Hi

Looking at buying an M reg 318i SE as a second car but i am having trouble finding specs (model number, engine etc) and info around any issues with this year and model.

For a bit of background i have the opportunity to buy one in excellent condition + full dealer service history for 2.3k but with 100k on the clock.

I know nothing about BMW's and so any information around what i should specifically look for (timing belt changes etc) would be most grateful.

Thanks in advance

Wal

I think on an 'M' this will have the M40 engine. This engine starts to get very noisy at 100k as the cam, followers and lifters start to wear. Also the belt was probably due to be changed around 90k.

Try to listen to the engine started from cold. A rattle when cold that goes as the engine warms up is sticking tappets.  A lighter oil can sometimes help this but it's not serious anyway. A quieter clatter that stays even when warm is the valve gear. You will still get another 20 or 30k out of the engine, but the noise gets worse. About £200 in parts to fix plus labour.

The model number is an E36.

Body lasts pretty well on these so rust usually means a smash at some point. Joints in front and rear suspension will be wearing at this point but all easilly fixed and not too costly.

Rust doesn't always mean a smash. I have noticed that quite a few older E36's are starting to rust around the back arches.

Can't comment on the engine as mines a 6 cylinder car.

You need to check the suspension as when it get's tired tha handling starts to suffer. Things to look out for are snapped rear springs, worn rear wishbone bushes, worn damper top mounts and worn front ball joints. If the car knocks or clunks over bumps then one or more of the above are in need of replacing. Worn rear wishbone bushes will also make the car feel unstable when cornering hard.

Other than that check all the electrics work and that all the instruments are working.

Thanks so much for the info so far, i am going to have a look at it tomorrow and will heed your advice about the engine noise and suspension.

Neil, you mention the cam etc but then belt, my wife went to see it today and asked about the cam belt. She was told that the car didn't have a cam belt but a chain and that was the good thing about BMW's ... is that right? Didn't sound right to me.

it will have an M43 engine at 95, as it replaced the M40 in late-94

no real difference apart from it has a timing chain instead of a belt, and there were slight modifications for a small increase in power and torque

nippy enough wee thing for a 115bhp 8-valve, but I soon lusted after more power... thats why i went for a 6-cyl next time round!

see mine here:

http://www.bmwcarclubforum.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=12754&PN=1 - http://www.bmwcarclubforum.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=12754&a mp;PN=1

Ahh so whereas you need to replace the cam belt on most cars at xx miles, do you need to do the same with the chain ??

I know it's a subjective question and depends on the wear and tear over the years, but should i be expecting a few years of troubel free driving if i keep it serviced. I just scrapped a car i bought as a second car as it was a disaster and not worth the cost to put it all right and i'm feeling once bitten twice shy.

Your 318i SE was very nice btw

thanks :)

the chain is generally attention-free, and in theory would never need to be replaced but they can get noisy and rattly with age and thats a sign of impending failure.  on the old ford 2.0 DOHC engines a tensioner used to take up the slack so the chain never got noisy, but it would just break.  some other manufacturers, like saab, recommend the timing chain be replaced at a certain high mileage.

best thing i would suggest is give your local bmw dealer a phone in the morning and ask to speak to the service dept, they're usually very helpful, and ask if or when the chain needs replacing as a general rule of thumb as  i cant find any reference to mileage for chains on the TIS and ETK (official BMW factory parts and service CD-ROMS)

Cheers, i will.

Now this is probably the wrong place to ask this question as you're all bias but i have a P Reg Xantia 2.0i 16v at the moment and i do like it and looking on autotrader i can see S, T and W reg Xantia's with decent specs and extra's and less mileage for the same money.

So the question is, why purchase an older, higher mileage'd BMW over them. What's the X-factor that makes the BMW the same price.

