1996 BMW 3 Series Consumer Discussions

BMW 335i 2007+

Re: 3 Series Body Style Update [jmaroun]

Written by: shipo on Feb 11, 2008 07:14 PM

"To my knowledge, usually every three years, BMW updates minor body styling elements in their cars. Please correct me if I'm wrong." That doesn't always hold true. The 1997 debut of the E39 5-Series (which was released in late winter or early spring of 1996) lasted through the summer of 2000, effectively meaning that specific look lasted four and a half years. ... Read More...

BMW 3-Series Maintenance and Repair

Re: Any Opinions? [Mr_Shiftright]

Written by: roadburner on Nov 28, 2007 09:27 AM

Any opinions on the reputation, durability of a 1996 BMW 318iC 5 speed, 99K miles, very good records and history, clean car? I've heard that the convertible top can have problems, but I've never looked into it since drop tops don't interest me. As far as the rest of the car, the drivetrain is just about bulletproof. The only things that seem to wear are the serpentine ... Read More...

Any Opinions?

Written by: Mr_Shiftright on Nov 28, 2007 08:55 AM

Any opinions on the reputation, durability of a 1996 BMW 318iC 5 speed, 99K miles, very good records and history, clean car? Read More...

318ti idles totutottu and jerks

Written by: hummerman1 on Nov 14, 2007 01:14 PM

I owned a 1996 BMW 318TI, WITH 139,000 miles, it just pass state inspection in Penn 2 weeks ago, but right after the inspection the Check engine stays on, and when try to start at first try it does not start, the starts on second try and idles smoothly for about 3o seconds and start idling and jerking at same time. Once I hit the gas it goes smoothly, but when stop at a light ... Read More...

Entry Level Luxury Performance Sedans

ED pros and cons

Written by: habitat1 on Nov 14, 2007 10:10 AM

ED as a way to save money buying a BMW comes up on a regular basis and the pros and cons are debated as if there is a "right" answer. There isn't. Having two associates that purchsed BMW's in the last 2 months highlights the differences. The one that purchased via ED took his wife to Europe for a 10 day vacation. They bought a 335i convertible and had a great time enjoying ... Read More...

BMW 3-Series Service

BMW MECHANIC Recommendation NEEDED between Calabasas & Camarillo California

Written by: shopokane on Sep 28, 2007 01:54 PM

Hello all, son just purchased 1996 bmw 328i this past week from a private party. Car was really cared for, looks great, clean, etc...so we did not choose to get a mechanic to look at it in advance. Now, a week later, the check engine light went on today. I know that when a gas cap is not on tight, that can cause a loss in the vaccuum and result in the light coming on , but I ... Read More...

Entry Level Luxury Performance Sedans

Re: Lighter than I6 [fedlawman]

Written by: thegraduate on Apr 06, 2007 10:18 PM

Wow, I didn't realize how incredibly portly these little cars are compared to mine. I have two Accords, a 1996 and a 2006, both are 4-cylinder models. The old one weighs less than 2900 lbs, while the new one weighs less than 3200. The compact, sporty BMW weighs 3,500-3,600 lbs! Amazing to me! I know guys, this isn't typically my forum, but I troll around occasionally, ... Read More...

Re: All those names... [hauss]

Written by: shipo on Mar 11, 2007 07:31 PM

hauss, blueguydotcom is referring to the nomenclature for the specific BMW models. A quick cheat sheet (off the top of my head so may be off by a year here and there) is as follows: 3-Series: E30 -- 1983-1991 E36 -- 1991-1998 E46 -- 1999-2005 E90 -- 2006- (Coupe version called E92) 5-Series: E28 -- 1982-1988 E34 -- 1988-1996 E39 -- 1997-2003 E60 -- 2004- Options: ... Read More...

Purchasing Used BMW 318ti

Re: Purchasing 318ti [mrbimmer]

Written by: div2 on Nov 08, 2006 06:14 AM

I am not sure, maybe you could get a re-map, because i have heard that from either 1996 or 1997 onward the engines use a different ECU that drastically improves performance. In 1996 BMW switched from the 1.8 liter M42 engine to the 1.9 M44. At the same time OBD II was implemented. While a dead stock M44 has a very slight edge in power, a Conforti chipped M42 will have ... Read More...

Entry Level Luxury Performance Sedans

Re: Can I bring up the future "1" last time for a momment [habitat1]

Written by: rockylee on Oct 05, 2006 08:05 AM

A lot less nimble than their RWD counterparts. True, but they still sell quite a few for it being a BMW That's your perogative. Pay for the extra gas, ALL THE TIME. Pay for the extra maintenance and, potentially, expensive repairs down the road. And then call me up when it's pouring rain or a freak snowstorm in Texas and ask me if I want to race? No thanks. Further, I ... Read More...