Quote:
Originally Posted by John Firestone  The E36 Compact, which includes the 318ti, was an improvisation to test and reconnoiter a new and unknown market. BMW did not risk developing a brand new model in case the experiment flopped. |
Which it completely did flop, but not due to the engineers. On the 99 they bored out the engine to 1.9L, threw in a bunch of M parts, the engineers did everything they could to keep the car on the line. It was the salespeople working on % commission who refused to market or try to sell the thing in lieu of selling more expensive cars. The 99 was the engineers last ditch attempt.
The 318ti was a completely anomalous product. The engineering was excellent, it was an excellent product, but the dealers didn't even try to sell it, not unlike Commodore computers with the 128 or the Amiga, or Steve Jobs' NeXT, which were both way beyond their peers at a better price like the 318ti.
Usually best of value products get sold like hotcakes but the engineering is weak and a bad reputation kills the product. This car is one of the ones that it went the other way around.
Anyway not to digress on my own thread.
Any idea how to more easily remove the dimmer/light switch?
I've since learned that the ! with the swirly and triangle is a traction control issue. Odd it would pop up without moving the vehicle after the battery has been disconnected for a night to recharge it due to the floor light issue. I found the sensor on YouTube for the drivers' side door. Hopefully a bit of electrical contact cleaner fixes it, or I'm going to be disconnecting the battery every time I park it which doesn't do the BMW much justice. The replacement doesn't seem too difficult, but god I haven't even driven this thing more than 10 kms and I'm already replacing a lot of stuff. I want to enjoy it a bit before I fill a wheelbarrow of money into it so I feel like I'm getting my money's worth, in spirit at least.