newbie :D

[dark_sounds]

hi all, im new to the forum... and bmw/e30 scene....

have normally part taken in the vw mk2 golf scene.. though i can now afford to insure anything up to a 320 lol

are these 320s any good? is there much difference between this and the 318??

would appreciate any advice into different models/variations of the car that are availible... later modelsvs earlier? facelifts??? lol cheers

[Theo]

Hello mate, to be honest i would get a 318is over a 320i, even though the 320i has a nice sounding straight six, its sluggish and very thirsty. A 318is is more nippy, and considered to be more fun.

[Lordschleife]

Yeah I'd go for the 318is, probably the best handling e30 outside of the m3, and quicker than the 318i and 320i

[dark_sounds]

no 320 is then??

any other models worth mentioning? whats this m40 business??

[Lordschleife]

320is is a great car 2ltr version of the m3 s14 engine - but italian market/LHD

M40 is the engine in the later 318i

[dark_sounds]

so theres no 320is in rhd??

[Lordschleife]

Doubtful, I guess its possible some people have done a conversion...

[bmwe30mtech]

Not that i know of. And try a 318i for low insurance, Despite what people say the m40 is a ok engine, and still pretty nippy. Economical as well.

[m3ben05]

Welcome to the zone mate, the 320is is basically an M3 so the insurance will be high. How old are you? you might be able to get away with it!

Failing that, 318is all the way

[wayneE30]

welcome fella

[dark_sounds]

cheers guys.

thanks for the help... whats these SE models about then? i se? i can get a 320... ive researched insurance,,, 100 quid more then 318 under my old mans name...

any specs/links to specs in terms of power figures as standard,,, 0-60, 0-100.... other option is golf gti 16v, though im getting bored of the vw scene,,, wanna move "up"

[astondg]

i can get a 320... ive researched insurance,,, 100 quid more then 318 under my old mans name...

A 320is will be different (more expensive) to insure than a normal 320 (like 320i or whatever other models they came in) because it is really a different car. The 320i is a 2L straight six SOHC (The engine code for these straight 6's is M20). The 320is is also a 2L but a four cylinder DOHC and based on the M3 engine (engine code for that is S14), it might also have M3 drivetrain and suspension although I am not sure (at least the gearbox anyway to fit up to the engine). M3 suspension is very similar to the normal E30 but it has slightly different geometry and 5 stud hubs (normal E30 has 4 stud). While they look basically the same there are enough differences between M3 and normal that most parts can't be interchanged I think.

A 318is is a 1.8L 4 cylinder DOHC (so in a way probably a closer relation to the S14) and puts out ok power for it's size (or used to, might be about average today). The car doesn't weigh a lot so performance is still reasonable, I think about 16 to 16.5sec for the 1/4 mile in the last test I saw (16 is probably a bit optimistic). Chassis balance should be good with the shorter and lighter engine, although I think all the E30's are well balanced anyway.

General specs are here on the Zone: http://www.e30zone.co.uk/modules.php?na ... nespec.htm SE are the ones listed as Special Equipment I think.

I have only ever had a 323i so I can't really comment but I would probably go for the 318is.

Aston

[E30Mark]

It's going to depend on how much money you have to buy a car.... the 320i will be cheaper to buy, but cost more to run than a 318iS.

Do you need economy? if not then a 320i is good, still get 30mpg if your lucky.

Do you want 2 / 4 doors (318iS only came in 2 door)

Any colour preferences, 318iS only came in silver, black, red, blue & white

The cost of insurance should be the last deciding factor, buy a car that fits your needs...

And if money ain't an object get a 320iS

[dark_sounds]

flippin amazing info there fellas. thanks alot for that. has helped clearing things up... ok so a 318is is better performance and economy athen the 320i ... now with the 320 i however what kind of engine modifications can you do? again with 318is what kind of engine mods can you do...

for example will a 325 engine plunk into any of them... im assuming not because of size? whats the more engine transplant friendly? for example m3 engine?

also why do the 325's look so much better then any other model!?

my cousin has a 325 with a 2.7l lump, looks absolutly stunning.. they are wider then the 320's and 318s right??

