318iS vs. everything else

[Grrrmachine]

All this 4-pot posturing is like arguing about which Pot Noodle flavour is the best, while us six-pot owners carry on munching steak.

[NoTurbo]

It all just comes down to straight line speed vs cornering speed....

[harry_p]

Not really.

An is feels more nimble, but in reality grip levels and on the limit handling are very similar. An is wont run rings around a 325i despite their owners blinkered view.

In not going to hate on the 318is, its a decent enough engine, probably should have become the standard 318i facelift engine, banishing 8valves to the penny pinching 316i.

[NoTurbo]

In standard trim:

325i starts with too much understeer - compensate with right foot
318is starts with better balance but oversteer - compensate by taking foot off throttle


different driving styles.

Also 318is needs to be hacked and thrashed to be fun
325i these days has higher repair bills as it cant take the thrashing. However much smoother and the power and sound are both amazing.

So it depends what you want the car for. as a daily I would have a 318is due to lower running / repair costs

as a weekender or a cabriolet i would have a 325i, but also put money away for repair bills.


I threw over £7k to keep my Alpina on the road when I was using it as a daily

I drive a 318is now just as a stress buster.

[ross_jsy]

Lot of shit being chatted here. The handling differences are nominal at best.

Like the above, an m20 can't take a thrashing? What are you talking about

[bss325i]

Lot of shit being chatted here. The handling differences are nominal at best.

Like the above, an m20 can't take a thrashing? What are you talking about

+1000000

To both coments!

M20 can't take a thrashing? What shit are you smoking ffs?

The m20 was used in Motorsport, more so than the M42 as it happens!

[Gert_8]

In that previous post, Darkchild posted; "didn't joey deackon own an is" FPMSL!!

[Split_S]

Man, I only asked an innocent question!! Such passion - you guys are hilarious!!!

Ive got the sweet 6, got the iS (in a million pieces albeit), maybe I'll get an m3 e30 next...oh but wait, isn't that one a 4 banger too?? Guess a lot of you guys won't like that one either...

Lmfao.....

[Gert_8]

Us 6 pot owners like you guys with a sense of humour!

[Royalratch]

This isn;t about 4 vs 6 pot.

The M3 came with 4 cylinders so its crap.

The S14 is a cheaper version of the M42 - the M42 was saved for the E36 M3 they added 2 Cylinders and you have the S5X.

Its not just a Cylibder argument.

Timing belts, dizzys, and SOHC are criminal in a premium late 80s sports saloon.

[ross_jsy]

Let's play spot the deluded iS owner

[Royalratch]

Three words.

SODIUM.
FILLED.
VALVES.

3 more words.
CAM
BELT
GAYNESS

[gooner1]

Three words.

Mince
Mince
Mince

3 more words.
In
De
Nial.

[Royalratch]

[Split_S]

Three words.

SODIUM.
FILLED.
VALVES.

3 more words.
CAM
BELT
GAYNESS

[gooner1]

Ratch, me old mate, feel free to have a few giggles
when you read my latest technical cock up.

[bss325i]

Please Ratch, tell me exactly what use sodium filled valves are?

It's one of the key elements of your argument after all.

[Royalratch]

They allow the valves withstand the higher temperature generated from the M42s insane rev ceiling.

Chain driven twin cams - just like proper big BHP engines.

Its a Motorsport things Bazza, nothing you 19(M)20s owners would know about.

The M42 crank is cold forged, not hot forged, which is the strongest method employed in shaping metal.

Not like your cast cranks - which is the weakest.

Coil Packs - something we share with the McLaren F1.

Etc etc etc.

Is this even a contest anymore?

And I didn't even check Wikipedia!

[spook]

The M42 crank is cold forged, not hot forged, which is the strongest method employed in shaping metal.

Unlike the floor pan

[bss325i]

Ratch, correct sodium filled valves are to withstand higher temps but in a wheezy 136bhp road car they don't make one iota of difference. If they had normal valves you would not notice any difference at all.

Escort RS turbos have sodium filled valves and Ford zetec engines have coil pack. Big deal.

Also, the M42 powered (S42 does not count!) 318iS saw next to no motorsport use with only a handful of privateers using them.

The M20 powered 325i on the other hand saw quite a bit of motorsport action around the world in group A and N.

[bss325i]

M20 FTW!

[youtube][/youtube]

[Blitz]

Cool video

[steve_k]

M20 FTW!

[youtube][/youtube]

lock it up cuz we have a winner

[hillbilly30]

Very cool vid!

[hillbilly30]

If it's that vid Verses sodium filled valves and a Luke warm crank dip!

[bmandy68]

Great vid , no contest on sound alone m20 engine is so sweet which no four pot can match.

[ajay]

A picture says a thousand words!

[bss325i]

A picture says a thousand words!

Andy, you do realise that's a very old pic of a dummy engine right?

Even so, this picture says a thousand words.



And an M20 can be taken to 3.1.

[jimbom30cab]

and that looks the nuts ^^^^

[e30topless]

I can say, completely objectively that the iS is the best E30 pound for pound.

The Motorsport technology, generous standard spec

IIRC BMW had to work really hard to sell these shitters, morsels at the point of sale was all they sadly could offer... i have probably owned around 15? 318is's, most were basic and just 8 valves up from a 318 LUX, 2 were morselled, the sales guy did a neat trick on the buyers of those and they fragged very well !!

back in 1989 BMW were merely trying to pull across buyers/companies away from the then mundane scrap like ford/Vauxhall, with this thrashy and now affordable "sporty" BMW, with this 16V donk,
they had sold 316/318i's to the lower end of the market and 320i's 325i's to the top end, they needed a foolish midrange buyer who aspired to owning an M3, but had Lemonade money... It worked.. Foo king genius..the delusional 318IS owner was born

the Reps/badge snobs were hooked, their status suddenly went up as they were now a BMW owner instead of a Sierra LX/ Cavalier CDX/SRI (which had more BHP) and now their turd stood out in the carpark..

IMO this was the demise of BMW, fast forward 20 some years, like minded people are now drooling over a 30k Duracell powered shitbox !!!

[harry_p]

Yep, 1989 was boom time for the hot hatch. Gtis, gtes, sris, xrs and rss were flying out of the showrooms. Bmw had nothing.

The m3 was too expensive and lhd only, so they bunged a 16v head on a 318 and tried to push it as a sporty model.

Even reviews at the time weren't particularly favourable.

That was back in the days when a standard car was completely bare, everything was a cost option. Morseled up? Standard is' had 14in steelies and foglight blanks

[Simon13]

It did bring about the iS front lip though and at the time bespoke wheel trims not seen on any other model!

I had one, then i bought a 325i of which i've had at least 10 over the years and still only one 318iS great car but no 325i

[bss325i]

Indeed they are a cool enough turd in their own right.

Its just comical how ALL of these type of threads are started by iS owners and never 325i owners.

Funny that.

P.S, the iS front lip was not unique to the iS contrary to popular belief. The 1989 UK 2 series brochure has a 4dr 325i SE and a 2dr 320i with such item fitted.

[Gert_8]

I think we can lock this thread up, now. Win to the big boys!


Again.

[pnd]

It's worth noting that is's werent very reliable engine wise fifteen years ago god knows what they are like now.