» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | 1999 M3 Swap 09-07-2023 10:10 PM 05-02-2024 08:18 PM 6 Replies, 328,696 Views | | | | | | | 12-03-2018, 07:56 PM | #1 | Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: NY Posts: 29 | How is it owning a BMW 318ti ? Hi folks .. BMW Newbie here .... So I am looking to buy a used BMW 318ti in the spring ...only produced for North America from 95 to 98 ....what is the best year to purchase ? Any major issues or quirks I should be aware of when owning one ? Any and all info is much appreciated .... Thanks 🙏 | | | 12-04-2018, 06:42 PM | #2 | Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Dodging potholes in SoCal Posts: 454 | Welcome! The biggest issue is always cooling system. If you're able to find a 95 model, it will most likely have the M42 OBD1 motor. This motor was designed without a plastic cooling pipe that is failure prone on the M44 cars. Also, M42 motors have forged internals vs cast, so there's that. 99s are rare and were all sport models, so that's something to consider. I have a california roof model which can be fun sometimes but also has its own problems. These cars are easy to work on and fun to drive, you'll have a good time either way. __________________ '96 318ti California Edition- Montreal blue '68 1600-2-Caribe blue | | | 12-04-2018, 10:22 PM | #3 | Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: NY Posts: 29 | Quote: Originally Posted by FunElan Welcome! The biggest issue is always cooling system. If you're able to find a 95 model, it will most likely have the M42 OBD1 motor. This motor was designed without a plastic cooling pipe that is failure prone on the M44 cars. Also, M42 motors have forged internals vs cast, so there's that. 99s are rare and were all sport models, so that's something to consider. I have a california roof model which can be fun sometimes but also has its own problems. These cars are easy to work on and fun to drive, you'll have a good time either way. | So there were 99 models in North America ??? I thought they stopped in 1998 model year for the USA? | | | 12-04-2018, 10:05 PM | #4 | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,356 | Remember, its a 25 year old car. Any year have issues just as any other E36. Headliner, window regulator, anything plastic is cracked. Anything made from rubber, will crack. Personally I like OBD-II over OBD-I. Still, a fun car to own if you are willing to do some of the repairs on your own. __________________ ...steven BMW CCA #146825 1996 BMW 328ti • 2003 MINI Cooper S • 2016 M235i www.bmwcca.org | | | 12-04-2018, 10:25 PM | #5 | Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: NY Posts: 29 | Quote: Originally Posted by 1996 328ti Remember, its a 25 year old car. Any year have issues just as any other E36. Headliner, window regulator, anything plastic is cracked. Anything made from rubber, will crack. Personally I like OBD-II over OBD-I. Still, a fun car to own if you are willing to do some of the repairs on your own. | Im not afraid to do repairs on my own .... | | | 12-04-2018, 10:38 PM | #6 | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,356 | Quote: Originally Posted by BMWannabe So there were 99 models in North America ??? I thought they stopped in 1998 model year for the USA? | There was a small run in 1999. Only Sports and included a 2-spoke M Steering wheel. Quote: Originally Posted by BMWannabe Im not afraid to do repairs on my own .... | That's good. __________________ ...steven BMW CCA #146825 1996 BMW 328ti • 2003 MINI Cooper S • 2016 M235i www.bmwcca.org | | | 12-04-2018, 10:42 PM | #7 | Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: NY Posts: 29 | Quote: Originally Posted by 1996 328ti There was a small run in 1999. Only Sports and included a 2-spoke M Steering wheel. That's good. | Interesting ......Did a little research and came up with this ...Rare indeed ...only 656 1999 318ti's made it to the USA https://oppositelock.kinja.com/1999-...iew-1692222252 Last edited by BMWannabe; 12-04-2018 at 10:54 PM. | | | 11-22-2019, 12:06 PM | #8 | Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 24 | Quote: Originally Posted by BMWannabe | I am lucky enough to have one of them. The 99 had a slightly more bored out engine (1.9L vs. 1.8L) and came with the M-Sport kit incl triptronic autoshifter for performance mode. Thing grips the road like an addias shoe. It has a bit of a phantom mode, I call it grandma mode, where it drives just like a POS stock Civic. But when you punch it hard, it lights up and growls like a monster. Torque