[snap316]

Hey folks i currently own a 2003 Corolla, I have a few minor mods

Free Flow Exhaust System
K&N Filters
Yokohama 205/60 Tyres 15" Rims

The car is very peppy and responsive
I have always had a passion for a BWM and also RWD cars. I have come across an old 1994 BMW 316i for sale (Sedan not the compact). Assuming the exterior is in good condition

what price can i pay for it in chennai ?
Is it advisable to go for such an old model?

When i look at power my corolla has approx. 25 more horses and 8 nm torque higher than the BMW.
My plans are if i can get the beemer upto may be 180 horses by some form of forced induction it would be a nice one to drive. But its a 1.6 L engine chances of getting my corolla there are better than the BMW's but if someone can help me with making the choice.

The owner of the BMW is asking for 4.9 Lakhs and i was thinking any where close to 3.5 would be a decent deal considering the it is difficult to find one of those but what would be the right price for it ? Can the power be increased ? Are there any places in chennai who would do a good job on forced induction so i can enquire them first and then go for it ?

Need all your advice based on experiance on this .

Thanks folks
Bk

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[GTO]

Why would anyone buy a 14 year old 316i, unless it was dirt cheap (I mean, real cheap). For the same money or less, you could buy a newer Indian W124 E220. Think about it:

1. The E220 has more power and will outperform the 316i on most parameters. 0 - 100 in about 10 seconds is respectable for a decade old car.

2. It is larger, rides better and, overall, far more comfortable.

3. The E220 would have clean papers (Indian billing) and there is a strong chance of procuring one with service history too. Parts aren't a problem either.

In effect, what you are getting with the E220 is a newer, larger, faster, cleaner and more comfortable car. The W124 is a known workhorse and would, in all probability, be ultra reliable. The only two things you'd lose out on are exclusivity & handling. But the pros clearly outweigh the cons.

Are there any places in chennai who would do a good job on forced induction so i can enquire them first and then go for it ?

Don't even go there. A 14 year old German car will not be cheap to maintain. Adding a turbocharger to a '94 BMW locally is bidding farewell to reliability.

[iraghava]

Forget about it, a '94 316i is a bad project car unless you're getting it for free and are prepared to spend big money doing it up. Not recommended at all.

[sam003]

don't even think of buying it brother, your wallet will gonna bleed to maintain it. moreover parts will be a major issues, how long will you be able to run your dream BM with jugaad technology.

[speedy]

Originally Posted by GTO

Why would anyone buy a 14 year old 316i, unless it was dirt cheap (I mean, real cheap). For the same money or less, you could buy a newer Indian W124 E220. Think about it:

1. The E220 has more power and will outperform the 316i on most parameters. 0 - 100 in about 10 seconds is respectable for a decade old car.

2. It is larger, rides better and, overall, far more comfortable.

3. The E220 would have clean papers (Indian billing) and there is a strong chance of procuring one with service history too. Parts aren't a problem either.

In effect, what you are getting with the E220 is a newer, larger, faster, cleaner and more comfortable car. The W124 is a known workhorse and would, in all probability, be ultra reliable. The only two things you'd lose out on are exclusivity & handling. But the pros clearly outweigh the cons.



Don't even go there. A 14 year old German car will not be cheap to maintain. Adding a turbocharger to a '94 BMW locally is bidding farewell to reliability.

. Dont even go close to it. i have owned a 97 316i and sold it in two months of buying the car.Maintainance of the car is high and the parts are not cheap by any standards. Modifying the car is easy and parts are available in the international market for it. You would however loose reliability and by the time you finish with the trial and errors it would leave a large dent in your wallet with a make belief satisfaction. The ideal choice would be the W124 like pointed out.

[DocG]

Take it from an owner of an older Beamer...Yes vintages are great to own...But for the amount I have spent maintaining my car over the last 10 years, I can buy a brand new 5 series! Remember that parts are not available here, and all parts carry an import tax when you place an order...A simple clutch is well over Rs: 20K.

Yes BMWs are highly moddable cars, and are very reliable. But unless you have a budget of over 6-7 lakhs and a lot of time for trial and error, please don't try this is India...[I sensibly walked away too, even after readying the budget. purchased an engine and tranny to swap, then sold it right back, lost a few thousand bucks in the whole deal, but saved my 10 lakhs!]

