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- BMW 3 Series 318ti Compact SE
- adamturnbull1's review
Have a picture of BMW 3 Series 318ti Compact SE?, please send it to us.
Picture courtesy of Boris.
| Performance | 6.3/10  |
|---|---|
| Practicality | 6.3/10 |
| Reliability | 7.5/10 |
| Value for Money | 7.7/10 |
| Reviewer Rating | 7.3/10 |
| Overall Rating | 5.6/10  |
By adamturnbull1 on 7th Apr 2005
| Year Manufactured | 1995 |
|---|---|
| Length of ownership | 18 Months |
| Performance | 5/10 |
| Practicality | 6/10 |
| Reliability | 1/10 |
| Value for money | 1/10 |
| Overall value | 3/10 |
 adamturnbull1's recommendation | |
Image of owning a BMW, driving position.
Massive engine failure, petrol consumption.
When I first bought my BMW 3 Series 318ti Compact SE I thought what a good car it was. Unfortunately, 10,000 mile further on, the viscous coupling broke (which is apparently common in E36 models across the range) without me knowing which in turn blew the radiator and the head gasket. Yes, you've guessed it, this resulted in having to shell out £1200 for an engine just so I could get rid of it. This car also drinks fuel like you wouldn't believe. I would get 250 miles on a tank which cost £45 to fill up! The 2.8 straight six does better than this appalling 1.8 twin cam block. Performance is so so. It makes a lot of noise but isn't that fast really. I had the sport model, so it did sit quite low to the ground and had supportive seats which was good. Another major flaw, was the outdates E30 rear axle fitted, which meant it was lethal in the wet and with no traction control, you could find yourself doing a 180 without touching the throttle. If you have to have an E36 BMW, for goodness sake, get a saloon. Definitely go for the minimum of a 320i, avoid the 4-cylinder engines, and you will be fine. These cars are getting old now, so I would advise you to stay clear.
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