Commuting in a 1990 BMW 316i

G

Gulliver1

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Hi guys

I am thinking of buying a 1990 BMW 316i as I love 'near-classic' cars.

I commute 75km to Dublin and back 4 days a week and am wondering if I am mad even considering buying this car.

Basically what I want to know is whether (1) it is economical and (2) will the car mechanically be fit for the commute, i.e. will it blow up?!

Advice greatly appreciated!
 
As long as the car is well maintained it should be fine. You will always find a car more economical so just make sure you have a budget for low 30's mpg.

I always have daily drivers that are old and have never had a problem as they were well maintained and in the same condition as any "new" car.

At 30mpg and 1.20 per litre your commute would be €8.50/day

If you got a more modern car and got 40mpg it would cost you €6.30/day

A super efficient modern diesel @ 55mpg might cost you €4.60/day

but of course the more modern cars will cost you alot more up front.....
 
I have a 1987 car that i sometimes drive to work and the clutch is quite heavy, so your left leg can be quite tired after the drive.
 
try this site as its great and will answer any question on the E30's http://www.e30owners.com/forums/
also be worth while registering with the site as the car is quite old but is easy to maintain and they can tell you what to look out for when buying one as i found them quite helpfull in the pass
 
www.e30zone.co.uk is a great site too. Have used it many times in my E30 days.

A 316 is a bit of a waste of money, IMO. The engine is rubbish, the luxuries are non-existant, and the whole thing is juat a waste of effort.

Buy a 320i or if possible a 318iS (still sorry I sold mine!) if you can prise it away from the boy-racer numpties.

[broken link removed] is a great informative site on the 318iS.

Enjoy, whichever you choose. Just be careful on wet roundabouts! :)
 
Hi Gulliver1

TBH with that amount of millage every week you'd be mad not to go for a diesel. I had an E36 318is which I used for commuting everyday 75 miles to work and 75 back and i had to put over €150 into everyweek plus toll bridges for €29 per week which was ridiclous. I then traded it in for a 1.9 diesel golf non turbo and do the same commute for €60 diesel and with money being tight I use the back road instead of motorway therefore saving a further €29.

To answer your question a 1.6 would be just as hard as the 1.8 and being an E30 it will need a lot of work, if it hasn't already been done. My friend is currently replacing all the suspension, roof skin as there are little water channels that block up with dirt over the years, arches, complete brake system and doors. I defo consider them to be a really nice car to drive and all but in our current climate money talks.

Hope that help and sorry for all the negatives about it.
 
Regardless of what car you buy, I think expecting a twenty year old car to do that kind of mileage is pushing your luck, unless you can buy it one owner from new and a full service history.

Unlike Mercedes Diesel Automatics or Volvo Estates, you don't see too many 20 year old BMWs floating about - there is a reason for that I suspect and you should do a serious amount of research both on and off-line into the possible longevity of the particular model of car you're considering.

There is no point buying a car that's "easy to repair" if it means you have to have it up on blocks for most of its existence - you want a car you can drive, so choose accordingly.

You'd be better off with a Golf 1.4TSI or Diesel.

ONQ.
 
Hi guys

Thanks for all the advice. In the end, I did the smart thing and bought a VW Golf 1.9 diesel. Really happy with it and saving alot of money in the process (already).

Cheers!
 
<beams>

Welcome to the <Golf> Club!

Enjoy many happy miles of economical motoring.

ONQ.
 
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