BMW 318i Top Gear 1991

[@PhuriousStyles]

It’s 2021, 30 years later, in hindsight there was no danger of loosing that following! Viva le E36!

[@Azraltarux]

as owned of one of this i must say that aftermarket performance make it run great ! low suspension and 225/50/16 tiers make it look and handle awesome !

[@Raph2D]

I've had this car for about 5+ years now and it's still going great after 250,000 kms. Just needs good maintenance but when done properly, it's bulletproof.

[@gunterdearborn2313]

And now? Bought one for my 18 year old son two weeks ago.

[@Raph2D]

@@gunterdearborn2313 sold it three years ago for a Toyota GT86

[@gunterdearborn2313]

@@Raph2D nice!

[@ivokiller2000intel]

@@gunterdearborn2313 A friend of mine has one with 300.000km of abuse and still going strong. unluckiliy the frame fractured on the rear suspension bushings so it needs some welding work to keep on with the fun I´d love to have such a cool dad as you

[@gunterdearborn2313]

@@ivokiller2000intel Thank you, I am actually not very cool, I have just looked up how long a 318i runs. But thank you anyway, you will be minimum as cool as me :) The BMW now has 224.000 km.

[@sarwarahmed7962]

I remember when my dad first bought this car brand new in 1992, he kept it until 2008 when the new BMW 535d m sport lci E60

[@bellumpullum9734]

People saying it's a boring car have never driven one. I own a straight six 325i and it puts a big smile on my face every time I drive it. The suspension, handling, and torque it has, are enough to give you a thrill. It eats up corners.

[@Boz1211111]

+Caleb Clemens Can imagine... :) have an 318ti compact and I love it.

[@BLACKRACERONE]

3:38 LOL Crusing at 5000RPM!

[@cohentadeo3033]

i guess im randomly asking but does anybody know a way to get back into an Instagram account? I somehow forgot my password. I love any tips you can offer me.

[@ojpsw6667]

@@shepherdconor9565 bot lol dont visit their website!!!!!

[@Key-z2x]

Anything wrong with that? I cruise at 7000RPM all the time!

[@Emslaender_Jung]

I own a 323ti, i love the hatchback version with the 2.5 l 6 cylinder, it simply runs and runs and runs. the sound is amazing and can keep up with most modern cars in the compact class. i´m very proud of my e36 and i would recommand everyone to buy one. I think the inline 6 is one of the best engines bmw ever made, only an m3 i6 with the euro specs or a bmw v8 could beat this engine. BMW FOR LIFE

[@ursulamilani]

Boot space definitely fine, fitted 40 cans of dogfood for my Rottweilers as well as the rest of the groceries fine. Leg room is fine also.

[@firdausHITMAN]

i had a 1993 318i never had a single problem with it, when i sold it had done 180,000 miles and she was still as strong and reliable as ever.

[@21jimo]

BMW E36 BEST CAR AT 90'S

[@unboxivity]

Ελληναςς

[@cl9_616]

😂😂😂😂 lol I mean it's a cool car but not the best it's ugly interior it's slow.

[@funnyboy8635]

old school never die live ur life with BMW e36 318i

[@easyfreezy5296]

Designed by Nagashima-san.

[@Boz1211111]

+mohamed benturki I actually have an e36 318ti compact

[@MadYarMadYar]

Great film. I've learnt a few new things about E36.

[@CorporateJetpilot]

I own the 94 318i and still drive it today like a total maniac. I have 400,000 miles. Yes thats miles. Other then regular maintenance i have never replaced a thing. My car isa 5 speed manual and believe me, this sounds like total BS But i have never changed the clutch either in 18 years, The clutch on these cars are good for about 8 years. I have been on the same one for 18 years. Its a great long and i think forever lasting car. Get one, You wont regret one. But find a low mile one. Good luck

[@soundseeker63]

E36s are great cars. I have had 2, both 6 cylinder versions and they were sweet to drive and surprisingly economical. Although I'm surprised to see how much understeer that 318i has! My 325i was rather tail happy in the wet! You had to be ready to catch it. or you'd end up going backwards! Kinda fun though.

[@sergeantlee7594]

Who's watching in 2020?

