sterns

Now my money situation is better, im looking at a new car.
Did think about the Celica GT4 (185), but im not overly on the looks.

Im quite interested in a 325i sports.
Ive looked through alot of forums and have seen alot of positive feedback on them.

I used to own a s13 200sx, and it was rather tail happy at times. lovely powerslides in the dry, but in the wet was mad.
The 325 i know has a fair bit of power coupled with an lsd, but I dont know what these handle like.
Can anyone shed some light into how thee drive.
With our weather, i dont really want to install a wiper on the side windows.lol

any other info on the 325 would be fantastic too

many thanks

Tony

what would scooby do

325's handle much better than the 200 especially in the wet - good balance of power and handling - plus traction control can be left on if you wish

sterns

thanks, sounds promising.

Forgot to say, it would be a 1989 325i

thanks

l6ves

Hi Tony, I just sold an E36 325i to get my classic. Dont get me wrong, it was a great car but i found it a bit on the slow side! but as long as u are willing to keep the servicing up they are good cars! I went from a cossie to the 325i so the power difference was shocking!

f1

I had an 88 325i, not sports though. Found quick enough. Cabin space not so big though, but depends how big you are I guess !! Mine was reliable, parts are easy enough to get. Did find the forums a bit boring though (ooo did I say that!!) In the wet I never had any probs, was entertaining when you wanted it to be though. Hope this helps.

rb5_336

i had a E30 325iSE and adored it, never had a problem with it, plenty of power etc.

I'd still go for a 325is anytime. Im driving an E30 M3 Sport Evo at the moment, loving it. I adore the E30's, great cars and great value

p.s. you'll fine some good advise here

Sean

sterns

thats fantastic.
I was just worried about it being a bit tail in the wet, but by the sounds of it, the car should be stable.
Im only 5ft6 so I should have enough room.lol

rb5_336

i'm 5'6" and the E30 is a perfect size for me

Sean

PaulT00

A 1989 325i Sport. That would be a "mark 2" E30 sport.

I had a 1987 model (the mark 1 sport) for seven years. Great car, but can be very expensive to run.

Brakes are marginal for the performance of a 325. Radiators are marginal for the engine's heat output and can clog, split and/or leak. Any signs of overheating in traffic are usually an indication of a clog - needs at least a new radiator, but could also point to further engine damage. Engines are usually fine as long as you maintain them. Cambelts *must* be changed at the correct intervals - check it's been done or you risk a very expensive breakage. The cylinder head on the small 6 is prone to cracking at high mileages (mine went at about 140K for no readily apparent reason), or due to overheating (which is why the cooling system / radiator is so critical) - and it's very difficult to fix effectively, usually meaning a new cylinder head at least. Also the exhaust manifold can warp, leading to a blow. Oh, and the M-tec suspension components do eventually sag at very high mileages (over 120K) and are not cheap to replace, assuming you stay with standard kit.

On the plus side, I had no problems with rust other than some stone chips which were easily taken care of, and the trailing edge of the bootlid. It felt as solid when I sold it as it did when I bought it, no rattles or squeaks, and it was a really enjoyable car to drive.

As with all old cars, make sure you get it checked over by someone who knows what to look for on that model (an independent specialist who you know and trust, or have had recommended, for preference) and ensure that all the servicing things have been kept up to date. 325s are particularly pernickety about being serviced properly and if you let things slide, they can get a bit daggy quite quickly. You just need to know what you're getting into.

Get a good one, it'll be reliable and fun. Get a badly maintained one, and the size of the resulting bills may take your breath away. I even remember a quote from a guy in the parts department of my local dealer when I expressed surprise at the price of a part (I think it was a headlamp wiper motor): "Sir, you *are* running a BMW". Says it all really...

Good luck!

PaulT00

Just to follow up the earlier message - handling wise the 325 (E30) will generally understeer unless you get daft with the power, or unless it's very wet or icy. The LSD generally prevents any major problems, although you can make a 325 go sideways if you want to The only time I found the handling a bit wayward was in icy conditions, but then nobody in their right mind takes liberties with a 170bhp rwd car on an icy road. Having said that, opposite-locking around an empty carpark after 12 inches of snow is great fun!

The key in normal driving, as with most rwd machines, is COMMITMENT. Do NOT bottle out and back off sharply in mid-corner or a 325 *will* bite you. Go in at a sensible speed and nail it away from the apex, or just keep the power on gently if you've overcooked it, and it'll work with you very happily.

The fact that I had the same car for 7 years without getting bored with it should indicate that it was a really enjoyable machine. The only reason I got rid in the end was (a) it was eating me out of house and home in maintenance costs (at 165K, so not exactly a spring chicken), and (b) a friend got me to test-drive a Scooby

sterns

your an absolute star mate.
That really helps.
I did have a wonder to wether the running cost could be a bit high, but i suppose its worth paying, unless you want a problem.

but that info really does help, im now going to keep my eyes open for a nice one to come up

many thanks

Tony

brybusa

Hijack!!

My father has a 325iSE ....now looking at selling it

Its one of the last e30's(91 on a "J" plate".and has done just over 60K....

Not many with that sort of mileage and its immaculate.mainly BM history.

the car has always been used as a (garaged)second car, I think last year he covered 2K miles ! he must have owned for for around 10 years I think...

Still has the OE toolkit, handbooks,BMW fire extinguisher!,and the original sales brochure

Your welcome to view it, the cars in Bedfordshire