BMW 320i?

Looking for a cheap driver to replace the WRX. I see what seems to be a good deal on a 1982 320i. I love the looks and the price is right, but what should I look out for? Are these cars nice, or should I hold out for an E30?

The price difference between a late '80s good condition 4cyl E30 and the 320i is not alot, but the 320i is not bad.

Looks good for $1500 asking. Allegedly in good mech shape.

GregTivo wrote: The price difference between a late '80s good condition 4cyl E30 and the 320i is not alot, but the 320i is not bad.

Well said. Also, remember, the 320i in question is 27 years old. I finally crawled out from underneath my daily driver of the past 1.5 years -- a 91 318is -- after a full day of installing a replacement differential. I'm all about no car payments, but it's a compromise e.g. I smell like transmission fluid on a Saturday night.

Thats just old school goodness. I'd rock that

I just rocked the 24 Hours Of Lemons in our E21 320i. No, it's not as "modern" as an E30 and the fuel injection system is a PITA, but...get it running right & it's a LOT of fun.

Slooooow. Rust prone. I'd spend the marginal extra and buy a 2.5 liter E30 and have some real fun. While I don't believe BMW has ever built a truly bad car, the 320i is about as close to lackluster as they've gotten. Not really their fault; as it was the way things were everywhere during that time period.

I have owned 3 e21s. all of them rusted along the bottom of the back window and the rear side windows. I cureently am restoring a euro 323 Alpina. the car is alot more fun with a 6 cyl.

But if you want ok fuel; economy and a good handeling car a 320 is nice. THey are really slow. even a 318 e30 or a 325 e is faster. they both are rated at around 124 hp vs 98 ? on the 320.

Hammer i left you a message.. email me.

thanks

hrmm...I'll go check it out. If it is in super nice condition, I might pick it up. If not, I'll hold out for an E30.

the cure to slow is only an engine swap away..

Honestly the e21 has more in common with the 2002 than the e30. Going from the 02 to the e21 was not the big step for BMW that is was going from the e21 to the e20.

I would rock one anyway, and drop in an M42 or M44 4 cylinder from the 318's from either the e30 or e36 and be happy with an almost 3rd more horsepower

Buddy of mine who I used to autox with around here ran one with no engine mods but a very serious suspension quite successfully for years. Then he dropped an S14 into it. Now it's faster.

If you ever want to do an upgrade watch ebay UK. order the front subframe from a 323.

You then can put a e30 engine in it.

Or swap it over to twin webbers, put in a cam. it will be a little more peppy.

Tyler H wrote: Looks good for $1500 asking. Allegedly in good mech shape.

Bmw hit a high water mark with the look of those. I love it. That and the 3.0 csi cars. The new one just aren't as pretty!

Joey

Tyler H wrote: Looks good for $1500 asking. Allegedly in good mech shape.

THAT IS SEX ON WHEELS!!!!!

I agreee.. I do prefer the looks of the e21 over the e30... and then there is the e24 Six series....

bam2002 wrote: I have owned 3 e21s. all of them rusted along the bottom of the back window and the rear side windows. I cureently am restoring a euro 323 Alpina. the car is alot more fun with a 6 cyl.

Where's the drool icon? I owned a grey market `79 323i (stock) when the E30 arrived. We called them "the ugly sister". Last year I thought I'd go get another 323, since most grey market cars have depreciated so much. Boy, was I surprised. Sure wish I'd just repaired the crash damage & kept it.

As far as E21s in general, I have to admit that the E30's just a more modern car.. but IMO, you'll still be dating the ugly sister.

But I know the ugly sister is a sure thing, hence the post.

I'll go drive the thing and report back.

Tyler H wrote: But I know the ugly sister is a sure thing, hence the post. I'll go drive the thing and report back.

That'll teach me not to drink & post...I wanted to imply that to us who had E21s at the time, the E30 was the plain one.

I loved my euro E21 6-cyl so much, I'm tempted to find a NA market 320i and do the conversion bam2002 was talking about. The European E21s were available with the early version of the M20 engine that finally found its way to the US in the E30. OTOH, the M10 in the US market E21s is pretty much the same engine as in the 1600/2002. All the go-fast parts will fit. Back in the day, twin Webers were the thing, but I'd like to see what a Megasquirt would do to one of them.

If you're going to megasquirt one, what efi parts do you put on it? Will a multiport injection manifold from a later model bolt on?

No headliner/carpet. Holes in trunk. Fuel distributor issues. No heater core / ac.

Next...

figures.

Tyler H wrote: No headliner/carpet. Holes in trunk. Fuel distributor issues. No heater core / ac. Next...

Aww, that's a shame. "Next", indeed. They sent thousands of `em over here, there's got to be some good ones somewhere..

yea thats a 800 car.. to be made into a track car. or if you knew some one that had a rusty 320 to grab the missing parts.

For 1500 you should be able to get a decent 325..

That's my old car I sold it almost a year ago for 700. I didn't get to fixing the trunk but I did the body work and paint myself. If you looked closely at it you could probably tell it was my first attempt at body and paint work. I made new floor pans and welded them in had to replace the passenger door and fender. Yeah I gutted it and had no intention of replacing the interior. For what it's worth I don't believe it was a fuel distributor issue I think it was something to do with the cold start valve. I had to rush to get it back together because we were moving to Tennessee and drove just like it is for over a year 65+ miles a day. Had over 250k when I sold it. That little car was awesome I've regretted selling it ever since. Especially considering I spent well over three grand doing the body and paint work. I do have to say that it was absolutely a blast to take up to the dragon.

Here are some more pics.

I would like to buy it back but not for double what I sold it for. Maybe you could P.M. me his info and I might try to talk the wife into letting me bring that money pit back home.