[@gregknight1989]

I have a 1991 318i automatic (the exact same colour as this one) and it's by far the best car I've ever owned

[@hklamb5687]

Greg Knight I owned a 96 318 and agreed. Most fun I’ve ever had in a car. I’d buy one in a heart beat. Hard to find in the states

[@FREEofVEGETABLES]

Are there any private "at-home" mechanics that you can find in the newspaper or something? That's how we found ours, and he's been fixing our e36 for nearly 8 years. We don't even get the car serviced at all (you can scream at me in rage now) since we're not exactly wealthy, and we only take it to the mechanic if something important needs replacing. The car has been through a lot of abuse, but even though it hasn't actually been to a BMW service station for 14 years, it still runs like new

[@nerminc.1713]

Wow, I've never seen the interior when it was still new.

[@sbstnpofadder]

+Nermin C. I know what you mean..

[@t1kss]

Funny thing is the car looks even now quite modern for its release year and they started to design it in the early 80s, i had one with manual gearbox and m40b18 engine , quite a fun car to drive as a straight 4 bmw , economical and it moves quite well compared to the m50b20 powered cars .

[@MostEasterlySteve]

Blimey. An actual, proper car review on Top Gear. No staged stupidity. No trick photography. No offensive comments from buffoon Clarkson. Sigh, those were the days...

[@NOCARRIER416]

I still have my 1992 318i with 255km, the thing refuses to die to break down. Hasn't left me stranded once in all my years of ownership, not even so much as a flat tire. Likewise I have a 2002 330i as well now for the wife, now with 110km on the odo and no issues with it either. Other than oil changes, brake pads, rotors, nothing has had to be replaced on it yet, not even any bushings surprisingly. Very well built vehicles I must admit.

[@valdezapg]

omg thanks so much for this. have been looking for top gear e36 review for a long time!

[@Spigot89]

In the US, it would have been on sale by sometime in 1991, for the 1992 model year. I think the coupe/convertible were available only later on.

[@MarquisRex]

E36 was an amazing car functionally, a quantum leap over the E30. Im a big E21 fanatic and think the E36 is superb. The engines are tough and dont crack cylinder heads as much as the old M20 325i, the suspension is sophisticated but not aluminium and fragile like an E39.

[@69eyespadre]

V8 and V12 bmws are the money pits,the 6 and 4 cylinder cars are the ones to have. They're fairly easy to work on, and they require little maintenance.

[@Latexi_LMX]

I have my 1995 BMW E36 318i and I am really happy about it. Great handling, great to drive, of course mine has lil bit lowered suspension etc. "slightly tuned one" but still love my car even if its now like 15 years old!

[@LoopBooost]

😮

[@Latexi_LMX]

@@LoopBooost why surprised? It was an awesome car, it actually just retired from the usage this week, my friend bought it from me and drove it til this date. Replaced it with E60 530, I drive E92 325 nowadays.

[@The_Prosumer]

Not many of those inches have gone into the rear compartment... Uhhhmmm Right...

[@giddyupgazboy1]

eh hem

[@rutter1ify]

😂😂👊💯👍

[@lucylocket4740]

There is some joke (in) (there) somewhere! 😂🤣😂

[@SimbaTheGreat]

@Silumnet It's something manufaturers do. BMW introduced the E36 in 1991 as a 1992 model. and btw all new model cars come out in september in america, therefore to keep the cars seeming newer they label them with the next year.

[@macthemec]

@racingisnotacrime21 up untill 1995 they had some interior issues, but remember the materials used in the E36 were quite a bit different than in the E30 (headliner for example) so issues are to be expected. get a 95+ E36 and you should have no major issues.

[@moreira8967]

If only we had six speed manual in the 6 cilinder versions it would be amazing

[@necromancer___3054]

They did in Europe

[@nuzulian1]

i owe the 92 model, love this model..

[@valdezapg]

where can i look for more old top gears? i know on streetfire are some old top gear episodes. but maybe somewhere else are even more?

[@James45792]

I got a 1996 318is E36 for my first car! Great first car!

[@ImTheScatman009]

I own this exact same car and one of the many things i can tell you is that it is a marvelous car!

[@jacklee7104]

Once bought nice black '95 318i for £50, thrashed it about for a year, then sold for £500 to buy a 540. slow as hell but a great drive

[@FREEofVEGETABLES]

Hey, glad you're considering an e36! I'm not sure if this will be any use to you at all anymore, seeing your comment is 3 months old and you probably already made your decision. I can tell you that in my experience, the e36 is not a "money pit". Certainly, if something did break, it would cost you a fortune if you repaired it at BMW, but over 15 years of owning the car, the only "major" repairs were brake pads, AC fluid, centre console backlight, battery and lamps. The engine itself never broke.

