BMW 3 Series 318ti Compact SE

I’ve had my car now for 5 years and it’s at 192000 miles! I look after my car well and the bodywork is immaculate. I love owning my car - it’s the right size to drive, great on fuel ( it’s a turbo diesel 2 liter) , and very quick, I would only own a BMW and this is actually my first. I’m hoping to keep it going until it’s a classic.

My parents bought me this car when I graduated from university. Many girls found me attractive for all eight years, and I drove this car. When German cars start to break, unfortunately they are easier and cheaper to replace with a new one than the old one. Now I use a family and more economical machine for maintenance.But I can recommend this model to anyone who wants a beautiful and inexpensive sports car. I think fresh and modern offers appeared in this model range.

I am 19 and have owned my E46 Compact for just over a year.

On the first day i got it i spun it out on a roundabout - thankfully me and the car came out unscathed. But it shows that you should be easy with the right foot in the beginning as driving a rear wheel car is different to front wheel drive cars.... However after a year, i am thoroughly enjoying the rear wheel drive element, corners and drifting are so much fun. Now a days you can pick up a great example for much under 2k, find me another car that provides more entertainment then that for that price and you will struggle. My car comes fully loaded with climate control and cruise control with xeon lights - you won't find that on anything else for the money.

Okay its abit thirsty with fuel, but thats understandable esp with the way you would drive this beast, but a with just a few mpg less then a sensible car i know id rather have lower mpg and much more fun

Yes i suffered a blow out on the motorway but thats more down to old tyres being overworked then the car itself. In one year i have had no breakdowns and she's never struggled to start, despite being a 17 year old car.

I would throughly recommend buying one as for the money you won't get any better.

Screw higher MPG, lifes too short, have fun, buy a BMW.

An E46 Compact is a great starter BMW, and will make you fall in love with driving, it isn't called the ultimate driving machine for no reason you know.....

my bmw 318ti has been a brilliant car it goes well and the recaro seats are realy comfy my good points about the car is that has a nice ride has know problems power wise looks good and easy to fiddle with

bad points there is not much head room,rolls in corners,in the wet it handles like its on ice but can drift well witch can be good and bad it drinks petrol well so i gggot it lpg and doesnt effect performance, had to replace break lines and suspention all round but it is a old car now.

luckly my uncle scraps bmw so free parts for me

I own a 318ti s.e m.spec with 80,000 miles with a full service history its a rare colour its ruby red or some say flamenco red i think anyway,also interior is red as not seen anymore than 2 in the time ive owned it, i brought it 5 years ago when it was on 55,000 so i havent drove it much as i got use of other vehicles at work but it is a great drive to say the least and i havent had a thing go wrong with it its never broke down or had any fault. Im unsure on what he value of this vehicle would be to the right person this is a head turning bmw a rare classic is my view

hi have owned 13 bmw's...last 4 being 318 ti compact sports...a unique little piece of kit with the bonus of really good fuel consumption.Truly only real grouse is access in tight parking spaces due to badly spaced notches in door retaining arm.....I modify by grinding an extra one between the existing two ....prob solved. cheers Alex Hardie

p.s I also owned two 1973 C.S.L 3 litre Coupes.....I'm also very old !

I have a 1996 one since May and cannot say a bad thing about it, well the radio that came with it wasn't great but i changed it and it was fine then..it is a very nippy and most of all...100% reliable.

It happens to be my very 1st Car and coudn't ask for a better one...

The BMW 3 Series 318ti Compact SE is a great car to own and drive, a bit sluggish but a sexy head-turner. Even I find myself admiring the car after 5 months of ownership.

After owning a 150i Honda Ballade sedan for 3 years, I'm still quite enjoying the toque pushed out by the compact, if compared. The sunroof, when in a closed position, is great and doesn's whistle even if travelling at high speed. The exhaust purr is also exciting, however, one finds yourself driving after the sound, which directly relates into higher fuel consumption, of course.

BMW 3 series 318i compact is generally a good vehicle as I have just owned one until I had an accident in it as the cruise control failed to disengage at 50mph. I know there are many faults that have occurred with the cruise control on BMW's so not alone.

My review is for the whole E46 BMW Compact range.

