About to buy a 1986 318i

[Swoon]

Hey guys, I'm about to commit to buying an e30 318i. What do I need to know about the m10 engine? Is it as reliable as the m20?
Also, how do I go about getting a pre-purchase inspection? Do I take the car to a shop with the permission of the owner and and pay them to check it out?

[Pantless Spency]

they can take a beating very well.


the 1.8 m10 in my e21 has seen some terrible woes.

runs hot a shit ton, runs low on oil all the time. but it has been going for a long ass time with no internal issues. 288k on the engine and it is still just fine, but it burns some oil and is leaky as hell.


but they are slow as hell.

[Cabriolet]

dont buy it. save and buy a car with more cylinders.

[einhander]

dont buy it. save and buy a car with more cylinders.

[KI4UJO]

Hold on, a 1986 318i? If that's in the US (like the OP's location), it would be a euro model. OP, do you have any photos? Also, don't count out 4cyl. I dd a 85 318i (M10) and it does just fine for me. At the worst, you can always swap it later.

As for everything else, here we go

The M10 has a timing chain instead of a belt, so that's one less thing to worry about. Basically, they are extremely reliable.

You should be able to get a PPI done at a reputable shop.

[QUKBMER]

dont buy it. save and buy a car with more cylinders.

[Swoon]

Hold on, a 1986 318i? If that's in the US (like the OP's location), it would be a euro model. OP, do you have any photos? Also, don't count out 4cyl. I dd a 85 318i (M10) and it does just fine for me. At the worst, you can always swap it later.

As for everything else, here we go

The M10 has a timing chain instead of a belt, so that's one less thing to worry about. Basically, they are extremely reliable.

You should be able to get a PPI done at a reputable shop.

Some pictures the seller sent me.
What is the preventative maintenance like on the m10? Are there any links or resources you guys have as sort of a scheduled maintenance list or the common problems with m10 engines?

So with the PPI, do I take the car from the seller and bring it into the shop for a day or does a mechanic come with me to take a look at the car?

[Swoon]

dont buy it. save and buy a car with more cylinders.

Thats what I was afraid the answer was going to be
The car looks clean from the pictures though, and the seller says it runs great and only wants $2000 for it. Is the car so slow that I wouldn't be able to stand driving it?

[KI4UJO]

I don't think that it is that slow. Plus, the reduced weight helps when going through the corners. As for the price, it depends on a lot of factors - is there rust? how is the interior? has the necessary maintenance been performed? The standard e30 rules apply here. Unfortunately, it doesn't have euro bumpers, grills, or headlights. It still seems weird that it is a 1986 318i. That was never sold here.

[Swoon]

I don't think that it is that slow. Plus, the reduced weight helps when going through the corners. As for the price, it depends on a lot of factors - is there rust? how is the interior? has the necessary maintenance been performed? The standard e30 rules apply here. Unfortunately, it doesn't have euro bumpers, grills, or headlights. It still seems weird that it is a 1986 318i. That was never sold here.

How comparable is it to a stock na miata? It's what I daily now and I don't have the problem with it other than the engine noise at highway speeds
Waiting on more detailed pics from the seller but I've gotten pics of the interior and it looks clean as a whistle. He says he hasn't owned the car very long- bought it, got in an accident in another car, scared him away from e30s "if I had been in the e30 I would have been dead" and decided to sell- so he doesn't know about the maintenance that has been done other than the alternator has been replaced recently.
He's probably wrong about the year, that's all.

[ForcedFirebird]

Where in Florida are you? Can recommend someone for a PPI, pending region.

[Swoon]

Where in Florida are you? Can recommend someone for a PPI, pending region.

Palm Beach

[QUKBMER]

Please remove the M-badge on the front grill ASAP.

[MR 325]

That's an 84 or 85 car judging by the sidemarkers. (And the fact there's no 86 318)

[Hooffenstein HD]

(And the fact there's no 86 318

Lies.