lookin at 325i and 325e's anybody tell me difference and basicly right now i'm tryin to do some home work see what i can find perfomance wise and are there any kinks in the cars... or any other advice would be greatly appriciated as well as if any one knows of any sites that handle bemr performance parts or just basic specs about the cars thx....
Buying a E30 lookin at 325i and 325e's
- Thread starter Saintsofcorona
- Start date
325i has a 2.5 liter Inline 6 with 167 hp and 165 lb-ft torque.
The 325e is somewhere around 125hp but 170 lb-ft torque (it is a 2.7 liter engine)
The 325i engines rev 1,000 rpm higher and have better performance (the e is an 'economy engine') Both are absolutely wonderful engines... mine has 174,000 miles on it (almost 175k) and even being redlined multiple times a week, it runs perfect with the exception of a little rough idle.
I'd go for a 325is if you can find one... it has better wheels (The bbs basketweaves), a stiffer factory suspension (most likely the factory parts are no longer on the car... I personally installed Bilstein Heavy duty's which are 50% stiffer than stock... BIG difference), the 325is also has sport seats (stiffer with more adjustments... look almost exactly like the sport seats of the E46 too).
The BIGGEST difference, and as far as I am concerned the most IMPORTANT difference... is that the 325is has a limited slip differential (it's a 30% lsd). The 325e and 325i both have a regular differential. IE if left rear wheel is on ice and right is on pavement... the 325i/325e left wheel will sit there and spin happily on a slick surface all day. The limited slip will transfer 30% of that slipping power to the other wheel. It helps a lot in rain too.
Performance wise - good luck... BMW's typically run at near-full potential power without doing big modifications like sportier profile cams. A Cold air intake (very easy with the E30's, you can remove one headlight and turn it into a ram air system), an engine chip, and a quality exhaust (not the cheapo $30 ricer ones on ebay.. they actually make performance WORSE.... i'm talking $1000 full exhaust system and $500 headers.) You might get around 15 - 20 hp. Any bmw will be expensive to make it a real performer... if you have the means ($$$$$) do it, they are great cars. There are a few cars floating around on the internet that are turbocharged... pushing around 700 hp. Unfortunately that's with a new-3 series price worth of modifications.
Usually with about $3k of modifications, you can push about 200 hp and 200 lb-ft torque. If you're going to put that much money into a car -- buy an E30 M3. 4 cylinder... sure!
$5000 of modifications will give it about 245 hp and 230 lb-ft torque. That is on a rev happy made-for-race engine.
Also -- those figures are "european"... by that i mean 200 hp isnt a whole lot for an american car or japanese car, but for a bmw it is good. My 167 hp stock 325is will take on older (early 90's) comaro V8's and pull away... they have a lot more power than I do!!
The 325e is somewhere around 125hp but 170 lb-ft torque (it is a 2.7 liter engine)
The 325i engines rev 1,000 rpm higher and have better performance (the e is an 'economy engine') Both are absolutely wonderful engines... mine has 174,000 miles on it (almost 175k) and even being redlined multiple times a week, it runs perfect with the exception of a little rough idle.
I'd go for a 325is if you can find one... it has better wheels (The bbs basketweaves), a stiffer factory suspension (most likely the factory parts are no longer on the car... I personally installed Bilstein Heavy duty's which are 50% stiffer than stock... BIG difference), the 325is also has sport seats (stiffer with more adjustments... look almost exactly like the sport seats of the E46 too).
The BIGGEST difference, and as far as I am concerned the most IMPORTANT difference... is that the 325is has a limited slip differential (it's a 30% lsd). The 325e and 325i both have a regular differential. IE if left rear wheel is on ice and right is on pavement... the 325i/325e left wheel will sit there and spin happily on a slick surface all day. The limited slip will transfer 30% of that slipping power to the other wheel. It helps a lot in rain too.
Performance wise - good luck... BMW's typically run at near-full potential power without doing big modifications like sportier profile cams. A Cold air intake (very easy with the E30's, you can remove one headlight and turn it into a ram air system), an engine chip, and a quality exhaust (not the cheapo $30 ricer ones on ebay.. they actually make performance WORSE.... i'm talking $1000 full exhaust system and $500 headers.) You might get around 15 - 20 hp. Any bmw will be expensive to make it a real performer... if you have the means ($$$$$) do it, they are great cars. There are a few cars floating around on the internet that are turbocharged... pushing around 700 hp. Unfortunately that's with a new-3 series price worth of modifications.
Usually with about $3k of modifications, you can push about 200 hp and 200 lb-ft torque. If you're going to put that much money into a car -- buy an E30 M3. 4 cylinder... sure!
$5000 of modifications will give it about 245 hp and 230 lb-ft torque. That is on a rev happy made-for-race engine.
