So im going off to college in a few months and will be driving home alot. So I put the Disco up for trade just to see what wad out there. I wanted a 5speed gas saver figuring they would all be econoboxes that would make me love the disco more.

Well I got an offer for an even trade on a 1992 BMW 318i convertible. 5spd. 18k on a new motor. Lots of new parts. 30+ mpg. He wants to meet tomorrow and trade.

My rover has been good to me. Only eating one rotoflex, a mastercylinder, and a brakeline. It has 160k and it seems like im waiting for something major to go out...

Now the decision part do I go for the BMW or keep a good running 4x4 gas guzzler that I love and have always wanted?

Any advice, input or the like would be greatly appreciated.

-Brad

 

Keep the Disco. Enjoy college life. Don't travel home frequently.

 

Personally it would take more than a 20 year old base model BMW to make me give up my Rover. They're ok little cars but a 318 is still a 318 no matter how you look at it. If you are mainly concerned about gas mileage they're not really all that and I'd bet apples to oranges that 30+mpg is total bs unless you baby it which is very hard considering they have no ***** at all. The convertables are notorious PITA's and they almost always leak somewhere, not to mention even fully functional and leak free they are noisy as all get out.

The new motor thing is another worry as you cant trust anyone when they say that, documented or not. Nobody that just spent the cash to install a new motor 18k ago is going to trade you straight up for a Disco. A new motor cost twice what that car is actually worth anyway so I'd really really cautious.

Not trying to be harsh but I'd hate to see you get rid of one demon and inherit a worse demon. Considering that 318 is worth under 2 grand in perfect condition I'd make him cough up some cash if you do trade him but then again I'd never swap a vehicle as more often than not people looking to trade are total cons in my experience. People that wanna trade usually cant sell what they have so they find another path to get rid of it. Trading a POS to someone is much easier than selling it outright. If it's as nice as he says he could easily sell it and buy whatever he wants, but he'd need two of them to sell to afford a decent Disco if you get where I'm coming from.

I dunno man considering the fact that it's a trash Bimmer, you always wanted a Disco and you're having trouble deciding, I'd walk away. Those old BMWs are a dime a dozen, they are low end wanna be luxury cars and they take themselves apart. They will nickel and dime you to death and one that has "lots of new parts" and "a new engine" is probably just a cobbled together basket case someone wants to pawn off before it dies.

Your Disco like all of them can be a pain but these things are special. We hate them but we love them and swapping one for a roached out BMW (havent seen the car but a 20 year old BMW is a 20 year old BMW, it's got a gremlin somewhere) just seems crazy. Have you thought about driving the Rover for a while and saving a bit til you can afford a decent commuter car? We've got another vehicle for that exact reason but we'll always keep the Rover. If gas mileage and reliability is what you seek, maybe save up a grand or two and buy an old Volvo, Honda or Toyota and keep the Rover. Swapping it and having a BMW as your sole vehicle will eventually make you regret it.

EDIT: By the way after reading you have me thinking, if you're going to get rid of it how much do you want for it? If you're gonna swap it for a car that's worth peanuts, I'll give you what that BMW is worth for it. Or I have a 96 Cherokee, you can swap me

 

Man I am in the same boat, along with joining the Marine Corp Reserves. I have to commute from Starkville, MS to Gulfport, MS one weekend a month and 2 weeks in the summer (a little over 500 miles round trip). I don't know how I can do this with Claire and I love her to death. So I'm thinking either keep her and buy a POS car that gets good gas milage (civic?), and keep Claire as a project on the side, or just sell her and buy a decent car ( integra again?)

 

bradical -

1. With price of gas, an econo-box that gets good mpg will be either over priced, or in need of a number of repairs. Kinda a like a good 4 wheel drive, why would you sell it?

2. Sale price for Disco with known low mpg is depressed in the current "gonna be $4 by summer, then drop just in time for election" price system.

3. Price to repair high miles econo box is going to be a factor, plus time and place to do the work.

4. Keep what you have, find new pals and gals to introduce to the wonders of the great outdoors with your Rover. Then you won't be coming home on the weekends, most college girls can think of plenty of things to do on a weekend.

5. Calebbo - gas savings won't offset the above. And thanks for your service to our country. This Sunday will be the anniversary of the start of the battle of Iwo Jima, and the flag raising happened on the 23rd. Thousands of Marines died, and thousands more participated in this long battle that lasted over a month. Over 20,000 Japanese soldiers were killed. You can see both of the flags that were raised at the USMC museum in Virgina, along with a huge display of everything Marine at exit 150 on I-95. 27 Marines and Navy personnel were awarded the Medal of Honor, and over 300 Silver Stars were awarded to the Marines. "Uncommon valor was a common virtue"

 

What is a "new motor"?
Was it a rebuild or a tested used engine?...
Why was it replaced?
What is the chassis miles?

Let me give you my personal experience...

I've owned 2 e36 318 series in a "is" (1.9L) coupe and a "ti"(1.8L). The 30mpg is possible if you only drive on the freeway @ 65mph...all the time. Mixed driving will only net you on average 25mpg. Do not think that you will be inheriting a car that you will never have any problems.

Just like Disco service intervals and parts that go bad at this age, are similarly common, for example; the fuel pump, window regulator clips, broken fog light(s), wheel bearings, control arm bushings, differential,....man I can go on...but you get the idea. The DIY'er can definitely work on the car with common garage tools (with some exceptions).

To sum it up...

e36's are fantastic vehicles. It is the typical Bavarian, well handling machine. As long as the drive train and engine are serviced as scheduled and even having synthetics, will keep it running, literally, forever.

As mentioned by another member, the older BMW, e30 series, could be a better trade. Try looking for a 90-91 body style. The 318's will come with the same M42 engine as in the e36. Since you are in college, get a hard top'd car. You don't want to drive around with a hole cut in the roof...those are BANK to replace. The e30 4-door 5speeds are getting REALLY rare and would be a good trade.

Good luck.

 

You are thinking like our getting married son is (or not thinking on his part)
AS I told him, how far must you drive to recover the cost of the econobox in gas saved.
In his case his gets 14 mpg and the new one gets 21 mpg.
So you do the math and see it it is better to keep what you know or HOPE to get a good one.

 

Better the devil you know than the one you do not know.

 

if your gonna go for a bmw, dont get a e36, of coarse the better wont get more then 20 mpg haha. i love my e38, great car and im about to hit 200k on it.

 

get a more economical car. seriously... i dont know how people drive these things daily haha


if you got something more economical than that bmw (that thing will get 25mpg on a good day...) youll be spending 50% less on fuel...