Hello

[airpie13]

Hello everyone... I am 13, almost 14 (but i have a love for BMW's)... I own a BMW (1987 BMW 325e) My father just bought it during christmas, but then died due to smoking, so i got the BMW (basically). It has only 78,042 miles on it, because it used to belong to a old lady, and never drove it anywhere, except to the stores and stuff... I just wanted to know if there is a place where i can learn more about the BMW 325e. And i have a few questions...

1.Everytime my older brother trys to start it, it seems to stall. And about the 3rd time he trys it, it works.... Just wanted to know if theres something i should do, or is that normal?
2.I know its not supposed to be a speed demon, but could somebody tell me the HP, and tourqe of the car.... and if anyone knows the MPG of it....
3.Is there any parts that i should look at, to buy new ones in the future...?


Well, thats all i can think of right now... Thanks

[csieminski]

First, my condolences regarding your dad...

You're correct, the 325e is not reputed to be an especially high-performance car, but they are great just the same. I had a 1986 528e, which has exactly the same engine as the 325e and 325es (coupe). It is a 2.7-liter inline-6 that produces 121 horsepower and 170 ft-lbs. of torque. This engine was developed in the early 1980's during the fuel crisis, so the emphasis was on good fuel economy and a lot of torque. That torque is produced at a fairly low rpm, but as you see, hp is embarassingly low by today's standards (even 1980's standards) and the engine doesn't rev that high (maybe 5,000-6,000 rpm). The 325i/325is of 1987+ had higher horsepower figures and a higher redline.

My 528e averaged about 22-23 mpg, so your smaller, lighter car should do at least as well.

The car's not going to be especially quick, but runs great at high speed--no problem maintaining 80-85 mph. My 528e was an automatic and was geared so that even at high speed, the engine was just loafing--2,000 rpm in 4th = about 72 mph. If your car is a manual, it should be reasonably quick accelerating too.

The stalling problem could relate to a number of issues; I'm not a mechanic but surely your problem can be resolved.

BE SURE the timing belt has been changed once by now--if it breaks you risk $X,XXX's in engine damage. This maintenance is supposed to be done quite frequently on your car--every 50,000-60,000 miles. If you are unsure whether it's been done, I'd have that service performed immediately. Some fanatics would recommend you actually have the car towed to a mechanic rather than drive it and risk breakage. Change the oil every 3,000-4,000 miles and, if it's an automatic, have that fluid changed regularly as well. With decent maintenance, your engine will last past 250,000 miles easily.

Bavarian Autosport in Portsmouth, NH www.bavauto.com is a great company to order from. They have almost everything you could possibly want for your car, from basic parts to all kinds of tasteful upgrades. They automatically ship by 3-day FedEx, and their customer service is fantastic. I've ordered from them for over three years.

Best wishes with your car!

[airpie13]

Hey thanks