# 98 bmw 318i good or bad? **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Automotive\ **Created:** [January 21, 2010, 2:28pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/98-bmw-318i-good-or-bad/78480 "2010-01-21T14:28:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![eclipse2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@eclipse2000](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/eclipse2000)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 2:28pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/98-bmw-318i-good-or-bad/78480/1 "2010-01-21T14:28:45Z")
can anyone tell me if a 92-98 BMW 318i is a good car to have ---
**Author:** ![ultradriver10000](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ultradriver10000/32/7397_2.png) [@ultradriver10000](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ultradriver10000)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 2:29pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/98-bmw-318i-good-or-bad/78480/2 "2010-01-21T14:29:42Z")
Yes ---
**Author:** ![dawn](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/dawn/32/7209_2.png) [@dawn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/dawn)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/98-bmw-318i-good-or-bad/78480/3 "2010-01-21T14:30:46Z")
Sure why not? ---
**Author:** ![Penfold](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/penfold/32/5007_2.png) [@Penfold](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Penfold)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/98-bmw-318i-good-or-bad/78480/4 "2010-01-21T14:38:28Z")
Yes, they are the best vehicles ever made. Though I have never been in one so they might suck. ---
**Author:** ![theblue](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/theblue/32/5074_2.png) [@theblue](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/theblue)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/98-bmw-318i-good-or-bad/78480/5 "2010-01-21T14:47:09Z")
an E30 318i is a good car to have, an E36 318ti is a good car to have, but an E36 318i is not a good car to have. ---
**Author:** ![agy2k2](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/agy2k2/32/4974_2.png) [@agy2k2](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/agy2k2)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/98-bmw-318i-good-or-bad/78480/6 "2010-01-21T15:51:05Z")
they are great cars ---
**Author:** ![klug](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/klug/32/5222_2.png) [@klug](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/klug)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 6:11pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/98-bmw-318i-good-or-bad/78480/7 "2010-01-21T18:11:18Z")
> [@theblue](#): > > an E30 318i is a good car to have, an E36 318ti is a good car to have, but an E36 318i is not a good car to have. This. It is a great dd for a budget baller but no performance what so ever. ---
**Author:** ![66impalass](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/66impalass/32/7429_2.png) [@66impalass](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/66impalass)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 6:24pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/98-bmw-318i-good-or-bad/78480/8 "2010-01-21T18:24:06Z")
Just make sure you drive downhill at all times ---
**Author:** ![klug](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/klug/32/5222_2.png) [@klug](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/klug)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 6:57pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/98-bmw-318i-good-or-bad/78480/9 "2010-01-21T18:57:16Z")
> [@66impalass](#): > > Just make sure you drive downhill at all times hahaha awesome! ---
**Author:** ![longuyen88](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/longuyen88/32/7611_2.png) [@longuyen88](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/longuyen88)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 7:48pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/98-bmw-318i-good-or-bad/78480/10 "2010-01-21T19:48:59Z")
if you wanna get the lowest of the low bmw just to say you got a bmw… then go ahead it’s a good car ---
**Author:** ![nytalonTSi](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/nytalontsi/32/5399_2.png) [@nytalonTSi](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/nytalonTSi)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 9:14pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/98-bmw-318i-good-or-bad/78480/11 "2010-01-21T21:14:34Z")
Honestly i have never seen or heard of a e36 318i last longer then 155k. ---
**Author:** ![Coldaccord](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/coldaccord/32/7272_2.png) [@Coldaccord](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Coldaccord)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 9:19pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/98-bmw-318i-good-or-bad/78480/12 "2010-01-21T21:19:07Z")
depends on what you’re looking for. not fast, but good on gas and reliable. m42 has a timing chain and is pretty damn reliable. i guess check out for rear subframe issues, but I haven’t heard anything about 318s specifically and it seems to be more of an e46 problem. buy a 318, if you don’t like the seats buy some vaders, and enjoy cheap luxury with good fuel economy ---
**Author:** ![Coldaccord](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/coldaccord/32/7272_2.png) [@Coldaccord](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Coldaccord)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 9:20pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/98-bmw-318i-good-or-bad/78480/13 "2010-01-21T21:20:10Z")
> [@1G2GDSM](#): > > Honestly i have never seen or heard of a e36 318i last longer then 155k. why? I’m not sure I understand. I’ve heard of a ton of e36’s lasting forever, as well as a other m42 cars doing the same, why would these be any different ---
**Author:** ![agy2k2](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/agy2k2/32/4974_2.png) [@agy2k2](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/agy2k2)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/98-bmw-318i-good-or-bad/78480/14 "2010-01-23T19:05:51Z")
wasn’t the m42 an e30 specific motor and the e36 got the m44? EDIT: m42 went up until 95…Profile gaskets on M42s built before 1993 are known to fail prematurely. ---
**Author:** ![deebo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/deebo/32/5218_2.png) [@deebo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/deebo)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/98-bmw-318i-good-or-bad/78480/15 "2010-01-23T19:15:41Z")
You should include more details in your posts when you make a thread i tried to help you in your other thread about the talon, but you need some sort of guidance on how to communicate on an internet forum. ---
**Author:** ![nytalonTSi](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/nytalontsi/32/5399_2.png) [@nytalonTSi](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/nytalonTSi)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/98-bmw-318i-good-or-bad/78480/16 "2010-01-23T19:33:38Z")
> [@Coldaccord](#): > > why? I’m not sure I understand. I’ve heard of a ton of e36’s lasting forever, as well as a other m42 cars doing the same, why would these be any different Im just saying. I owned a e36 325i for 2 years, and whenever i was on bimmerforums which was rarely, all i read were problems with '95- 318i’s. I knew a few guys in NJ and Brooklyn that owned '95’s and one said he replaced the motor at 151k and the other said 155k. You can say they were abused. But yeah i used to read that the m42 was a solid motor. ---
**Author:** ![nytalonTSi](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/nytalontsi/32/5399_2.png) [@nytalonTSi](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/nytalonTSi)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 7:38pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/98-bmw-318i-good-or-bad/78480/17 "2010-01-23T19:38:03Z")
> [@deebo](#): > > You should include more details in your posts when you make a thread > i tried to help you in your other thread about the talon, but you need some sort of guidance on how to communicate on an internet forum. Who’s that? Lol. ---
**Author:** ![deebo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/deebo/32/5218_2.png) [@deebo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/deebo)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/98-bmw-318i-good-or-bad/78480/18 "2010-01-23T20:05:28Z")
the OP ---
**Author:** ![Coldaccord](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/coldaccord/32/7272_2.png) [@Coldaccord](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Coldaccord)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/98-bmw-318i-good-or-bad/78480/19 "2010-01-23T21:18:02Z")
325i’s have been abused as well, i’ve seen a ton of m50, m52, s50 and s52 cars on their second motors. people don’t maintain their vehicles, they don’t follow up on common problems, (water pump, t-stat housing) and then keep driving with their temp gauge in the red. ain’t no thang ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/2X/b/b7170c8eddc0b95ece6b88172b2f416a08489a45.png) [@system](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 9:38pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/98-bmw-318i-good-or-bad/78480/20 "2010-01-23T21:38:31Z")
Just sold my 95 318iS, mileage was over 197k. No engine/drive train problems, but the car had some issues given its life these last few years. In the last two years, it had a tree fall on it, was crashed into by a police cruiser, and was driven into by a garbage truck. Can’t say the car ever failed me- still starts today no problem! [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/98-bmw-318i-good-or-bad/78480.md?page=2)