1990 BMW 3 Series 318 iS review from UK and Ireland
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Clutch slave and master cylinders failed almost simultaneously. Ticking from hydraulic tappet (esp. when cold) - but does not cause a problem. Discs need replacing.
General comments?
First rate sports car of the old-school. 137 bhp is reasonable power for swift progress up to ~80mph. iS model has sport suspension, all round discs, 15x7" alloys and 16V which improve every aspect of driving over a normal 318i.
Very tricky in the wet. Suspension is jiggly at slow speeds. Steering is phenomenally heavy when parking (no p/s) but superb feedback at higher speeds.
In summary, it is not a car for commuting (too stiff & responsive) nor long distance (too stiff, noisy at speed and requires 100% concentration) but is perfect for "weekend" speed/sports driving with a big dollop of RWD charisma thrown in.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1990 |
| First year of ownership | 1999 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2000 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.8 DOHC 16V Manual |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 4 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 8 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 85000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 92000 miles |
| Previous car | BMW 316 |
| Date of Entry | 2nd March, 2000 |