touring but looking at it it looks more like an early version of the e36 compact. In other words a hatchback! I never new about the euro e28 estate..was that a "touring" ?

[Simon13]

325i is the only way to go. All the car you will ever need

A solid one with a strong engine will take you anywhere and anything you can throw at it

don't expect any higher than 28mpg really on a run as they are geared up the same as sport for the extra weight they have over a saloon. I average 23-26mpg in my touring and shes an old snotter that just won't die!

[Grrrmachine]

There were a few hundred Alpina E28 estates made in France by â€ËaGarage Du Bac', but these came from butchering up the rear part of the old Merc W123 kombi, and if they haven't rotted by the roadside they'd have been tailspun into a French tree by now.

[StuBeeDoo]

There were a few hundred E28 estates made by Alpina France â€ËaGarage Du Bac', but these came from butchering up the rear part of the old Merc W123 kombi

That is wrong with a capital W.

[Grrrmachine]

Dunno, it doesn't look too bad to me

[78dude]

What is wrong with the E30 Touring in a 324td version???

[M3Macao]

Dunno, it doesn't look too bad to me

[fuzzy]

Dunno, it doesn't look too bad to me

my, thats an ugly ugly mess.

[rosebarn]

Sorry Touring not Tourer!

[Rosc0PColtrane]

[dickster]

Those pics are of a seven series E23

This is an E28:

[StuBeeDoo]

Apart from the vandalised rear wiper, that E28 looks well cool. If I could find one of those, I could be persuaded to let the E30 go.

[Rosc0PColtrane]

sweet as a nut!

[M3Macao]

Yeah i must admit that looks slightly more appealing than the last lot of hideous mutations!! Was this one actully built by BMW or converted by a coachbuilder? I remember a company back in the seventies doing the same thing to Rover P6's.

[gooner1]

Those pics are of a seven series E23

This is an E28:

That is nice, did,nt realise these even existed and they make the
Du Bac version look even uglier.

[StuBeeDoo]

I remember a company back in the seventies doing the same thing to Rover P6's.

Wasn't that Avon Coachworks?? IIRC it looked a tad strange because the saloon had a sloping roof-line.

[StuBeeDoo]

Wasn't that Avon Coachworks??

Just checked, it was done by FLM Panelcraft in London.

[Alburglar]

I've just bought a 318 Touring and I'm happy with the performance, Nice and Revvy and you can step the back end out on Demand. Plus doing a steady 70mph the guage says just under 50mpg, dunno how accurate that is tho?
Anyone know the bhp figure of a standard 1990 318?

[fuzzy]

I've just bought a 318 Touring and I'm happy with the performance, Nice and Revvy and you can step the back end out on Demand. Plus doing a steady 70mph the guage says just under 50mpg, dunno how accurate that is tho?
Anyone know the bhp figure of a standard 1990 318?

about 105bhp.