318 - 320 Coupe

Live4Ever

Alright lads whats the general feling on this car? I think it looks great.

Have been thinking of getting one for a while now, have a budget up to about E7,500.

Think the 03 and up are slightly different to previous versions?

I see the 320 has extra hp compared to the 318. At the moment I'm driving a 99 Astra so something with a little more power will be a nice change. Do you reckon this extra performance is a must or is the 318 still a quick ride?

Thanks, all opinions welcome :D

EDIT:
Just did a search under 318ci, plenty info came up, didnt find much when I searched 'bmw 3 series', still if someone has some vital info please do let me know! Thanks lads.

Get a 325

Live4Ever

RoverJames wrote: »

Get a 325

Yeah, I was thinking that, but I will probably get raped on insurance... How are they on mpg and tax?

dharn

always lover the sound of the 6 cylinder 320i dont know when they went to 4 cylinder check it out

Idbatterim

dont think I should pimp my current 318ci Im trying to sell here, the 6 cyliders and much nicer, tax isnt too much more on the 320. Are you doing much mileage op?

Live4Ever

Been reading through a few old forums.....

- I take it that I should go for the 320ci as it has the 6 cylinders?? Can someone tell me the difference between the 4 and 6 (obviously it has 2 more, but what are the benefits of this?).

- Can anyone tell me how fast a 2003 320ci is? I want a quick enough car, as I said im driving an astra which is a snail, so I imagine I'll see a big difference driving a bmw?

Doing about 10 - 12K a year. Most of my driving is around the Rathcoole / Naas area, it only takes 15mins to get to work. Some weeks I drive about 100miles, other weeks it can be 300.

Something like this perhaps??
http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/3-Series/320-CI-C/201122202627321/advert?channel=CARS


Thanks!

El Guapo!

I have a '02 320ci M-sport and I love it. Its the 6-cyl 2.2l 170bhp one. The 6 cyl is much much smoother than the 4 cyl 318.
Mines an auto and the auto box is nice and smooth too. To be honest the mpg isn't great. According to my dash display I only get around 20mpg.
They're fast enough but nothing to write home about tbh.
In my opinion its the best of both worlds,-they're comfy and there's a bit of power there when you want it. I'd highly recommend one. Just make sure its been well looked after before you buy, a lot of them have been abused in their lifetime.

Anan1

If it were me, i'd get a 330iA saloon or estate. It's faster than a 318/20/25Ci, it's more practical, it looks better, and the money saved at purchase will more than pay for a few years extra tax.

RobAMerc

I believe a BMW should be a 6 cylinder and thats about that.

I had a 320ci and my buddy had a 318ci which I sourced for him so I am fairly well placed to give some advice.

The 320ci manual I found could be a bit of a pig to drive around town, its got a large flywheel and so keeps revs on once you've backed off (overrun) , coupled with a e46 manual gearbox issue of it not being very nice ( long throw and somewhat rubbery ) and the 320's lowish low end torque meant it wasn't fun in traffic and suffered a fair amount of driveline shunt. On the other hand it was a stonking engine on the road - free reving once wound up, super sounding ( which I believe caused its poor mpg figures ) and reasonably rapid.

The 318 still had the rotten gear shift it also didn't have much low end torque but it did lack the shunt problems.
In the few times we swapped cars I must admit my mate just couldn't grasp the difference at all, and for the first time I understood why you would buy a 318 over a 320. If you can't tell the difference without being shown buy the 318 - for running cost reasons alone and it will probably be easier to sell on in the "tax" obsessed Ireland where its much more important how you look in it than how it drives.

btw - I drove a couple of 325's - not a significantly big diff in poke but I am led to believe they like the sauce. The 330 however I am told is worth the difference. a 330cd might be the one to have.


Hope this helps.

Live4Ever

RobAMerc wrote: »

I believe a BMW should be a 6 cylinder and thats about that.

I had a 320ci and my buddy had a 318ci which I sourced for him so I am fairly well placed to give some advice.

The 320ci manual I found could be a bit of a pig to drive around town, its got a large flywheel and so keeps revs on once you've backed off (overrun) , coupled with a e46 manual gearbox issue of it not being very nice ( long throw and somewhat rubbery ) and the 320's lowish low end torque meant it wasn't fun in traffic and suffered a fair amount of driveline shunt. On the other hand it was a stonking engine on the road - free reving once wound up, super sounding ( which I believe caused its poor mpg figures ) and reasonably rapid.

The 318 still had the rotten gear shift it also didn't have much low end torque but it did lack the shunt problems.
In the few times we swapped cars I must admit my mate just couldn't grasp the difference at all, and for the first time I understood why you would buy a 318 over a 320. If you can't tell the difference without being shown buy the 318 - for running cost reasons alone and it will probably be easier to sell on in the "tax" obsessed Ireland where its much more important how you look in it than how it drives.

btw - I drove a couple of 325's - not a significantly big diff in poke but I am led to believe they like the sauce. The 330 however I am told is worth the difference. a 330cd might be the one to have.


