check m42club.com Lots of good info there. Right up your alley Tom. I asked Jack Fahuna to help my daughter with a car when she moved to CA in Dec. He came up with a 92 318is. $2500 and some repairs to cooling and brakes and it is a nice car. Oops, forgot about the trannie and clutch. High style to my eye. EFI is a plus. If I didn't help her with that she was trying to get the 72. Yikes! The kids!

You still want to do the pedal box?

I say go with the iX, but then again I kind of biased ;-)
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Last edited by DonP on 2-12-07 06:22; edited 2 times in total

I say go with the iX, but then again I kind of biased ;-)

I'd avoid the ix for the ix-specific front drivetrain and transfer box repair/replace expense, and I think the regular e30s are great in snow if you outfit them with 4 snow tires with steel wheels. I ran a 318is with snows for many years and had no problems - I used to always take backroads, it was great fun, like my own winter rally. Another thing to consider is that most e30s in the northeast are starting to get some rust either at the rear apron by the tow hook (cosmetic) or under the heat shield at the right side of the transmission tunnel/bulkhead/floor corner (not cosmetic if left to fester in the rust belt), and will have other old-car, high-mileage issues such as inop A/C, worn upholstery, broken seat frames, M42 timing chain tensioner noise, fuel pumps getting ready to die, fuel hose and vacuum line replacement, bushings, etc. I don't mean to put you off of e30s, they are rugged cars but they are getting to the age where they are becoming small-scale restoration projects rather than simply gas-and-go propositions. I split my daily driver duties between a 1990 325i and a 2003 F150 4X4.

The 4-door M42 E30 is a 318i, not IS. Don't overlook the M20 in the e30 325i, it has more grunt than the M42 and pulls more, and the timing belts are easy, albeit time consuming, to change if you have mechanical ability. My feeling is that the m42/m44 in the e36 is a little pokey in the heavier car, but they can be had cheaply. A 318ti might be a better bet than a E36 coupe or sedan.

This is another example of why we need the 5-door 1-series in the US in both gas and diesel configurations.
_________________
If your life is dull, perhaps your car is too new and you're not driving far enough...

1969 1600 florida (Moonglow)
1990 325i brilliantrot (Lola)
2003 325xiT orientblau (Ursula)
2003 F-150 4x4 (Ganesh)

why not a regular ol e30 325is? you'll get more power and torque, get to enjoy the engineering marvel of a straight 6, and be able to find one more readily. an e30 325 is the perfect daily driver. plus, when you're bored with the power, you can put in an s50 from an e36 m3 and have more fun!
_________________
Carl Jensen
72 2002
90 325is
87 635csi
07 Mazda CX-7 (hers)
65 BMW R60/2
07 Suzuki GSXR750

Honestly your not a real BMW owner till you try a 6 cylinder. Once you drive a nice m20 car you will want to drop a m20 into your 2002. They sound great, make great power and just are everything a 6 cylinder bmw should be!
_________________
If more power is better then way too much is just enough.
"Why do it once when you can do it thrice!"

K-Swiss wrote:

Honestly your not a real BMW owner till you try a 6 cylinder. Once you drive a nice m20 car you will want to drop a m20 into your 2002. They sound great, make great power and just are everything a 6 cylinder bmw should be!

Tell Al i missed him in chat last night... but he prolly knows that since hes not bleedin!! =p

ALSO TELL HIM TO MAIL SOME CHECKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :P
_________________
-Rob S.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!! www.jennaishealed.org !!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

they're completely different driving cars, the 318is being lighter and more nimble, the 325i having more grunt and not as eager to rev. Both are nice cars, but different. I prefer the M42 motor hands down over the 6cyl M20. Then again, I like free revving small displacement motors, and the M42 has a huge fan club for a good reason. It's a blast to drive, has ample power to be entertaining, and gets 28mpg even if you drive the snot out of it.
Personally, I like the e30 over the e36. Simpler, boxy, rock solid. And you can find low mileage cars (<125k miles) if you're patient. Both of ours are in great shape, and I had to look for about 1 month to find each. The e36 convert we used to own was nice, but the e30 M42 is the modern 2002tii w/airbags IMHO. Truer to the BMW heritage of small great handling cars.
_________________
gwb72tii

Whenever you find you are on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.
Mark Twain [Samuel Langhornne Clemens] (1835-1910)

K-Swiss wrote:

Honestly your not a real BMW owner till you try a 6 cylinder. Once you drive a nice m20 car you will want to drop a m20 into your 2002. They sound great, make great power and just are everything a 6 cylinder bmw should be!

I've owned and drove for two winters/years each both a 323i (e21) and an e30 325e. I loved the 325e's torque, the M20 was wonderful. BMW did it right with that motor I agree. Reason against the M20 is the fuel milage - reality is that 98% of my driving is with Megan in the car (so not driving like an idiot) and either all highway or all city. No twisties, etc. (taken litterally I am looking for tasteful, functional transportation period)

gwb72tii wrote:

they're completely different driving cars, the 318is being lighter and more nimble, the 325i having more grunt and not as eager to rev. Both are nice cars, but different. I prefer the M42 motor hands down over the 6cyl M20. Then again, I like free revving small displacement motors, and the M42 has a huge fan club for a good reason. It's a blast to drive, has ample power to be entertaining, and gets 28mpg even if you drive the snot out of it. Personally, I like the e30 over the e36. Simpler, boxy, rock solid. And you can find low mileage cars (<125k miles) if you're patient. Both of ours are in great shape, and I had to look for about 1 month to find each. The e36 convert we used to own was nice, but the e30 M42 is the modern 2002tii w/airbags IMHO. Truer to the BMW heritage of small great handling cars.

