318ti questions *paging MCompact, paging MCompact*

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So...friend's son, 18, first car...1996 (I think) 318ti. Kinda loaded...leather, sunroof, automatic, etc. It is a very nice car, AC blows cold, no CEL, new tires & front brakes. However, the odometer stunned me (and his father)-the car has 352,000 miles! Even so, I cannot overstate how nice this rust-free Nevada car is. (The paint is even perfect.)

It runs perfectly, inside the oil filler looks clean, trans shifts crisply...honestly, if someone had told me it had 80K, I would have believed it. So...when I put the car on a lift, what do I need to look for? (Dad insists he learn to do PM, I offered to teach him.)
 
I'm not the guy you're paging, but I have about 60K on an old four cylinder e36, so I'll jump in.
Look for fluid leaks and rust, of course.
If this engine leaks a little oil, I wouldn't be surprised.
Most old BMWs do. Mine does.
Think of this as BMW's patented oil mist undercarriage rust proofing system.
If the car runs and drives well, then I'd say it's fine.
This car must have had impeccable maintenance throughout its life to be as clean looking and good driving as you describe it to be.
 
As fdcg27 said, check for leaks; front main seal and the P/S hoses are prime culprits, although they often just seep enough to be a nuisance. Lower control arm bushings are consumables at @120k, but check all the rubber mounts, way bar links, and bushings. Rear upper shock mounts go bad and knock. Replacing them with shock mounts for the E46 convertible is a good upgrade.
The car has a two piece driveshaft with a center bearing as well as a rubber coupling(guibo/flex disc) at the transmission; make sure the disc and the rubber surrounding the bearing is good- no cracks or missing sections.
Let me know if you have any more questions, having owned mine since new I pretty much know where all the bodies are buried.
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I don't imagine PS hoses are any big deal...how bad a job is the front seal?

Trans is ZF, right?
 
Trans should be a ZF 4hp.

PS hoses are a little expensive. Check for glitter in the PS fluid. The pumps can start to go and lunch the rack.

Everything rubber is suspect but, if it has made it this far it is a well cared for car.
 
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Note to self: add a magnet in the PS system to catch shavings.


There's an upside to everything: If your rack does go to the big JY in the sky, you can install a Z3 rack which is only 2.3 turns lock-to-lock. It's like a laser pointer.
 
I'll add that the e36 is incredibly durable and reliable.
I've had to do almost nothing to mine.
Easily as trouble-free as any Accord or Camry of similar vintage and we've had Hondas of the era and thought very well of them.
 
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
I'll add that the e36 is incredibly durable and reliable.


...and incredibly safe for its size. Saved my parents life.

I bought a 318ti in '96. Next year, my Dad was forced into early retirement and I gave him the ti w/ about 11K miles. He is a rabid car guy, Mustangs, but absolutely loved the ti as a toy.

Fast forward about 15 years and the car now has ~40K miles and looked the same as it did the day I took delivery. My now mid 70's Parents join us for part of our vaca. Dad cant drive any more, so Mom drives the ti up, but falls asleep on the highway home, putting the car into trees 3' above the ground. Passenger side takes the brunt of the hit, rolls 2x landing in a muddy ditch upside down. Mom pulls Dad out of the rear hatch.... Both hurt bad, but lived.

Hope he never experiences this benefit of the car.
 
Originally Posted By: wings&wheels


...and incredibly safe for its size. Saved my parents life.

I bought a 318ti in '96. Next year, my Dad was forced into early retirement and I gave him the ti w/ about 11K miles. He is a rabid car guy, Mustangs, but absolutely loved the ti as a toy.

Fast forward about 15 years and the car now has ~40K miles and looked the same as it did the day I took delivery. My now mid 70's Parents join us for part of our vaca. Dad cant drive any more, so Mom drives the ti up, but falls asleep on the highway home, putting the car into trees 3' above the ground. Passenger side takes the brunt of the hit, rolls 2x landing in a muddy ditch upside down. Mom pulls Dad out of the rear hatch.... Both hurt bad, but lived.

Hope he never experiences this benefit of the car.


I'm glad to hear that your parents survived; my ti-despite its entry level status-still feels as solid as the day I picked it up almost 21 years ago. They were-and are-remarkable and underappreciated cars.
 
Oh, fer $%^&*&^%$# sake...the front end is shot. Mostly, the car just failed inspection, and needs ball joints, "in n out tie ens" (which I think translates as inner & outer tie rod ends), and either swaybar links, mounts, or both. (FWIW, the PS pump is new and the hoses are clearly not original.) Also, the PS cooler line is leaking.

If this were a domestic, I'd be set, but it's not. So...18 year old's budget...good front end parts? (Is Deeza any good?) And will I need any weird tools to do the job?