[@FLYNVL]

My first bmw was the 1978 320i E21 4 speed manual which i had for 4 years and enjoyed it, but now own an E36 318is M spec and its a fantastic vehicle to drive, very smooth and plenty of power and is fun to drive and handle in the wet, only problem i had with my e36 is the camshaft postion sensor went on me which cost alot to fix, but other than that its a great car :)

[@FrightfulAccountant]

A very good and long lasting car! Maybe the best in his class when it was launched back in the early 90ies. But expensive and not much toys as standard. The Accords, the Mondeos, the Dedras, the 405s... You could all get them with power locks, power windows, climate control and stereo for the money, BMW gave you an engine. But what an engine. ;-)

[@soundseeker63]

E36 are great drivers cars. Nice gearchange, driving position, handling etc. I had 2 E36s a while back. A 328i saloon that looked quite similar to the car in the video (I think it was even the same colour) and a red 325i coupe. I'm surprised to see how much understeer the handling of this 318i has. The cars I had, espcially the coupe (I think it had m-tec suspension) was actually quite tail happy and would go very sideways if you chucked it about like that! Quite fun though, but care needed.

[@tauro07]

Great Car.. was my first car.. 12 years ago.. now I continue with BMW cars through the time.. excelent Cars are BMW... totally recomended...

[@Emslaender_Jung]

Hello, my answer comes a bit late but maybe it still can help: These cars are absolutely reliable, especially the 6 Cylinder versions, but of cause you should have the right money for it, it depends on your insurance, don´t expect to get a cheap car, but the big advantage is that this cars can drive for decades if you treat them right, we have two E36, the 316i with 99 PS and the 323ti with 170 PS. Never had big problems with them:)

[@subzero92MK]

I'd like to watch old top gear episodes but I cannot find them

[@Red_Bull_Fan1985]

my car

[@Carenthusiast2007]

The E36 and E46 3 series were so much better looking than the e90 (Although the front is ok, the tailights on the sedan are hideous!). I really liked the stern 'don't mess with me' looks they had as opposed to the fussy/confused/melancholic looks of the rear of the e90. The tail lights of the e92/93 look OK, as does those of the F30, but IMO they still don't match the classic looks of the e36/46.

[@RHBTurbochargers]

top gear was so formal then...

[@fatmandeep]

My first car was a 97 318i they are awesome for modding and really easy now I have a 2000 328i

[@GRAHAM5020]

@racingisnotacrime21 I had an E30 1987 saloon for 19 years and i can say the interior quality was better than the early E36s, they were better after 95, the E46 was the best looking though.......Must say the old M10 engine was more reliable than the M40 as well.

[@leeg131313]

Love the sound when the boot goes down at 3:06 haha !

[@georgerigas8122]

ok for the rest of the cons but character?they underestimated e36...so much ahead of its time it was that it looks even better as it ages...from best bmw...

[@lephantom270]

Sidenote: Cars in the Eastern states are a bit cheaper then the west, so you should consider trucking it over if you are in the west, I was just fortunate to find a good buy in Perth.

[@PlayerNineteen]

I buying a 92' e36 318i for my first car. All I can say is. It's awesome.

[@CorporateJetpilot]

To be honest i havent driven the other models. I had a few friends though that had them and they didnt last so long. They had some problems along the way. The 318i i have is still running strong though. I would do the 318i, but thats me. Cheap maintenance and out standing reliability.

[@Chris55524]

Thanks man. I hear the 318i/318is's have almost identical acceleration to that of the 6cyl 320i-328i's just with 4cyl fuel economy, is that what you would agree with? I would prefer a 6cyl for more grunt but fuel economy will be average for around town thankyou again.

[@Chris55524]

Thank you, I haven't made up my mind yet and they are still in my market for purchasing, just can't find a time to sell my current car. They are nice cars and I will be etting a manual 323i probably, but just in Australia, particularly Perth in Western Australia, there aren't many European car service centres besides the dealers, so I am a little un-sure about whether to go ahead or chose something a little cheaper to maintain.

[@yeshayahu8358]

I'm planning on buying a 1993 BWM 318is.

