How to choose - 325i or 318is...???

[george graves]

Thanks that gives me something to think about...All good points.

It's will be a hard decision for me cause really the magic of BMW's for me happens in the corners.

But I just feel like such a child when you're climbing a hill or something, and your motor is giving all it has - and it doesn't have any more...then you think - Ahhhhh I wish I had more power!

[bimmerphile]

I like Tara's car more than mine, if that tells you anything...

hehe....for now....

[Low Level E30]

What makes me happy is already having a twin cam, without the swap!

Yay - you're so funny :roll:

You know perfectly well the twin cam reference in my post was to the M50 etc.

[franz]

What makes me happy is already having a twin cam, without the swap!

Yay - you're so funny :roll:

You know perfectly well the twin cam reference in my post was to the M50 etc.

The 318is is a sophistated car, elegant in it's simplicity. It does not get bogged down going up hills, it's fast and light. Sir graves says the magic of BMW's for him happens in the corners. AND the 318is is a better platform if one ever does get too much money and decides to do an S52 swap (or an aluminum M50 swap?).

C'mon, don't be hate. Of course I knew what you meant but I bet more people with M20s want to swap than people with M42s.

[nando]

Honestly, the 318is is a nice car, and handles well.. but it's gutless. For all the hard work the motor puts out and the RPMs, you're not really going anywhere. I'll take a 325i with a 4.10lsd any day of the week!

the extra stuff on the 325 is moot. If you want a lighter car, pull out the sound deadening and extra crap (a/c, sunroof motor, etc). The 318is may weigh less and it can carry more speed through corners, but that hardly matters when the 2.5l pulls away after every turn.

the benefits to the 318is are obvious: cheaper, they're all 5 speeds, engine doesn't need much maintanence, better gas mileage. However, if you think the M20 is hard to tune, there is basically nothing you can do to an M42 other than a chip, intake and exhaust, unless maybe you have a ton of money for a maf conversion or turbo (turbos aren't going to be easy with a compression of 10.1:1).

just some stuff to think about..

btw, second to maybe an E30 touring or ix touring, my car is one of the heaviest E30s BMW built. However it still sticks to the road like glue and has plenty of grunt to keep me smiling. I also leave my friend's 318is in the dust... :)

[Digitalwave]

Get a 325iS, gut it and pretend you have a 318iS with an M20.

[Bill 84 318i]

I've seen a 318iS keep up with a 325i through the first two gears. To me, it also felt a LOT more nimble than it's 6cyl counterpart. I'd get the 318iS.

Of course, this comes from a guy with an M10 and kinda likes it.

[rwh11385]

I've seen a 318iS keep up with a 325i through the first two gears. To me, it also felt a LOT more nimble than it's 6cyl counterpart. I'd get the 318iS......

From the mouth (er.....typing hands) of Stu:

These pictures of are my friend Brian in his 325is TRYING to catch me on a windy road. He only succeeded on the long straights (due to HP advantage)...but I owned him in the tight corners. :)

[Bill 84 318i]

I've seen a 318iS keep up with a 325i through the first two gears. To me, it also felt a LOT more nimble than it's 6cyl counterpart. I'd get the 318iS......

From the mouth (er.....typing hands) of Stu:

These pictures of are my friend Brian in his 325is TRYING to catch me on a windy road. He only succeeded on the long straights (due to HP advantage)...but I owned him in the tight corners. :)

I guess my eyes lied. :roll:

I wouldn't be surprised if a 325iS could pull in upper gears - unfortunately the lot that we did the comparisons in wasn't big enough to shift into 3rd and then slow down before plowing into a curb. This M42 was quick - plenty for me.

[Super Eta]

This might be a bit random but as i was replacing my carpet in my 325e and stripping out my 1988 325iS i noticed that the 325i had more sound deadning then the 325e just an observation i made. :)

Ryan

[Low Level E30]

I've seen a 318iS keep up with a 325i through the first two gears. To me, it also felt a LOT more nimble than it's 6cyl counterpart. I'd get the 318iS......

From the mouth (er.....typing hands) of Stu:

These pictures of are my friend Brian in his 325is TRYING to catch me on a windy road. He only succeeded on the long straights (due to HP advantage)...but I owned him in the tight corners. :)

I don't think this applies at all. Not in the least. This is largely about driver, here. A better driver with an M20 will probably waste a lesser driver in a 318 -ALL OVER-, not JUST down the straights. If you're gonna put a twin cam in it anyway, this is a null point.

[franz]

I've seen a 318iS keep up with a 325i through the first two gears. To me, it also felt a LOT more nimble than it's 6cyl counterpart. I'd get the 318iS......

From the mouth (er.....typing hands) of Stu:

These pictures of are my friend Brian in his 325is TRYING to catch me on a windy road. He only succeeded on the long straights (due to HP advantage)...but I owned him in the tight corners. :)

I don't think this applies at all. Not in the least. This is largely about driver, here. A better driver with an M20 will probably waste a lesser driver in a 318 -ALL OVER-, not JUST down the straights. If you're gonna put a twin cam in it anyway, this is a null point.

It would have to be a plenty lame driver in the M42. It sounds like you haven't driven a 318is, seriously, stop while you are ahead.

[Rob]

my car feels slow compared to the 6 cylinder e30s i've driven, but then again they've all had built 2.8+ motors :P

[LikeCDoos]

It's totally up to you, but i LOVE my 325i. I've never driven a 318

[Bill 84 318i]

I drove both the 325i and the 318iS in question. The 325i felt fast. The 318iS didn't. But I still saw them bumper to bumper through 2nd (and driver's were switched, even with a 3rd 'eh' running 327i, with which the 318iS stayed even with as well).

I will never own a 6-cyl e30 unless it is a daily driver.