How bad is this idea? (E36 as Daily Driver)

A few days ago I made a thread about midsize GM sedans since I'm considering moving from the Escort to a more refined daily-mobile. Then I found this on Craigslist: '92 318i

So... before I go look at it and do something really dumb. Is that a good deal?

Pros: 1. I know a 4 cyl. '90s 3 series isn't what comes to mind when you think "refined commuter" but keep in mind this is relative to a 2nd gen. Escort. Almost anything is a step up there. 2. Would be more fun than the Escort. 3. RWD, baby. 4. I know a guy who has these and knows how to fix them. 5. Lots of miles hopefully means lots of things have been replaced. 6. It looks pretty clean. 7. I've kinda always wanted one.

Concerns: This would be an only car that I'd be rely on to get to work through all Michigan seasons. Is that realistic to expect from an old BMW? How is the 4 cylinder compared to the bigger engines (concerned about reliability, not worried about power?) Most importantly: Can I fit a guitar case in the trunk? I don't know much about these but I'd kinda like to learn.

I know nothing about BMWs, but I would jump on it after I saw some form of proof the engine really has been replaced.

E36 is a great budget car and the 4cyl are less trouble than the 6 (no VANOS). They are not hard to work on. Down here there are plenty of used parts; not sure what it's like in A-squared though. There are tons of good DIY guides, with photos, on-line.

Unless the suspension bushings have been replaced, it may be on the sloppy side, and obviously you can't expect the shocks to still be good if they're original.

As for DD, you will need snow tires almost for sure. But if I can do 8 Michigan winters in a front-wheel-drive 1976 VW Rabbit on all-seasons, you can do it in an E36 on snows.

I'm currently using an E36 328 as a commuter. Only reason I'm thinking of something else is that between it being a convertible (which appearently has a bit less back seat room than the sedan) and my height, I can't fit two kids easily in the back. Get one in good shape and it's not a bad choice at all.

Jamey_from_Legal wrote: As for DD, you will need snow tires almost for sure. But if I can do 8 Michigan winters in a front-wheel-drive 1976 VW Rabbit on all-seasons, you can do it in an E36 on snows.

I'm thinking more about things like morning starts in below zero temps. Rwd on snow tires just sounds like more fun to me.

So all the things you folks have said have convinced me to go check it out. Thanks for the help.

Look at the car very carefully from below before committing.

If you decide to replace every bushing in the suspension and every single fastener is immovable you may consider suicide as a preferable option.

Otherwise, they're great cars and on a 4 the driveline and brakes are way understressed.

That car looks pretty rough for $2000. It looks like it has a vacuum leak; the check engine light is on and it has a high idle while being fully warmed up. I'd pass and look for a much cleaner $2000 318i. They don't really fetch much more than $3000 no matter the condition.

For SE Michigan I'd say that's a fair price.

Eldest daughter had a 328i as her first car for 3 years. Great car, nothing ever went wrong. 4 season Michigan car, works great for the daily grind.

I say go for it.

I also have an E36 328i. It's a good, not great car to own. I drive alot, so that doesn't help with reliability, but it is problematic. You also can't get away with using aftermarket parts (I tried) unless they are high performance ones, so you need to use online vendors with good OEM parts prices like Pelican parts or Bavauto. I have heard that you do gain better cooling and an easier starter replacement compared to an I6. The engine may not be as refined as the straight 6, but the chassis will be much more refined than your Escort. Like MINIzguy mentioned, if you can't find a better condition 318, talk that owner down a few hundred dollars after a pre-purchase inspection.

Oh, and it's still probably a bad idea if you don't do most repairs yourself, because costs will escalate quickly.

Edit: Bouncing off what Desmond added that I forgot to mention, the straight-6 car would be a better weekend warrior/auto-x/track day car since you would be driving it less.

Me personally, the only way I'd buy a 4-banger E36 was if it was the compact Ti version. Otherwise I would say spring for the 325i. Gas mileage is still surprisingly decent for an inline 6, and its a happy medium between price, performance, and practicality. Honestly you wont be paying much more for the 325i.

The inline is a peach to work on, and they rev so nice and smooth. You do have to be careful though, because these cars can nickle and dime you a bit. The power steering racks have been known to leak. The mounting points of the suspension all need to be reinforced somehow if you plan on driving it hard. The plastic bits on the radiator are prone to leaking. The electronics ALWAYS go whack, you either learn to deal with it or spend hours hunting down gremlins. The head liner tends to sag after awhile too on most cars. The car has a crap ton of bushings and bits in the suspension that can go bad as well. Some of these you can choose to live with the slop, but some of them can be a safety hazard if not replaced.

