'95 BMW 318i 'vert

[fdcg27]

Drove to Arcanum today, and bought a BMW convertible from a most unlikely source.
There is an old school Chevy, Poncho, Buick dealer in Arcanum, Troutwine.
They took the BMW in on trade for a truck.
Really nice people, and very easy to deal with.
If you live within fifty or sixty miles of Arcanum, and you want a new GM product, I think you'd find the buying experience with them to be very pleasant.
The car has a recent top (it is green with a tan top and interior) and they had just put four General Altimax tires on it.
What I really liked was that they offered us a test ride for as long as we liked, just my wife and I, they then offered us a second top-down test drive, and there was absolutely zero pressure of any kind.
I asked them if they would put the car up for me, so that I could look at it underneath, and they obliged. A tech walked around with me, and checked both the tie rod ends and ball joints, which seemed tight.
The floor looked great, as befits a car that was delivered and spent most of its life in Florida, and they had service records going back to the car's delivery. I have the original manuals as well.
Anyway, we arrived at a mutually agreeable price with no games, of $4650.00 inclusive of all taxes and fees.
This might seem a little rich, but try to find a decent example of one of these cars with documented history around here for less.
Anyway, the car is a very nice driver, athough certainly not perfect.
I am very pleased with it, as is my wife.
My quest for a convertible has ended.

 

[mrsilv04]

This thread really needs some pictures...

 

[JHZR2]

+1 on pics. Is it MT or AT?

A few things:
-if it is like the E30, the diff is undersized on the 4-cyl. Get some good diff lube in there - Id say synthetic 75w-110 amsoil SVG.

-A 5w-40 oil will work great in the engine which shoul be an M44. I recommend rotella syn 5w-40.

-Look into replacing the timing chain tensioner if you dont have records of it being done. Good thing to do, though a 95 may alreay have the updated part, so look into it...

-Use ragtopp or 303 products to protect the top and keep it repelling water.

Send pics and let me know if you have questions.

 

[fdcg27]

Dealership or car?
The store is really something out of a time warp, and is located in a town of only 2500 souls.
This was probably the best car buying experinces I've ever had.
I mean, how often do you actually talk to the dealer-principle himself, much less have him ask you for the keys so that he can fill your new ride with gas?
This actually happened.
This is also an example of a transaction that would never have taken place before the internet.
That's how I found the car, and traveled to this tiny town forty some miles noerthwest of our abode.

 

[JHZR2]

pics of the car would be great - though sounds like a neat dealer, pics of their place, especially if they have old-fashioned signs would be neat too!

 

[mrsilv04]

Pictures of the car..........?

 

[01rangerxl]

+1 on pics of the car, sounds like a nice buy!

I think the price you paid is very reasonable for an E36 'vert in good shape with a full maintenance history. That's awesome that the buying process went so smoothly.

 

[fdcg27]

I wanted to give a quick update on the little dear.
I have driven the car 400 miles as of today on its dealer fill up. I gave it 91 octane, just to see whether the knock sensor would allow more timing advance with higher octane fuel.
Anyway, the little thing did 400 miles on slightly less than 14 gallons, and I made sure I really filled it, so it did pretty well.
I have also discovered that it is not so slow.
Proper gear selection matters, even more than it does with a Honda, and it loves to be kept above four thousand revs or so when you want power out of it, even more so than with a Honda.
A very entertaining car.
The exhaust note is lovely, and I refer to it, when revved hard, as the angry bumblebee.
I apologize for no pics yet.
I will try to get some in the next week.
I am also quite dark now, having driven home with the top down for the four days of this past work week.
I am quite pleased with the little thing.
Really, if you want a ragtop four cylinder stick, aside from a BMW, the only other choice is a Saab. We looked at a nice Saab, which would have run about the same money as the 318i.
The well documented problems with sludge in Saabs scared me off, although I have litle doubt that whomever buys the pretty yellow Saab we drove will have no clue, and the car will probably do just fine for many miles to come.