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Originally Posted by ARMAN
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Originally Posted by thepest
^ that really is saying a lot
and yes I was also considering a e36 325i and thos 192hp are really messing with my mind. Plus I found a very nice one and realtively cheap, but then my brain started working and I began thinking about the fuel consumption.
I hate money  |
fuel consumption is the smallest problem, e30 owners who had several e30's say that 2,5 have same consumption as 1,8(not iS) simply because its much more easyer for 171PS move the car than for 115PS. Difference was about 1l per km more than 1,8. Ofcourse if considered that you dont push the throttle to the floor in 2,5, its for easy driving  ... Damn I want 2,5! 
Insurance is the question thou, dont now how much you will have to pay for 1,8 and for 2,5.
Is it going to be your first car? |
If fuel consumption is a decisive factor, you're better off with an E36 than with an E30. E36s are usually less prone to rust as well. The E30 is more fun as it involves you more with the business of driving. The E36 is more comfortable and practical.
I don't have a great deal of experience with the E30, so I'll talk E36 from here on. Of the E36, I'd recommend the 325i. Fuel consumption of the 325i is just marginally different from the 320i, except for when you cane it all the time. If you go for a lesser model, consider that the 318is and 320i are pretty similar in performance, but very different in the way they deliver it. The 318is has a little less weight on the front wheels, being a four pot, which handles a bit better. The 320i however has a much smoother and far better sounding engine.
Perhaps this is outside your budget, but the revised E36 (from 1995) is to be preferred over the earlier models (1990-1995). From model year 1992 the teething problems the pre-1992 cars had were solved. Since the price difference between a 1991 car and a 1992 or 1993 car is almost non-existant, I'd recommend one from 1992 and younger. The easiest way to spot those is to look for the anti-windnoise "bubbles" on the side of the mirrors. From model year 1993 the six cilinder models (don't know about the four cilinders) got the variable valve control system Vanos. Torque delivery on those is a tad better than the earlier cars. Again, I don't know a lot about the four cilinder engines.
Aside from the better build quality of the revised E36, the engines are different. Even the 320i, which seems the same engine on paper is different. The M50 engine is cast iron, whereas the M52 engine is an aluminium block. The M52 engine also has Vanos. The sound and feel of the engines is notably different. That goes for the feel of throttle, clutch and gearbox too. Instead of a 320i and a 325i, the revised E36 had a 320i, a 323i (2.5 litre with more torque at lower revs and 170 hp) and a 328i.
Hope this helps!