Also -- those figures are "european"... by that i mean 200 hp isnt a whole lot for an american car or japanese car, but for a bmw it is good. My 167 hp stock 325is will take on older (early 90's) comaro V8's and pull away... they have a lot more power than I do!!
the whole reason for this is my friend kinda suckered me in to buying an '88 civic hatch and i'm just not a jap car person i like european cars espically german in fact i could get a porsche i would but bemrs seem to be a little more affordable and easier to obtain... so i'm saving my mula again and round sept i'm gonna buy me a bemr right now i 'm just donig my HW ![[}:)]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_evil.gif "Evil [}:)]")
there are only few things that the iS has aesthetically over the i.
The seats and the sound system and boot spoiler. all of which, i think are overrated.
The suspension is better on the iS, but if you plan to keep the car for a while, you will eventually want to change that anyway (even on the iS). No point in paying more for the S badge unless you are trying to keep a "stock" car for show or history sake.
Just find a nice late model 325i and you are set!
Here is a shot of my 'i' with 'iS' front spoiler and M3 springs i put on, 4th of july weekend!!
The seats and the sound system and boot spoiler. all of which, i think are overrated.
The suspension is better on the iS, but if you plan to keep the car for a while, you will eventually want to change that anyway (even on the iS). No point in paying more for the S badge unless you are trying to keep a "stock" car for show or history sake.
Just find a nice late model 325i and you are set!
Here is a shot of my 'i' with 'iS' front spoiler and M3 springs i put on, 4th of july weekend!!
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xLibelle said:
there are only few things that the iS has aesthetically over the i.
The seats and the sound system and boot spoiler. all of which, i think are overrated.
The suspension is better on the iS, but if you plan to keep the car for a while, you will eventually want to change that anyway (even on the iS). No point in paying more for the S badge unless you are trying to keep a "stock" car for show or history sake.
Just find a nice late model 325i and you are set!
Here is a shot of my 'i' with 'iS' front spoiler and M3 springs i put on, 4th of july weekend!!
The seats and the sound system and boot spoiler. all of which, i think are overrated.
The suspension is better on the iS, but if you plan to keep the car for a while, you will eventually want to change that anyway (even on the iS). No point in paying more for the S badge unless you are trying to keep a "stock" car for show or history sake.
Just find a nice late model 325i and you are set!
Here is a shot of my 'i' with 'iS' front spoiler and M3 springs i put on, 4th of july weekend!!
It's not just a "badge," it has a few MAJOR differences. Also, the "is" has a getrag 260/5 tranny. The regular 325i has a ZF. Big difference again. Same gear ratio's, but the Getrag is superior. The sound system is a big deal too. 6 speakers versus 4. Tweeters in the A-piller stock make it much easier to install after market components. The spoiler (a very small lip spoiler) is mostly for looks... but it does add to the character of the car.
The 325is also has ellipsoidal low beams (standard -- it was NOT standard but was an option on the regular "I") and focused fog lights... the 325i does not.
xLibelle said:
hmmm, if you are considering the car to be 'driven' then i change my vote to 325iS... i went through hell getting my car to iS status short of the aesthetics
what am i talking about, go buy an M3![[hihi]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_hihi.gif "Hi Hi [hihi]")
what am i talking about, go buy an M3
what are you talking about not an easy swap from ZF to 260? the two use the same components, if you have the right transmission, all it is, undo the drive shaft, shift linkage, and clutch slave. unbolt the tranny (which i agree is a bitch) and replace with reverse order of parts. anyway, i changed my vote to 325iS, so that speaks for the work i did on my car in the past 4 months.
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![[:D]](/images/smilies/biggrin.png "Big Grin [:D]")
I've got to agree with Mr. W on this one. Every day driver is the 'e', and on runs with friends, driving schools, ect is the 'i' (with optional limited slip).
On my '89 325i, the elipsoid headlights were standard, and I have the stereo with the tweeters near the rear view mirrors, but when I upgraded my head unit, I just replaced all of my 5.25 in speakers, and by passed the tweeter-haven't missed them yet.
And my car is old enough, none of the shocks or struts are original, so it wouldn't have the upgraded 'is' suspension anyway.
On my '89 325i, the elipsoid headlights were standard, and I have the stereo with the tweeters near the rear view mirrors, but when I upgraded my head unit, I just replaced all of my 5.25 in speakers, and by passed the tweeter-haven't missed them yet.
And my car is old enough, none of the shocks or struts are original, so it wouldn't have the upgraded 'is' suspension anyway.
Not a reason to search for a 325is over an e or i. The wiring for the door mounted tweeters is in the car already, even if the car didn't come with the optional 6 speaker stereo. My 325e (that had the 4 speaker stereo) has the wiring for the tweeters factory installed in the car - pop off one of the black plastic panels on the interior side of the door mirror and see for yourself.
![[bash]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_bash.gif "Bash [bash]"){kind=icon}
but i'm still beating my head againts the wall trying to get the 325is