Introduction:

If the E46 coupe is a bit pricey and the Saloon or Touring a bit too big, then welcome to the E46 Compact. Looked down upon by those who are not in the know the E46 Compact is a well kept secret. Essentially replaced by the 1-Series in 2004, The E46 Compact enjoyed a short production run of only three years from 2001 -2004 and for some enthusiasts was replaced prematurely, especially as the new 1 series appeared to be a poorly packaged replacement that offered less practicality and inferior interior quality to the compact. The range featured 4 engines and was the ideal 1st step (or downsized step) onto the Bavarian Motor Works ladder. But don ' t for a minute think you are being short changed with a budget model that trades on the badge. The E46 Compact (unlike its E36 predecessor) does not like feel like a cut down version of a superior model, and is a car that in many ways was ahead of its time. The styling has mellowed and improved with age and in the opinion of this reviewer looks much fresher and exiting than its Golf and Audi A3 rivals of the same period.

Driving:

Unlike its predecessor the E36 Compact, the E46 Compact has exactly the same suspension design and components as its bigger brothers and as a result, the feel behind the wheel is the same (if not better), and enthusiasts report with its reduced weight (due to the smaller body), quick steering rack and shorter overhangs that when it comes to the handling, the Compact is the pick of the E46 3 series range for the sporty driver as the E46 Coupe compared to its E36 predecessor had gently slipped into the role of a ' GT 'car of the range.

Regardless of equipment level or engine size, the drive and handling on offer are excellent across the range and unlike its scrabbling for grip understeer prone front wheel drive rivals the E46 chassis is simply a joy to use. At your disposal are a quick steering rack, a pointy direct chassis, minimal body roll and driveline shunt, tight precise gearbox and a driving position that regardless of your body type you will feel it was made just for you. The interior is also an item of genuine quality with squeaks and rattles a rarity, and the dashboard design logical and the controls instinctive. When you sit inside the Compact, it really does feel like a decent and high grade place to be.

The 318ti with its 4 cylinder 2 litre engine is the best petrol unit for the combination of performance and running costs with the diesel a good option in its own right. The slowest version in the range is the 1.8 litre 316ti which reaches 60mph in 10.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 125mph which sounds slow but thanks to the crisp modern engine and taught chassis it doesn ' t feel as slow as this in real world use. The 318ti reaches 60mph in 9.0 seconds and a top speed of 133mph, the 325ti 6.3 seconds and 146mph and the 320td 8.6 seconds and 133mph.

Ownership and models:

The engines used in the Compact are shared with its saloon and touring stablemates, which are as follows,

2001-2004, 316ti: 1796 cc, 4 cylinder petrol, 16 valves, 115 bhp, 129 lb ft torque, Available in Standard, SE, Sport, ES spec

2002-2004, 318ti: 1995 cc, 4 cylinder petrol, 16 valves, 145 bhp, 150 lb ft torque, Available in Standard, SE or Sport spec

2003-2004, 320td: 1995 cc, 4 cylinder diesel, 16 valves, 150 bhp, 240 lb ft torque, Available in Standard, SE, Sport or ES

2001-2004, 325ti: 2494 cc, 6 cylinder petrol, 24 valves, 192 bhp, 181 lb ft torque, Available in SE, Sport

The 316ti and 318ti 4 cylinder petrol engine models with their advanced valvetronic technology (which is based upon the vanos technology first seen in the M3) offer smooth running, low emissions and good economy, and it is the emissions and economy of these petrol engines that are even more relevant today than when launched. For example, the 1.8 115bhp 316ti\SE\ES enjoys emissions of only 167 g/km. This compares well against the comparable (in terms of power output and market appeal) 2.0 115bhp Golf GTi which has 194 g/km and the A3 125bhp 1.8 sport which has 190 g\km. This may only save the owner £50 or so a year in road tax but couple this to an easily achievable low 40 ' s mpg with normal everyday driving and the appeal of these models in the current tough economic climate and unfair legacy road tax system are obvious.

The 320td is the only diesel option available in the E46 Compact, and thankfully it is a superb engine so diesel enthusiasts can also find a model to suit them, and was fitted with a 6 speed gearbox from 2003 onwards as standard. The 320td enjoys an emissions rating of only 153 g/km which means that is almost £100 year cheaper to tax than the 325ti version, almost twice as economical, and quicker to 60 mph than either of the 4 cylinder petrol models, so it is not hard to see why this version is a popular choice, and why you have to pay a premium when buying second hand for one. It is worth considering that in theory the 320td should be cheaper to run, but in order to justify the extra outlay and more frequent servicing requirements for the 320td, I would sit down and work out if you would be better off with a 4 cylinder engine model, especially if you only cover an average of 10-12,000 miles a year.