That being said, would I trade my car for a brand new BMW? Nope not a regular 3 or 5...Maybe a 540 at the least...

cheers:

PS: E36s are quite ugly dude, not worth the money, but if you get an E30, or better yet E21 go all out, they're good buys even at 6-12 Lakhs depending on condition

[snap316]

Hey Guys Thanks a lot for all your speedy reply's and advice. I guess u guys have made my decision for me on this. It really helps and i appriciate the time taken by everyone to reply to my query. I also had in mind a Celica GT 1998-99 model (Not Sure if its 98 or 99) and also a BMW 325 i 2000 will get a price quote on both this Saturday 4th OCT. The Celica is a all time 4wd also has a Turbo in it and one of the best rally cars of its time. The 325i isn't too far behind but when i look into the economy part of it , the beember has an edge. I would post the price details as soon as i get em. As far as i know the Celica is chennai but the BMW is in banglore i think as re-registration would also cause hassles and its a LHD automatic which kinda isnt my taste the LHD wouldnt bother me so much but the Transmission i like mine manual . I'am thinking i should go for the Celica if the price i affordable but what do you guys think???

[Mpower]

Originally Posted by DocG

PS: E36s are quite ugly dude, not worth the money, but if you get an E30, or better yet E21 go all out, they're good buys even at 6-12 Lakhs depending on condition

If the author thought E36 was ugly then he wouldn't be asking this question. Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder and I am sure snap316 is not blind.

BTW, I own an E36 but that does not influence my opinion.

[snap316]

Hey Guys its me again. I had a thread earlier about purchasing a BMW 3 series but dropped it after your speedy suggestions. I would like your suggestion on this as well.

1995 BMW 540i AT (Automatic)

Specs:
Mileage: 61,000 Km
Power (hp): 282
Torque: 295 lb
Engine: 4.0 Lit V8
Drive: RWD
Fuel Type: Petrol
Gearbox: 5 Speed Automatic

Is it a good buy?
How about maintainance?
What price can i pay for it?
Any idea about milage per lit of petrol?
Any commen mechanical faults?
Spare parts availability?

I have personally driven one in banglore but it was a relatively newer one a 1999 540 i. The car was great though. Drives like a dream and 0 - 100 Km was just about 7 secs .I guess it only gave about 5 per/l milage though not sure. But am just learning when it comes to cars know a few things but not enough to buy a BMW kindly give me a heads up.

[mura]

What color is the Celica you saw? I had a Silver Celica GT-Four and sold it to Chennai. The 3S-GTE engine is an absolute gem.

And how much is the Asking price for the Celica?

As for as the E34 540 be prepared for very expensive parts.

[Mpower]

The '99 540 is an E39, a completely new platform and car.

The V8 on the E34 had some issues with premature bore wear when it first came out in the early 90s, esp on teh 7 series. Check to make sure its been taken care of. Lots of cars in the US had their engines swapped by the company.

What is the asking price?

[TaciturN]

Originally Posted by Mpower

What is the asking price?

I am gonna guess its INR 4,75,000 ;-)

snap316 - As already stated, you need to positively stay away from the Nikasil M60 blocks.

Go and check the serial number stamped into the engine block.

If its 1 745 872 (Alusil) - then you're OK.

If its 1 725 963 or 1 742 998 (Nikasil) - then move along.







/ is *still* searching for that Elusive E39 Manual...

[dipen]

rather than the 1995 E34, I suggest you look at 1997 E39 5 series. The E39 is a timeless design in the bimmer range for 5 series.

[Sahil]

Originally Posted by dipen

The E39 is a timeless design in the bimmer range for 5 series.

Although i love the E60 design for it's fresh/modern/sporty look, but there is just something about the E39 that still sets it apart. Especially the facelifted version that came out before the end of it's lifescyle, with whiteout indicator lamps and angel eyes,etc.

[snap316]

TaciturN - Hey thanks for the advise its not the one posted on car trade india . But the asking is 5 L. The owner mentioned that there was a replacement of the Nikasil block due to some corrosion dut am not sure if he did it to alusil, he said he would confirm it...

MURA -The celica was Yellow... Asking was 5 L .. It was not a GT 4 hence dropped it.It was a regular 130 HP FWD.