[astondg]

flippin amazing info there fellas. thanks alot for that. has helped clearing things up... ok so a 318is is better performance and economy athen the 320i ... now with the 320 i however what kind of engine modifications can you do? again with 318is what kind of engine mods can you do...

for example will a 325 engine plunk into any of them... im assuming not because of size? whats the more engine transplant friendly? for example m3 engine?

also why do the 325's look so much better then any other model!?

my cousin has a 325 with a 2.7l lump, looks absolutly stunning.. they are wider then the 320's and 318s right??

All E30's except maybe the M3 share the same basic bodywork and dimensions. The M3 might be a little bit wider because of the box guard bits but I'm not sure. http://www.carfolio.com has specs for a lot of cars. The 325's you see might have the mtech I or II kits which make them look a little bit different, I think the 318is has this kit as well but check the specs I posted a link to in my last post.

I am not sure but a 320 should be easier to put another M20 into (like the 2.5 or 2.7) because it already has one and the gearbox to match, although you might want to get a 325 sport gearbox anyway because the ratios are slightly better. The 318is is probably the better one (but I am not sure) for an M3 engine conversion but I imagine that would be expensive and then a 320is might be a better choice if you can get used to the LHD. Actually it might not matter which one you pick for the M3 engine because I think you would have to change most of the drivetrain anyway in either case? Someone want to clear that up?

Changing engines will affect your insurance though won't it? It does out here.

Aston

[Conan]

Mate did you get my pictures i sent you?

[Brianmoooore]

325 engine will go into a 320i as a straight swap, but as they left the factory the 320i and 325i had quite a lot of differences.
325i had thicker front struts, different model gearbox, larger cased diff and rear disc brakes, although ABS specced 320is had rear discs.
Drove a 318iS last week for the first time. Surprised at how lively it was.
Seemed very well balanced and "chuckable", and I noticed the economy meter needle seemed to be occupying more wallet friendly areas of the dial than either my 318i or 325i.

[astondg]

This discussion is making me want to trade in my 323i for a 318is. About the only thing stoping me is that I would want more acceleration than a 318is would offer, how modable is the standard engine? In standard form it shouldn't be much or any slower than my 323i but my 323i isn't completely standard and I am wanting more performance from it.

Aston

[dark_sounds]

conan,,,, e-mail replied to thanks


right, so 320i vs 318is
318is is faster of the mark then the 320i
320i is more modable? engine conversion wise?
318is is more economical...
both have similar dimensions,

what speed spec does the 318is vs the 320i ... 0-60 , 0-100, 1/4 mile?

are there any other models worth considering???? any other factors worth considering.... lets forget about insurenace for the time being

also as aston says, modifications to each? wat can be done.. and wil the 318is still be better then the 320 after... well i dunno what u e30 geezers do, though with the vws, cams, pulleys, exhaust and chip make a very good difference

[Brianmoooore]

At the risk of getting flamed (again), the only mod worth doing to a 320 engine is to pull it out and replace it with a 325.
It was produced by BMW,IIRC, to get inside some kind of tax band. It falls between the 318iS and the 325, offering no more performance than the 318iS, or even the 318i, especially when you take balance and handling into account, at the expense of much worse fuel economy, and far less performance than the 325, with about the same fuel consumption. It's only advantage over the 325 is that the head is much less prone to cracking.