The 325ti is sports car in a hatchback body, and is the real enthusiast choice. It offers entry level Porsche Boxter performance for Ford Focus money and if you are concerned about emissions and mpg obviously this isn ' t the model to choose, so if you can stomach the higher insurance and fuel costs, the 325ti is a superb car to own and will offer an almost peerless driving and ownership experience.

Equipment levels are all good except for the Standard model which didn ' t have alloys or aircon as standard when new and is best avoided. For everyday use and value the SE and the ES limited edition run out model are the best bets with a decent level of spec and the standard suspension setup. The Sports versions are the most desirable on paper especially with the half leather interior and sports seats, but the combination of larger 17 ' alloys and sports suspension give a very firm ride which isn ' t for everyone and probably only for the enthusiast.

BMW everyday spares prices are surprisingly affordable. A clutch is approx £130, front brake pads £40, radiator £130, alternator £185, Starter motor around £125 and a replacement headlamp will require £170. These are of course the price of new items from a main dealer. A search of on line breakers yards could yield potential savings. It is no longer true that BMW ' s cost heaps more to run than more mainstream offerings, and being a BMW (who have a consistent and deserved reputation for build quality and reliability) you probably won ' t need many of them anyway.

As the oldest of the E46 Compacts are now approaching 8 years old, there is the temptation to skimp on main dealer servicing to cut costs. My advice is not to do this. There are two reasons for this advice. Firstly in my personal experience, many so called independent specialists are not fully equipped or trained to service BMW ' s. They may claim to be, but in my experience they can cut corners. A simply test of an independent is to ask how long does an Inspection II service take? This is a thorough service that is a up on the ramps wheels off and fluids changed job at a main agent and a dealer will normally need or take a few hours to do this. I have asked this question over the phone to two of my local ' specialists 'who were only quoting 2 hours or so to do the job, yet were charging (in one case literally) a few pounds less than my local main dealer, so who do you think is doing the proper job? The second reason is that BMW dealers operate a 4 plus servicing scheme which offers a discount on certain parts to encourage owners of older BMW ' s to keep them maintained within the dealership network. By all means shop around but remember, even if the main dealer is bit more money, only a main dealer can put that valuable dealer stamp in your service book and the assurance that brings. In other words, you get what you pay for and non main dealer servicing can reduce the value of your car or at least its saleability on the used car market in the future.

Buying:

Reliability across the range is superb with any problems usually as a result of owner neglect and poor maintenance but there are a couple of wear and tear items to watch out for though. The rear wash wipe mechanism has an inherent design flaw. The washer fluid tube passes through the motor and is dispensed from the wiper arm not from a separate nozzle. Over a period of time (usually 4-5 years depending on use) the wiper motor becomes contaminated with washer fluid that has dripped back down the wiper arm, and corrodes leading to failure of the motor. A main dealer will charge approx £180 plus fitting to sort it so it isn ' t the end of the world, but if you are looking at buying one it is something to watch out for and a useful bargaining point if it is broken.

Something else to be aware of is the suspension. The reason that the e46 range handles so well is due to the complex suspension setup that is used. The setup contains bushes and components that have to be in good condition for the suspension to work at its best. Over time especially in the more powerful versions these bushes and wishbones will wear and affect the handling and ride quality. An early sign is if you can feel any driveline shunt when changing gear or lateral rear suspension ' shoggle 'over drains covers, or rough surfaces in the road. If you experience knocking from any corner budget approx £150 per corner to get it sorted. Again not the end of the world but something to look out for or bargain with.

It is worth bearing in mind that at the time of writing, the newest example of the E46 Compact will now be 5 years old, so be thorough inspecting around the bodywork, and look for clumsy crash repairs and scuffs as these are a sign of a careless owner and could be pricey to fix.

Conclusion:

The E46 TI/Compact is currently enjoying a revival of interest in buyers, partially due to its affordability (compared with other 5-7 year old BMW models) but also due to its relatively small dimensions, relatively low fuel consumption and interesting design. The automotive press are united with the opinion that the E46 Compact was and is a popular starter car for new BMW owners who would later buy a larger vehicle from the marque.

Although the E46 Ti\Compact only went out of production in 2004, it is already beginning to enjoy a cult following in Europe (It was never exported to North America) and demand is high. So if you see a clean example don ' t hesitate as it will be snapped up very quickly by a keen buyer who like you, knows that the E46 3 series Compact is far from an inferior 3 series model and has enough of the BMW DNA to make sense in the range and stand up in its own right. The result is that the E46 3 series Compact is enjoyable blend of practicality and performance and a great car to drive and own.