opinions on compacts

[pnd]

thinking of getting a vaguely sensible car. What do people reckon to 325ti compacts or would an e36 compact with an m50 engine be a better bet and how much would this cost to do?
(p.s I know they are ugly but that appeals to my go not show mentality)

[oldroydsr4]

I've had a 318ti as my daily for 2 years. It has never let me down once and in this time has only required routine oil changes and a pair of control arms.

I personally think a m50 one with a good suspension setup would be awesome fun.

They aren't the coolest BMW but it returns 35mpg and I can park it anywhere without worrying, I would highly recommend one and only selling mine in the coming weeks as the e30 is ready for the summer.

IMO if you start with a well specced 318ti with the mtec kit , then fit some style 5s and a m50 you would have a very tasteful and timeless BMW.

[capri_rob]

I'm growing to like these turds - may consider one as my next daily as I need something with a hatchback

[pacerpete]

These are possibly the best way of spending £1k if you need a cheap and cheerful turd. Ti sport is the pick of the bunch but even a lowly 316i, if decently specced , is a pleasant sh1tter.

[toby]

Go and drive a compact and see what you think of it.

[pnd]

the prices seem to be all over the place on the 325ti's anything from 2-5k for similar age cars is this just the car market in chaos or is there a more logical reason? I would really like an e36 with an m50 in it but need a price for a conversion as it is beyond my abilities to do it myself.

[toby]

You said you wanted something sensible. An engine swap makes it complicated. For the money you could buy a much better more sensible car.

Be sensible or be crazy - you can't be both.

[pnd]

[quote="toby"]You said you wanted something sensible. An engine swap makes it complicated. For the money you could buy a much better more sensible car.

seriously what is going to be as much fun and as practical for the same cash assuming a 318ti can be converted for a reasonable sum. Say 3k all in. If you know tell me.

[toby]

If you need me to tell you which cars you can buy for £3K which are fun then the internet is wasted on you, no offence intended. Your assumption that it can be done cheaply is the bit you need to work out exactly.

I thought a compact with a six cylinder would be fun too but apparently they aren't as much fun as with the lighter four pot engine in according to a well respected friend of mine.

Yours is one assumption - that it will be fun - on top of another - it will be cheap. There's no way it would be that cheap.

Unfounded assumptions are not sensible. You are being defensive which suggests you didn't really want anything sensible at all. If you like 'all go and no show' there are plenty of cars that would eat a BMW alive for £3K and that isn't an assumption, it's a fact.

[DanThe]

So much crap being spouted about...

Where is Kos, maybe he can shed some light on the realities of living with a 6 pot E36 Compact

[B7]

I was in birmingham today and stuck in traffic on the Hagley Road I was sat next to a very late 325ti. And what a lovely thing it was. I was thinking along the same lines. A very usable RWD hot hatch

[ajm]

they are decent and very underrated. did the m52 engine conversion on mine and some suspension work and it goes like stink, especially with a 318 badge on , and not too much wrong with the handling either. after my m3 evos and most jap turbo's over the last 15 years, it's up there with loads of fun. so far, no reliability issues and very reasonable costs. handling and performance can always be improved but it depends on how much money you want to spend, but as a daily driver, its good. they don't cost much to buy and nor do the engine conversion parts either - just make sure the work is done correctly from the start.

[Jhonno]

Got a Ti as a daily.. Cost me peanuts, needed a couple of bits, but now I just spoon about in it, getting 35mpg+.. Comfortable, quiet, handy boot, and handle alright.. Great little chariots.

[harry_p]

arent the later e46 based compacts a bit too sensible?

a lot of the appeal (for me) with the e36 compact was that the simple rear end gave it a slightly oldschool feel, like a modernised practical e30.

i think a 2.5 or 2.8 e36 compact would be a good laugh. i rated my 316 compact as a great car of it's type for the money, but it was just too slow for the driving i do. as an around town / school run hack it was brilliant though.

[Blitz]

They did a 323ti in Germany. Really starting to like the compact. Used to hate them.