[koos]

You have to look at the condition of the car aswell, I have a 320iSE, it is less powerful but the sound from the straight 6 is lovely. I looked for a while for a decent 325 with low miles or a 318iS but I couldnt find one, i went to look at my BMW and although it was a 320iSE it only had 52000miles on it, i know that BMW engines are quality and high mileage is'nt too much of an issue but it's the rest of the vehicle aswell, engine choice obviously plays a roll but overall condition is just as important. I wait for the replies to this reply, someone's gonna disagree

[beavis2k4]

I have owned a 318is, a 320i SE ans have now got a 325i SE
if i was to choose between the 318is and 320 it would be the 318is. Its more lively, more fun to drive and quicker although it only comes in 2 door form, the 320 is slow acceleration compared to the 318is, it guzzles fuel compared to 318is but does have a nice sounding engine, i think you would probably get a higher top speed out of the 320?? not sure. but to be honest if i was you my course of action would be to get a 318is save money on fuel and insurance (lower band on 318is) and save up for a 325 when you can afford the insurance, thats basically what i have done (sort of). I would save up for a 325 because if you want to do engine modifications then the m20 is a good place to start, as peopl from the zone told me, theres no point moding a 320 to get same hp as a 325, you would be cheaper buying a 325 and modding it.

I hope i havent dribbled on as usual and i hope you can understand my incoherant babblings ?

Cheers

[dark_sounds]

ur babblings are good....

i think the majority concensus is that the 320 is a waste of space :s

318is it is though they are harder to find then the 320's.,, ,though i got my black mk2 golf so its all good while i wait....

so a 318is.... what modifications can you do to this.,. and what kind of power figure increases will u be looking at?

as aston also brought up...

could a 318is be on par with a 325i with a coiuple of hundred quids worth of modications?

any figures on a 325 engine conversion in a 318is, 320i??? price figures that is.... ruffly...

[E30Adam]

Jimbob from this very forum came on here asking about 320's.

I gave him sone soundly advice and he forgot about the slow thirsty 320 and opted for the 318is which has a light and fairly powerful engine up front which makes it feel nimble and sharp around corners.

Yes, they are harder to find than a 320i but not difficult. They are always cropping up for sale and I'd say you'll have no toruble finding one. There are a few mods you can do to the 318iS which are more the "bolt on" type of mod. Things such as chip, exhaust, air filter, and bored out throttle body. All will give a healthy increase of power.

The best mod you can do is stick a bigger engine into it. I built a 2.7 for Jim's car which we took from a 325i donor car that Jim bought for a couple of hundred quid. Jim spent a lot of money on having the engine modified to the 2.7, ie. machine work and parts etc. You could always just get a cheap 325i which has had a prang and providing you have the space and tools, you could easilly switch the engine to a 2.5.

Jim bought his car for about a grand just over a year ago at 19 years old and he didn't think in his wildest dreams that a little over a year later he'd have a 2.7 litre lump purring away in it producing over 200bhp with a mag photoshoot out in this months TBMW mag.

You can see his car here http://www.e30zone.co.uk/modules.php?na ... 327jim.htm

I'd 100% opt for the 318iS over the 320 slug.

[dark_sounds]

right says it all.... im 19.... so something needs to be done lol... 318is it is then...


so a 325 engine will go into the 318is easily???? i dont have the drive space though i know someone who does ... ;)

possibly even pay a garage to do it if its not too expensive... any ideas???

edit.... with his figures 200bhp etc... what does he produce 0-100? 0-60?? 1/4 mile??? for example a ruff guide.... 200bhp from a g60 engine, can give sub 6 second 0-60s... though smaller car i know ...

[E30Adam]

right says it all.... im 19.... so something needs to be done lol... 318is it is then...


so a 325 engine will go into the 318is easily???? i dont have the drive space though i know someone who does ... ;)

possibly even pay a garage to do it if its not too expensive... any ideas???

edit.... with his figures 200bhp etc... what does he produce 0-100? 0-60?? 1/4 mile??? for example a ruff guide.... 200bhp from a g60 engine, can give sub 6 second 0-60s... though smaller car i know ...

