Hello all,
I've been offered FiL's 318i auto, which I'm intending to buy as soon as he decides what he's changing it for. The car has full BMW service history, and has just had its Inspection 2 at 60,000 miles.
I know from the CBCB that I should have the ATF changed on the auto box as BMW won't have done this, but what else should I look out for once I get it? The car is in top condition - its been cosseted from new - so I'm intending to give it a long and happy life. Any suggestions - especially from those of you who've owned and run 3s - would be welcome.
TIA,
Gromit
PS: Please don't post suggestions for what else I could/should buy, why running a BMW is badge snobbery etc. :-) The inlaws have one to sell, and they're not parting with their equally well cared-for Focus estate which I'd be equally happy with. Its either buy the BM, eke the ailing Punto along, or take pot luck with the patchy service histories that are the lot of the Irish used car buyer (most Irish motorists seem to think oil and filters are an optional extra!)
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watch out for 'mechanics' that can't diagnose faults - see technical matters :)
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how old? and what engine?
i had one and it needed a new disa valve...a common problem after about 5 yrs i was told
also check front suspension rubbers on the "control arm" (something like that)
they are a very common bmw fault/error/problem they are rubber and if u can see a tear,they need renewing...look at them with a torch..
as it underneath the car toward the rear of the engine :-)
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Gromit - what are you thinking of? That'll be one less fellow-Punto driver on Ireland's roads!! Funny, took a run to Dublin last month and the number of Mk IIs with '99-01 plates was amazing. Not all in great nick, though!
Seriously, though, how does the beemer compare to the driving experience of the Punto? Mine groans and creaks and struggles to push 75 but I love it all the same!
AA
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storme: how old? and what engine?
Its 2001, with the 118bhp engine AFAIK with four-speed auto. I'm pretty sure the suspension rubbers have been changed - if not at this service, then at 50,000 miles.
aaflyer: my Punto is older than that! Its a '99 Mk1 60bhp. I've minded it well, serviced it twice a year (I do an average of 9000 miles a year) and had any suspected fault seen to as soon as I've noticed it. Despite that, I fear its become a money pit over the past year or so and isn't likely to get much better. Comparing the drive to the 3 series is like comparing chalk and cheese - FiL's 3 feels like new, and is very relaxed to cruise along in. That said, I know I'll be sad to see the Punto go when it comes to it!
Its no accident there are so many 99-01 Puntos about - at the time, they were the cheapest new car you could buy in Ireland (bar the Siecento, which was really to small for our pot-holed roads!) and there was an extra £1,000 off with the government's scrappage deal if you replaced a 10yr+ car with a brand new one.
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If you buy this you will be very dissapointed with its performance and fuel consumption.
If going for a 318, find a post Sep 2001 (143hp, VANOS engined) Manual car. It is delightful car, with good performance and fuel cosumption - in fact I will stick out my neck to say that at times it can be more fun than a 320i of similar vintage, becuase of the lighter engine. All four cylinder petrol Autos prior to 2007 changes pay a very big penatly in terms of fuel consumpiton, as much 20-25% over the manual car.
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The OP specifically says he's only (potentially) buying this particular make and model because his FiL has offered it to him, he's not looking for alternatives....
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The OP specifically says he's only (potentially) buying this particular make and model because his FiL has offered it to him he's not looking for alternatives....
True.. but it is best that he makes his own decesion based on our experience/opinion/advice. A single word like 'don't' wouldn't be very helpful.
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Steering racks.
We've got a 318 Compact at work, '04 model year and the rack disintegrated 2 months out of warranty at only 20,000 (town) miles. BMW paid 70% without asking.
Despite the use, I was a bit shocked to hear that it had failed at such a low mileage/age.
Before the Compact we had a 318 Saloon, '00 model year that had a heavy thirst for oil (until it was stolen - and recovered 1 week after the insurance company paid out).
I have to say, our experiences with BMWs have not been that good!
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as Cjay says really
u will be fed up with the fuel and speed etc.
And the 118bhp engine does have a Disa valve which i needed to replace at 5 yrs old...£250 from bmw not including labour
i could hear it ticking at speed...its only a rubber diafram, but it wears with time...its like an extending inlet manifold.
Also the rubber mounts on the control arm are not done on a service...they are a repair job, and expensive
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My personal experience (a 2003 318Ci on 82k, 2002 320D on 108k) is that the cars have been reliable EXCEPT for very well known cam sensor issue on the petrol and turbo on the diesel.
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YES
i forgot that..i had the cam position sensor done as well...£60 for the part and 15 minutes labour the change it...
when this goes the car wont start at all.!!!!! i only knew mine was dodgy because a friend got a new diagnostic kit for bmw's etc for his garage and it showed something like 215 intermittent faults with the cam sensor...so we knew to change it!! This bit of kit even showed an error in the light switch!!!!!
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Many thanks for your advice so far - its useful to know what to expect as the car gets older.
I'm aware that MPG won't be great and its not especially fast, but as I do low mileage and want a more relaxed style of driving than the Punto's revving its heart out to keep up with main road traffic, I can live with that.
As I'd get the car for approx. 2/3 what a dealership would sell for, buying another 318 isn't an option, though I accept the post-September 2001 cars are quite an improvement. If I do go for it, it appears I'd want to put a contingency fund in place for running repairs.
Regarding the disa valve and cam sensor, do these give any noticeable warning they're about to fail (other than the fault codes already mentioned) that I should be alert to if I do buy the car?
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it sounds silly..... but i could "hear" mine if i listened out of the window when driving down a quite bit of road that had a crash barrier or similiar...say like a tunnel...somewhere u could really listen to your car when no-one else was around and no other cars..
it wasnt a real problem,,,the car still worked..when i got it changed the most noticeable effect was it went from 25 to 30 mpg straight away..
and.. it also gave the performance a boost like a turbo kicking in...
im not saying it was a flyer,,just that i was used to the car as it was..then after changing it,there was a noticable difference...
much like suspension...as it slowly gets old and saggy,,the owners dont notice.....until they change it for a brand new setup ..then WOW .
i wouldnt say the disa valve was a concern..i'd just say that one day it will need changing.
the cam position sensor also cheap...
so just go check those control arms :):):):):)
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If you're finding a Punto is becoming a 'money pit', I don't know if I'd recommend a prestige car such as a BMW - speaking from personal impoverishment! I know E46's are thought of as reliable, but even wear and tear service parts such as tyres, suspension and brakes will be several multiples of Punto money.
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I take your point, perleman, but why I'm getting fed up of the Punto is its been back to the garage over the past 18 months for a succession of wear-and-tear faults...even though its only done moderate mileage and is well cared for.
I don't object to fixing a good car, but this is becoming a case of shelling out good money after bad to fix one fault only to wait for the next one to crop up! To be fair, the car has never left me at the side of the road, but I think its time for something more reliable - and the BMW should fit the bill as its a known quantity.
That said, I must take another look at the prices of service items compared to, say, a Corolla or Civic auto before taking the plunge...
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Once you've done the ATF change, check the autobox changes smoothly, and that the kickdown switch works near instantaneously.
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Update.
FiL has found his new car - a year-old 520D manual. He expects to collect it next weekend, so I should get the 318 this Saturday.
As far as I can tell, it has none of the potential faults discussed here. If FiL suspected there was anything amiss, he'd have it seen to before I got the car. I'll let you know how I get on with it in due course.
I'll also be selling the Punto, so once I've reminded myself of its service history when I unearth the old garage bills for any prospective buyers to see, I'll post a summary here.
Thanks to those of you who took the time to share your advice!
- Gromit
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Enjoy it, look forward to your impressions.
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