1994 318i value? Now mine!

[Pillock]

People of autoshite,

 

Not that I'm expecting to have to buy a new car soon, but chatting to a mate he dropped into conversation that his old man was flogging a BMW 318i.

It's a 1994, maroon, 67,000 genuine miles as it's been his dad's from new so only one owner.

 

Are the 318i any good? He reckons 134bhp, I'm not expecting it to pull tree stumps up and set land speed records but it doesn't look to be any slower than an early 90s hot hatch which is fine. It sounds to be in good nick, had £1000 spent last year on brakes "and stuff" which sounds like it's had everything it needs. He's sending me photos but is making noises around the £700 mark which I think is a bit high.... or does a one-owner decent-mileage BMW command that much of a premium?

 

Edit: It's also got twelve months ticket and 9 months rent....

[pogweasel]

Doesn't sound like a rip if it's low miles and well looked after.

Power output sounds a little optimistic?

[Pillock]

Yeah, I'd seen 113bhp on a couple of sites but didn't really know how BMW badge things, whether there were engine options for the same trim level. Even the lower of the two figures is quicker than the Golf.

 

Also of note, it's a RHD German import through the Army. Might make it tricker to insure.....

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

I think 136bhp is the figure for the 318is

I've driven an early E36 318i, it was very smooth but was barely quicker than the 55bhp Mk2 Polo I had at the time.

[Pillock]

I think 136bhp is the figure for the 318is

I've driven an early E36 318i, it was very smooth but was barely quicker than the 55bhp Mk2 Polo I had at the time.

 

That's OK, I had a one litre polo a while back and it was a fun little thing

[Cavcraft]

Seems reasonable at least. You could probably score one cheaper, or perhaps newer, for the money but at this sort of money condition is far more important than age.

If it's a 2 door it keep it's value well for a while yet, four doors not as desirable but if kept in good order won't do you much wrong price wise in the near-ish future.

 

Quite like these, only problems I can recall is front electric windows seem to pack up a lot, interior (especially driver's seats) self destruct and they can rust a bit on the outer panels.

Keep away from council estate wheels and M3 badges and you can't go far wrong.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

They're 115 bhp and if it's a '94, you should be into the chain driven M43 donk - a good little motor. Before that they had the M40 engine with the cambelt, and they're not so good. If it's got a dizzy cap on the front of the head, it's an M40. They have cam issues preventable with oil changes and a new spray bar but most never get that.

Ignore the stupid 55 bhp VW Plop comment, they go quite well. It'll average @32mpg, parts are cheap and they're easy to work on.

£700 for a minter is not out of the way when the average shitter sells for around £350-400.

There was a basic one with steels, and an SE with 'loys, leccy roof and fogz. I say go for it if nice - looked after, it's a car for life really.

[Pillock]

OK, been to look at it.

 

It's actually an 318i SE which apparently means it has the 140-odd bhp motor. Certainly pulls like it does! Gearchange is nice, clutch smooth and everything electric seems to work as they should. Only downside is it's got a set of generic alloys on, the originals were binned because they were all flakey and corroded. Personally I'd have refurbished them but that's just me. 63,000 miles seems genuine, there's no major wear inside to suggest more - half leather interior in good nick, and after listening to Quentin Wilson I checked the gearknob and it's not shiny.

 

No mayo on the filler and it revs sweetly

 

A little rust bleb on the rear arch and a non-unlocking passenger door is all I could pick fault with, but it was enough to get the price down a bit. So, it's now mine after I lobbed a deposit on it.

[trigger]

I would say £700 as a fair price, I'd certainly wouldn't feel ripped of it it's a nice as it's sounds.

 

Is it a SE with the electric pack and alloys and front fogs?, Being a import I'd say it's likely is as i think they got a bit of a better spec when we did for the money, I'm not sure the insure will be to much problem neither as the Audi A4 i had came from Germany new according to the service book and there was never the question of were it came when when i insured it.

 

My mate paid £800 for a K plate 318is last year, that had a hard life and doesn't drive very nice yet he likes it and it does him well, It's not that quick though.

 

EDIT - I was a bit slow there writing this!, Sounds like you've just bought a gem! 1/2 leather seats aren't standard neither!

[Pillock]

Yeah - fogs, leccy front windows (analogue rear) and leccy sunroof. Seems to be SE spec. No trip computer though.

 

Here's some pictures. This is the front:

 

This is the other end:

 

This goes under the front:

 

And this tells me it's not about to fall apart, hopefully

 

And then for the finale, would you all please put your sunglasses on.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dollywobbler]

Jeepers! That's a stunning interior! Headlamp eyebrows could be easily lost I guess. Looks good.

[trigger]

I retract that statemnt after seeing that interior! Who would order that from new?! I remember many years ago working on a E36 325i that was grey and had the same red interior fitted, It got a lot of comments about it.

 

Personally I'd lose the headlight eyebrows though but apart from that it looks good for the money.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Fucking hell - thems is sports seats, Classic* red iirc along with the carpet. I've never, ever seen one like that, will have been a special order. It's Calypso red and she's got the 115 bhp M43 donk.

She's been tainted with the Council brush though - M badge, eyebrowz and shocking alloyz. I'd be picking up a set of factory 15's off the bay for 50 quid.

