90's bimmers and other inexpensive fun cars?

come early spring i'm wanting a new to me car... I'm currently in a volvo 945ti that I love but i'm ready for something different...

I'm in the Houston area and been looking though CL seeing what sort of things we've got, with staying under about $4k I've got seemingly millions of options... late 90 to early 2k range rovers (disco and LR), bimmers, benz, and all the way down to econo boxes. like I said... so many options... anyway the other day a friend posted pics of a his s14 240sx and this sparked the reminder that I'd really like something fun, sadly here as in most parts of the country the drift0 boys have either ruined or want a fortune for these things, in my looking I remembered that BMW's are all over CL and meet the fun, RWD, and manual option of the s13/14... everything from 80's 3 series to an early 2k 5 series can be found in the budget... naturally the fear is cost of parts/repairs with cars of this age

I'm not really set on a BMW and mostly testing the waters here (it's a few months out)... I've driven a few (e28 big 6 and a few e36 325) and they where pretty fun... as it stands no matter what I get I need a back seat of some sort so miata is out (otherwise I wouldn't even bother posting lol), this would be mostly an around town car, occasionally running the interstate into the city, as it stands the volvo hasn't been over 20mpg with the driving I've been doing so unless it's doing under 15 or less it's not a big concern... whatever it is will likely get a roof rack for bikes

I'm not sure if it's the international flavor of the area or simply the huge car market on CL here but manual shift cars are easy to find... a nicer econo box wouldn't even be out of the question... I'd rock a clean yugo in a heartbeat (but alas have yet to see one local)... but the BMW option has peaked my interest so I figured I'd ask if I should bother looking further :)

thanks guys mark

A $4k BMW from the 90's will still nickel and dime you to death. I picked one up this summer and planned to daily drive/autocross it. Right now, I'm shooting to keep it under a $1500 parts list with me doing all the work myself. I'm on track right now, but who knows what hose may leak or what plastic connector will crack until autocross season next year.

With that said, I would still get a 4 cylinder E30 or E36 for your needs. Great gas mileage and you still get a fun RWD car. Just be ready to fix it when it breaks down.

sad thing is the e30's seem to cost more than the e36's around here... I'd LOVE an e30 325is

I'd probably shy away from CL and look on enthusiast boards for used bimmers. They're cheap enough that a lot of kids got their hands on them and didn't maintain them the way they're supposed to. At least with a forum you can look through the poster's previous posts/questions/issues with the car and there is a higher chance it was maintained well

I am no BMW fanboy and I got an E36 328i for the same reasons you mentioned - cheap, RWD, manual. So far the ownership experience hasn't been too bad.

Compared to other modern cars the thing is actually pretty decent to work on. The BMW forums, while no place I would voluntarily hang out in, have answers to most of your technical issues. And parts really aren't bad so long as you have advance notice and can buy online and have it shipped to you.

I really haven't found the E36 any worse, nickel-and-dime wise, from the older BMWs I had before. They've got a few things to look out for, but really aren't too bad. Not as nice to work on as an E28 or E34, but loads better than most modern cars.

I'd rather drive an E30 in anger because it's a bit more spunky, but the E36 is way more competent in every way and it's very livable as a daily.

I drove a 318ti into the ground due to rust issues.. it -never- stranded me and that was with one fuel pump dying (it started one last time to get me home) and an aftermarket waterpump bearing going when the pump was barely 30,000 miles old.

Parts are not that expensive.. I found Hyundai parts to be -more- expensive and they are easy to work on and have a great enthusiast following and aftermarket

There are a few things you've really gotta look out for, mainly that the entire cooling system, like everything cooling related but the heater core and bare block and head, is best considered a 60k mile wear item.

They're remarkably trouble free........just don't mess with removing wiring. I learned that lesson.

Kenny_McCormic wrote: There are a few things you've really gotta look out for, mainly that the entire cooling system, like everything cooling related but the heater core and bare block and head, is best considered a 60k mile wear item.

so we are talking replacing all hoses, radiator and pump upon or shortly after purchases most likely?

In reply to donalson:

And there's some plastic manifolds, barbs, etc. depending on exact model.

In reply to Kenny_McCormic:

If it still has a plastic impeller in the water pump.......yea. some thermostat housings are plastic too.

Are you down with FWD boosty brawler hilariousness?

Yes. .. But not a lot of boost options around that is consider fun and in budget

Get an MX6! Might have to travel to get a good one now, but they're fun, boosty, and brawler-y.

hmm... what about mid to late 90's mustangs?... plenty of em with the 5.0 or the 4.6 and manual 5spd, also tons of the 3.8 manual... never really liked how they looked but I've always wanted to play with an american v8... seems like a good mix

For tinkering with V8s, definitely stick with pushrods.

The most inexpensive and fun champion is the AW11 MR2. I see them for less than $2000 consistently and they are probably one of the most fun cars you can buy plus "mod" potential is endless if you want to go further with it without making anything yourself.

Here http://www.318ti.org/ 318tis are frequently sold with superchargers and various i6 swaps even if you are interested in them.

As far as other low price (<$5000) high fun (or potential) cars heres a quick list of what I like. Z31 300zx, S30 Z (240 260 280.. not ZX), Miata, AW11 & W20 MR2s (W30 a little bit more), Starion, 924S, 944, MK3 Supra, E30, E36, DSM, 240sx. All those cars can handle well when set up properly but some (aw11, miata) will be better than others (MK3 Supra, Starion) in that regard.

Of those the easiest to make power out of, if that's ever going to be your goal, would be the Z31, W20, MK3 Supra, and DSM. Z31, AW11 (non sc), Miata, 240sx, and E30, also have aftermarket newbeasy to setup ECU solutions like Nistune or mspnp, the other might but idk myself.

I like the 318ti a lot in theory, never drove one but everyone who I trust on cars tells me it's great so it must be. The AW11 would be more fun in any ways and they are all over. I would suggest you consider that.

Yup this i know... had a few over the years... But they miss that back seat need...

expanded my post a bit. If you want a back seat probably the E30 or E36 is the best in terms of room back there I would definately say of anything I mentioned lol.

Actually 240sx and Supra might be ok but I personally think a E30 or E36 is better than those cars and can be had ofr less certainly in better condition than a 240sx.