318is or 325i

[B15NAC]

Ive still got to disergree on this power and speed thing im not saying the 325 is not faster just its not as much faster as the 325 chaps like to think it is! there so closely matched witch is why this thread keeps going because they are both very good. I drove a white tech 2 a few years ago and the power differance just wasnt worth the extra on insurance for me being 20 at the time!

[Royalratch]

There's not much in it but it's ALL the rotten, anvil powered, rot jockey that your average 325i owner can bleat on about.

Outclassed in every other way.

[gooner1]

Who's the hell is Tom Waittss lol!

The fact that you propose not to know of Tom Waits, yet
don't query S Club Seven says it all really.

[Royalratch]

Well S Club 7 are from my decade - so...?

[Jhonno]

Ive still got to disergree on this power and speed thing im not saying the 325 is not faster just its not as much faster as the 325 chaps like to think it is! there so closely matched witch is why this thread keeps going because they are both very good. I drove a white tech 2 a few years ago and the power differance just wasnt worth the extra on insurance for me being 20 at the time!

2 seconds quicker to 60?! Seems plenty to me..

[B15NAC]

ha 2 seconds in 1990 where m42s seem to gain power over the years m20s only lose so i find 2 seconds hard to believe maybe 1 if your lucky

[sidewaysbm]

Neither for power, b25 for the sound!! As mentioned above for the sound alone its worth it plus the m20 looks better in the engine bay Still wouldnt mind an is for a daily.

[Jhonno]

I used to get low 7's out of my 325i Touring, and 32mpg during the weekly use.. Considering the iS is 9secs+ and I only get 33mpgish out of my M42...

Also never realised iS' were once again able to bend the rules of physics.. They must be awesome, crafted by the hand of God etc..

[Andyboy]

318iS? Old crap IMO..

The 318Ti Compact is a better car. marginally lighter (1335 v 1259 in Autocar 'test' weight), far less rust prone, better weight distribution (engine is a lot further back), more aerodynamic, better on fuel, massively more practical with the 3rd door, sharper steering, quieter. Nice close ratio direct drive box and better brakes. Actual performance is about the same - I had a dice with one around Cadwell over 3-4 laps and there's nothing in it.

You'll buy a good clean one for £1200.

[Andyboy]

ha 2 seconds in 1990 where m42s seem to gain power over the years m20s only lose so i find 2 seconds hard to believe maybe 1 if your lucky

Although Ratch has no answer to this, the 0-60 time is the least of its weaknesses. 0-100......a yawning six seconds difference.

[bss325i]

ha 2 seconds in 1990 where m42s seem to gain power over the years m20s only lose so i find 2 seconds hard to believe maybe 1 if your lucky

Although Ratch has no answer to this, the 0-60 time is the least of its weaknesses. 0-100......a yawning six seconds difference.

Not much slower ^^^^?

In 1989, Autocar magazine recorded a 0-60 time in a tech 2 sport of 6.8 secs.

Suck on that iS freaks!

[bss325i]

ha 2 seconds in 1990 where m42s seem to gain power over the years m20s only lose so i find 2 seconds hard to believe maybe 1 if your lucky

Mine mad the factory 171bhp not so long ago, it now has 185bhp and 195lbft from just a BTB. Quite a jump from just a bolt on manifold.

The M20 is an understesses engine with plenty of potential for more power.

The M42 needs to be ripped apart internally to get an meaningful gains.

[SHAKEELE30]

thought it was a hot tuning one barry

[B15NAC]

haha 318is is better just admit it you all know we are right more modern an simply a better design of engine! ha m20 just old:D

[Andyboy]

So you keep telling yourself. It's a source of mirth to the Big Boys though.

[darkchild]

haha 318is is better just admit it you all know we are right more modern an simply a better design of engine! ha m20 just old:D

How is a M42 anything but old. It was designed over 20 years ago.

[B15NAC]

ok so the m42 was designed when?1988? when was the m20 designed 1983? and when did the m20 finish in production! i believe the the m42-m44 lived on till about 10 years ago?

[B15NAC]

sorry 1976 the m20 started its life ha old!!!

[Jhonno]

The newest M42 is 16yrs old now.. Hardly a spring chicken.

[bss325i]

In 1987 MOTOR magazine did an article on the 325ix, the M3 and the 325i Sport (Gazman on this very forum no owns that legendary Sport!) to compare their handling characteristics and this was done at the MIRA test track proving ground.

The results will surprise you four pot freaks but lets just say there was little in it between the M3 and the sport on their test circuit and slalom tests. The biggest noticeable differences were in the steering and this is because the M3 has a quicker steering rack.

The iS shares the same rack as any other non M3 by the way.

to quote a line from the artical.

"the was no measurable differences between the M3 and Sport"

Circuit lap (Sec)

M3 40.20
Sport 40.64

Slalom test

M3 5.64
Sport 5.64

Lateral acceleration (g)

M3 0.84
Sport 0.84

Steering turns 50ft circle

M3 1.20
Sport 1.20

Steering turns lock to lock

M3 3.6
Sport 4.0

QUITE AN IMPORTANT ONE HERE!!

