Buying a E30 lookin at 325i and 325e's

[xLibelle]

Can someone give me a list of whats on the M3 vs the 325is because if i get an is i'll just upgrade to the M3 and replace the logos in steand of paying 10grand for an M3 but i'm still beating my head againts the wall trying to get the 325is

hold up with that thought, its a big no no!! not to mention short of pointless to even think about making anything less into an M3 (e30).
you are better off with initial suggestions.

 

[equate]

hahah yeah you will be the ricer of bmw if you start swapping logos and telling kids you have an m3. you can find them cheap I got mine for 6 grand and pretty much the only things wrong on it is bad shift linkage and no a/c for mechanical things. Just keep looking and you will find a deal. Dont jump on the first thing you see, I did that and uhh... lol that car is ****ed up.

 

[epj3]

Remember, an M3 isn't like the "Type-R" of Japanese cars. "Type-R" is just engine. The M3 has a wider wheel base, MUCH stiffer suspension, and a completely different engine, tranny, and final drive.

 

[Chesty Bonds]

Bugger the 325e. Its a converted leaded engine to unleaded and revs like a dog. Stay away from them!!!
Pete

 

[epj3]

Bugger the 325e. Its a converted leaded engine to unleaded and revs like a dog. Stay away from them!!!
Pete

Technically, ALL engines who's basic designs were from the 60's and 70's are 'converted leaded engines.'

 

[roaddigitydogg]

it really depends on what you want to do. my previous car was an mx6 that could run mid 14's which was kinda fun cause i could tease alot of cars on the street. but i decided that i really hated FWD and that i wanted to learn to drift so i found a 325e for 1600 bucks. yeah, its much slower, and is not going to win very many street races but it really is alot more fun being RWD. my point is buy the car depending what you want to do. if its gonna be a daily driver, definentely a 325e, mainly for the gas mileage. but hey if you can afford the 325i or 325is go for it man. much more fun to drive in my opinion (steeper final drive, higher redline, different suspension, etc) but you gotta pay more for it.

 

[Chesty Bonds]

Technically, ALL engines who's basic designs were from the 60's and 70's are 'converted leaded engines.'

Yeah i see your point but you can't honestly tell me that a 325e is a patch on a 325i. The e only revs to about 4,500 rpm and its a sluggish as anything. I love BM's, (i think we all do) but the 325 and 525e's had shocking engines.

 

[epj3]

Yeah i see your point but you can't honestly tell me that a 325e is a patch on a 325i. The e only revs to about 4,500 rpm and its a sluggish as anything. I love BM's, (i think we all do) but the 325 and 525e's had shocking engines.

Actually the block is exactly the same. The upper engine is different (head).

The 325e actually has 10 lb-ft torque MORE than the 325i.

 

[Chesty Bonds]

Yeah i see what you're saying, of course, but the 'eta' engines as they are known cut-out at 5000rpm. I know they are smooth and i see they have more torque but surely you would miss the liveliness of the 325i??? I'm not trying to argue but i just view the 325e as a bit of a deflection from what BMW is all about. Would you agree? I'm interested in your response.

Cheers.

 

[epj3]

Yeah i see what you're saying, of course, but the 'eta' engines as they are known cut-out at 5000rpm. I know they are smooth and i see they have more torque but surely you would miss the liveliness of the 325i??? I'm not trying to argue but i just view the 325e as a bit of a deflection from what BMW is all about. Would you agree? I'm interested in your response.

Cheers.

I completely agree with you -- but the ETA's are GREAT engines. How is it a deflection of what bmw is all about? BMW only built 4 cylinder engines until they built the 6's and 8's back in the 70's (Hence the reason for a more fuel efficient engine).

Though, I've been getting 23 - 24 mpg CITY In my 1988 325is

 

[nadroj]

I completely agree with you -- but the ETA's are GREAT engines. How is it a deflection of what bmw is all about? BMW only built 4 cylinder engines until they built the 6's and 8's back in the 70's (Hence the reason for a more fuel efficient engine).

Though, I've been getting 23 - 24 mpg CITY In my 1988 325is

Dang you must take it easy with your car in my 318iS i only see 25 city.

 

[epj3]

Dang you must take it easy with your car in my 318iS i only see 25 city.

