I'm going to look at a 318ti tonight. Advice?

I'm going to look at a 97 318ti with the m sports package tonight. It apparently has had $4000 worth of work done in the past year with receipts to prove it. It has 175k km's. I know I should check to see if the cooling system ha been replaced. What else? Also I think it has aftermarket wheels. Does anyone know what size it would have come with stock? It's the sport package with the re and black seats. One other question, my wife will likely dive the car half the time on days when her commute is longer. I'm very confident she will from time to time forget to put premium gas in it. How bad will it be for this particular engine? I have avoided buying anything that takes premium for this reason, but I really want a ti.

The M44 is a pretty efficient motor. I would listen to the motor at idle, hear if there is any timing chain noise hitting the valve cover. if so, the tensioner is on its way out. If im not mistaken, they came with the 16 inch E36 Sport wheel, a 5 spoke - split spoke. Lots of aftermarket since its basically an E30.

Paging Mad_Machine ...

Standard 318ti wheels were 15x6. The 1995+ Active and 1995 Sport package tis came with 15x7s. The 1995 Club Sports and 1996+ Sports came with 16x7s. The Sport package 318s all got 26mm front sway bars. All 1999 318tis were Sports.

DukeOfUndersteer wrote: The M44 is a pretty efficient motor. I would listen to the motor at idle, hear if there is any timing chain noise hitting the valve cover. if so, the tensioner is on its way out. If im not mistaken, they came with the 16 inch E36 Sport wheel, a 5 spoke - split spoke. Lots of aftermarket since its basically an E30.

OR, like in my case, it's a $30 oil pressure relief valve.

Also, if it's the tensioner, it's SUPER easy to replace. You can change faster than it takes to walk inside and grab and open a beer.

At idle, it doesn't hold enough psi, so the tensioner has slack and you hear some rattle, once you get above say 1800-1900RPMS, there is enough psi to tighten up the tensioner and no more noise/slack.

The real problem is when neither of those fixes the noise, that means the chain guides or cam teeth are worn.............about $450-500 in parts alone IIRC.

ALso, does the M44 have the upper/lower oil pan like hte M42? If so, once home, drop the lower pan immediately and look for upper pan bolts that are loose or have dropped into the lower pan.

Just redid the cooling system and power steering on mine. What I would be looking for on the receipts are new suspension bits/bushings, cooling system redone as maintenance rather than repair - and that the side and rear cooling fittings were replaced (the one on the back of the head is not fun and will break). Like other e36s, the headliner will sag, the door panel clips suck (and are unique to the ti). The PO used to run cheap gas in mine - throws a check engine light. I just use premium - it gets better mileage and no lights. Avg 30 mpg mixed (m42 in mine). I really like mine, but can't help keeping eyes peeled for an m50 donor.

z31maniac wrote: ALso, does the M44 have the upper/lower oil pan like hte M42? If so, once home, drop the lower pan immediately and look for upper pan bolts that are loose or have dropped into the lower pan.

nope, e36 m44 is a single piece pan with the sump in the rear

Thanks for all the tips. I'm looking at it tonight at 9pm. It's not the best time to go see a car, but there's someone going tomorrow morning, so I want first crack at it. I'm going to bring my cordless trouble light. I hope it's great since they don't show up for sale often here. It's $4900 which may be a little high, but they aren't that common.

Ti's have a lot less problems than any other e36, probably because its really only half e36 lol. They don't have the subframe problem, and if it has 4k of receipts I cant imagine what hasn't been touched. Hopefully front and rear suspension bushings are on that list of receipts as well as the cooling system. Ive seen a lot of people overheating them, putting money in to the cooling system and than selling them for what they can get. Unfortunately theres not really any way you can tell if they're being honest unless it already showed up in the headgasket. Let us know how it goes and what the receipts cover. Good luck! Talk him down and I'm sure you'll have a deal.

that about sums it up. The Ti can rust too.. it's rare, but it is usually around the rear of the rear wheel well where it meets the bumper. Other than that.. it is standard 4 cylinder E36 fare. Good news us.. a 96+ m44 has an electric cooling fan.. so if the bearing goes on the water pump or the engine/trans mounts go.. you do not need to worry about grenading the fan into the radiator.

I can't remember now.. but it is either ford explorer or chevy blazer that can donate it's window struts in place of the weak and expensive factory hatch struts

mad_machine wrote: I can't remember now.. but it is either ford explorer or chevy blazer that can donate it's window struts in place of the weak and expensive factory hatch struts

That's also good to know. I'm going to see a 99ti on Friday if I don't buy this one tonight. I've been looking since November and couldn't find anything local, then two get posted today.

mw wrote: Thanks for all the tips. I'm looking at it tonight at 9pm. It's not the best time to go see a car, but there's someone going tomorrow morning, so I want first crack at it. I'm going to bring my cordless trouble light. I hope it's great since they don't show up for sale often here. It's $4900 which may be a little high, but they aren't that common.

Yikes.

$5k is CLEAN E36 328 money, or high mileage E36 M3 money.

I can't see giving that unless you just REALLY like Ti's.

^ In the US.

