E36 323i. Good buy?

[Bm3]

Craic lads, currently have a 318is and I'm tempted to upgrade to a 323i. Reason being I need some 6cyl growl in my life and the 323i are easy enough to insure as standard. Then obviously do a few bits to bring it closer to 325i power. Am I mad to pay the extra tax or are they worth it? I've driven a 325 before and loved the torque and power delivery, makes the IS seem a bit gutless. Not too worried about mpg as the IS only gets between 29-32 and I don't do big milage. Anything engine wise to look out for? Or any other advice?

Thanks in advance, Barry

[Venom]

Craic lads, currently have a 318is and I'm tempted to upgrade to a 323i. Reason being I need some 6cyl growl in my life and the 323i are easy enough to insure as standard. Then obviously do a few bits to bring it closer to 325i power. Am I mad to pay the extra tax or are they worth it? I've driven a 325 before and loved the torque and power delivery, makes the IS seem a bit gutless. Not too worried about mpg as the IS only gets between 29-32 and I don't do big milage. Anything engine wise to look out for? Or any other advice?

Thanks in advance, Barry

Go for it! Night and day difference.

[fluffmister]

yup go for it. i went with the 323i over the is and am delighted. just hard to find a clean one. the normal e36 rusting spots to look out for

[Ford 2]

Standard for standard there noting in it with lower diff in the IS. But mod the 323 it'll have it, good bit extra to tax and run and the m44 will be more reliable than the 52. But if it's sound, and speed after spending a few hundred then the 6cyl will work

[Bm3]

How much is a clean one worth? 99 115k miles mtech etc?

[Venom]

How much is a clean one worth? 99 115k miles mtech etc?

You'd be looking around 2 and a half I'd say for an exceptional one but there are always exceptions. Finding one will be the issue. 6 cylinders are not so common.

[Peter-E36]

The e36 323's M52B25 is great in the sense that you can (realistically/relatively cheaply) mod it to get more power than an M50B25 or even an M54B25. Funkyseefunkydoo got 207 bhp dyno'd from just an m50 manifold and 328 exhaust, not to mention with an aluminium block it's much lighter than the m50b25. The 2.93 ratio diff is annoying, but swap it for a medium case 3.15 from a 325 or 3.0 M3 a large case 3.23 from an M3 Evo or even a small case 3.45 from an iS or 320 and you will be flying. Non LSDs are very cheap and widely available if the ratio is all that matters.

I would certainly recommend one, I would be a bit biased though trying to think of a replacement is very difficult unless you're going for an M. Even a 330 e46 doesn't seem like a worthwhile upgrade in the sense that there is a noticeable difference in tax but not a massive difference in performance, not when you think a 3.0L M3 is the same tax anyway...

Best of luck anyway anything I can help with shoot me a pm!

[Dod]

I loved mine, the perfect middle grou d for performance and economy. Well worth a punt.

[Venom]

Head gaskets an issue?

[Bm3]

http://touch.adverts.ie/car/bmw/other-bmw/bmw-e36-325i-for-sale/6521218

At the risk of someone else going to see this before me figured I'd link it up anyway, This is the car I'm going to see on Saturday. Love the color, same as my is, but it's pretty low spec and yer man seems a bit dogey on the phone. 18 year old lad wants to put a big msport banner on the windscreen if he keeps it kinda Job. Almost feel obliged to save it from him. Looks a bit chavvy but I already have parts put aside for it, what are people's thoughts?