Labour costs would be high if you were to pay a garage. Jims bill only came to about 2k which included the engine rebuild and parts for the 2.7.

The engine will drop in fairly easilly but you'll need the gearbox, diff, wiring loom, ECU and cooling system too. This is why it's best to get a donor car off ebay or something. It's all pretty straight forward and the good thing about teh 318iS is that it comess with sports suspensionm and rear discs so you wouldn't need to upgrade those if putting hte 2.5 engine in like you would with a 320i or 318i.

Not sure of his performance figures, I know he has a g-tech timer so perhaps drop him a PM.

[Dan318-is]

318-is are more moddable that u think.

despite the usual bolt on mods being available such as remaps. overbored throttle bodies and exhausts, tehre are many things available.

they had dual mass flywheels which slowed down standstill acceleration; replacing this with an m40 one can have a large effect on acceleration

also they have adjustable cam timing sprockets, so timing can be fiddled with.

if ur budget is really large, schrick cams would really liven it up!!

in my opinion the IS is as moddable as the 325, its jsut knowone has done it!

[E30Adam]

in my opinion the IS is as moddable as the 325, its jsut knowone has done it!

That's because it's a waste of time and money. A pair of schrick cams would set you back Ԛ£600. For that money you could have a 325i engine and box and have a whole lumpfull more power.

[Dan318-is]

i spose thats true

like people say there are pros and cons to both. Both seem to have weak cylinder heads mine

the reason i opted for an IS is purely insurance, but i dont regret it one bit. for my first e30 (off many i can assure you) its a fun car to drive and smokes most "hot" hatches that my mates worship

[Brianmoooore]

I've got a 318i, a 318iS, a 320i and a 325i amongst my collection.
The 318i is a good quality ordinary car. Is balanced and handles well enough, but is by no means a performance car.
The 320i is nose heavy compared with 318i and 318iS. Similar straight line performance to the 318iS, but has a severe drink problem.
325i has the drink problem, and is heavy at the front, but you get some performance for your money.
Latest aquisition, the 318iS, was quite a revelation. Feels very agile, seems to shift along quite well, an impression probably aided a bit by the rev happy nature of the engine, and the economy gauge seemed to be spending much less time over to the right hand side than on any of my other E30s
Buy a 318iS for now and enjoy it for a year or so. In the meantime, buy an immaculate E30 of some type with as high a equipment/trim spec as you can find, and build up a 2.7 motor for it, or stick an M50 engine in it.

[Conan]

Buy my nice shiny silver 320iSE thats fully loaded and in nice condition
Put a 325 throttle body and Zone chip on it in the mean time ( Ԛ£70 all in at the most and makes it nicly quicker than a 318iS!!!!!!!!!!)

and enjoy it for a while, then when you've got the funds put a 2.7 or a 3.5 in it. There you go problem sorted.

[Conan]

Anyway once you've heard a 6ix cylinder screaming at 6000rpm through a scorpion exhaust you'll be hooked anyway

[dark_sounds]

lol why worship hot hatches in the first place... apart from the mk2 golfs...

lol just wondering has anyone photochopped a e30 hatchback style? that would look pretty bad boy i think....

cheers again for all your responses, has helped me alot in my decision making,,, i think a 318is it is,,, and i might get a 325 lump after i do some research,, will do myself hopefully...

e30adam.... excluding all the machine work etc.. how much just for a purely simple straight swap of the nessesity bits??

[dark_sounds]

lol conan,,, i must say,,, it does look like a very sweet motor indeed.. gotta be black or silver.

i think the main thing thats put me off the 320i is not so much the performance,,, as its meant to be on par,,, but this drinking problem... i do ALOT of miles a week... i can say i can afford about 28+mpg just,,, though the more the better,,,, im used to my golf giving,,,, at one point 40+mpg after the rebuild... gone down to 36ish now though,,, prob cos of cold weather and more cold starts...

[Conan]

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, cant think of a counter argument.