Does this e36 318is look fairly priced...?

[aj_mckay]

I'm in fairly urgent need of a car at the moment for my drive to work (100 mile daily round trip) as I'm using my girlfriend's Focus and she wants it back (fair enough).

I've seen a T-reg e36 318is today priced at 2,995 quid at a local used car dealership.

This seems a nice car. It has just under 90k miles, full cream leather interior, standard alloys, climate control, full service history, traction control etc. etc. I'm not mad about the colour or the wheels but it is literally to get me to work and back in comfort and reliably!

Looks like it's been looked after (no dings or rusty bits), but I have NO idea what the going rate for a nice looking one like this would be. Obviously the 2,995 price tag the dealer has whacked on is over the mark but by how much?? What should I pay?

I am hoping to go back tomorrow and have another look/test drive it - what should I look out for??

Any helpful hints appreciated and any suggestions on price would be great!

EDIT: Here's a link to the advert as i couldn't add the photo's from it to this thread...

http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/www/ca ... 8353384087

[aj_mckay]

Damn - photo's didn't work and don't know how to make them...

[Zerotonine]

There you go.

[pac1982]

£3000 are you mad you can get these all be it older than the one above for £995 in average condition these days

I'd say its only worth £1500 but the dealer probably wont let it go for less than 2 bags

[aj_mckay]

I know what you're saying but it is in pretty fine condition and totally un-bastardised. I wouldn't pay anything like the full asking price but would be happy with something around the 2-2.2k mark i think...

[Alex]

Fooking ell 3 bags

[Rav335uk]

Answer is no, don't give your hard earned cash to the Stealer, find yourself another car and have it inspected if your worried,a nd it'll still be cheaper

[pac1982]

Fooking ell 3 bags

I know shocking aint it a few years back i got a low mile 1 old boy owner from new 323 coupe with all the trimmings for £3500 and it was on a S reg

This was the beast..........

[Alex]

for 3 bags you could get a tidy e46

[capri_rob]

Nice car but definately too much money IMO. £2000 - £2500 seems about the most you should pay for pretty much any sub 100k E36 - and really you'd be looking at a very good 323i or 328i for £2500.

[darkchild]

That looks quite a nice last of the line E36 coupe. Its priced a bit optimistically but appears to be a honest example with reasonable spec for a 4 cylinder (leather, climate, later steering wheel etc). If the history stacks up and its got no rot or other issues its probably worth between £2K-2.3K. Yes, you can get them cheaper but most £1200 examples are sh!tters with knackered suspension, rusty arches and lexus lights.

They're great cars and the 318is is a good daily driver - economical and just enough power to be entertaining. Check the suspension thoroughly - E36s eat balljoints and bushes. A decent example still feels quite tight and really isn't too far behind an E46. Windows have been known to be problematic so make sure they work as they should and drop/rise as the door is opened/closed. Later E36s don't tend to rot but check the arches and the panel between the bootlid and bumper as these are favourite rust spots.

If its as good as it looks go for it. A late E36 is a very good car and they still look modern as a coupe.

[adit]

£3000 are you mad you can get these all be it older than the one above for £995 in average condition these days

I'd say its only worth £1500 but the dealer probably wont let it go for less than 2 bags

+1

i think i'll go and find you one, and personally deliver it for £2500!


i recently sold mine, slightly tatty, but low mileage for £600

[aj_mckay]

That looks quite a nice last of the line E36 coupe. Its priced a bit optimistically but appears to be a honest example with reasonable spec for a 4 cylinder (leather, climate, later steering wheel etc). If the history stacks up and its got no rot or other issues its probably worth between £2K-2.3K. Yes, you can get them cheaper but most £1200 examples are sh!tters with knackered suspension, rusty arches and lexus lights.

They're great cars and the 318is is a good daily driver - economical and just enough power to be entertaining. Check the suspension thoroughly - E36s eat balljoints and bushes. A decent example still feels quite tight and really isn't too far behind an E46. Windows have been known to be problematic so make sure they work as they should and drop/rise as the door is opened/closed. Later E36s don't tend to rot but check the arches and the panel between the bootlid and bumper as these are favourite rust spots.

If its as good as it looks go for it. A late E36 is a very good car and they still look modern as a coupe.

Cheers, some useful points there. I'm going back at 12 today for a proper look and to drive it. I've heard they eat ball joints and bushes - what would be the tell-tale signs of that? Wobbly steering? Vibrations? Wandering?

The other points you mentioned (rust areas, windows etc.) are all good. The main reason it appeals to me is the engine! May sound crazy but it will be far cheaper for me to run than a 2.5 or higher but with enough grunt to stop me being too bored Like you say, you can get them cheaper but they're often shitters or have been bastardised in some way! Also I need a finance deal as I am penniless having just returned from a 6 month round-the-world trip which is something I couldn't get buying privately.

I don't intend paying anywhere neard the full asking price and would like to pay as close to 2k as possible. I'll see how it goes later anyway but if he won't budge enough on price I'll leave it.

for 3 bags you could get a tidy e46

Interesting point, I may have a look for some now. Would need to be a 1.8 like this though...

