I'm looking to buy a Compact. About £8000 to spend so have been looking at 1998 Sports mainly and some newer lower spec models. Can anyone give me any advice on Compacts? I'm new to BMWs and Compacts so any advice would be great. For example, is it worth paying the extra to get a Sport? Will I find them a reliable motor? Will servicing and running costs be high?
Thanks in advance.
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Don`t believe the myth that BMW`s are expensive to run and maintain, - I have a friend who ran a 528i saloon over 170k miles (from new) without any major faults, and he reckoned the routine servicing ran out cheaper than on a 2.0 litre Mondeo he owned prior to the Beemer.
As far as early compacts are concerned, they are not fitted with the Z axle, so handling will be somewhat compromised, but they are extremely reliable providing you buy one with full BMWSH, you should have few problems.- see H.J`s car x car breakdown on this forum.
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I have no experience of the 3-Series Compact but I have been told more than once that they are not the nicest 3-Series to drive and ride in. Perhaps a comprehensive test drive of the Compact against the saloon and/or the estate would be worthwhile. I personally much prefer the 5-Series.
So long as you don't pay too many visits to the main dealer (or 'stealer' to use a common term amongst BMW owners) the running costs should be very reasonable. On my 1992 5-Series, D-I-Y servicing is surprisingly easy and economic, but I don't know about the 3-Series Compact. Several firms sell discounted BMW parts and there are lots of non-franchise BMW specialists about if you would prefer someone else to do the servicing.
A visit to John Burns' BMW website should prove useful. It can be found at www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk/bmw.html
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If you live in the London area, for "value", check out the stock at the Great trade centre whose web-site search engine is excellent. Also look up all the web addresses in HJ's FAQs 4 & 2
www.honestjohn.co.uk/redirect.php?www.greattradece...k
www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/faq.htm?id=1
www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/faq.htm?id=2
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Thank you all for the replies so far. I have seen the Great Trade Centre cars advertised and was considering giving them a look. In my experience though, these cars tend to be less well cared for than buying privately. I've looked at 2 in dealers so far with high miles and lots of untidy bodywork.
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I'd concur with most of what has been said so far. I recently bought an early 98 318ti Auto with 20k miles for £6.8k privately, leather and sunroof but no aircon. I also own an e39 528 and will stop there as there is no point in comparing them. I previously owned an e36 318 saloon with the 8v engine HJ mentions. In summary...
Buy a 318ti, it is a cut down 318is coupe for £2k less. The car does not ride as well an e36 saloon, the handling is more responsive but is also a bit more "raw" than the full e36. The dashboard is a worked over e30 moulding I understand and is a bit austere and "building blocky" compared to the saloon. Generally the car is not as well sound proofed as the saloon and doesn't feel as refined althought the mechanicals are largely identical. Despite all this it still feels like a "proper" bmw and is best compared to say a Golf GTI. The hatchback makes it more practical than an e36 saloon. The 140bhp engine in the ti compensates for the stripped out feeling of the interior, the 1.6 model is too basic in all departments.
I'd avoid paying too much for the sport models as they do get dangerously close to full blown coupe prices, I've seen dealer cars within 2k of my higher mileage bmw approved 528i which is a magnificent car and vastly superior in all departments. The ti model is great for zipping around town and country roads if your usage is more motorway/a roads I'd look at the coupe or the 4 dr 318is they made in the final years of the e36 model.
HTH, Ian
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Thanks for all of these replies, v. useful. I think the Compact is for me as I predominantly drive around town and enjoy the zip of a hatchback but I want the prestige of a beemer!
Glad there don't appear to be any real nasties.
One thing I've noticed looking in Auto Trader & E&M is that many private sellers are drastically overpricing their cars. I looked at a 98 Sport for 8k at a dealers the other day and just saw a few on Auto Trader trying to sell privately for nearer 9k. Why don't people price realistically, private should be cheaper! I'm sure they'll be insulted if I offer 1.5k less than their asking price.
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A month ago I bought a lovely BMW 316ti compact, full Mtec from new version, looked stunning (montreal blue) handled like a dream (in the dry), till I put it round a little roundabout with a touch too much throttle and spun it into some traffic lights. - GUTTED!
So on the handling, in my experience, they are superb in the dry, but be very very careful in the wet. Short car, with rear wheel drive (unless you have traction control) is very easy to get sideways without trying in the wet.
Car's a write off now so I'm going to look at a non Mtec version tonight : ( Rare as rocking horse droppings those Mtec 316ti's!
Can't afford to insure a 318ti now that I've smashed up one BMW. Boo. Will have to wait a year or two for the 1.9ti.
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