BMW 316 e90

StereoSound

Going out to look at one with a friend on Sunday, it will be her daily car and it's a 2008 model. Any common faults to look for on these? Any advice is welcome.

Leonard Hofstadter

They're likely to be slower than walking, I've driven an E46 320i with 168 bhp and was decidedly underwhelmed and that's got an awful lot more power than a 114 bhp 316i.

StereoSound

captainspeed wrote: »

They're likely to be slower than walking, I've driven an E46 320i with 168 bhp and was decidedly underwhelmed and that's got an awful lot more power than a 114 bhp 316i.

I'm sure a 316 is a dog to drive but it's just to get to work and bring kids to school. No fast blasts over Sally's gap or anything like that. She wants a respectable looking car without big insurance premiums so I guess it will do the job.

Skylinehead

Timing chain. Timing chain. Timing chain.

Leonard Hofstadter

Skylinehead wrote: »

Timing chain. Timing chain. Timing chain.

If it's a 2008 car the chain should be OK in it, my understanding is it was really only the N42s in the previous generation E46 that were the problem, although the earlier N46 engines had the problem as well (but to a lesser extent), anything with the N46N engine onwards (or the N43 engine which a 2008 car should have) doesn't suffer as far as I know.

The diesels of course are a different story:pac:.

Skylinehead

captainspeed wrote: »

If it's a 2008 car the chain should be OK in it, my understanding is it was really only the N42s in the previous generation E46 that were the problem, although the earlier N46 engines had the problem as well (but to a lesser extent), anything with the N46N engine onwards (or the N43 engine which a 2008 car should have) doesn't suffer as far as I know.

The diesels of course are a different story:pac:.

Oh, I thought all those 4-pots were trouble. Guess I was mistaken.

bazz26

StereoSound wrote: »

I'm sure a 316 is a dog to drive but it's just to get to work and bring kids to school. No fast blasts over Sally's gap or anything like that. She wants a respectable looking car without big insurance premiums so I guess it will do the job.

There are better cars out there that will do all that.

R.O.R

2008 would be the more powerful Efficient Dynamics version which was much better than the pre ED versions, but a lot less reliable due to the coils going at an alarming rate.

StereoSound

I looked at this car this morning in Kildare with her and it had a knock in the engine, probably a bottom end bearing by the sound of it. Had that distinct deep knock when car reached about 4k rpm. Oul fella selling it, he would talk your ear off. "It's been a great car you know what I mean, been up and down to Dublin in it for years". No history with the car at all, oil was black as tar , this thing hadn't an oil change 3 years Id say, one of these pr!cks who probably just keeps topping it up when it gets abit low. Noisey clutch plates, was veering to the left, slow as hell to and it had a distinct piss smell inside. Fukn piece of crap shed of a yoke.

DaveyDave

What does one look for as a "respectable looking" car? Something to impress people and a badge to make a statement or just something she likes the look of herself?

If it was just a run around would money be better off spent on a B7 Passat or a Mondeo?