looking to buy a bimmer...

[integraluva]

whassup guys? my two favorite cars have always been integras and 3 series bmw's. im 19 and I have had my integra for just over a year now. it was the most practical car for me at 18. It was all good while I had the boyish streetracer-wannabe thing going on, but now Ive grown out of it and am ready to step it up. whas the difference between all of the 3 series bimmers? i did a search, but there are so many different kinds its doesnt make any sense. also, i was looking at a 97' 328i for 10,000 from a dealer. is that a good deal? any help woud be greatly appreciated. thanx

[Kompressor]

There are many types of 3 series BMWs. The 1997 BMW 328i is an E36 BMW. For 10 grand, if the mileage is low, it's a good deal. There are just somethigns you should know about your car. If you have any questions pm me, or e-mail me.

[ironman502]

With most BMWs, the first number designates the series (328 is 3-series) and the second two numbers show the engine displacement. For example, a 318 has a 1.8 liter 4-cylinder, and a 330 has a 3.0 liter 6-cylinder. Besides that, "i" means injected, "e" means economy, "s" means sport, "x" means all wheel drive, "td" means turbodiesel, and "c" means either coupe or convertible. The naming system works pretty well once you figure it out. Hope this helps.

[integraluva]

thanx, helps a lot. one more question.... what is the difference between all of the ones you named in terms of horsepower and features?

[integraluva]

Originally Posted by Kompressor

There are many types of 3 series BMWs. The 1997 BMW 328i is an E36 BMW. For 10 grand, if the mileage is low, it's a good deal. There are just somethigns you should know about your car. If you have any questions pm me, or e-mail me.

its a 1997 328i with 90 000 miles on it for ten grand. im guessing the price is so low because of the high mileage. how bad is 90 000 miles on a 97 bmw?

[bassman]

im not the best on milage and all that, but 90k will be about how much it should be for a 97.
my 95 has little over 120 000 on it.. quite a lot
bmw should last for a long time though
i have heard that they should last over 200 000

[ironman502]

Originally Posted by integraluva

thanx, helps a lot. one more question.... what is the difference between all of the ones you named in terms of horsepower and features?

I have no idea on the power/performance specs on any of the models I mentioned. Hopefully someone here who does know can tell you. And about the mileage thing- I own an '85 325e. Right now it's at about 236,000 miles on the original engine. The car runs almost like new, though the interior is ratty. From what I've heard, 300k miles for a BMW that is maintained regularly according to the owner's manual is not unrealistic.

[thisISthelife]

Hey man, glad to hear your into the bimmers too. I am in a similar situation, buying my first bimmer. My buddy has an e30 (read old) 325e, 283,000 miles and running strong and has been a great resource for my search.

I am in the process of buying a '94 325is, which is a 2 door with the straight 6. Friday is the day it gets checked by a mecahnic, but im not too worried. For reference, its in prety good condition, 109,000 miles and im paying a fair $7k. If youre into the car for performance, dont accept anything but the 5 speed. Also, if you havent driven a 3 series yet, do it, it will confim your belief that the 3 series is the right car.

One more thing, take a look at this: http://auto.consumerguide.com/auto/u...ivisionid/1595. It gives a great wealth of info on the different models, including the old models. As a driver, and im sure many wil agree, the 318 is not for spirited romps through the backroads. thats what BMW made the tourquey 6 for!

[integraluva]

Originally Posted by thisISthelife

Hey man, glad to hear your into the bimmers too. I am in a similar situation, buying my first bimmer. My buddy has an e30 (read old) 325e, 283,000 miles and running strong and has been a great resource for my search.

I am in the process of buying a '94 325is, which is a 2 door with the straight 6. Friday is the day it gets checked by a mecahnic, but im not too worried. For reference, its in prety good condition, 109,000 miles and im paying a fair $7k. If youre into the car for performance, dont accept anything but the 5 speed. Also, if you havent driven a 3 series yet, do it, it will confim your belief that the 3 series is the right car.

One more thing, take a look at this: http://auto.consumerguide.com/auto/u...ivisionid/1595. It gives a great wealth of info on the different models, including the old models. As a driver, and im sure many wil agree, the 318 is not for spirited romps through the backroads. thats what BMW made the tourquey 6 for!

thanx a lot man. ive recieved more help from you guys than anywhere else, including honda/acura forums on AF. Thanx again for the advice and let me know how everything turns out. good luck

[buymeabmwm3]

roughly from memory, 0-60 times
1987-1991 e30 318i, 10 sec
1987-1991 e30 325i, 8.3 sec
1991-1999 e36 318i, 9 sec
1991-1999 e36 325i, 8 sec
1991-1999 e36 328i, 7 sec

you probably cant get a 99-04 e46 model b/c too expensive. E30 body is lot of fun to toss around, esp w/manual tranny. i got my 92 e30 for $9k and love i to death.