Nice car but definately too much money IMO. £2000 - £2500 seems about the most you should pay for pretty much any sub 100k E36 - and really you'd be looking at a very good 323i or 328i for £2500.

I hear what you're saying but I can't afford to run anything juicier at the moment. Maybe later in the yr when I turn 25 but I certainly won't be after an e36 then!

i think i'll go and find you one, and personally deliver it for £2500! Wink

Go for it mate...!

[darkchild]

Cheers, some useful points there. I'm going back at 12 today for a proper look and to drive it. I've heard they eat ball joints and bushes - what would be the tell-tale signs of that? Wobbly steering? Vibrations? Wandering?

Knackered E36 balljoints & bushes normally = a clonking sound over drains etc and a tendency to pull to one side/wander etc.

Also, for 3K you can get a 318i E46 but it will be the M43 powered 8 Valve cars. Good little motors and another nice daily driver but a tad underpowered (115'ish bhp). Saying that, head gasket issues aside, they're far more reliable than the 16V Valvetronic donk in my 318ci.

A M43 engined 318ci is a quite pleasant. Can't stand the fat looking saloons though!

[aj_mckay]

^^^Cheers! If this car doesn't work out I may look at an E46 but this one seems to have a few more goodies that I wouldn't get for this sort of money on a newer model so I'm hoping this one's a good-un. Ta!

[aj_mckay]

Oh and also does anyone know the actual BMW stipulated mileage at which the timing chain should be changed on the M42/44 engines? I've heard varying reports of anything between 80,000 - 120,000!

[darkchild]

I've seen plenty of E36 316i/318i/318is that have done well over 150K on the original timing chain. I doubt many have ever been changed.

[aj_mckay]

Fair enough, just off to view it now. Will report back later! Cheers...

[dazleeds]

if thats 3k of car

i sold my 320 wayyyyy to cheap

[320ise]

top wack for a 318is is around 2.5k-3k tops but for that it has to be low millage have full sports seats and m3 kit and needs to be the last of the e36's! every option box needs to be ticked! the one above is tidy but imo not worth anymore than 1.5k as there are so many good ones around to find.

[aj_mckay]

Well... I didn't buy it as the dealer wouldn't go any lower than 2,700!! Shame but never mind, I'll find something better no doubt. Must have patience, but sooo difficult sometimes.

[mabz]

i know compacts are regarded as hairdresser's cars but the one i had was brilliant i think theyre definately worth a look at for a daily.i picked up a mint(really mint)44k 318ti sport dakar yellow with most extras for £2750.it was lovely and its now gone.i personally wouldnt bother with an e46,my boss had one and it was in the garage more than he drove it.bill after bill.maybe it was bad karma as he didnt give us a payrise.

[Andyboy]

If it's a really nice car, £2700 isn't a lot of money for a nice late E36 318iS Coupe. If you kept it mint, there's no reason why you couldn't get five years out of it and run it up to 150-180'000 miles. Keeping the arches clean and Waxoyled, 6000 mile oil changes etc and it would be fine.
Yes, you can get an E46 for £2500 but at that level they're shite and would cost a lot more to run and fix. If the E36 was less reliable than the E30, the E46 is on a whole new level of crapness.

The E36 Compact is well worth a punt. A nice spec 1.9 litre 316i is probably the way to go, a Lux with electric roof, rear PDC and alloys. A good T-V plate one with under 100k should be £1500 ish.

[darkchild]

If the E36 was less reliable than the E30, the E46 is on a whole new level of crapness.

Having recently gone from an E36 to an E46 I can only second that statement. My current E46 has cost more in unscheduled maintenance than my old E36 cost in 7 years. Everything is just disposable - they're certainly not built to last like the BMWs from the '80s.

[Andyboy]

Mine wasn't that great either, and it was a one year old example from a main dealer. By the time it had done 40k it had rear wheelbearings, MAF, headlights due to chronic condensation and a new side glass with radio aeriel.
In contrast, the Ford Ka I had before that needed a set of discs and pads in 58'000 miles, 6000 mile oil/filter changes (£10 at Ford RapidFit) and the occasional clean out of the idle valve with carb cleaner. It never saw a Ford dealer outside of the oil changes.
The E46 was a lovely car (320dSE Touring) in many ways but it was dog slow and spoiled by stupid niggling faults like a) a howling rear wheelbearing and b) A radio that was so shite (reception) that you couldn't drown out the wheelbearing noise!

[aj_mckay]

If it's a really nice car, £2700 isn't a lot of money for a nice late E36 318iS Coupe. If you kept it mint, there's no reason why you couldn't get five years out of it and run it up to 150-180'000 miles. Keeping the arches clean and Waxoyled, 6000 mile oil changes etc and it would be fine.
Yes, you can get an E46 for £2500 but at that level they're shite and would cost a lot more to run and fix. If the E36 was less reliable than the E30, the E46 is on a whole new level of crapness.

Hear what you're saying, it was a very nice car and I could see it had been looked after and would easily last me a good few years. The only major mechanical gripe I had was that the clutch bite was very high up on the pedal - leading me to think it may well be at the end of its life or at least in need of attention (?)

I have looked at a couple of E46s and I agree you don't get anywhere near the amount of kit you'd get in a late e36 for that kind of money. Hmmmmm, decisions!