band really kicks in at 3500-4000RPM, M-Sport mode lets the engine rev higher than in standard automatic. Hard as hell to find used parts for this year. AllBMWParts.com seems to be able to find anything and everything albeit not at the best price, but beats marching around one Euro pick-a-part after another hoping to find the correct part. Also worthy of noting: The 99 has a different dimmer switch. Mine failed. It's a complete pain in the neck finding a replacement one. The older versions had one under the left side of the steering wheel, seperate from the headlight switch. In the 99 it's integrated into one switch up the dash. At this age, the rheostat can fail due to moisture or corrosion. Price I got for a replaement was 75 bucks - only 25 bucks less than both drivers' side windows. Owning a car this rare (the 99, anyway) is expensive but it's definitely worth the extra punch and M-sport kit with steering wheel. | | | 12-05-2018, 01:44 AM | #9 | Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Greeley CO Posts: 233 | Quote: Originally Posted by BMWannabe Im not afraid to do repairs on my own .... | That's good - because otherwise, you'll need a big checkbook. | | | 12-05-2018, 01:17 AM | #10 | Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Central Florida Posts: 17 | Retro Review of the '96 318ti from MotorWeek https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrbJDstZnYY Last edited by rleniek; 12-05-2018 at 01:48 AM. | | | 12-05-2018, 01:32 AM | #11 | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 315 | Of my three one is a 99 and has the 3 spoke M wheel. Not much change from my 96 or 97 though. __________________ 01 740iS Cosmos Black 97 318ti Boston Green 99 318ti Titanium Silver 13 X5 3.5XDrive Cosmos Black 97 318ti Alpine White (gone but not forgotten) 88 325iC Schwartz Black (sold) 97 740iL Schwartz Black (sold) 84 633csi Schwartz Black (sold) 96 318ti Alaska Blue (sold) 08 X5 4.8i Titanium Silver (sold) | | | 12-05-2018, 01:37 AM | #12 | Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: NY Posts: 29 | Quote: Originally Posted by 740isport Of my three one is a 99 and has the 3 spoke M wheel. Not much change from my 96 or 97 though. | The 99's had all the options on them already? Do you have a picture of yours to share ? | | | 12-05-2018, 03:53 AM | #13 | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 315 | Quote: Originally Posted by BMWannabe The 99's had all the options on them already? Do you have a picture of yours to share ? | Not sure what you mean by "All the options" but it does have the sports options on it. However, it is an automatic and has the goodies mentioned. I just realized that I don't have any pics of it on my phone or computer and its not here at home since my youngest son drives it to work. __________________ 01 740iS Cosmos Black 97 318ti Boston Green 99 318ti Titanium Silver 13 X5 3.5XDrive Cosmos Black 97 318ti Alpine White (gone but not forgotten) 88 325iC Schwartz Black (sold) 97 740iL Schwartz Black (sold) 84 633csi Schwartz Black (sold) 96 318ti Alaska Blue (sold) 08 X5 4.8i Titanium Silver (sold) | | | 12-05-2018, 04:54 PM | #14 | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,356 | Quote: Originally Posted by 740isport Not sure what you mean by "All the options" but it does have the sports options on it. However, it is an automatic and has the goodies mentioned. I just realized that I don't have any pics of it on my phone or computer and its not here at home since my youngest son drives it to work. | I don't think a 99 had all options. My guess sport suspension color matching mirrors M-tech trim sport seats fog lights cruise and OBC probably optional as they were standard in actives, not the sport. Only other option would be leather seats. __________________ ...steven BMW CCA #146825 1996 BMW 328ti • 2003 MINI Cooper S • 2016 M235i www.bmwcca.org | | | 11-22-2019, 12:08 PM | #15 | Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 24 | Quote: Originally Posted by 1996 328ti I don't think a 99 had all options. My guess sport suspension color matching mirrors M-tech trim sport seats fog lights cruise and OBC probably optional as they were standard in actives, not the sport. Only other option would be leather seats. | Mine came with all the options. Cruise, OBC-2, computer, all that. The rear suspension is trailing arm, unlike the M3 which is higher end, but it allows you to put on a lot more rim types. Seems to handle awesome so it's not anything I'm crying about. | | | | | 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 | | | |