has a problem with the auto shifter I think a Neutral saftey switch, It will shut off going down the road, If you stop and move the shifter back and forth It will restart. also this car has Headlight covers, side marker lights are behind the front wheel ,Is that standard fo USA Model. A friend has it for a Grand, seats are shot but otherwise Looks pretty Good.
not sure on your trans issues, but the E36 as your describe it is US standard. Headlights are one piece with what looks like 4 headlights behind the glass and the repeater is between the wheel and door.
Thank you, curious I guess I never noticed.
Damn, I own a 2200lb e30 318i (M42) m/t. I can't imagine how slow a e36 318 automatic must be with all that extra weight too....
Putting that aside, e36 318's are a dime a dozen on craigslist and seem to sit on CL forever (at least around here). With a manual, they can be pretty zippy and get great MPGs for commuting. I wouldn't pay $1k for an automatic one, especially with trashed seats, unless it's especially mint and rust-free otherwise. You can get 6-cyl e36 for slightly more than the 318, and the engine is much better suited to the heavier chassis, honestly. YMMV though.
On the upside, at least the '95 still has the M42 engine, not the M44 that came the next year and is inferior due to not having a forged crank.
It's not difficult to bypass the NSS. My e36 has that, mostly because it's a Manual now, and runs great.
I think I read some place that the 318 takes boost really well. Not sure on this though.
The M44 is only inferior if you want to run a lot of boost. It does perfectly fine with a supercharger. The manual 4 cylinders are not as slow as you might think, yes they take 8.5 seconds to 60, but you have to factor in the fact you need to shift twice to get there. Zero to 50 they are almost as fast as the 325... at least in the Compact, which is a significantly lighter car than the sedan and coupe'.
I have thought of getting another hatchback e36, but I know I would be tempted to dive down the rabbit hole of suspension work again. If not for serious rust issues due to a botched accident repair, I would still have that car.
It is getting Older but looks good, Only issue is the seats and Shifter deal.
mad_machine said:The M44 is only inferior if you want to run a lot of boost. It does perfectly fine with a supercharger. The manual 4 cylinders are not as slow as you might think, yes they take 8.5 seconds to 60, but you have to factor in the fact you need to shift twice to get there. Zero to 50 they are almost as fast as the 325... at least in the Compact, which is a significantly lighter car than the sedan and coupe'.
I have thought of getting another hatchback e36, but I know I would be tempted to dive down the rabbit hole of suspension work again. If not for serious rust issues due to a botched accident repair, I would still have that car.
I'm pretty sure I know how slow or not slow they are, considering there is one in my driveway and another one in my backyard ;)
Don't get me wrong, I love the buzzy little M42 (which is why I haven't swapped yet)....but my freaking Sequioa or my wife's CV-9 kid-hauler would annihilate it in a drag race :) It's a fun slow, however. Mostly because you can wring the engine out with the shifter. IDK if it would be a fun slow with a slushbox attached, though.
In reply to dean1484 :
They seem to take about 7-8psi on a totally stock engine without blowing anything up....more with headgasket and upgraded bolts.
Supercharger would be great, though it's damn near impossible to find the DASC these days, so you'd have to piece one together on your own. Turbo is the easier route in terms of fabrication and off-the-shelf kits for the M42/m44 these days, from what I can tell.
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