ATTN All 91 318i owners.

[e30 Luv]

I'm pretty sure s14 ITBs aren't an easy fit on the M42 or it would be more common

[rThor432]

No, although 1 out of every 15 times I start it the revs surge about 3-4 times then it stops.

[BMWZ318is]

thats true do any of you guys have a problem starting yours in the morning??

[///M42 sport]

Yeah, sure not that much power but if you keep it about 4k its more than enough fun to drive around town.

[BMWZ318is]

thanks yah ill try that im still searchin for the itb's but ill let you know if they work out or not

[ZJP]

Have you guys ever heard of the G-Box Stage 1 chip by Next Level Performance? It was installed on my car when I bought it. Is it any good?

[rThor432]

^^Try a chip and light flywheel. They make a huge difference on the M42. Dont know about the throttle bodies, but that would be neat. Along with a 2.0l bottom end and cams..

[BMWZ318is]

i have a 91 318is 5 speed love the car to death just lowered it a few weeks ago but im looking for more power m trying to find out if the E30 M3 itb's will fit on there

[strad]

My 318 has been very reliable, and easy to fix too. I bought it to be a daily driver so the cabrio can sit in the garage most of the time. The 318 costs less to insure than my other two bimmers, but that's mostly because it's older and does not have comprehensive insurance on it.

[Gray S.]

Its really not any slower than the m20 cars either. I have "compared" my m42 with MarkD chip to two of my friends cars (325i's) and have pulled them ever so slightly. I use mine just to get around campus etc and its been great. I get about 23-25mpg with mostly city driving which isnt too bad and I've got a clogged exhaust and original plug wires with 152,000 on them.

[haledj]

I have had an m10, an m20 (i), and now an m42. I like the m42 most. It is only down 20 PS, and I find that it is more fun to drive. The difference in weight is noticeable, and it is more fun to rev out.

[amiclea]

My motor is completely stock and you really feel the power kick in around 3grand to 7 grand. 4 cylinders dont have the torque that you feel at the lower speeds in the M20.

I had H&R Sports and Bilsteins Sports in my 325e and i know for a fact the stock M42 suspension with 242k handles better. When i corner at 50mph the car feels like it wants to pull into the middle of the road compared to the M20 wanted to head for the ditch.

haha yup! it feels great taking those turns.

[3two8eye]

I like mine, but it's in too nice of shape to be a winter beater. So I'm selling it.

I don't get great mileage on the highway when I'm up around 80 (27 mpg) cause of the high RPMs. I guess I shouldn't complain because I rarely drive a little slower to get better mileage.

[gearheadE30]

I really like my car, and the weight balance does make a bit of a difference. The lack of power isn't aweful, but it can be a bit tiresome to use so much throttle to keep up with traffic. It's pretty quick if you keep the revs above 5 grand, but it is no match for a 6-cylinder car. The only issue where that hurts me is large autocrosses or dragracing. I don't do the latter much, so I don't really have a need for more power. It really teaches you to drive the limit at the autocross instead of overdriving the car.

[rThor432]

My motor is completely stock and you really feel the power kick in around 3grand to 7 grand.

Ha there really is no power in an M42.. Mine is extremely healthy with 142k on the clock. It goes, but not fast anywhere in the rev range. Yes, it's faster than an eta, but it has even less of a power band, if that's possible.

I had H&R Sports and Bilsteins Sports in my 325e and i know for a fact the stock M42 suspension with 242k handles better.

Something about that just doesnt sound right. My car has 100k less and when I got it with the blown out shocks, worn control arm bushings, failed shock-top mounts, and bad ball joints, and toasted clutch it felt pretty terrible. My 323i with the H&R Sports + Bilsteins handled better and didnt feel like it was going to fall apart under hard cornering in city traffic.

Just my two cents, but I think you are trying a bit hard to support the M42.

By the way, my 318is with all of the problems stated above fixed drives nicer and is much more neutral than any similar 6-cylinder car I've had. Just saying that with those miles on a stock M42 suspension, it wont handle better than a 6-cylinder car with a nice suspension.