Anyways, it was an over-engineered German car for its time, so they are a bit finicky, but once you get them all sorted out, they make awesome daily driver/weekend warrior cars. I say do it.

EDIT: Oh and my E36 with some decent snow tires on was absolutely unstoppable in the winter time. The suspension is nice on these cars, the tires will always find a way to grip :)

I had a 92 318i for a couple of years. It's up for sale again by the current owner, but in FL. 140k zero rust lots of mechanical refresh,for $1500. In terms of the 318i, it was a fun car. You've got Miata hp with more weight, so you need to fling it, but it revs well and likes to run hard. It just doesn't have BMW I6 torque. The car itself is rather sparse. First year, base car, it's like a German Cavalier. No tilt, cruise, etc. I'm in favor - they are easy and cheap to fix (92's have different struts than the rest of the E36, but you can steal the springs and perches from a salvage yard to update) and drive very well. Plus lots of update options through the E36 family. I changed the center console to add cupholders, for example.

Did those early E36's really come with completely black bumpers front and rear? Or have both bumpers been replaced without being painted? If so, that isn't a good sign. On the other hand, if that one really was driven to Michigan from Washington State it may be pretty rust-free.

BlueInGreen44 wrote: 5. Lots of miles hopefully means lots of things have been replaced.

Around here, the E36 has become one of the "hood rides of choice", which means a ton of deferred maintenance and bodged repairs.

It's a 23 year old German car. That says "adventurous" to me.

My 1994 325i has been fairly reliable as a daily driver. Definitely fun, especially in STX guise. The interior is junk, and it sounds like it is falling apart. I'd recommend an E46 or at least a 1997+ E36.

In reply to Matthew Huizing: What spring rates do you have? How about sway bars? My 328i is in G Stock trim.

SEADave wrote: Did those early E36's really come with completely black bumpers front and rear? Or have both bumpers been replaced without being painted? If so, that isn't a good sign. On the other hand, if that one really was driven to Michigan from Washington State it may be pretty rust-free.

Painted bumpers were an option on the 318.

Mr_Clutch42 wrote: In reply to Matthew Huizing: What spring rates do you have? How about sway bars? My 328i is in G Stock trim.

350lbs/in front, 900lbs/in rear
Stock M-Sport front bar attached to struts (AST4100), 1999 M3 rear bar

I ran it in D Stock for three years:

On little 205/50R15 Kumho V710s.

SEADave wrote: Did those early E36's really come with completely black bumpers front and rear?

Yes, I had a '92 325i, and the bumper covers were unpainted, as were the mirrors. The rocker was flat gray.

I'll add my voice to the group saying you should hold out for a 6-banger.

That sounds really unusual. What are the factory spring rates?

My rough measurement of the M Sport rear spring was 160 lbs/in. The front springs may be around 90 lbs/in--I didn't measure one. The stock front uses the bump stops a lot. My car is rather soft since I daily drive it. I started last year with 800 lbs/in rear springs and the Hotchkis rear bar. I like the current setup better.

I'm going to go look at it today. Based on the advice given in this thread I'll probably try to talk down the price a little or pass. (unless it ends up being in really really nice shape). When I originally contacted the guy a few days ago he said a couple people were coming to look at it before me but as of today (obviously) he hasn't sold it yet.

up to 1995 (I think), the rockers were dark gray on all E36s and they were not covered in plastic, that was really the shape of the metal, the gray was a rock protectant covering paint.

Not sure on the bumpers. My 318ti had painted bumpers and rockers, but it was built in 1996 and was a pretty optioned out little hatch

In reply to Matthew Huizing: Those are some of the softest spring rates I have seen on a factory car (not that I have seen many). My factory rears must be around 130lbs/in. then.

Update. I liked the car and made an offer. Going to get it on Monday. The guy selling it works for Car and Driver and I met him at their office in Ann Arbor so that was cool. While I was there somebody drove up in an orange F-type convertible. Must be a neat job, working for a car magazine.

That's cool. I would ask the seller about working for Car and Driver. I'm also somewhat thinking about picking a 318 up for a daily since they're more reliable than the straight-6 car, and they're cheaper than E30s.