Cheers so far everyone

residual value...

citreons will drop like a stone

its that dodgy reputation they (deservedly) had in the past, unforunately, rightly or wrongly, it clings on

you pay more for a bmw but it is worth more when you sell it, swings and roundabouts, you go for "fleet" stuff like fords and vauxhalls, because they are mostly bought by companies who flood the secondhand market with them after a couple of years, the values nosedive - you buy cheap, you sell cheap

and why do bmws hold their money?  image i suppose, that and perceived quality, like vw can charge a premium for a golf, same idea, and when its sale time the punters are queing up to buy it off you to see if they're all they're cracked up to be

wald wrote: I know it's a subjective question and depends on the wear and tear over the years, but should i be expecting a few years of troubel free driving if i keep it serviced. I just scrapped a car i bought as a second car as it was a disaster and not worth the cost to put it all right and i'm feeling once bitten twice shy.

Whether you have a couple of years of trouble free motoring or not will depend on how good the car you buy is. If it has a FBMWSH then that's a very good start. The trouble with BMWs is that if something does go wrong it can be expensive.

Make sure things like the clutch are not on the way out and that the exhaust, especially the cat, are in good condition. Things like brake disks and pads are not too expensive to replace, but if they are worn they use this to negotiate. This goes for all consumble items like dampers etc

The other thing is to find a friendly independant BMW speciallist, unless you want to get your own hands dirty like me!, as BMW servicing can be expensive.

Just been to see it and it looks really tidy. Body work has no rust on it and the arches are clean and solid. The garage hadn't valeted it so the engine was still in the original condition, the block is a little tarnished but there is no visible signs of oil or any other kinda liquid on any part of the engine.

You can here a very quiet tapping from quiet, i forgot to listenm to it after taking it for a spin but it ran for 5 mins before we took it out and the tapping was still there. It is a very quiet tapping.

Handles fine, has plenty of vroom and no rattles etc across bumpy roads and pushing down hard on the suspension gave a fair bit of resistance and bounced back nicely.

Looking through the invoices and receipts it hasn't had any major work to it but it did have its rear shock mounts replaced early this year.

It growls quite a bit on acceleration, is that normal? I guess i'm used to 16v these days. It's a nice sound and is very smooth through the gears. The clutch  is nice and stiff too so i guess that's fine.

108k on the clock and 2.3k ....a good deal do you think?

Thanks for everyones advice on what may be my first BMW

OH...it had private plates so the garage doesn't have the V5 documents at the moment. Anyway to tell that the car is what they say it is 318i SE and that the engine is a M43?

If you make a note of the chassis number and then contact BMW UK and ask for customer services they should be able to tell you exactly what the car is. Can't remeber what the number is off the top of my head but if you ring a BMW main dealer they should be able to tell you. It may also be on this site somewhere.

If it is only quiet tapping then I wouldn't worry about it.

2.3K for a car with 108K and a FBMWSH sounds like a good deal if it is in good nick.  

According to BMW UK it is just a 318i not an 318i SE. Makes no difference as i have bought it because it drove very well, it is is excellent nick, it does have a FBMWSH and above all i liked it.

What are the differences between the 318i and 318i SE, same engine and bhp but just with extra's or ???

Probably getting ahead of myself now but how could squeeze more performance and bhp out of the 318i?

Any advice on reasonable alloys (it's coming with the standard steel wheels + hub caps)?

Oh and why not shocks etc while i'm at it

Cheers...boy i'm looking forward to picking it up tonite!!

More BHP already!

You could try an air filter and a chip. There's a guy who uses this forum called ChippedUK who should be able to help you with a chip. Send him a Private message.

I would go for some BMW alloys. You can get 15, 16 or 17" alloys that should just go straight on.

As for shocks Bilstein have a good reputation. I have them on the front and will be putting some on the back next year.

Hope you enjoy your new purchase

Cool..any suggestions on what filter. How much extra bhp could a chip and new filter give me?

Btw in reference to my post before, from what i can find on the web the M reg 318i has the same M43 (115 bhp) engine as the 318i SE.

Could you Peter, or anyone else, confirm this and that the SE is identical in all but extra's (Alloys, interior etc)

And i'm sure i will enjoy it, quite excited actually and can't wait to go get it

Cool.

Out of interest, on average how much of an increase of bhp can you expect by chipping?

You will see around 11hp on the 318i and it will make the car far more lively and willing to accelerate.

you can call me on 07815-501867 or go to my site www.chippeduk.com

thats a good price there !!!

i saw an e30 one go on ebay for 210 quid !!!!