[e30topless]

I had a pact last year as a daily, I quite like them just don't slam the doors or bits fall off !

[town325i]

I had a pact last year as a daily, I quite like them just don't slam the doors or bits fall off !

Or the glass falls into the door

[e30topless]

glass drops regular on these turds, door pockets don't like staying put either !

other than that I think they are great, S50'd Pact would be cool

[harry_p]

mine popped one of the arms out of the plastic clips on a frosty morning

the clips cost pennies though, surely it's an e36 issue rather than compact specific? i had heard the trim could be a bit flakey on pre facelifts, but my 96 car was fine. solid and rattle free.

[Jhonno]

Mine doesn't rattle.. Drivers window is a no go and the door cards need re-attaching though. Oh, and some plank has ripped all the centre console trim out, then tried to super glue it back in..

[harry_p]

i've got a pair of spare compact electric window motors if you need one?

i had to swap the regulators on a neighbours friends car as it was twisted and cracked, so i robbed the motors before chucking the mechs in the bin.

[Jhonno]

The window works I believe.. If it were attached to it's runners. I have some clips in the glovebox, but not all required to get it working again.

[hennared323i]

This looks like it could be good fun:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BMW-COMPACT-318TI ... 19c44aa4b8

[Jhonno]

That is in need of a savage decouncilling session..

[daimlerman]

What exhaust would you use with an M50 conversion,please?

Assuming the engine loom will be plug and play?

[Andyboy]

You need a Z3 exhaust.

I have a Compact 318Ti as a daily shitter. It's a 1995 M42 which although not the fastest thing on earth, goes well enough for a daily tram and is okay on fuel - I can get 36-37 on a run and 30 around town.
There are plenty of these around. They don't rust like regular E36's do - no idea why - and once you've given the windows and door trims a proper going over, they're okay. Compact regulators are the same as the saloon and like the saloon, they crack.

With an M50 or M52 conversion you'll also need a diff as the standard 3.45 is too low.

[Coops90]

Ive been offered a '96 316 compact for £100. Needs a new water pump to work (apparently).

Worth it?

[harry_p]

depends if it really is the waterpump, or if its the headgasket.

even then it could still be worth it if the rest of the car is decent.

[daimlerman]

Ive been offered a '96 316 compact for £100. Needs a new water pump to work (apparently).

Worth it?

Sounds like the car is asking for an M52.....

[Jhonno]

Ive been offered a '96 316 compact for £100. Needs a new water pump to work (apparently).

Worth it?

Yes. Even if it needs a headgasket imo.

[Coops90]

The car is owned by a close family friend who has owned it for about 5 years, last time I saw the car it looked pretty clean. Not been used for 18 months now though, just parked up and forgotten about.

Might go for it.

[pacerpete]

Ive been offered a '96 316 compact for £100. Needs a new water pump to work (apparently).

Worth it?

The main issue on the M43 engine is that it doesn't like being over heated. Now that the cars are old and of little value they attract penniless scummers (like us ! ) and are seldom properly maintained.
A leaking waterpump or a leak from any of the numerous plastic water pipes/ radiator etc , combined with the inexcuseable lack of a coolant level sensor usually = a sh4gged head gasket before the Paleolithic type behind the wheel realizes there is an issue.

The car is worth more than £100 as scrap so you can't really go wrong

[pnd]

cheers for the opinions guys the lack of rust, relatively low weight and e30 style rear axle is what appeals to me about these. I just need to know mow much it's going to cost to get someone to drop an m50 in and the best donor car presumably an e36 325i manual.

[Zerotonine]

I have one for sale, needs headlight, grill and bumper, £500 if interested... PM me if so...

[harry_p]

cheers for the opinions guys the lack of rust, relatively low weight and e30 style rear axle is what appeals to me about these. I just need to know mow much it's going to cost to get someone to drop an m50 in and the best donor car presumably an e36 325i manual.

if you have the space, buy a complete e36 saloon and you can even keep / use the front end body pannels and the better projector headlights too, then frag the rest.