BMW 325 - AdvanR Read

[Wolfe]

325's are not carburetted, cars that have simply "325" on the rear decklid are SuperEta's... All E30's are fuel injected, at least in the United States. This is basically a 325e with the i intake manifold, camshaft, and throttle. They make 7 more horsepower than Eta's, for 127, still 178 lb/ft of torque (At 2000 RPM!) Supereta block is what you start out with when you build a 2.8 Stroker.

*thumbs through Chiltons model index* Hmm. You're right. Oh well, there's nothing new about a mis-named BMW...

i - fuel injection... a misnomer, all E30's are injected, running Bosch Motronic 1.0, or Motronic 1.1 for all cars after built after September of 1987. This is when the taillights changed as well.

I still can't believe they've kept the "i" on for all these years...

Anyway, not only did the taillights change, the bumpers changed, too (I'm sure you know this already, slowman, but I'm explaining for the sake of Slicks and Duke ).

Pre-9/87 (US-spec "safety bumpers," aka "diving boards." Canadian ones might be smaller):


Post-9/87 (still US-spec - the bumpers became much smaller):


I actually prefer the older bumpers, not for their size, but for the visual contrast they provide. I also really dislike the newer taillights -- apparently, BMW's M division did too, as the M3 kept the old-style taillights until the E30's discontinuance in the early 90's.

OK, between this, BMWe30.net (found it before, actually), and the Grassroots Motorsports forum, as well as some other sites I've visited, I'm quite convinced that I want one.

I'll have to see the car up close and then get an inspection on it.. see what happens from there. I'll keep you posted!

Good luck!

 

[slowman]

I was wrong about something... M10 318i's run Bosch K-Jetronic if I remember right

All iterations of the E30 in the US:

318i
318iS (later, get a '91!)
325
325e
325eS
325i
325iX
325iS
M3

Plus the ones we never got
315 (I'm not even joking)
316
320i
320iT (wagon! I want one! There are 14 known in the US, grey market from Canada)
323i
324d (diesel)
324td (turbo diesel)
M3 Sport Evolution
M3 Sport Evolution II 2.3
M3 Sport Evolution III 2.5 (240hp, the one to get! They are grey market and there are 2 or 3 in the US, I don't remember. We never officially got any Sport Evolutions)

All the letters and what they mean, pay attention to capitalization

A - automatic, never a badge at the back of the car, all BMW's with an automatic are designated with an A according to the VIN... Unofficial... 325eA, 740iLA

d - diesel (get yourself a Europe only 730dA... life in the slow lane )

e - eta, not in use anymore

i - injection (all BMW's are fuel injected since... the mid 70's or so at least for the US. i can also mean international... in the case of the 2002 tii. Touring injection international

L - Long wheelbase version of a car

M - The most powerful letter in the world

S - sport

t - touring, can denote a wagon, hatchback, or denotes turbocharging. Looking at the car as a whole will tell you what the t means

X - all wheel drive, this letter is not capitalized anymore, and since the E30, the way it was shown has been reversed... it used to be iX, now it is displayed as xi

Z - sporty (2 door only) cars. Z1, Z3, M coupe, Z4, Z8

I don't think I forgot anything, if I did, please add.

 

[Wolfe]

I was wrong about something... M10 318i's run Bosch K-Jetronic if I remember right

You're right. I missed that.

Also, the only M3 that was a "Sport Evolution" was the Evo III.
Evolution -> Evolution II -> Sport Evolution

 

[frestkd]

go here http://www.bmwe30.net/ if you have not already ..... I know E30s BMWs and they can be a fun car to own and drive ..... There is also people doing this to E30 BMWs but it is kinda wrong if you're a diehard BMW Car Nut! http://members.shaw.ca/kfgroup/index.htm <---Nissan SR20DET Engine Swap. Popular in Thailand so I have heard. Oh what fun!

Kristof