Hope this helps.

Hey, thanks for the input! I will admit I did have to google a few terms but I now understand what you mean.

Firstly, I can't go for the 330 I will be raped on insurance, maybe in a few years....:) I will price the 325 for insurance, although I am afraid it will be too expensive.

To be honest I probably won't notice the difference between both engines, although I am not overly concerned about the extra tax costs or re-sale value.

Is there a big difference between the 318 and 320 in terms of mpg? I seem to be reading varying reports on different sites.

As I said Idon't do much driving and I wouldn't consider myself to have a heavy right foot. For example, I'd like to experience a decent take off when exiting onto a motorway (not quite a 330 take off but still speedy).

Would I be right in assuming the 320 engine is more reliable?


Hmm, just did a quick comparison on 123.ie out of interest, the 325 was cheaper to insure than the 320!! Must get onto Axa and check their prices.
If the 325 insurance is affordable do you think this is the best option?
Thanks lads!

Idbatterim

hey Op, my bro is thinking about selling his 318ci, 02, black, 67k miles, just serviced and 3 months tax and recentish nct. air con, mfsw, sun roof, 6 cd changer, arm rest, new m6 alloys, new rear leds, angel eyes, rear lip spoiler, m wing mirrors. If you interested let me know and Ill send you a few pics.

Wolverine_1999

Live4Ever wrote: »

Hmm, just did a quick comparison on 123.ie out of interest, the 325 was cheaper to insure than the 320!! Must get onto Axa and check their prices.
If the 325 insurance is affordable do you think this is the best option?
Thanks lads!

There is a big jump in tax from 2.2 to 2.5, other than that, every BMW should only be made with these engines...

You won't be disappointed

Idbatterim

the jump in tax between 320 and 325 ci is less than E100.

Wolverine_1999

Idbatterim wrote: »

the jump in tax between 320 and 325 ci is less than E100.

Ah see now, the jump from 2l to 2.2l is ridiculous. No reason not to go for the 325 really so. The MPG is about the same in any case.

Idbatterim

yeah the jumps can be ridiculous, from 2.2-2.5l i.e 300 odd cc, its nothing, from 2.5l to 3l its E400 or so!

Live4Ever

Idbatterim wrote: »

hey Op, my bro is thinking about selling his 318ci, 02, black, 67k miles, just serviced and 3 months tax and recentish nct. air con, mfsw, sun roof, 6 cd changer, arm rest, new m6 alloys, new rear leds, angel eyes, rear lip spoiler, m wing mirrors. If you interested let me know and Ill send you a few pics.

Hey man, thanks for the offer! Think I'm gonna go for the 325 tbh! Sound tho!

Idbatterim wrote: »

the jump in tax between 320 and 325 ci is less than E100.

Lads, does anyone know how much the tax actually is? As far as I can tell I'm looking at €900 or so per year?

I think the 325 is the call so? Read a few reviews, apparently it's unreal to drive? If anyone on here has one maybe they can throw in their two cents?

Thanks to everyone so far!

Idbatterim

right if your looking for a 6 cylinder the 3 below are beauties, my bro test drove the black one yesterday, only reason he didnt buy it is, he doesnt know how long it would take to shift his 318ci, and to shift them quick at moment, you have to literally give them away. so the uncertainty and hassle put him off. also check out bmwdrivernet!

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/3-Series/325-CI-C/201121202523751/advert?channel=CARS

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/3-Series/325-CI-M/201124202838326/advert?channel=CARS

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/3-Series/320-CI-C/201122202627321/advert?channel=CARS

the above allegedly has another guy coming to look at it at 9pm today...

below is my beauty!

http://www.bmw-driver.net/forum/showthread.php?t=21269

the below is sold but is worth a look at, what a beauty!

http://www.bmw-driver.net/forum/showthread.php?t=26590

i started off with a 318ci and would never go back, also dont bother going for anything that isnt an msport and full spec, these cars were looking for up to Id say 50% more this time last year!

vectra

Live4Ever wrote: »

Hey man, thanks for the offer! Think I'm gonna go for the 325 tbh! Sound tho!

How does this one grab you

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2121422

Big Nasty

Another vote for the 325 here. It will be cheaper to buy than a similar 318 / 320 and extra running costs are negligible.

That said the 320 is a fine car and puts out 170bhp from the 2.2 which is just 1bhp shy of what the E36 323 (2.5L) was putting out.

Personally I wouldn't be into the 318 but it's sub 2L running costs will appeal to some.

Oh yeah, and go for the coupe. I never liked the 4 door 3ers and the only touring in the 3er I like is the E30.

galwaytt

Surprised no-one has mentioned the 323Ci yet.......

My sis-in-law has one, and changed from a 318Ci. Compared to the 4-pot, it's nicer, quieter, smoother, lighter on juice (!), and infinitely more reliable.

The sixes are usually found in a nicer spec, too - leather, auto/Tip, Harmon Kardon sound etc etc.