It's way too difficult to import any bmw that is 15 years or newer. There doesn't seem to much close to me (buffalo) that's good. Also, I don't want to spend a day driving to see a car that isn't any good. I also would have to pay an extra 6% in duty plus a few hundred buck to import one. The savings kind of diminish when everything is taken into account.

There does seem to be one hitch with buying a 318ti, I can't find a hitch for one which is a pain since I have a tire trailer and a hitch mounted bike rack.

Ooops, forgot to check your location.

Call Levent at GutenParts in New Jersey, he may know of a hitch for it.

4 tires will fit in the back hatch, so don't worry about the tire trailer. I took the tires I ordered from tirerack to the shop in mine. I think they were 215's.

The tire trailer is also used to hold my jetski or dirtbike. It also carries the extra 'stuff' we take with us up to the cottage and gets used for hauling a huge amount of stuff. How else would I carry a new fridge or my meat smoker with a miata?

This one is likely a no go unless the price drops a lot. Some rust underneath, cooling system isn't done, suspension bushings look OLD, it has lowering springs, and aftermarket wheels that I don't like. We'll see how the one on Friday looks.

z31 any leads on those CLEAN 328's? Especially 97 and older? I'd drive to OK for the right one.

z31maniac wrote:

mw wrote: Thanks for all the tips. I'm looking at it tonight at 9pm. It's not the best time to go see a car, but there's someone going tomorrow morning, so I want first crack at it. I'm going to bring my cordless trouble light. I hope it's great since they don't show up for sale often here. It's $4900 which may be a little high, but they aren't that common.

Yikes. $5k is CLEAN E36 328 money, or high mileage E36 M3 money. I can't see giving that unless you just REALLY like Ti's.

that is decent money for a good Ti. They are uncommon and are a cult car. Aside from the Z3, the Ti is the only other E36 that is holding it's value well. When you consider original selling price.. the Ti has held onto it's value more than any other E36

mw wrote: z31 any leads on those CLEAN 328's? Especially 97 and older? I'd drive to OK for the right one.

Make a call to whom I mentioned earlier and I'll keep my eye out in my neck of the woods. If you happen to run across something on CL, let me know, and I'd be more than happy to go check it out for you.

Jarod wrote: 4 tires will fit in the back hatch, so don't worry about the tire trailer. I took the tires I ordered from tirerack to the shop in mine. I think they were 215's.

Easily. I used to carry 4 275 A6s, and everything needed for a weekend of racing, and a passenger.

I loved my car, miss it, but my WRX is faster. ;)

Something else to bring up.. upgrades for the Ti are as close as your nearest BMW junkyard or Ebay. Mine has been upgraded with m3 parts.. front hubs, brakes, and rims. Even lowered down on bilstien coilovers.. I can run 235/45/17s without any rubbing

The front end is identical to the sedans so I assume 255/40R17s can be made to fit without too much trouble. Are there issues fitting similar size tires in back?

I keep thinking an engine swapped 318ti would be fun, but a 328i is a better deal. But it is probably a lot easier finding a factory LSD for a 318ti.

Gratuitous 325i picture from a few moments ago.

HStockSolo wrote: The front end is identical to the sedans so I assume 255/40R17s can be made to fit without too much trouble. Are there issues fitting similar size tires in back? I keep thinking an engine swapped 318ti would be fun, but a 328i is a better deal. But it is probably a lot easier finding a factory LSD for a 318ti. Gratuitous 325i picture from a few moments ago.

Yes, the back is where the ti is really limited. Mine is still wearing the 235/40 17" RS2 rubber on it.....and theres no room in the back.

Granted, those tires are stretched a bit on the bbs ra's. And its 90% down on the KW's, so the front fenders were rolled(alot), and the back was rolled/pulled to fit them.

Also, were m42's supposed to have clutch fans? Mine had electric. And the 95 was the only year LSD was offered(IIRC, its been awhile). Any E30 large case or Z3 diff will work though(Also, IIRC)

yamaha wrote:

HStockSolo wrote: The front end is identical to the sedans so I assume 255/40R17s can be made to fit without too much trouble. Are there issues fitting similar size tires in back? I keep thinking an engine swapped 318ti would be fun, but a 328i is a better deal. But it is probably a lot easier finding a factory LSD for a 318ti. Gratuitous 325i picture from a few moments ago.

Yes, the back is where the ti is really limited. Mine is still wearing the 235/40 17" RS2 rubber on it.....and theres no room in the back. Granted, those tires are stretched a bit on the bbs ra's. And its 90% down on the KW's, so the front fenders were rolled(alot), and the back was rolled/pulled to fit them. Also, were m42's supposed to have clutch fans? Mine had electric. And the 95 was the only year LSD was offered(IIRC, its been awhile). Any E30 large case or Z3 diff will work though(Also, IIRC)

Some early 96s have LSDs.. mine does, but it was made in feb of 96. I think mid year they went to traction control.

Mine is wound down tight on the rear with the Bilstien PSS9 coilovers. I am running M3 DS1 rims with 235/45/17s.. and my fenders are NOT rolled or pulled to fit them.

In reply to mad_machine:

the ra's are wider wheels.....