50K of old BMW driving

[fdcg27]

The 318i hit 50K in my hands this afternoon while I was driving home from work.
It was a chilly day, but since we're now past the salt season, I figured that I might as well start driving it again.
This 21 YO car now has 155K on it.
Aside from being fun to drive and aside from having the option of dropping the top, the car has been very economical in use and totally reliable.
I bought it in late May 2010 with 105K and have since replaced the battery and the large tube that runs between the MAF and the intake manifold and that's it.
Other than regular oil changes, it's needed nothing else.
Having bought a fairly low mileage car with a ton of maintenance records has probably helped, but BMW apparently built a pretty good car in the e36.
I remain very happy with this little machine.

 

[SatinSilver]

Let's see some pictures!

 

[xshoex]

if the major cooling system components werent replaced right before you bought it, get ready. its inevitable on BMWs. ask me how i know

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
The 318i hit 50K in my hands this afternoon while I was driving home from work.
It was a chilly day, but since we're now past the salt season, I figured that I might as well start driving it again.
This 21 YO car now has 155K on it.
Aside from being fun to drive and aside from having the option of dropping the top, the car has been very economical in use and totally reliable.
I bought it in late May 2010 with 105K and have since replaced the battery and the large tube that runs between the MAF and the intake manifold and that's it.
Other than regular oil changes, it's needed nothing else.
Having bought a fairly low mileage car with a ton of maintenance records has probably helped, but BMW apparently built a pretty good car in the e36.
I remain very happy with this little machine.


Ditto for my one owner 1995 318ti, which has 144K on it. I've had to replace the thermostat, a heater hose coupling, a brake light switch, and the lower control arm bushings, but that's it. Not too bad considering it was my HPDE instructor car off and on from 1996 to 2013. It's now a member of the family, and will reside in its heated garage until my son pries it from my cold, dead, fingers...

 

[Andrew1972]

They are nice cars. I had a 1995 318i 4 door that was fun as company car but a bit underpowered with 3 other it geeks in the car and some laptops/bags.

It was leased but hoot while I had it with manual transmission.

 

[JHZR2]

Loved my E30. If rust hadnt taken its toll, Id still be driving it today. Even on the day I sold it I wouldnt have hesitated to take it cross country.

BMW makes a good car. I think they still do, after 1000 miles of touring central europe in a 530D wagon.

 

[RooflessVW]

I recently sold my E23. All it ever needed was some old bushings replaced, oil changes, and valve adjustments. Oh! I had to replace the original thermostat at 135k, and I did the water pump and hoses at 150k.

That car was a rock.

 

[Quattro Pete]

I wish I could say my E39 was this reliable.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
I wish I could say my E39 was this reliable.


Pfft. You're just not spending enough money on it

 

[crazyoildude]

That was one of the better BMW's before they forgot how to make a reliable vehicle.

 

[Carmudgeon]

Originally Posted By: rickmeseke
if the major cooling system components werent replaced right before you bought it, get ready. its inevitable on BMWs. ask me how i know


The 4-cyl E36s didn't suffer the same frequency of cooling system ills the 6-cyls did, or the E46s, for that matter.

As long as the cooling system isn't neglected (2-3 yr flushes), they carry on fine.

On high mileage car, which this is not, I would do all the hoses, including what's known as "the mess underneath the intake manifold." There's a plastic water manifold that should be replaced as part of an overhaul.

If it was a later M44, the plastic fitting on the back of the head can be known to leak. On the front, the plastic inlet/outlet housing is replaced with the integrated thermostat.

I know a M44 ti that's still ticking at close to 400k.

They're slow, but steady.

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
I wish I could say my E39 was this reliable.


When I bought this car, my focus was four cylinder stick ragtop with under 100K for no more than five grand.
I considered the Miata too small with too limited carrying capacity for even weekend shopping. I'm not sure that a Miata would carry a case of wine in its trunk, for example, but the ragtop e36 can easily fit two with room for the rest of the shopping and there's always the back seat if more space is needed.
I carefully researched this BMW on the BMW boards before buying and determined that it should be a reliable and fairly trouble free car.
I bought it with 104,894 for $4534.00 including tax, all dealer fees and a full tank of gas.
It probably helped that the dealer who had the car was located way out in the small town sticks. They were very good to deal with and didn't play any games. They had the car on their website for around 6K. We went and looked at it and were given the keys and told to drive it as much as we liked. I came back and offered 4K and they then offered the car at the price I paid.
They were even willing to put it on a lift for me so that I could look around underneath, a nice thing to do and something I like to see with any used car purchase.