Okay...

[RedFive]

So...I think I'm pretty interested in buying a ti, but I've never driven one. I was a passenger quite a few times many years ago, but that was before I even had a driver's license, so...

Anyways, can you guys sell me on it? The other kinds of cars I've been looking at are 70s Alfa Romeos, Fiat 124 Spiders, Porsche 944s, and WRXs. WRX is probably outta my price range, but still...it handles like a champ and it certainly has quite a few horses.

Questions I think I have are about aftermarket turbos and such. It seems a lot of people throw them on...but I haven't seen too many prices. Seems like 5 grand for a supercharger...you could get a whole second car for that :blink:

Also, I don't know too much about BMWs, but I've seen somewhere that people have been dropping a 6 cyl engine in to TIs? Does it bolt right up or does it require extensive modification (i.e. lots of money). And do people stroke the 1.9L engines?

I pulled out my Jeep 4.0L engine last summer and stroked it, put a new cam in, etc...but as much as I love it, it's still a Jeep. Great for offroading and moving stuff, but I also want something I can hug the mountain roads in...but also something my Jeep can't beat off the line, either.

Last, I guess, is there some sort of writeup somewhere about what things to look for when buying one of these cars? What are typical problems (aside from window regulators) with the cars? How do they hold up to higher milage? If I got one this summer, I wouldn't be able to rebuild the engine (or drop in a new one??) until the next summer probably...so...I wouldn't want to buy a car that wasn't going to have serious issues if it happened to have 150K miles, you know? But then again, I had 250K on my Jeep with no serious problems before I rebuilt...so....it depends on the car, and that's why i'm asking I guess.

I hope I'm making sense?

Okay, that's enough for now...thanks guys!

-Logan

[mickd]

First off, you would have alot of maintainance on the Fiat 124, and if you are looking at modifying it, has no where near the potential of a 318ti. Porsche 944's have a schedule for replacing water pumps, can't remember off hand, but the time interval isn't alot and you would be doing this every few years. From experience, the cost to maintain a BMW is less than the Porsche. The Downing-Atlanta supercharger is one of the cheapest ways to get more power and will give you 210HP at the crank for around $3K. If you do a 6 cylinder swap you are talking around $10K to do it right. I plan on installing a DASC as soon as it warms up here. As far as reliability, I know some on the board have had minor problems on higher mileage cars, mine is a '95 with 122K (I am the original owner and bought the car new in Feb. '96) and the only parts that ever failed was an engine temp sensor, a backup light switch, and the normal window coming off the track that I think I have licked. The ti is the most reliable car I have ever owned and also the best handling. So, I wouldn't waste the time with those other cars, get a ti and install a DASC.

[96cali]

MIne has also been rock solid. DASC can be had in group buys for $2750 I think. Supposedly easy nuf for a shade tree mech to install in a day.

[bmw///m3///]

Dont buy a 944 or fiat . I really wanted a low 70s alfa romeo gtv, after talking to my dads friends who owned a repair shop for a long time that worked on alfas. He said those twin cam motors sucked, I thought there were good?

Get a 318ti and make it fast. Its a german built car and tons of fun......

[RedFive]

My buddy Jason has a '74 GTV. Aluminum block, sleeved cyls, etc. It's okay I guess. The car's strong point is its handling, not the motor. It goes through oil pretty quick. I suppose if you rebuilt it, it could be okay...but as is, Jason can't keep up with my Jeep. I'm not saying the Jeep is anything spectacular -- it's still a Jeep -- but I don't think I really want an Alfa anymore. Especially since parts are expensive and mechanics are hard to find (for those ugly jobs that unexpectantly come up while it's cold and snowy outside :rolleyes: ).

Besides, I'd like to rip apart my Jeep and still have something reliable to go get parts with. I don't think an Alfa would be under that category. Nor a Fiat. Which is part of why I'm here.

Hmmm, I know about the 944 water pump issue, among other things. Did I read correctly? Does the TI have a timing CHAIN? I.E. No problems like the 944 with screwing over your whole engine because of a simple slip of the belt?

[bluebastion]

yes, it has a timing chain.

[aceyx]

my roommate in college had an '86 944 that had the timing belt go. he paid 3500 for it, and another 2k to fix the valves that bent. i think about 8 years later when he sold it, he got 3200 back. not bad, IMO.

very fun car, handled better than my ti (though i'm running stock) and had that good 80s sportscar feel--certainly rattles the teeth. i'm not going to join the others and say don't get it because it's a fun car, but you'll probably get to know the underside of it pretty well (sounds like you're good with cars so it doesn't seem like a problem). if i had a car just for driving i would consider the 944.


where reliability is a concern, the ti trumps the porsche. my '97 has 137k and is going strong, save for the window regulators. i honestly think the motor will outlast the rest, but i have no doubt this will make it to 200k with a great deal of grace remaining.

the ti is also much more useful. much. comfortable enough for a daily driver, spirited enough to scare old people, and subtle enough to not get "the eye" from every cop you drive by. you can also fit an ikea klippan sofa in the trunk (well enough to get it home at least).


parts are generally more expensive on the porsche, but are just as easily replaced. perhaps more so because it's all mechanical. there are issues i know with weatherstripping and rubber parts so you'd probably want to find one that's lived in the warm all it's life.

depends what you're looking for in a car i guess.

[Andrew_Debbie]

The other kinds of cars I've been looking at are 70s Alfa Romeos, Fiat 124 Spiders, Porsche 944s, and WRXs. WRX is probably outta my price range, but still...it handles like a champ and it certainly has quite a few horses.

-Logan


I've owned many Fiats including 3 124 spiders. My last Fiat was a grey market '86 X 1/9. I also have 3 BMWs including a ti. I can't comment much on your other options.


About the spyder. It is a lot of fun. I enjoyed all the ones I owned. I had a red '78 that I really liked. Parts are available, but are not as easy to come by as they were when Fiat NA was still around. Car is very easy to work on. If you get one, get as new a car as you can. '74 and '76 are years to avoid. The twin cam motor is a good one. The carb cars were < 90 HP. Last few years had fuel injection and a bit more power. There used to be pleanty of aftermarket goodies to up the horse power. Electrical system is prone to corrosion problems. Cars you look at are likely to have a few things that don't work. Avoid cars with power windows. Nothing but trouble. The front crossmember is a weak point on all 124's. Take a good look to see if is starting to crack. Handling was good compared to other cars in the class but it isn't even close to a ti.

The X 1/9 is a much more modern car than the 124. Far better handling. The X 1/9 is low on power but can be a blast to drive. The X 1/9 is not an easy car to work on. What mid-engined car is.


318ti is far more modern than either of those two. The hatch and rear seat make it a more pratical car. ti easily outhandles a 124. I'm not so sure about a X 1/9 though. Would be a closer race. ti with an automatic is very underpowered. BMW did lots of cost reducing on the ti. Cheap interior compared to other BMWs (still nice though). Only a 4cyl in the US. Rear suspension on the ti uses the simpler design from the earlier 3-series.
The ti is not easy or pleasant to work on. Cramped under the hood, esp at the rear of the engine. Parts are easy to get. Gray market and OE parts are inexpensive. --- Parts for my 1990 535 and 1996 ti cost less than parts for did for my Dodge truck. I've been told Porche prices are far higher.

BMW used plastic parts in the cooling system. They will get brittle and break. Some of the parts are not easy to change.