[JohnTaurus]

Hey guys and/or gals, Ive been a fan of the 318ti since I first saw one in the 90s in High School.

Im a car fan, but the only Geman car Ive had was a Mercedes-Benz 300D that I was, how should I put it, less than impressed with.

Anyway, as my screen name implys, Im a Ford Taurus fan and I currently drive a 1995 model (the style just before the oval ones). I love it, but I want a second car that will be more fun to drive. The Taurus handles as well as any FWD family sedan can I guess (certainly better than a Camry or similar GM/Chrysler), but I wanted something sportier and with a manual transmission. Being RWD is a big plus as well.

So, I decided to look for a decent-but-affordable 318ti. I found one that is a days drive from me that looks like a good deal. Its a manual transmission with 160k on it. It says it needs a starter and I can see in the pictures that the door moldings are missing from both sides. Hes asking $1200 I believe, which seems pretty reasonable.

My question is, can these cars be compression started? As in, get it rolling, key on, in gear and pop the clutch to start the engine without using the starter.

I appreciate an answer and any other advice you guys may have. Thanks in advance!

Edit: Im not looking to replace the Taurus, because I have a horrible back and therefor I need to keep something around that is an automatic, is comfortable and has a decent ride quality. The Taurus checks those boxes and its a good driving car for what it is.