1991 BMW 3 Series 318i Convertible review from UK and Ireland

Windscreen washer jets lost pressure. Remedied easily by changing to new bigger bore hoses and blocking off the connection to the headlight washers. This allowed the pump to deliver all the pressure to the windscreen jets. The problem was most likely due to debris blocking the old hoses.

Rear tyres "scrubbing" on the inside of the wheel arches. This only really happens when fully loaded with 5 adults. The car is lowered 60mm on all four corners. For the sake of an occasional rub, it is not worth the money to roll the arches or raise the suspension.

Brakes squealing after new pads and discs were fitted. Some copper grease sorted this out.

Central locking "bounces" back from locked about 4-5 times. I am told this is due to faulty locking controllers, of which there are three. One in each door and one in the boot. Reasonably expensive to replace, and not the troublesome really. Although the car has had the door barrels removed for aesthetic reasons so a complete battery drain or lock failure could result in having to break a window to get into the car.

The car has extremely high spec for 91'. Leather sports seat are very comfortable and easy to clean. Hard to go back to old flat seats with cloth.

The handling in this car is terrific. With rear wheel drive, lower centre of gravity and Alpina wheels the grip levels are impressive. The same word of caution as always with the E30, be careful in the wet. While the 4-cylinder 1.8 lacks raw power, 3500 to 5500 rpm range delivers good response.

The convertible is quite a lot heavier than my last E30 316, and consequently feels a little sluggish in comparison due to the extra frame support required to stiffen the chassis without the support of a metal roof.

Due to the age and weight of this car it uses quite a lot of fuel. Best mpg is 30. It can go quiet a lot lower if driven with "enthusiasm".

This car needs to be looked after. Even knowing the Haynes manual cover to cover, the occasional bit of guidance of a mechanic who is familiar with BMWs will go a long way.