Looks an honest old thing though. £600?

 

 

 

 

*It's classic all right.

[trigger]

When my mate got a couple of bald tires recently on his E36 they wanted over £100 each for new tires on his 17", So i went to the knackers yard and bought a set of genuine BMW 15" alloys with good tyres for £100 and he flogged his old alloys on ebay for £200, Win, Win.

 

Nice to see it's still got it's spoiler as well, Most of them have been lost in the car wash years ago.

[Cavcraft]

Seems a decent buy but the interior is minging. You'll probably get £150+ for the seats though then swap for a decent set instead!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

How much did you pay then Pollick?

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I'd leave the trim in it - with plain anthracite cloth it's like every other M reg 318i.

[Pete-M]

I like the interior. Don't like the wheelz or council add-ons.

[Pillock]

Paid a squirrel's foreskin over 600. I love the trim, its actually closer to the exterior colour than that pic suggests. Eyebrows, alloys and grille badge will be featuring in a bin near you soon.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Paid a squirrel's foreskin over 600. I love the trim, its actually closer to the exterior colour than that pic suggests. Eyebrows, alloys and grille badge will be featuring in a bin near you soon.

 

Where r u in the country - I have a clean set of 15 inch factory alloyz with rubber and i'm in Notts M1 J28. 60 sheets to you Sir. Won't be available until 1st week in Jan tho.

If the leather is darker than in the pics, it'll probly be Tanin Red.

[Richard]

I'm old enough to remember when car interiors weren't grey and black so I like the interior. I would bin the wheels though.

[Pillock]

Paid a squirrel's foreskin over 600. I love the trim, its actually closer to the exterior colour than that pic suggests. Eyebrows, alloys and grille badge will be featuring in a bin near you soon.

 

Where r u in the country - I have a clean set of 15 inch factory alloyz with rubber and i'm in Notts M1 J28. 60 sheets to you Sir. Won't be available until 1st week in Jan tho.

If the leather is darker than in the pics, it'll probly be Tanin Red.

 

Is the rubber good rubber? Which design are the wheels, the bottle-top styles?

 

Worryingly, I'm in Notts - M1 J28.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

The rubber is excellent. I'm here all day, and you have a PM.

[mk1_4dr]

That looks like a nice thing Pillock.

 

I echo the others with the need to bin the council tat and wheels but that interior rocks hard. It looks so much more inviting than the stardard morose dark grey and black.

 

Pity about the golf mind, especially after the bother you've had with it....

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Paid a squirrel's foreskin over 600. I love the trim, its actually closer to the exterior colour than that pic suggests. Eyebrows, alloys and grille badge will be featuring in a bin near you soon.

 

Where r u in the country - I have a clean set of 15 inch factory alloyz with rubber and i'm in Notts M1 J28. 60 sheets to you Sir. Won't be available until 1st week in Jan tho.

If the leather is darker than in the pics, it'll probly be Tanin Red.

 

Is the rubber good rubber? Which design are the wheels, the bottle-top styles?

 

Worryingly, I'm in Notts - M1 J28.

 

After a bit of card reader drama this morning.......

 

 

Four matching Ambassador radials, all with plenty of tread. I'm here most of the day but time is of the essence - i'm supposed to be at Heathrow this evening but fuck knows what's happening there.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I don't think he's on here today. Pity.

 

They'll be here next year though.

[Guest]

That interior is top-notch, anyone wanting to bin that and put some dreary grey/black one in should be castrated.

[mk2_craig]

There's something really satisfying about de-chavving a car before it's got to the point of no return, especially if the mods reduced the purchase price nicely. Rims, badges and other stick-on tat are all generally reversible; fibreglass bodykits bonded on with Sticks-Like-Sh*t and other such cack is a different matter. Standard looking 318s of that age seem to be the exception rather than the norm these days - looks like a reasonable purchase.

[Pillock]

Foook, I thought you were local and just had the wheels lying around. Sorry!

Have I lost out or will there be future chances? I've just got the car home on a one day policy, drives absolutely beautifully...... it's a nice relaxed cruiser above anything else but it's a pleasant place to be. As well as the 12 months ticket, it's got every MoT, every tax disk, all the original manuals in the wallet, and the bill of sale.

 

Owner looked like he was going to cry as I drove off.....

[danthecapriman]

Looks a very nice car, especially for the money.

 

I bought an early e36, 316 on a J plate, for £100 a few years ago, with no tax or mot, rust blisters on both rear arches, stone chips all over it, worn out ball joint and lower arm rear bush (very scary driving it home!) leaking rear brake pipes (behind the fuel tank!), an awful grey interior that was worn out, torn, bits missing, and 180K on the clock.

I only bought it to fix and sell on as the owner was leaving the country and if I didnt take it, it stayed rotting on the dockside in Portsmouth.

 

I fixed all the mot issues, gave it a service and good clean. A massive improvement but it was still in way below average condition. And stuck 6 months tax on to get it sold.

 

I sold it within an hour or so of the advert being printed, for £800! and had no shortage of calls for it days after it went!

 

Considering all that id say yours was very well bought. Keep it standard, alot of these, including my old one, are getting chavved now.