The fact that so many people think their engine is 'too big' means they are usually well priced as well.


All that from a guy who can't stand them ! Go figure !

kdevitt

galwaytt wrote: »

Surprised no-one has mentioned the 323Ci yet.......

More than likely because they'll be an 11 year old car at their youngest, and most are getting a bit ropey. None will have the desirable sports kit from factory either (although a handful will have had it retrofitted). The subframe tearing itself out on the older ones is also a slight issue! One of the last of the non FBW cars though, so I personally prefer the throttle response over the 325 / 330.

325ci is a good choice though, they're getting very cheap - I love the gear change in the E46's, especially the long-ish throw! Not sure what's wrong with the poster saying they're only getting 20MPG from their 320ci though - my M3 does better than that.

Live4Ever

Thanks lads,

Some good feedback there - 325 seems to be the call, no point in willy nillying around with those 1.9 engines . 100% getting a coupe, the 4 door version is horrible (imho)...

Spotted this puppy out the window in work this morning, not sure if its full m sport spec (seats are leather but they arent the 'bucket' style), low enough mileage considering the year and long NCT. Gonna keep an eye on DoneDeal, Carzone etc over the next week and see what else is going.

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/3-Series/325-COUP/201110201582852/advert?channel=CARS

Live4Ever

Looks like I may have to lower the budget to 5K (5,500max) so the 325 probably won't be an option...

Whatever the car is I plan on driving it for 2 -3 years, whats the max mileage I should go for? 100K?

Any thoughts on this car..
http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/3-Series/320-CI/201035199400166/advert?channel=CARS

Also, I will bring a mechanic along if I think it's worthwile, he should be able to tell straight away if the arse was driven out of it and if the engine is in good nick right?

dharn

looks very nice, no nct though would want to see it nct d by garage no mention of service history either so would not be too keen on that

Live4Ever

dharn wrote: »

looks very nice, no nct though would want to see it nct d by garage no mention of service history either so would not be too keen on that

Yeah service history sprung to mind! A quick trip down should answer that question!

It says NCT is until July 2013 though....

Idbatterim

how about the below, youd just about get it for E5500 id imagine... just be wary of the subframe issues with these cars! the below is 2 years newer and with 40k less miles!

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/3-Series/325Ci-M-/201117202214835/advert?channel=CARS

Live4Ever

Idbatterim wrote: »

how about the below, youd just about get it for E5500 id imagine... just be wary of the subframe issues with these cars! the below is 2 years newer and with 40k less miles!

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/3-Series/325Ci-M-/201117202214835/advert?channel=CARS

Yeah I saw that, very tasty!!

What do you think of this, isnt a msport but it looks good, saw it out the window in work.

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/3-Series/325-COUP/131124038170086/advert?channel=CARS

I know a mechanic who serviced my car a few times, family friend, I'm sure he'd identify problems straight away, or would I need a BMW specific mechanic to take a look with me?

Thanks man!

Idbatterim

the msports definetly look better, then again you can always retrofit the bumper for roughly E350 all in. The car you linked to has been there for quite some time, I dont think youd get if for E5500 hundred though... the sport seats are much nicer than the standard ones. keep an eye on the below link...

http://www.bmw-driver.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=15

again the below is a beauty but may be out of your price range...

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2359137

Live4Ever

Idbatterim wrote: »

the msports definetly look better, then again you can always retrofit the bumper for roughly E350 all in. The car you linked to has been there for quite some time, I dont think youd get if for E5500 hundred though... the sport seats are much nicer than the standard ones. keep an eye on the below link...

http://www.bmw-driver.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=15

again the below is a beauty but may be out of your price range...

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2359137

Yeah, true it has been there a while alright! I'll tip in and see how low he'll come. Yeah the msports are lovely, the sports seats look so comfortable.

Yeah, I check that classifieds page everyday , some serious motors there!!

Phew, yeah the red is seriously impressive! I could hold out for another few months but my own car is fcuked so I kind of need one sooner or later if ya know what I mean! I'll sit down at the weekend and figure out a final budget!

Idbatterim

your not going to know what hit you going from a 99 astra to one of these yeah if I were you Id go in and see how low you could potentially get the non m sport, then take things from there... like i said throw on the m sport bumper, window tints and the rear lip spoiler, E600 all in id say and youd have a damn good looking car!

Live4Ever

Idbatterim wrote: »

your not going to know what hit you going from a 99 astra to one of these yeah if I were you Id go in and see how low you could potentially get the non m sport, then take things from there... like i said throw on the m sport bumper, window tints and the rear lip spoiler, E600 all in id say and youd have a damn good looking car!

Yeah good call - its literally next door so he may come down to something a little more suitable. If not, I'll shop around, the other blue 320ci is 5 mins from work aswell so I can take a look, get a test drive and see how it feels.

Yeah it'll be some step up from the scaldy Astra haha.

Thats actually a great price on those mods, worth keeping that in mind.... and obviously you can get them to the exact car colour for that price? The lip spoiler is a must isnt it!