I LOVE my 2002 but it's getting scary and I'm not happy with how dangerous it could be in a crash. Couple that with the rust, that the motor is tired, that I live in a 900sq foot apartment, etc. and it's time for something else as a DD. I want 28mpg and I will be willing to sacrifice the torque of the m20 to get the fuel milage. I have no problem looking for 6months to find the right car as well as paying a premium for a rock solid, mint car in stock form or with tasteful upgrades. I want somthing that almost looks like it drove off the showroom floor and I will pay for it. Would like under 150K. I would also be open to an M20 but it MUST be a 4-door. Megan wants 4-door auto, we agreed on 4-dr/5-spd.

I am partial as well to the e30 and am not scared of any upgrades having totally rebuilt my 2002 a few times over now (suspension, 5-speed upgrade, two engine swaps, etc.) I'd like a 1991 (was there an e30 in 1992?) or the last possible e30 model off the line and don't really care between the m20 or m42 - having driven both I know about how they feel.

What should I expect to get for fuel milage from a 1991 325i m20 (4-door 5-spd) versus a 1991 318i m42 (4-door 5-spd)?

Thanks all for the help.
TJW
_________________
BMW-Yachtsport
'07 Accord DD
'83 e21 - DD (work in progress)
2574356 - sleeping in need of restoration

If you want to mod the motor, buy the M20 as there is little outside of adding a supercharger to the M42 that can be done.
I added H&R's w/Bilstein sport shocks to the 318is and frankly it still sits a little high to my eye, but the handling is nice and controlled. The 325i i just picked up has Eibach springs w/Bilstein sports and it handles really nicely also. The 325i also has Borbet 16x7.5 wheels which look good too.
Both cars look new, with perfect interiors with no/very little noticeable wear. We picked up the 318is under $3500 and the 325i under $4800, both prices being on the high side but were for exceptional cars IMHO.
I don't know if sport seats were an option in non -is models, but the sport seats are WAY nicer than non sport seats, so IMHO you should try to find a car w/sport seats.
Don't know yet about fuel mileage with the 325i, but its harder to drive the snot out of as the motor is torquey so I don't rev it as much. I'd be surprised if the mileage is way dif from the 318is.
I believe the only '92 e30 imported here was the cabrio, and the only year for the 318is is '91. Both of our e30's are '91's.
Hope this helps.
Bimmerforums is a good place to chat on e30's, as is r3vlimited.com and M42club.com
_________________
gwb72tii

Whenever you find you are on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.
Mark Twain [Samuel Langhornne Clemens] (1835-1910)

The m20 in my car makes its best power above 4000 rpm. Its a rocket sled and the noises it makes are orgasmic.....

With a chip, Metric Mechanics rocker arms, And a rally cam its a beast!
_________________
If more power is better then way too much is just enough.
"Why do it once when you can do it thrice!"

I own two E3 big six BMW's (M30) , a E30 (M20), a E30 (M42), a tii and I prefer the M42 since it loves to rev and its a blast to drive. As for a daily driver, look for a 91 318i 4 door. There is a much higher demand for the two door 318is than than the 4 door 318i (same drivetrain). There are some great deals on the 4 door models. The 318i 4 door models are stripped down compared to the 2 door 318is (steel wheels with hubcaps, no OBC, no sport seats). I found a 91 318i one owner for $1.2K with only 115K and this was six months ago in LA. I found some E30 bottlecaps on Craigslist for cheap, and put them on my 318i, it looks much better now. 91 was the only year for the 4 door E30 318i with M42 motor. The E36 318i went from 92-99. Go to M42club.com for more info on the E30 & E36 M42.

G-Man
91 318i
91 318i parts car
86 325 (daughters car)
74 tii
73 Bavaria
70 2800

Purchased a 97 318ti 5 speed about 2 months ago. It's an E36 with an E30 rear end and a M44 engine. So far, a great car thats fun to drive. Not too bad in the snow either.
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1975 2002
1997 318ti
2003 525i

Well she's seen a flawless e30 and several average e36's and she wants the e36 (probably because it looks least like the 2002). I'm thinking if it's an e36 than we should get a 325 4-door rather than a stripped down 318i.

Mods, chips, exhaust - probably not this car. I look at it as us buying reliable transportation for the next 5 or so years that will turn into my primary DD for the next 10 years or so. This is why I want the e30 because I like them a whole lot more - on the other hand she wants the e36.....

Out of the 4-door e36 choices am I wrong to look for a 325i? I have a feeling that we'll be happier with the 6-cyl and be able to find one easier.

Funny how an e21 320 turned into an e30 M42 to an e36 325 - thank god she doesn't know there's an e46 between the e36 & the e90 or it would be "why don't we get a 323 just like the car you had when I met you?"
_________________
BMW-Yachtsport
'07 Accord DD
'83 e21 - DD (work in progress)
2574356 - sleeping in need of restoration

I bought a 91 318is for my daughter last fall, I think it's a blast to drive, maybe it's all in the head but it feels much more nimble than my e30 325i did and it doesn't seem slow. I bought it as I feel a rust free E30 is about as low maintenance/cost as a BMW is going to get. Older E36 cars feel very cheap to me.