[@charlieward7606]

+Isaiah Spain me too, hopefully looking at one tomorrow, rare 4 door version with m44 engine i think xD

[@charlieward7606]

+MooseRawwr was it an IS tho? also insurance and fuel have to be taken into account

[@Chris55524]

Thanks for the reply. You are all helping with my decision and I am still trying to find the right one for the right price with the right service history. In Australia, BMW's of this vintage have been mostly owned by M3 wannabes who put crap 19" rims and a $20AUD exhaust system I am sure I'll find one though :)

[@mikebeasley9085]

These are good buys second hand, i had a 1996 318i touring some years ago and it had 220,000 miles on the clock when i sold it, it would do close to 50mpg on a run if you kept it around 60-65mpg, overall pretty good on fuel and dam reliable. Best of the bunch in my view is the 325tds, better performance than the 318 and close to 320i performance, but gives about the same mpg as the 316. I had a 325ise a for a couple of months, it was a dam quick car, but 27mpg and doing 350 miles a week!!!!

[@MrNightpwner]

Perfect review, exact car I'm looking at on craigslist.

[@1ns4ne1d10t]

@TheConradChannel I don't floor it, I can't afford that privilage. It empties the tank if I dare to keep upto traffic speed. The white MPG needle points at 28-40 but it drinks more then that.

[@AutomotiveIreland]

You had the 318is coupe as well.

[@ProjektLament]

So the UK is a year ahead in body design than the US?

[@benbluesing]

When i want to buy one, what things i have to check? Thx

[@victorhuincho]

anyone know if they made reviews of the e34 525i? can't find any

[@sfourne2]

this car was solid like the rock ,it's not the same thing now with electronical shit lolll

[@chrisarama]

even after 20 years the car looks still cool, I love the stock look, no spoilers no tuning....only original is legal....save the classic e36. a e46 touring driver

[@Norcal1990]

E36 is the Sport Version of e38

[@xCranoLoco]

Where is the idle air control valve located on this model?

[@PlayerNineteen]

The compact is very nice, and still very modern. My advice on purchase is this: These cars are getting close to twenty years old, check for cosmetic damage. Generally the engines are fine.

[@vvorttexx]

" Of course you shouldn't forget that even though it's just the 318 the BMW is still a powerful rear wheel drive car and if you really want to be silly and provoke it it's possible to get it into fairly extreme attitudes... " Been there, done that :D

[@macthemec]

@skolms thats quite a bold statement, what makes you say that?

[@woah4]

I like the 318, but I am still glad I got the 328.

[@pudseypumper]

The current show could do with moving in this direction in tone. Not all the way - but a couple of notches.

[@pater429]

my precious

[@MrCstack]

I have a good knowledge of old BMWs so i feel i might be able to help. 1. Great cars! 2. they are surprisingly heavy on petrol (especially the smaller engines). 3. most of them will go forever (200,000+ miles) but if they go wrong they can be a nightmare because they are 'high end' cars, parts and servicing from a main dealer garage will be really expensive. 4. also E30 and E36 models are great for DIYers. Bottom line: if u work on cars: Buy. if you don't: Don't buy Hope this helped

[@ghalibabubaker88abubaker87]

Thanx for the tip.. am looking to buy one its got the 1.8 5speed manual and planning to keep as daily driver. Does it really give 8liter for 100km?

[@PatalJunior]

@@ghalibabubaker88abubaker87 I have a 316 and I can only do 10l/100km in mixed driving.

[@scoop2004]

At 5:50 it sounds like he's saying innit, innit.

[@alclarke]

I have one. Love it!- especially in sports mode!

[@spenceCID]

What happened to automotive reviews of this detail? You don't get people quoting drag coefficients these days :(

[@EAsportz1]

@superhawkn hack yes. there is something about the e30's that makes them stand out from all the other bmw

[@fdxnaoseinomes]

I have an honda, honda and bmw are good cars.

[@snghn9]

I have a 96 e36 316i 4door and it is the most reliable car i have owned better than the A4 which i had before, so i would recomend e36 to any1 but check its condition and history first.

[@TheDigitalguyy]

really thats strange because for us here in the 1991 was still the e30 body style

[@teamfo95]

blimey how top gear has changed!

[@GruszkuEntertainment]

1:40 It's just incredible how clean this thing is... M40B18 motor, brand new... I cannot imagine this, I've always seen them dirty, soaked with oil and grease, with dangling hoses etc...

