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A daily driver that rivals the '02 experience?


fastricky

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An unmolested (except for the obligatory aftermarket IMS) 996 C4S with a set of 4 Blizzacks

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73 Tii stock build, Porsche Macan   , E46 330i Florida driver, 

….and like most of us, way too many (maybe 30 at last count) I wish I hadn't sold ?

 

 

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I drove my '69 in Ohio snow for 30 winters (and paid the penalty in rust repair--became quite proficient at MIG welding)--even without snow tires (Michelin XAs's were great in the snow) I never had a problem.  

 

A beater M42 engined 318i/is would be a great winter car with some Blizzaks--you can find the 4 door sedans for considerably less money than the two-doors, and upgrade the suspension yourself.  Heck, I did well in the snow with an E30 325e!   

 

32 minutes ago, Bibm5 said:

E30 325ix. It's awd and for you're budget it can be found in a 2 door with 3 pedals.

+1--this would be the bee's knees for snow--if you can find one that doesn't have a bazillion miles on the odometer or isn't a rust bucket.  Again, 4 doors are much cheaper than coupes.  Short of a 4x4 pickup truck or Jeep, you won't do much better in the snow--and you'll still have BMW handling.  But the 318is is the closest to a 2002 that you're gonna get fun-wise.  Even BMW marketed it when new as "the 2002 of the 90s."

 

mike

'69 Nevada sunroof-Wolfgang-bought new
'73 Sahara sunroof-Ludwig-since '78
'91 Brillantrot 318is sunroof-Georg Friederich 
Fiat Topolini (Benito & Luigi), Renault 4CVs (Anatole, Lucky Pierre, Brigette) & Kermit, the Bugeye Sprite

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1 hour ago, Bibm5 said:

E30 325ix. It's awd and for you're budget it can be found in a 2 door with 3 pedals. I haven't personally driven the awd version but I loved my 325es and I don't think you could find a closer driving experience to the 2002.

Even if it does start rusting it will probably still hold its value better than most other options.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

This......plus they usually come with Recaro's and if you are lucky, heated for the snowy days. Put 4 Blizzacks on it and the only thing that will stop you is snow depth causing plowing. Agree on holding some value at this point also.

1972 Tii

1997 Land Rover Defender LE #127

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 Love my Audi B7 RS4. Bought it new and have had it for 10 years now. Great in the snow. 425 hp V8 beast under the hood and they come only in manual transmission. Most going for around 25K these days. Granted not the same experience as 2002.

A little bit more disconnected from the feel of the car, but still very fun in its own way. It feels like all power band..all the time...

Warning: They may be in need of a carbon clean out. That can be pretty pricey. (2K) (So far I have about 116k on mine and haven't needed it yet). 

 

Cheers!

 

Let us know what you end up getting. 

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Loose: Not tightly bound. Subject to motion.
Lose: What happens when you are spell check dependent.

 

1975 Malaga. It is rusty but runs. Just like me. 

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Quote

something better in the snow and that won't start to rust...

West Palm beat me to it.  But don't buy an E46.  They drive more

like Porsches than old BMWs

 

Buy an E36  318ti with a limited slip.

 

Undercoat the shit out of it.  Inside the door panels, etc etc etc.

Clean the SNOT out of the underside of it every spring, touch up the paint,

re- undercoat, and add REALLY big mudflaps.

 

Buy Andrej's snows for all 4 wheels- GOOD snows, that cost as much as good summer tires.

Which are cheap in 15"...

 

Buy a set of cheap cable chains to make yourself feel even better.

 

Go anywhere, and it drives about like a 2002.

 

Why?

 

Because it IS, underneath, the last 2002 you could buy.

Don't give me all that 'cheap p- car' stuff.  Because that's 

a Porsche, not a 2002.

 

Wanna 'molest' it?  Put in a 6 cylinder, and give the S14 bunch a whiff of your

clean, low- pollution exhaust.

 

t

Yes, in fact, that IS what I use as a snow car!

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"I learn best through painful, expensive experience, so I feel like I've gotten my money's worth." MattL

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I own an 02 and a lightly breathed on 325iX (never driven in the snow). And, have owned a bunch of other BMWs, VWs, Audis, etc. Porsche, I dunno. I have to say that the iX feels most like the 02 on the road than any of the other cars I have owned.wheels_left_small.thumb.jpg.f975ec7e2f7230931bfecd4e64f5d66b.jpg Either my original '73 or my '79 320i with LSD were the worst cars I have driven in the snow, and the Audi 5000 with locking diffs front and back was the best. When I owned the '73 02 (in 1973), I lived at the top of small hill at the 4500' level in the Sierras (CA), and I could not make it to the top of that hill if there was any snow or ice on the road unless I hit that bottom at least 45 MPH with momentum to carry me up the hill. (snow tires not readily available back then) right_front.thumb.jpg.3d2b36a7317f6ef88377bd8cb85f7c15.jpg

front_left_ix.jpg

Edited by Chris_B
too many pics

Chris B.

