Very Interested In Purchasing A 318ti

[Kabs]

Hello everyone...Im Mike =) I live in New Jersey.

I am looking to purchase a 318ti because i fell inlove with this car. Especially since its a hatchback

I did my research, but also wanted to find a website with ppl who own this wonderful car. Anyways, here are some questions i have to ask...

#1 What is the major differnce between the 97, 97, 99 models? Which year would you recommend buying?

#2 Auto or Manual? I love sporty cars, and i know the 318ti is only a 4 cylinder with about 130ish hp, but which would u recommend

#3 Are there any major problems with this car? What should i look for when purchasing this car? Like some things to lower the price =)


Now i really really love the 99 model... becuase for some reason to me the body and style looks a little sportier and smaller than the 98... is this true?

Thankyou for your help everyone!


Quick Edit: Ok i would like to know how do i tell the differnce between the Base, Active, Sport.... and what is the price difference between these models. www.edmunds.com does not show there is a Base, Active, Sport styles.

[gadgetphreak]

Definitely go Manual unless you can't drive a stick, it will let you have control over the RPMs and keep it from dropping it out of its power band as often...

Take a look through these forums to get a feel for the kinds of problems that can be had, but aside from the Window issue (a sticky thread in the Exterior forum covers this) these are just about if not the least expensive BMW you can own. They are extremely reliable and very fun to drive.

Good luck, and let us know what you find...

Gadget

[Kabs]

thankyou....

but how do i know if its a Base, Active, Sport package? i also heard there was an M package... how do i tell??


Most importantly what is the difference between the 99 and 98 model in terms of body and features

[aceyx]

96+ has the m44 (1.9L , 135hp, OBDII) motor, 95 has the m43 (1.8L, 129?hp, OBD). difference between the two is OBD can skirt emissions easier. i believe that in 98 the ti got rear headrests, asc+t was standard. they're all built on the same frame (and AFAIK have the same metal body panels).

manual is more fun, but if you have a lot of traffic and aren't good with stick consider auto. because of gearing it gets about the same acceleration, and the torque converter is impressive. however, you'll only ever get better at driving a manual.

other than the window, i've had no major repairs (knock on wood) in 135k miles. general maintenance, normal wear, and maybe things i personally have abused. fluid changes and the like will make the motor outlast the car.

base has 15" steel. active adds 15" alloy / fogs / sunroof / cruise / obc / alarm+central locking. sport adds 16" alloy / -cruise / -sunroof / sport suspension / m bodykit+moulding / half leather seating. obviously, mix and match since almost everything was an option.

[Kabs]

thankyou very much...


is there a way i can tell if its the sport package from the VIN?

Also other than autotrader... where can i find listings of cars for sale... im in essex country, NJ, US

[1996 328ti]

thankyou very much...


is there a way i can tell if its the sport package from the VIN?

Also other than autotrader... where can i find listings of cars for sale... im in essex country, NJ, US
No. Just look at the picture if there us one. A 95 Clubsport or +96 Sport will have an M3 front bumper, wide side mouldings and a black rear valence.

[Kabs]

Hmmm 1st whats a valance...

2nd.. what value should be added to the car if its a sport?

3rd... what should i look for in the car to try to lower the price.... i know a little but if i know my facts about the car it may be to my benefit

[1996 328ti]

Hmmm 1st whats a valance...

2nd.. what value should be added to the car if its a sport?

3rd... what should i look for in the car to try to lower the price.... i know a little but if i know my facts about the car it may be to my benefit
The valence is also called a diffuser. It is the trim that goes around the exhaust tip.

Value is hard to say. Prices seem to be dirt cheap to the ridiculous.
Part of it is what is it worth to you? Has the person taken care of the car? Receipts? Nice shape, a few door dings and paint chips.

If the odo is not correct or it looks like it was in an accident you can probably get a lower price although I would not want it unless I was going to gut it. There was one car that someone was looking at, it only had one key. There where some other problems too. I would not want a car where the first thing you do is fix it to get it streetworthy.

The best advice is to wait for the right car. They are out there and don't limit yourself to one region.

[Kabs]

Can i get opinions on this car...

http://www.autoshopperonline.com/viewfull.asp?ID=1172686


is this sport? or the regular base...


how about the price.... i think its pretty low... somethin might be wrong.. still gonna check it out

[robcarync]

i love the car...but i have had many problems with it. i have a 95 though...so its at that time when almost everything starts to fall apart...from what i have heard...the problems i have had were uncommon....at least to have them all happen so close to each other...it seems i cant drive the car for more than 3 months without something breaking...

if you are looking at a newer model (IE: 97,98, 99), i would say you dont really have much to worry about reliability...i think i just got unlucky and got a bad one...


but yes...best advice...wait for the right car...

[rendoll911]

Can i get opinions on this car...

http://www.autoshopperonline.com/viewfull.asp?ID=1172686


is this sport? or the regular base...


how about the price.... i think its pretty low... somethin might be wrong.. still gonna check it out

according to them its a 6 cylinder :rolleyes:

but if it really was... maybe its a m3 swap




doubt it though

[aceyx]

looks like an active if you aks me.

there's no perfect correlation between year and price. i would easily pay up to a grand more for a car i know has been babied, comes with records, and the previous owner is an enthusiast. maybe even more.

i would not purchase a ti even for 1k if i have not driven and given a thorough inspection. if you don't know much about cars, pay to have a mechanic (that you trust) inspect it for you.

i'm with steven here; wait for the right one, and look within 500 miles of you. since you're in a metro area, you're more likely to find something.

[96cali]

No stock ti's came with 6cyl or tilt wheel. Usually it's some idiot dealership just clicking away at options. When I was looking 3 years ago, a local dealer listed a cranberry color (cinnarot? carribean red?) 1998 Ti with 38K, alloys, leather and all options for $18k. When I showed up the alloys were hubcaps, the leather was leatherette and the dealer was clueless. How they ever sold that car for anything close to $18K is a mystery to me. I would be leery of buying a car from a dealer that knew nothing about it. Then again I know the right indy mechs now to take it to if that arose again.

You are limited by:
1. Your budget- what can you spend?
2. Time- how long can you wait?
3. Location and how far you are willing to travel- are you?

BTW the 1999 ti is the same basic car as 95-98. The most important things to consider are milage and who drove it and cared for it. I would have more faith in a car driven by a 30 year old enthusiast than a 16 year old hotshot. In 1999 it got a 3 spoke M steering wheel and all were sport models. 1998/99 had side airbags.