[@Boz1211111]

+GruszkuEntertainment mine 318ti is 19 years old and its clean

[@GruszkuEntertainment]

Boz 2011 I'm talking about how clean the engine is, not the car, obviously. You have the compact version as I imagine from the "ti" designation. Pretty nice automobile, I've almost bought a 1997 318is sedan, a beatiful machine - but ended up with the E46 instead.

[@Boz1211111]

GruszkuEntertainment Yeah, i was talking about the engine in the first place but yesterday i looked better and i saw that its clean at the top, but the lower parts are prety dirty.. luckily they are not really visible :P And yeah... My wish for a next car is e46 coupe... so nice car you have :) Is it diesel or petrol?

[@GruszkuEntertainment]

Boz 2011 Petrol, I was afraid about the diesel engines' reliability.

[@Boz1211111]

I dont like either sound or smell of diesel engines :P Only interested in a car with a petrol engine for the future... We agreed as it seems. :) Maybe im stubborn because diesel engines are getting better over time... I will do some test drives with newer engines and then i will be allowed to judge.

[@PazzwordA2C]

Whats your take on a 93 318i 5 speed with 145k? I'm buying my first car and its one of few cars with a CLEAN body.

[@tauro07]

on highway.. max of 18km/lt ...on city.. max 12 or 15 km/lt this depends of the car is manual or automatic gear box... i haved mecanical transmition. ( my model was a bmw 318i e36 1992).

[@balcerek08]

where is jeremy ?

[@goguletz]

is this 318i or 318is? (116 cp/ 136cp) ?

[@CorporateJetpilot]

They are great forever lasting cars if you do everything on time of course. To be honest i am not sure. I dont think they would even be cheap. After all its a BMW. If your on a tight budget and you buy one leave it the way it is as the style of it never really dies. Its a really fun car to drive. Its a fast and reliable car. I have the 94 and am the original owner and shes still running strong. Just regular maintenance and it will last as long as you want. Good luck

[@ernest1337wong]

i am maybe getting one, e36 318i, how are the fuel efficiency?

[@Crusader1987]

@Silumnet I think it's more the car manufacturers wanting to release their new models to the biggest car market first. Just a hunch.

[@Maluras13]

Looking for a first car, thinking of a 1995-96 BMW 318i (in australia) anyone have any suggestions of whether this is a good idea? how is running/repair costs?

[@TheConradChannel]

@1ns4ne1d10t The 318 tds isnt too bad if you get it chipped, should see 110 bhp then which isnt too bad for 1.7 diesel engine from the 90s. 325tds can make 170 chipped which is niiice! approx. 140 standard which perfectly respectable and will propel you very well. Where are you living? UK? I'm in Ireland, and although they're nto extremely common here you can find them easily enough. I know there are usually a few on uk autotrader and ebay

[@samoletvertolet]

I had 2002 e46 318 2.0 beemer. Very bad experience, every month a brake down. spent a fortune on fixin' it and finally got rid of it. good looking though, can't beat that.

[@Adzzz1995]

just brought a 1994 E36 318i....and i am inlove with it aha

[@adrianomelloe36]

I want to buy a 95'e36 318ti for my first car! This car is amazing, my perfect 1st car!

[@lephantom270]

I have a 1995 320i, with the M50 engine, and so far I haven't found it to be particularly more expensive. It's about the same as a Commodore/Falcon to keep on the road, and if you get your parts from the states, it shouldn't be at all a money pit.

[@MrBarry1024]

Is it wrong that i'd prefer one of these to the new 318i?

[@Chris55524]

Hello, I am looking to buy one of these E36 BMW 3-Series and I was wondering if anybody could answer my question, are these cars reliable OR should I follow the word-of-mouth that older BMW's are "money pits"? I will be looking at 1996 onwards, plus I am from Australia so the parts are a tad more expensive than they would be in Europe. Many Thanks with this :)

[@Rober7Flavius]

it was in the 3rd gear.....look at the speedometer...the car was doing about 115 km/h...at this speed in 5200 rpm, the car can be in the 3rd :) I have an 318i, and I know these cars very well

[@Adzzz1995]

I have an E36 318i, Its fairly reliable. Haven't had any major problems at all, although many little things go wrong, which add up. I would say they are reasonably reliable, but are also money pits.