Our long-term "budget prestige" 1990 BMW 318is was purchased second-hand in December 1996. The car had one previous owner and had travelled 145,000 kilometres. Because of the higher than average mileage, the car was priced between $3,000 and $12,000 less than comparable models.
Over the period of ownership we are logging the reliability and all of the costs to maintain and repair the car, to give you an idea of the viability of owning a budget prestige vehicle.
The 318is offers a good combination between performance and practicality. We like the fact that it is a front engine, rear drive vehicle. The engine is quite 'sporty' and offers good performance between 4,000 and 6,500 rpm, but is let down a little by poor gear ratios and a heavy flywheel effect.
The handling is quite comfortable yet offers good roadholding, with minimal understeer. Power oversteer is available only in the wet in low gears as the engine doesn't really have the power to overcome grip in the dry.
Inside the dashboard is orientated towards the driver, a long time feature of all BMW's. The drivers seat offers little in the way of lateral support but does offer an excellent view of all corners of the car thanks to BMW's reluctance to follow aerodynamic styling trends. The 3-series BMW's are not known for their rear seat legroom but the rear accommodation is superior to most other coupes.
As is the case with most used cars, when you purchase from a dealer you get the protection of some sort of warranty. In New South Wales the statutory warranty covers you for three months or 15,000 kilometres. But this only applies to vehicles up to ten years old that have travelled less than 150,000 kilometres. Fortunately our BMW just snuck in.
In fact it was very fortunate, as we had to return the car seven times to the dealer for warranty repair.
Soon after purchase we discovered that the car had an intermittent engine misfire which usually occurred under load at low engine speeds. Also noted was a power steering fluid leak. The dealer could not find the cause of the misfire and after three attempts to solve the problem actually paid to have the car repaired by an authorised BMW repairer. An ignition coil had to be replaced and had this not been covered by warranty we would have been looking at a repair bill of over $1,000.
The power steering fluid leak persisted and was one of the faults reported at all seven visits to the dealer. It was finally rectified - probably after the dealer replaced virtually every pipe and fitting in the system. Though, as of early 1999 this fault has recurred.
Other problems during the three month warranty period were various parts falling off or breaking (gear knob, manual sunroof winder and window winder) and an excessively noisy fuel pump. We were told that the noisy fuel pump was normal and that it's life could not be predicted.
Just after the warranty period expired the fuel pump failed. This problem almost left us stranded, but with the help of the local motoring organisation's road service facility the vehicle could be started by persistent banging on the fuel tank in the area of the fuel pump. The car was fixed by a local repairer at a cost of around $230. Kindly, when we told the dealer of the problem they agreed to pay for the cost of the parts.
Overall the dealer has been very helpful and courteous at all times and the frequent need for warranty repairs is probably more an indication on how sometimes it is better to have a vehicle repaired by a franchise dealer or a repairer with experience in that make and model.
Early in 1997 we decided to fit a new set of shock absorbers in an attempt to restore the original ride and handling. We decided to go with a set of Australian made Monroe shocks which firmed up the ride a little but overall made little difference to the ride or handling. Cost was $550 installed. In hindsight we feel it would have been wiser to invest in an after-market suspension kit to improve handling.
March 1998 and the radiator expired. We first noticed a little steam coming from under the bonnet but as it was raining at the time it did not seem out of the ordinary, but as temperature rose towards the too hot mark we pulled over and found the cause to be a holed radiator. It was re-cored and cost us $435.
Strangely, after the repair of the radiator, the temperature gauge reads abnormally low engine temperatures. On cold days it is not unusual for the gauge to read in the blue cold section and on hot days, the highest it will read is about a quarter. Previously, on hot days and in traffic the gauge would go as high as three-quarters. We are not sure whether the new radiator is too efficient, the gauge is faulty or the thermostat is faulty. We will replace the thermostat ourselves to see.
Still in 1998 and after 177,000 kilometres the clutch started to slip very badly. Replacement by a local repairer cost around $700 using after market parts. Due to the type of flywheel used on the 318is it cannot be machined and therefor it should be replaced with the clutch. As the price from BMW was over $1000 for a new flywheel we decided against replacement at the expense of a very minor amount of shudder when taking off from rest.
While the gearbox was out we had some parts replaced in the shifter mechanism to restore the gear change feel. Most E30 BMW owners have or will experience a fair degree of slop in the shifter after a lot of miles. To have this rectified it cost about $130 on top of the clutch replacement.
In March 1999 the fuel pump failed again and was replaced for around $270. This time though, the car had to be towed. It is suspected that the cause of the short life of the previous fuel pump may be the non-standard fuel cap, which may be letting in moisture.
Other problems have been the window winders breaking (they seem to be pretty weak) and a worn tie rod end.
We have handled regular oil changes and routine maintenance ourselves in keeping with the 'budget' concept. Basic genuine parts are pretty expensive but if you can handle the labour yourself servicing costs are minimal.
The whole idea of the budget prestige long term test is to see the costs involved in running such a vehicle, and also to see what sort of enhancements can be made to performance and styling at a minimum cost.
Over the next few months we plan to make a few modifications and repairs:
The tyres are now worn and the alignment out due to the tie rod problem. The tie rod has been replaced but we are waiting to get a new set of tyres and the alignment done. What we would like is find is a set of tyres that offers improved grip but is also long lasting and good in the wet. We will be consulting a suspension specialist to find out the differences between a standard wheel alignment and a performance alignment.
Part of the exhaust system needs replacement, and we hope to use the opportunity to replace it with a freer-flowing sports system to see what sort of performance improvement can be attained, if any.
We would like to experiment with low cost performance upgrades like EFI computer chips, cold air intakes, etc.
The paintwork is a little tired and faded. What can be done at a low cost to restore the paint to its former glory?
SPECIFICATIONS
Price: $40,910 (1990) $14,000 to $25,000 (used)
Engine: 1.8-litre, DOHC, 16-valve in-line 4-cylinder; 100kW @ 6000rpm; 172Nm @ 4600rpm
Transmission: five-speed manual
Suspension: Front - struts; Rear - semi-trailing arms
Brakes: Vented discs/discs
Wheels/Tyres: 5.5 x 14-inch, 195/65HR14
Weight: 1125kg
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