And when did mechanics stop writing service paperwork in coherent English?
 
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Oh, fer $%^&*&^%$# sake...the front end is shot. Mostly, the car just failed inspection, and needs ball joints, "in n out tie ens" (which I think translates as inner & outer tie rod ends), and either swaybar links, mounts, or both. (FWIW, the PS pump is new and the hoses are clearly not original.) Also, the PS cooler line is leaking.

If this were a domestic, I'd be set, but it's not. So...18 year old's budget...good front end parts? (Is Deeza any good?) And will I need any weird tools to do the job?

And when did mechanics stop writing service paperwork in coherent English?


Meyle makes complete front-end kits for a reasonable price. They're the best balance of cost and quality.
 
Lemforder is also a good brand. Check bavauto.com, bimmerworld, and pelicanparts.com.
Also, the correct platform designation for the ti is E36/5; BMW also refers to it as the "Compact." The ti and the Z3(E36/7) differ from all other E36 derivatives in that they utilize an E30 style semi trailing arm rear suspension instead of a multi-link rear suspension.
Enter the VIN at realoem.com and you can get the OEM part numbers for what you need; it's pretty accurate.
 
Question, *paging BMW people*

Was there in fact a California Edition of the 318ti, may or may not have been 1996 with some kind of funky pull-back roof or some such weirdness?

Or not
 
Well, turns out he already ordered parts...seem to be Moog steering parts and Beck-Arnley ball joints.

Do I need any weird BMW-specific tools for this job?

Also, what fluid does the trans use?
 
Originally Posted By: QuinZ
Question, *paging BMW people*

Was there in fact a California Edition of the 318ti, may or may not have been 1996 with some kind of funky pull-back roof or some such weirdness?

Or not



IIRC it was originally a special edition; later the top became a separate option.
 
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Well, turns out he already ordered parts...seem to be Moog steering parts and Beck-Arnley ball joints.

Do I need any weird BMW-specific tools for this job?

Also, what fluid does the trans use?


You shouldn't need any specific tools. This article will prove helpful. Dexron III should be the correct ATF, but check the label on the transmission to make sure.
 
Well, that was relatively painless. Front end is fixed, only needed the torch once. (I was surprised to see BMW uses non-serviceable ball joints.)

Wow, it tracks a lot better now! I figure 300,000+ miles is a bit beyond the design life of even BMW front end parts?
lol.gif
(Yes...the ball joints seemed to be original.)
 
I'm at 144k and the only front end parts that I've replaced have been the lower control arm bushings. The X3 just hit 195k and the suspension has never been touched. Even I am surprised...
 
I recently sold my 1996 318ti at 250,000 miles. Bought it 12 years prior at 97,000 miles. Good car overall, lots of little fixes needed but it kept running well. The only breakdowns was from the alternator failing at about 175,000 miles and the fuel pump failing at 210,000 miles. I replaced the control arms/ball joints a couple times. Always used Lemforder and the 1996+ (I think it was) control arm bushing. Those are mostly solid vs mostly webbed. Lasted longer and gave better steering feel.

Ultimately the rust was more than I wanted to deal with. The front swaybar mount rusted and ripped off the chassis. Bought a replacement from the dealer and welded it back on. But worse my floor jack punched through the front jack pad the last time I swapped seasonal wheels/tires.

Here's was my running list of issues over its life. Kept me busy. Haha! Did it all myself, so nothing was very expensive. For example, the ABS unit. Not an uncommon failure. Took the unit apart and resoldered new wires. The ribbon wires fail over time. $3 fix.
----
Cam sensor
Cam sensor - again
Idle Control Valve
Thermostat
Plastic cooling connector fell apart
Valve cover gasket leak, and again, and again.
Oil filter housing gasket leak
Oil pan gasket leak
Washer pump
ABS unit
Headliner fell
Driver seat frame cracked
Driver's side mirror heating element
Passenger side mirror heating element
Driveshaft u-joint
Front control arm ball joint(s)
Front control arm ball joint(s) - again
Rear spring snapped - also destroying a CV boot.
Rear spring snapped - again
Fuel pump (215,000 miles in)
Alternator (175,000 miles in)
Fuel pump relay
Fuel level sensor
Driver's side belt buckle switch (airbag light triggered)
Fuel pressure regulator
Exhaust bracket rusted away
2nd exhaust bracket rusted away
Brake light switch
Driver's side window regulator
Driver's side window regulator - again
Drivers side window switch
Passengers side window switch
Sheet metal cracked at hatch latch
Hatch lift support
Hood lift supports
Oxygen sensor
Drivers side door lock
Coolant leak
Raw gas leak in cold
Differential pinion bearing
Differential leak
Front sway bar mount rusted out and ripped off
ABS relay
Brake wear sensor system
Shift knob falls off.
 
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