Noisy fuel pump
Radiator failed (actually broke)
Other minor stuff.
This is a decent little car, but it is gutless! The 4 cylinder is a real poor match to the automatic trans. stock 0-60 time was over 12 seconds! I turbocharged it and now it does 0 to 60 in 6.0s flat. (http://home.att.net/~jroal/jay/bmw.html). The body structure is very rigid and the performance potential is there. However, from the factory this car did not even have a rear sway bar. It sits too high as well. All the basics are there for this to be a great performing car, but BMW missed the mark on this one. Keep in mind this is the weakest BMW made in 1984 and I suspect the other models to be much better. Overall I still really like the car (now that I turbocharged it).
12 sec 0-60 MPH is not too bad considering it's a 1984 car with no twincam or multivalve head, adding to that the weight of the sturdy body and the automatic gearbox (basically mandatory in America), plus American smog control plumbing.
I've had my 84 318i for over a year and it's been a comfortable, reliable and stylish daily driver. It's an automatic, but as a daily driver I'm not in a hurry (I have other sports cars for that), it's in fantastic shape (currently 89,000 miles) and since I've owned it have only done oil changes and replaced the brake light switch.
I have done several cosmetic things -- front/rear emblems, chrome/plastic beading around the front/rear windows (and let me say if you want to really clean up an older car like this these will make a tremendous difference in appearance), located all tools for the trunk kit, heat/sound pads on the inside of the hood and a couple of trim pieces.
But -- it's clean, straight (nice shiny white paint) and runs like a top. I'll probably keep it forever.
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