My thoughts on the 1996 BMW 318ti with the 1.9L 4 cylinder engine and 5 speed manual transmission:
From first glance, I didn’t like the 318ti. It looked like the product of an unfortunate accident involving a E36 bmw and a brick wall. But once I stepped behind the wheel, my opinions changed.
I would consider the Mazda Miata an automotive masterpiece. It’s a small, peppy car that gives you all it’s got. The 318ti felt the same way. The 1.9L engine gives you all it’s got, all the time. You can push it’s limits within your city limits. You don’t need thousands of dollar’s worth of dyno equipment and airplane runway to figure out how fast it will go. You can max out the engine between stop lights, and that’s a lot of fun.
The purpose of the 318ti was to be an entry level BMW. Similar to today’s 1 series, the 318ti was meant to be a gateway drug into the BMW addiction. That being said, BMW had to save their money somewhere. The interior lacks features from the higher trim levels, which leaves useless panels to remind you of what could have been. While this didn’t make or break the car, I was well aware that I was in a cheap bang-for-your-buck car.
Overall I really enjoyed the 318ti. It shares traits of the Miata, while offering the experience of a BMW. I would happily drive a 318ti, just as long as I never have to look at the back of it.
5 сен 2024
