| T.R | Title | User | Personal Name
 | Date | Lines | 
|---|
| 2355.1 |  | LEMAN::CHEVAUX | Patrick Chevaux @GEO, DTN 821-4150 | Wed Jan 04 1995 10:21 | 15 | 
|  |     I haven't driven it (yet ...) but here are 2 pieces of info that might
    be of interest to you:
    
    - BMW, for some unspecified reason, have mounted the 'old' rear
      suspension of the previous 3xx series on the Compacts. They probably
      did not have enough space to mount the 'new' multi-link setup of the
      current 3xx series. Or could it be a marketing trick to lead people
      to buy the more expensive models ? Anyway, I'll let you draw your own
      conclusions.
    
    - Several friends, BMW owners, have tested it. They have confirmed that
      the rear end has the same old funny tendency to go where you did not
      expect it to go initially ... if you see what I mean.
    
    That's all I've read/heard. All the rest is in the mags.
 | 
| 2355.2 |  | MKTING::WILSON |  | Wed Jan 04 1995 13:44 | 6 | 
|  | The car has not been well received. It's cramped inside, handles 
quite badly and does not perform very well.
I prefer the Golf GTI a Honda VTI.
Just my tuppence worth...John 
 | 
| 2355.3 | trivia time! | AIMTEC::BURDEN_D | A bear in his natural habitat | Wed Jan 04 1995 14:35 | 6 | 
|  | >The car has not been well received. It's cramped inside, handles 
>quite badly and does not perform very well.
Gee, what other BMW model has these same features?? :-)
Dave
 | 
| 2355.4 | 320 Coup� (sic) | ESBS01::WATSON | And so, it begins.... | Wed Jan 04 1995 15:57 | 1 | 
|  |     
 | 
| 2355.5 | There are specials already... | WELSWS::HILLN | It's OK, it'll be dark by nightfall | Wed Jan 04 1995 16:02 | 2 | 
|  |     Apparently it works well with the 325 engine bored out to 3 litres. 
    Then it's looking at 5 sec for 0-60 and 155 mph as top speed.
 | 
| 2355.6 | What ? The reports didn't say that.... | ZPOVC::SEOWHURN |  | Sat Jan 14 1995 01:32 | 14 | 
|  |     RE: .1
    
      
     yes, I guess the rear suspension was "cheapen" to save space as well.
     I rather surprised that the car handles as per previous model, since
    the New Zealand mag had nice things to say about the car's handling and
    performance in twisty road. I'd missed out on Nov's "What Car" magazine
    which I believe had a full feature on the Compact, but based on Dec's
    "What Car" mag, the Compact still came up tops (sort of) against the
    popular hot hatches.
    
    Hmmm.. I did not like the tail antics of the previous 3 series...
    
    SH
 | 
| 2355.7 |  | SHIPS::WILLIAMS_K |  | Tue Jan 31 1995 10:58 | 12 | 
|  |     I read that they fitted the old suspension because the new one would
    not fit.
    
    At the end of the test (Autocar I think) they send it was far superior
    to any other hothatch in the class regards build and refinement and
    equal on performance. I also think it said there would be a 1.8 ltr/140
    BHP version.
    
    My Rover GTI rattles and my friends Golf GTI is falling apart inside.
    Both cars are under 2 yaers old.
    
    
 | 
| 2355.8 |  | UNTADE::TOP | I've done some things | Mon Feb 06 1995 14:09 | 10 | 
|  |     I think they fitted the old suspension because it's cheaper, that meant
    they could afford to sell the car at a competetive price.
    
    The 318i is already out here in Munich, so a guess it won't be long in
    getting to the rest of Europe. They don't seem to sell that well here
    though. The saloon is more expensive, but there are loads of
    one-year-olds knocking about, so maybe people buy those instead. Better
    car that it is.
    
    Al
 | 
| 2355.9 | modification needed to compact 318ti | GALVIA::ECULLEN | It will never fly, Wright ! | Fri Jun 21 1996 13:23 | 6 | 
|  |     I have the 318ti. Recently I started having a real bad rattle when in 
    first gear and also reversing. The car is still under warrenty. I 
    returned it to find that there is a modification required ! Not too 
    sure where, possibly the clutch or the like. Anyone heard anything ?
    
    Eric.
 | 
| 2355.10 | Loud sucking noises till operating temp reached. | ZPOVC::SEOWHURN |  | Wed Jul 17 1996 07:23 | 18 | 
|  |     Re: .9,
    
    I've just had a chance to drive a 318ti last week, the BMW dealer had
    loaned it to a friend of mine, after her 3 week old 316i saloon was
    flooded, as they had the aircon piping done wrong !
    
    As it was an auto, can't commend about the 1st or reverse gear but I
    did notice that the intake noise when the engine was not at operating
    temp yet was very very loud ! You can really hear the air suction. Once
    at operating temp, the noise went away. Do you have the same problem ?
    It seems very uncharacteristic. Wonder if the 318is models suffer from
    the same problem.
    
    Anyway, that 318ti had the M-Tec suspension and overall, I liked the
    car, the throttle response and nimbleness was very good (compared to my
    standard 318i).
    
    Seow-Hurn
 |