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BMW 318i Used Car Review


BMW 318i Used Car Review

Author: NRMA MotoringDate: 7 September 2002

Billed as the best value small Euro luxury car when it was launched in 1991 the E36 BMW 3-series offered style, quality and engineering beyond its Japanese and local rivals, even though the Japanese had started to close the gap.

Easily BMW's most popular model, the 3-series was the entry level model to BMW ownership and available with a number of different engines, denoted by the model number. As the name suggests, the 318i sedan was powered by a 1.8 litre four-cylinder engine.

The four-cylinder single cam, 8-valve fuel-injected does a good job and pulls evenly from idle to 6000rpm. For decent acceleration, overtaking or holding speed on hills, the engine prefers to be above 4000rpm.

The E36 BMW 3-series offered style, quality and engineering beyond its Japanese and local rivals

Buyers have a choice of either a five-speed manual or four-speed-automatic transmission. The manual is slick and positive and the ratios are close together. The automatic is smooth but acceleration performance does suffer compared to the manual, making the manual a better option with this engine size.

The brakes are excellent with a positive reassuring pedal feel and the car's turning circle is also excellent for this size car.

As to be expected from BMW the car has excellent vehicle dynamics. It has predictable handling providing the driver great feedback and roadholding capabilities that don't compromise on ride comfort. The dynamics come into their own when you encounter the first sweeping bend or tight corner at speed.

Drivers should expect a well maintained 318i to return fuel consumption figures, during mainly suburban running, of around 11 litres per 100 km.

As with most BMW's the options list was long and standard equipment levels didn't match the Japanese rivals of the day. That's not to say the car is lacking because it did come with power steering, airconditioning, a quality sound system and central locking. Each year BMW made some additions to the standard equipment list including ABS in 1992, driver's airbag in 1993, passenger's airbag and power windows in 1994 and climate controlled airconditioning in 1995.

Inside, the seats are comfy but buyers used to Japanese and local cars may find them a little on the hard side. There's normally plenty of room all round for four but if the front seats are set well back there is limited leg room between the seats. Also the design of the front seats means there is limited foot room under the seats for rear seat passengers. The boot is spacious with a low loading lip but there is no access from the passenger compartment.

Instruments are efficient and easy to use and the fit and finish of the vehicles were spot-on when launched. When checking these cars out, remember that some of them are more than 10 years old and they may experience rattles and faded paint or interior trim depending on how they have been garaged.

It is also worth listening for the odd rattle from the valve train when the engine is warm. Listen with the engine running off idle or when revved in neutral. This may indicate camshaft problems which in turn could mean expensive repairs of around two thousand dollars.

Shopping guide

It's best to factor in more expensive servicing costs when purchasing one of these vehicles as overall, repairs and parts are more expensive. So while it is possible to pick up a 1991 example from a private seller for around $15,000 it's well worth checking its service history first. A 1998 model can fetch as much as $38,000 from a dealer but is very much dependant on whether the previous owner had hit the options list.

Tags:

BMW, 318i, , , Press-releases, 3-Series, Motoring Feed

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