What do you guys think of the 318ti?

[ebox86]

So i got a loaner car today after having my a/c serviced and they gave me a 98 318ti and so far i am really loving it. Seems to have the handling of an e30, very small, like the dash and cockpit.

These cars have always jumped out to me as perfect track cars, or perfect turbo candidates, especially with the 96+ m44 under the hood. I just had never driven one before today, but really impressed overall. Fit and finish seems tight too.

What do you guys think? Anyone own a ti before?

[andrewm]

I had one for a bit, sold it to another member on here. Really great DD. I dont think I ever got below 32 mpg in it, handled well, amazing A/C and peppy. LOVED having the hatch. As long as you don't mind the high rpm at interstate speeds they are great little cars. Same E30 subframe, though.

[graveshaker]

They are very nice cars. The door panels are different than the e36 so they don't come apart. The rear suspension was borrowed from the e30. I agree with it being a perfect track car. They are usually priced way under an e30 and e36. Sticks are kinda hard to find however.

[slammin.e28]

24v swaps are great in them.

Also make good parts cars.

[z31maniac]

You probably like men.

[einhander]

I'd rather have an EK Civic.

[Ether-D]

It's the only e36 that I'd ever buy. I kinda really like em. Specially the cali-top ones.

[ebox86]

I had one for a bit, sold it to another member on here. Really great DD. I dont think I ever got below 32 mpg in it, handled well, amazing A/C and peppy. LOVED having the hatch. As long as you don't mind the high rpm at interstate speeds they are great little cars. Same E30 subframe, though.

yea the a/c blows cold in this one, really peppy in my experience too. The rpm was a bit high but thats probably because they have 4.10s in these things. The thing that stuck out to me more than the high engine rpm, however, was the curious amount of wind noise that could be heard at around 60+

They are very nice cars. The door panels are different than the e36 so they don't come apart. The rear suspension was borrowed from the e30. I agree with it being a perfect track car. They are usually priced way under an e30 and e36. Sticks are kinda hard to find however.

i agree, i am really liking them, Im surprised they are priced so low. I can only assume that the prices will rise as these get more rare. Over at 318ti.org they have some really nice examples and prices seem to range from 4-7 depending on the options and how rare the car is.

It's the only e36 that I'd ever buy. I kinda really like em. Specially the cali-top ones.

The cali top ones are really nice, and surprisingly rare too! on the Ti boards, they cost and arm and a leg for a cali top in decent shape. Its probably the only e36 i'd buy as well.

You probably like men.

lol

[Jorgen]

I dated a girl back in like 2000 who had one, I was underwhelmed by the thing.

[ajhostetter]

I dated a girl back in like 2000 who had one, I was underwhelmed by the thing.

The girl or the car?

[freeride53]

I find them quite ugly, and would rather drive a sedan/coupe/wagon/vert e36.

Funny OP, while I've never driven one, I remember being like 5 years old when my aunt got one as a rental, when her E30 (mine now) was being serviced.

[ebox86]

I find them quite ugly, and would rather drive a sedan/coupe/wagon/vert e36.

Funny OP, while I've never driven one, I remember being like 5 years old when my aunt got one as a rental, when her E30 (mine now) was being serviced.

Yea its crazy how some of these cars have been apart of our lives for so long.

I can remember being like 8 or 9 and thinking the e36 was like the shit for how it looked, had such great styling for the 90's. Unfortunately it got stale so soon.

[Jorgen]

The girl or the car?

Is both an acceptable answer?

Her dad did have an old steel duce 3 window hot rod that was awesome, I think he ended up selling to fund her college tuition.

[roguetoaster]

Seems to mix some of the good bits of an E30 with the not so horribly bad ones from the E36. Has some good utility value with the hatchback aspect too. Add to that my irrational love of the M42 (not so much the M44) and I really like the concept of the 318ti.

[ebox86]

Seems to mix some of the good bits of an E30 with the not so horribly bad ones from the E36. Has some good utility value with the hatchback aspect too. Add to that my irrational love of the M42 (not so much the M44) and I really like the concept of the 318ti.

I thought, if anything, the m44 was a solid improvement over the m42? I could be wrong as I've never gotten my hands dirty with either before.