3 series BMW as a daily driver...

Specifically, something like a 1986 vintage...

What kind of fuel mileage could I expect to get with one of these?

Tanks

318 will be top dog on mileage at 30-ish. 325i will get you 22/25 or thereabouts.

my 4 .dr 87 e model gets mid twenties even with my not so gentle right foot and a non functional o2 sensor. i expect i could get as high as 30 in town with a gentle foot and working sensor. highway is actually a little less as i tend to go fast and that puts it pretty high up in the rpm range for an e model.

30ish I could live with... Hmmm...

Mid to high 20s in town with a 95 e36 318ti - low 30s on the hwy

Look for a '91 318is. But a good condition one will not be close to challenge friendly prices.

I say that since you mentioned an '86.

if you are not dead set on an E30.. take a look at the E36 318ti. Same basic engine, same basic suspension, better aerodynamics, and more interior room.

I can get mid 30s on mine

+1 on the E36 recommendation, my '97 328is gets 28 MPG in mixed driving, and over 30 MPG on sustained highway driving.

when i was shopping around i looked at e36's too. they are nice and everything said is true. but two reasons i didnt get an e36 that may apply to your search is that the HAVE to have plis grade or better fuel and the replacement tires/ wearable brake items seemed to be more expensive than an e30.

Re the E36, I'm getting solidly in the mid 20's in mixed driving with the '97 328iC, although I do run 93 octane in it. I would be surprised if it didn't hit 30 mpg with all highway driving

itsarebuild wrote: when i was shopping around i looked at e36's too. they are nice and everything said is true. but two reasons i didnt get an e36 that may apply to your search is that the HAVE to have plis grade or better fuel and the replacement tires/ wearable brake items seemed to be more expensive than an e30.

I run premium in mine, so that's a fair argument. However, at this point an E30 in good condition is much more difficult to find than an E36 in comparable condition, and will likely demand a premium over the E36. Not sure if it's a factor, but E30s tend to have more rust issues, and they're all 20+ years old now. My E36 has 16" wheels, but many could be had with 15" wheels, and the brake prices are pretty low, as well. I go on the Group Buy forum on Bimmerforums and the vendors are very aggressive in pricing to get your business. So far I've found that BMW mechanical items have been reasonably priced, but BMW interior and exterior parts are extremely expensive (see $600 for a single seat rail and $300 for a simple rubber door seal). The trick there is to look for someone parting out a car.

Some prefer the way the E30 drives over the E36, but I would honestly drive both and see which you prefer.

I get about 20 mixed driving in my '87 325is. But that's with a heavy right foot, a large roof rack, and wide sticky tires.

They're great daily drivers, during the school year I commute 20 miles each way on the highway daily, in the e30.

itsarebuild wrote: when i was shopping around i looked at e36's too. they are nice and everything said is true. but two reasons i didnt get an e36 that may apply to your search is that the HAVE to have plis grade or better fuel and the replacement tires/ wearable brake items seemed to be more expensive than an e30.

The manual states regular, but for added performance and economy run premium. I didn't notice any real difference between regular and premium on my 318ti.. Parts prices are pretty similar, and in some cases the same parts. When I started looking at parts, I was amazed how cheap E36 stuff was....

Depending on the E36, if you keep the 15" tires, they are pretty inexpensive. I just put some high dollar michelins on, and the bill was less than $400.

I average 32mpg in the ti....with an auto.

honestly, with E36s.. the only expensive parts are the model specific ones.. like Ti interior parts compared to coupe or sedan.. again, ebay and forums are your friend