» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | | 1999 M3 Swap 09-07-2023 10:10 PM 05-02-2024 08:18 PM 6 Replies, 405,334 Views | | | | | 02-08-2009, 10:54 PM | #1 | Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Provo Ut Posts: 3 | 1995 BMW 318ti ? I am new to 318ti i have heard good and bad, something about a head gasket problem and automatic trans. My girlfriend is very intrested in this car and i would like to see that she gets a good car. I have been around bmw's for a while but mostly older 2002's and 2800s. I think this is a good deal and i need to know what to look for when i go to test drive the car ? Thank you for your help. This will help me greatly check out the car on the hot spot below. http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=&ni...iew&ad=1064602 Thanks SEAN | | | 02-09-2009, 12:27 AM | #2 | Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Vallejo, CA Posts: 47 | 95ti purchase I have a 95 with 120k and I would say this is a good price, however, the things that are probably wrong with this car at 150K are numerous. I would suspect the rubber bushings throughout are shot. So... you should consider subframe bushings, trailing arm bushings, and shock tower mounts. On the front end consider lower control arms and tie rods. Brakes, depending upon age, and shocks, if never replaced are gone. The tranny, if automatic, is close to life and if it fails, that is a biggie. The engine is as bullit-proof as you will find on a BMW and with the forged crank, is worth a valve job if you keep it long enough. Mine is superchaged with the DASC and has had a valve job because the head gasket failed. I don't think you will have that kind of problem on a stock engine. Do the safety stuff and space out the other stuff, and at that price, you will have a hell-of-a-fine car for a kid. __________________ [size=-2]95 Sport-Alpine White-5sp conversion, M3 clutch, 3.72 E30-LSD, Bilstein PSS-9s, 3"stainless-TriFlo, 17s from 330i staggared w/BFG KDWs, DASC K&N w/foglight intake, cross-drilled BavAuto rear rotors w/Pagids, 4-pot Brembos w/drilled 320mm front rotors, stainless lines, BimmerWorld RSMs. BavAuto front splitters. M-Style rear spoiler, tower brace, X-brace. | | | 02-09-2009, 01:09 AM | #3 | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Burlington, NJ Posts: 560 | It's for his girlfriend, not a kid... ;-) Anyways, I just bought a 95 with 140K miles. engine and trans are in great shape. The shocks/struts and rear shock mounts were toast, so I replaced those. For preventative maintenance, I did the entire cooling system, front gaskets and valve cover gaskets. I paid $3000.00 which i considered a fair price. Good luck! __________________ 1996 318ti - 2000 Z3 2.3 - 2012 MINI Cooper Hatchback | | | 02-09-2009, 03:46 AM | #4 | Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: SLC, Utah Posts: 32 | Quote: Originally Posted by S14SEAN I am new to 318ti i have heard good and bad, something about a head gasket problem and automatic trans. My girlfriend is very intrested in this car and i would like to see that she gets a good car. I have been around bmw's for a while but mostly older 2002's and 2800s. I think this is a good deal and i need to know what to look for when i go to test drive the car ? Thank you for your help. This will help me greatly check out the car on the hot spot below. http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=&ni...iew&ad=1064602 Thanks SEAN | Hey welcome. Good to see others on here from Utah. I just bought my second ti last week and paid $4500 for it. About the same ammt of miles except has some M3 brakes along with a few other front end stuff off an M3. You will love this car. Take it down the road to a mechanic and pay them a few bucks to inspect it for you. Most should be somewhat honest. Good luck | | | 02-09-2009, 06:36 AM | #5 | Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Provo Ut Posts: 3 | Quote: Originally Posted by amancuso For preventative maintenance, I did the entire cooling system, front gaskets and valve cover gaskets. I paid $3000.00 which i considered a fair price. Good luck! | Thanks For your post ! I now feel good about getting one with 150,xxx miles I am going to do maintenance the seccond i get the car. A trans. Flush, Diff.fulsh, Change oil and filter with synthetic, sparkplugs, and maybe o2 sensor if needed. So It will be in good hands as far as OCD maintenance goes. "Slacker"s post got me worryed about the tranny. but i will see how it shifts and drives. Also i think it will last just fine with My girlfriends style of driving, she is not going to be doing any freeway downshifts and heavy right foot driving. So i hope for the best. Thanks SEAN | | | 02-09-2009, 07:39 PM | #6 | Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oxford, Ohio Posts: 868 | Look closely at the paint. Any dealer that takes pics of a car when wet is usually hiding something. ti's are great cars, so if this one doesn't work out, keep looking. | | | 02-09-2009, 10:12 PM | #7 | Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Central Florida Posts: 678 | Get a CarFax report on it, and if it comes clean, and the paint when dry is in good condition, it's a GO!... The few bits that I saw missing are easily replaceable by doing a search for used or new parts on ebay or craigslist... Hope it works out, it seems to be a really good price! __________________ 2LT Rodriguez CA ARNG TURBO 96' Sport, Alaska Blue, Auto Custom JohnBoy Turbo, Midnight-Tunning Software, HKS BOV, e-Pod Gauge Pod, BavAuto Springs, Bilstein Sport, e30 3.73 LSD, Depo P36, Apexcone 55w HID, OEM Spoiler, M3 Lip, M3 Mesh Grill, Crossdrilled Rear Rotors, M3 Front Brakes, Sparco 3 point Harness, Euro M3 Wheel, K&N cone, Clear Corner/Sides/Tails, M3 Center Console & Arm-rest, M3 Red Cluster Needles, M3 Mirrors & Side Skirts, RD Exhaust, DS-1 wheels!... | | | 02-09-2009, 11:41 PM | #8 | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: central ct Posts: 503 | i have a 95 with 157k on it. runs mint. if taken care of, it should be good for 200k, or more. it's mostly just maintence stuff that it probably needs... 2 grand is a fair price. i paid 3 for mine, active trim level and manual. __________________ 2010 Genesis Coupe 2.0t track | 2000 Dakota Former 1995 318ti owner | | | | Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Posting Rules | You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | Similar Threads | Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post | 1995 318ti e36 | ti95 | US and North America | 7 | 10-04-2008 09:20 PM | My car 1995 318TI | psychotronik | Lounge | 12 | 08-16-2006 05:26 PM | 1995 318ti | impulse922 | I'm thinking about buying a ti. | 6 | 08-28-2005 11:56 PM | 1995 318ti | bmwpwr | US and North America | 1 | 04-05-2005 10:22 PM | |