Weight distribution

M3 F 51.6/R 48.4
Sport F 52.8/R 47.2

Now please, will you iS peasants/freaks who think* you have a massive handling advantage due to your so called weight advantage, stop harping on because its becoming boring.

*typical iS owners delusions!

We have the FACTS!

You have no argument.

If fuel economy is such a big deal to you, go buy a diesel. It will probably be faster to!

[B15NAC]

what facts that a bunch of wallys tested them hahah before the 318is was even designed!!

[bss325i]

[B15NAC]

sorry i love the m20 and the m42 an any e30 really i find this all very funny! there both great cars great in there own ways

[darkchild]

ok so the m42 was designed when?1988? when was the m20 designed 1983? and when did the m20 finish in production! i believe the the m42-m44 lived on till about 10 years ago?

Congratulations on completely missing the point.

Using your rather bizarre logic the valvetronic lump in my 318ci must be fantastic then because its even newer than the M42.

[darkchild]

sorry 1976 the m20 started its life ha old!!!

Do people tell you your car is sh!t because its old and 3 generations out of date?

[B15NAC]

yea it is o and thank you for congratulating me ta

[jann]

Well for me being 19 and not loaded with dosh, the iS appealed to me. Iv'e always stated i will have a BMW for my first car. I could of gone for a 1994 e36 iS or even a 323 E36 and that would have been cheaper and less on the insurance than my currant 91 iS.
I chose it because me a student doesn't have money to be throwing away for petrol for a 325i and after reading ALOT of reviews on both M20/M40/2's i was worried about a cracked head that the M20 suffers if it gets a little hot. (I know nitpicking here both are great) So i settled on the m42. My dad years ago had a e36 316i ( i know slow right) and it NEVER broke down even with 220k on the clock nothing broke when we owned it.
So based on the financial side, maintaining side i picked the M42.
I don't know why people are arguing over "Engines" for fook sake...
We chose the E30 over any other euro boring pos because we like to feel part of the car more than anything else. Yes certain models are faster, some liked to be revved and some have torque.
So can't we all get along.
Jann.

[SpencerLavery]

I can't believe this is even a discussion.

M20B20 vs M42 could perhaps be an argument worth having, but M20B25 vs M42 is more of a hp difference and almost the same torque difference than if we were to compare the M20B25 with the M30B35, and nobody would be stupid enough to argue about those two.

I've been in a well kept iS and it felt identical to my 320i in terms of power, I've also been in a 325i and that felt like an entirely different car. It's not even close.

[Cloggy Saint]

Do people tell you your car is sh!t because its old and 3 generations out of date?

Yes

[Tommek]

Well for me being 19 and not loaded with dosh, the iS appealed to me. Iv'e always stated i will have a BMW for my first car. I could of gone for a 1994 e36 iS or even a 323 E36 and that would have been cheaper and less on the insurance than my currant 91 iS.
I chose it because me a student doesn't have money to be throwing away for petrol for a 325i and after reading ALOT of reviews on both M20/M40/2's i was worried about a cracked head that the M20 suffers if it gets a little hot. (I know nitpicking here both are great) So i settled on the m42. My dad years ago had a e36 316i ( i know slow right) and it NEVER broke down even with 220k on the clock nothing broke when we owned it.
So based on the financial side, maintaining side i picked the M42.
I don't know why people are arguing over "Engines" for fook sake...
We chose the E30 over any other euro boring pos because we like to feel part of the car more than anything else. Yes certain models are faster, some liked to be revved and some have torque.
So can't we all get along.
Jann.

+1 Best post so far in my opinion

[Blitz]

Period road test

[youtube][/youtube]

[SpencerLavery]

[youtube][/youtube]

[bss325i]

and after reading ALOT of reviews on both M20/M40/2's i was worried about a cracked head that the M20 suffers if it gets a little hot.

M42's and its replacement the M44 commonly suffer from cracked heads.

Ask Ratch!

[darkchild]

Do people tell you your car is sh!t because its old and 3 generations out of date?

Yes

Don't worry. It will be 4 generations soon!

[pac1982]

I think it simply comes down to this....

If you’re an OEM homo and want a really nice clean original E30 then the 325 wins hands down.

If you want a practical daily driver then the 318IS wins.

If you want an all out performance E30 then neither the 325 nor the 318is are the way to go as they are both slow, and the only way to go is with an engine conversion or purchase one of the more ”aspecial”a E30’s that are actually quick.

Don’t know about you guys but I drive my E30 because of my love of retro and the way it looks, I don’t drive fast anymore and rarely get above 4k revs I would be just as happy driving a 316 as long as it looked as nice as my 318IS and had all the nice bits my 318IS has like leather, decent trim level good brakes and suspension.

I’m just not as car mad as I used to be and for me the cheaper my car costs me to run the better but I still like a cool looking car, but with running costs like they are these days I would rather spend my money elsewhere than on a heap of metal.

Luckily for me I also have 2 motorbikes and a scooter which means I can have a big engine and not have to worry about the running costs so much as I can get close to 100mpg out of my Lambretta and about 60mpg out of my supermoto hence my want for a 2.8 24v conversion, if I didn’t have my bikes I think I would be driving something more sensible like a VW polo of Golf Diesel.