Thing is - I don't take it easy all the time.. at ALL. 25 city is not bad at ALL... I used to get 18 mpg city, but then i got a new o2 sensor, and my driving habbits completely changed. I definitely don't drive slow. I'm also not just giving you the MPG according to the on board computer -- I actually took the miles used divided by the amount of gas I could put in. Amazing if you ask me. I always drive fast on back roads, so now I don't have to feel guilty about it

 

[nadroj]

Thing is - I don't take it easy all the time.. at ALL. 25 city is not bad at ALL... I used to get 18 mpg city, but then i got a new o2 sensor, and my driving habbits completely changed. I definitely don't drive slow. I'm also not just giving you the MPG according to the on board computer -- I actually took the miles used divided by the amount of gas I could put in. Amazing if you ask me. I always drive fast on back roads, so now I don't have to feel guilty about it

Maybe i get bad mpg b/c my o2 sensor is bad, I get the check engine light sometimes. I just filled up the other day and i only had 22.6, and I divided by the amount of gas.

 

[epj3]

Maybe i get bad mpg b/c my o2 sensor is bad, I get the check engine light sometimes. I just filled up the other day and i only had 22.6, and I divided by the amount of gas.

Well 22.6 is nothing bad... at all (unless it's highway).

I noticed the biggest difference when i started using STRICTLY 89 octane.

 

[Faust]

Well 22.6 is nothing bad... at all (unless it's highway).

I noticed the biggest difference when i started using STRICTLY 89 octane.

The 89 octane actually improved your milage (assuming you were pumping 87 before)? From what i've heard in the past, if your car doesn't require a higher octane fuel, pumping premium does nothing.

 

[equate]

from my experience with e30s premium has never helped anything but the gas station. With my 325i I put premium in for a while and it never helped my MPG and ran the same. Again with my m3, i put premium in, then swhitched to 87, and nothing changed.

 

[nadroj]

mine accually idles rough with 92 or 93.

 

[ldzpstnr]

My '87 325 with an ETA gets 25 in the city and 30+ on the highway. I like my ETA, however I know the "I" is more spunky. The ETA I figure is a beter daily driver while the "I" is better for performance. I also use Redline Oil everywhere in my car: engine, tranny, rear end, and even the power steering system. The Redline products help my gas mileage. Oh yea, I dont do the speed limits... I generally do 70 in a 55 and 80+ on the interstates... I dont drive my car all that easy and it still gets that good of mileage. I use only regular 87 octane fuel too.

If you are looking for a car to tweak and make into a rice burner eater.... definetly get a E30. You can do so much with them. I plan to eventually put a 2.9 liter M20 into my E30.

FYI, bmw has made 6 cylinder engines for a long time, since the 30's I think. I may be wrong though. I do know that BMW also made airplane engines in the early years and during WW2 they made Jet engines. Not bad for a car company. Later.

Aaron

 

[roaddigitydogg]

another thing with people saying that the 325i/is's aren't as torquey: the final drive is so much steeper the actually amount of torque at the peak is much greater on the 325i/is than the 325e. look (gear ratios in tranny are excluded because both trannys use same gear ratio):

early 325e: 170 ft/lb's * 2.73 (final drive) = 464 ft/lb
later 325e: 170 ft/lb's * 2.9 (final drive) = 493 ft/lb
all 325i/is's: 164 ft/lb's * 3.73 (final drive) = 611 ft/lb

and both 325e and 325i/is use the same tire size, so their is no reduction/increase in torque. yeah the 325i/is gets the torque a little higher, but its well worth it in the long run. just look at the stock 0-60 and quarter mile times. although the 325e can surely outlaunch and keep up with th 325i/is, right when it hits its low redline at about 5000 rpms the 325i/is is gonna start producing its torque, and after that it will continue to pull ahead. go ahead and say "oh but my friend has a 325e that keeps up/beats/smokes 325i/is's", but thats just driver experience. the 325i/is has all around better acceleration.

 

[roaddigitydogg]

another thing with people saying that the 325i/is's aren't as torquey: the final drive is so much steeper the actually amount of torque at the peak is much greater on the 325i/is than the 325e. look (gear ratios in tranny are excluded because both trannys use same gear ratio):

early 325e: 170 ft/lb's * 2.73 (final drive) = 464 ft/lb
later 325e: 170 ft/lb's * 2.9 (final drive) = 493 ft/lb
all 325i/is's: 164 ft/lb's * 3.73 (final drive) = 611 ft/lb

and both 325e and 325i/is use the same tire size, so their is no reduction/increase in torque. yeah the 325i/is gets the torque a little higher, but its well worth it in the long run. just look at the stock 0-60 and quarter mile times. although the 325e can surely outlaunch and keep up with th 325i/is, right when it hits its low redline at about 5000 rpms the 325i/is is gonna start producing its torque, and after that it will continue to pull ahead. go ahead and say "oh but my friend has a 325e that keeps up/beats/smokes 325i/is's", but thats just driver experience. the 325i/is has all around better acceleration.

ah oh well i own a 325e