Just been offered a BMW 318i - any good ?

Associate
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I have the opportunity to buy a BMW 318i, 1998 (R) Reg, 140k miles, FSH. Its in really good condition, had a drive around in it today - no real problems that I could see with it. Its just the poverty spec one though, only front electric windows and no other toys :(

Its got 6 months tax and MOT left on it. A colleague of mine is upgrading to an A6 and is willing to let it go for £1600.

Really tempted to get it as a second car (main car is a company A6). Is it worth the money ?
 

JRS

JRS

Soldato
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1998 - does that make it an E36 or an E46, I forget when the E36 ended production.

If it's an E36, then it's got a whole 115hp to play with.....I know I wouldn't spend £1600 on it, but I'll defer to the BMW experts on here as to what it's worth.
 
Associate
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seen a couple for sale on a well know car site, same year, model, etc asking £3.000, if they actually sell or not is another matter.

If you know the car it's a nice second car and probably still be worth at least £1.000 in 18 months.

Or buy it, use it for the summer then sell it you should get your £1.600 back if it’s tidy.
 
Soldato
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aquous said:
I have the opportunity to buy a BMW 318i, 1998 (R) Reg, 140k miles, FSH. Its in really good condition, had a drive around in it today - no real problems that I could see with it. Its just the poverty spec one though, only front electric windows and no other toys :(

Its got 6 months tax and MOT left on it. A colleague of mine is upgrading to an A6 and is willing to let it go for £1600.

Really tempted to get it as a second car (main car is a company A6). Is it worth the money ?
do you need a 2nd car? if so it sounds ideal.
 
Caporegime
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Sounds very reasonable, don't be put off by the mileage, I sold my J reg 318i (in sig) @ 175k and it was still on its factory clutch! - I paid £3000 for it @ 125k. and subsequently got £900 for it in part ex 3 years later, I think £1600 for the R reg which as I say is a better specced & built version. (they always iron out the gremlins towards the end of a models production run)

No tarmac burner thats for sure, but an R reg example is a vastly better built car than the earlier one,which I was very impressed with and sorry to see go, it also has a chain cam engine where mine was a rubber belt which did'nt break, thankfully.

Hmm, I've repeated myself there! :o

I await Fox's public condemnment of the 318i, but still say its a good car and that ones well worth anybodys £1600. :)
 
Man of Honour
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Wow I come home from a night out and I'm getting ample 318/cheap Merc bashing opportunity here right :p

We'll ignore price for a second.

The E36 318 is not a good car. It's chronically underpowered, it looks cheap with black plastic everywhere, and looks cheap inside (Thankfully it doesnt feel cheap, its only saving grace) with bags of switch blanks reminding you every day that you went for the bottom of the range model.

I don't even think they have aircon let alone cruise control and I certainly wouldn't want to be buying a day-to-day car for anything more than £600 without air conditioning.

Then when it breaks, you pay BMW repair costs (or BMW specialist repair costs), just like the guy with a nicer, more expensive E46 328i...

The image is quickly going down the pan - as you've noticed, they are getting cheap these days and are quickly being snapped up by people who think having a BMW automatically makes you a better person/super rich/king ***** over buying something made by Honda, Ford etc. It doesn't.

Usually, there are many better buys than an E36 for the same money and almost all will be much newer.

For £1600, however, this one sort of make sense. I say sort of, because it's still a tacky E36 base model with all the disadvantages that gives, but at least you won't pay through the nose to actually buy it.
 
Associate
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If you have an A6 as your main car, then surely your 2nd car should be something a bit different..... a 2 seater car, a real luxobarge, a classic yank....etc

I'm not denying thats an alright price, but as a 2nd car surely you'd want something other than a poverty spec 318....
 
Soldato
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I had one, foudn the running costs to be cheap as chips (bullet proof engine too). not very powerfull but a great chassis and fun to drive. No need for aircon and cruise control when you're hooning down country lanes i say.

Price is about right too, buy it i say.
 
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