'73 ex-Malaga

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no! I owned an E30 325ix and it was butt slow and sort of a lemon. It' was also noisy as hell at speed....all those loose drivetrain parts makes it sound like a truck inside the cabin on the freeway ugh! I hated it after 2 years

 

 You can get an E 46 330xi for LESS than a 325ix all day long! 4 grand will get you into a nice one. 225 hp compared to 187 weak ass horses!

Plus there are more than a few out there with the 6 speed option....which makes it...imho...the most practical every day driver for the price in the history of german cars

 

note: I might be bias lol as I've owned 5 E46 xi's.

 

1 325xi (butt slow) and 4 330xi's....and currently own a 330xi/6 speed. Insane snow car with Haakapelita's!!!...great milleage on the freeway (if your mellow)...enough luxury for the girl'..and a much better stereo than the previous gens. AC is killer too... 

 

@VW R'...who wouldnt want one. My brother loves his but the first snow bank he went through ripped off the undercarriage tray. Too low for snow!!!!

 

That pic of the white ix is the same car I owned ...year and color...2 door 88'. Looked cool but as an every day driver it sorta' sucked

 

 

 

Edited by iinca
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The difference in driveability and tossability between E30s and E46s is well known.

 

The question is what car rivals the 02 as a daily driver. Are you suggesting that any E46 qualifies? I would buy a $5k E36 M3 (4 door) long before considering any $4k E46. 

Edited by Chris_B
Addition need

Chris B.

'73 ex-Malaga

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100% true BUT as far as a DAILY DRIVER that ix is no match to the E46' luxury and power..Of course this all depends on your definition of a daily driver....

 

It's that early BMW all wheel drive system that annoyed me the most.

 

It's effective in snow for sure. It's so gutless with all that extra drivetrain weight... which actually works in it's favor in snow because it won't spin the tires so easily..... but it was just so loosy goosy and noisy at anything above around town driving. It was literally a symphony of hell 

 

Both drive a bit like boats if you push them. The ix is not that tossable compared to an es' or is'. Understeer was always there wiating for you if got frisky in the corners..

 

as stated I am bias but I have "lived" with both of these cars for many many miles and a zillion days of snow

 

 

Edited by iinca
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I can't believe nobody has mentioned the clear answer.

 

Two doors

95 hp fuel-injected four-cylinder

Available manual transmission

Available in RWD or 4WD

2400lb curb weight

Air conditioning optional

Mac strut front suspension,

Trailing arm rear suspension.

Coil springs all around.

Increased ground clearance

 

IT'S PRACTICALLY A WINTER 2002!

 

http://consumerguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/97811021990107.jpg

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8 hours ago, Andrej said:

 

I get the rust thing, but snow? In NYC? It's not Plattsburgh or Buffalo. Put four snow tires on it and drive on. I live north of the city and have driven nothing but RWD BMWs 365 days a year for the last decade and a half at least. Not only is it doable, it's fun.

 

It’s air bags next... and traction control... and ABS. 

 

Real 02 experience!

 

?

rtheriaque wrote:

Carbs: They're necessary and barely controlled fuel leaks that sometimes match the air passing through them.

My build blog:http://www.bmw2002faq.com/blog/163-simeons-blog/

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2 hours ago, Simeon said:

 

It’s air bags next... and traction control... and ABS. 

 

Real 02 experience!

 

?

 

As soon as it starts snowing I happily turn off the stability control (yes, it's more than just traction control now) in my 128i. BMW's programming on the DSC is notoriously intrusive. I was invited to an intro event for the X5 when it first came out that included a mini-autox in the snow. Trying to drive it normally led to it pushing off into the bank every time as the computers cut power when I tried to rotate the rear with the throttle. Only when I told the instructor (minder, really) that I was either turning the DSC off or I was going to get it so stuck that they'd need a crane to get it out that he relented and let me turn it off. After that it was fine.

 

My car has an intermediate "DTC" setting that allows a little slipping and sliding before it clamps down, but it's still annoying. Four good snows and rock on.

 

I really like Toby's 318ti suggestion - those cars are very 02-like in handling, if not appearance. I even know of a pretty solid one for sale - probably not a clean enough example for the OP, but would make a great snow/rallyx car (and don't think I'm not tempted to buy it for myself, but I just can't swing it right now).

--

Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.

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