91 318is vs 325is confussion...whats the diff? (besides eng)

[ELVA164]

It was standard on the 325iS and I'm pretty sure it was standard on the 318iS. Did you buy yours new? They get broken a lot so if you got it used, it was probably replaced with the cheaper option.

[six2midnight]

You have to pay attention to the production dates on the 325iS. Real quick, of the 325i's, only the 87 325iS had a big "cow catcher" air dam. 88-90 had the facelift with the iS front lip spoiler. In 91 they came out with your 318iS which came with the same iS front lip spoiler. There was no 325iS for 91 but you could get a 325i Sport package instead that came with the spoilers.

Not true. I have a 318is (91) and it came with the very small black front spoiler lip thing. Not the bigger IS lip from the 325is

i have the top one on my 91 318is, but i believe the 325is came with the bottom? Or was this an option?

[ELVA164]

I'm not talking 1.1 vs.1.3 as a system, just that the tune in the 3 153 ECUs I've tried is all-around better than the 173s, 351, or 525 I've tried in my car. I don't care much about the stomp test.

[reelizmpro]

Dual fuel pumps, small tails, and large airdam but I don't know if Motronic 1.1 is "better" than Motronic 1.3. I used to prefer the early diving board cars, mainly for the larger airdam and small tails despite the diving boards. I did always like how the facelift cars came with a rear apron as part of the body though. The facelift cars grew on me later.

[ELVA164]

hahaha

Besides the cool rear tail lights, everything about them seems to be slightly off... including the small fuel tank that wont let a person drive from CA to WA w/o stopping for gas in OR.

You're forgetting the '87-exclusive ECU that delivers FOUR TO FIVE more mpg (in my experience) as well as some extra power.

[Cabriolet]

hahaha

Besides the cool rear tail lights, everything about them seems to be slightly off... including the small fuel tank that wont let a person drive from CA to WA w/o stopping for gas in OR.

[agent]

all 87's are crap

[ELVA164]

all 87's are crap.

Let's keep it civil.

[reelizmpro]

My question is, the 91 318is came with the small little front lip while the 325is came with the big IS front lip that we all know and love.

You have to pay attention to the production dates on the 325iS. Real quick, of the 325i's, only the 87 325iS had a big "cow catcher" air dam. 88-90 had the facelift with the iS front lip spoiler. In 91 they came out with your 318iS which came with the same iS front lip spoiler. There was no 325iS for 91 but you could get a 325i Sport package instead that came with the spoilers.

[uturn]

The rear valance exhaust cutout is for a single tailpipe, 325 is a little wider for the twin pipe.

[Cabriolet]

my god. i lost brain cells reading this thread.
OP. The engine/trans differs more about the car than anything else. seats can be change, trim painted black or be bought chrome, springs changed, exhaust changed, etc.
There is 0 difference between the 325is/318is lip or spoiler.
318is came with cloth or vinyl interior, not leather, they were only made in 90-91.
The rear valance has only been cut out for a single exhaust pipe.
the engine is a 1.8L dual over head cam, the cooling system is smaller and lighter and more fragile. the trans is smaller, lighter, and shitter. the exhaust is a single pipe. the cars weigh about 2602 lbs.

The 325is was made 87-91, all 87's are crap, in 88 they were still metal bumpers, but the cooling system, engine management improved and body changed, including late model window regulators, late model seats, light map mirror, and door trim painted black. 89 is regarded as the best year of the 325is. no air bag, ellipsoid headlights, all the other late model up grades and the first year of plastic bumpers. the cars weight about 2844 lbs.

If you are comparing just the years that the 318is was made (90/91)
The only real difference is the engine, trans, cooling system, exhaust. the rest is superficial.

[Codym42]

318is also has shadowline trim

[ELVA164]

Fixed! I just saw suspension as well, and the 318 had lighter springs because it was a lighter car. I'd assume the damper valving is different, too, but have no idea.

[Stanley Rockafella]

The seats, maplight mirror, limited slip differential, electric sunroof, leather seats, and maybe(?) Premium sound that were all standard on the 325iS were options for the 318iS. The 318 also had thinner carpet, a smaller differential case, and I think less sound-deadening/weight distribution tar. The manual gearbox is different in addition to the motor, with the 318 using a Getrag 240 and the 325 using a Getrag 260.

some of these things were never even an option for the 318is such as the power sunroof. The 318is was referred to as a "poor man's m3" since it was designed to be a stripped down version of the 325's with a high revving 4 and few luxury items and less weight.

[ELVA164]

But since we're discussing it...

The leather seats, maplight mirror, limited slip differential, electric sunroof, and maybe(?) Premium sound that were all standard on the 325iS were either options or were not available for the 318iS. The 318 also had thinner carpet, a smaller differential case, and I think less sound-deadening/weight distribution tar. The manual gearbox is different in addition to the motor, with the 318 using a Getrag 240 and the 325 using a Getrag 260.