1 question about a 318ti - BMW Forum

PhunkDJti · 10-08-2003, 02:08 AM

hey, im new to the forum.....finally got my first bimmer that ive wanted for a long time... and i from new york to florida to get it too.

i just picked up an aqua metallic '96 318ti w/ a california top, 5 spd, grey leather int. the 5 spoke alloys....
....but anyways, i read sumwhere that they made very few of them, like less than 100 in that color w/ the cali top. im a little sceptical, so i was curious if anyone might know how rare/common the actually are.

(oh yea...on a side note, once spring rolls around, the 3.2 M3 swap begins)

ehlpitel · 10-08-2003, 08:19 AM

im actually considiring acquiring a 318is and doing an m3 engine swap, do you, by any chance have any useful information regarding the swap?

PhunkDJti · 10-09-2003, 08:37 AM

my one buddy did a swap in a '94 318is like a year ago... hes got a 10 page write up on the general swap, every little detail. i still gotta get it from him though.

.... but im sure a bunch o ppl on here could help u out

MrM3 · 10-09-2003, 04:29 PM

wow what a find! those are rare especially in aqua. check out this linkhttp://64.70.201.88/Roundel/1997/0297oth.htm

The California package was in limited production from April through July of 1996, including 100 units in a special metallic aqua. It's not likely you'll see a lot of them rolling around. But call your dealer if you want to check one out. While you're at it, ask when the 8-series Baywatch edition is coming out.

PhunkDJti · 10-09-2003, 08:02 PM

yea, thats actually the page that i had seen it b4.

i figured they hadda be uncommon at the least. i had never seen one driving around....but i also do live in buffalo, and i think ive only seen like 3 or 4 normal ti's ever driving around here.

PhunkDJti · 10-09-2003, 08:08 PM

im pretty glad i ended up finding this one... i was originally supposed to get a dk. green '95 w/ just cloth seats and steelies in cleveland, ( real looooong, aggrevating story how that didnt work out) i was pi$$ed then but then i found this one in orlando and im happy the cleveland deal ended up falling through.
...plus as a bonus i wont hafta switch the e.c.u. to drop in the 3.2 L

El Presidente · 10-09-2003, 09:46 PM

are you sure about that?

Im pretty sure the M engine would need the ECU it had in the old car.

PhunkDJti · 10-10-2003, 02:47 AM

i think i can use the the ecu thats in my '96 ( im not 100% positive, and believe me, i could be wrong) but i defentiely think ill be set w/ the stock one) either way...i guess ill find out for sure when the time comes.