Faults:

Exhaust B=back box replaced.

Ball joints on both front wishbones went, causing alarming vibrations at 120km/h.

Handbrake is useless (as with all old BMW's with rear disc brakes).

Sunroof crank snapped.

Leaks power steering fluid.

One central locking actuator went.

Alternator went at 127000 miles two days before nct. (Although was probably my fault for regularly jump starting other higher powered cars)

Rear door seals went causing puddles on the floor.

Viscous fan went (got a new one from scrap yard).

General Comments:

Having owned and driven 3 e30 BMW's (316i, 318is, 320i), I can tell you that they will run forever if taken care of. The difference between a well taken care of and neglected one (ie. no service history) is huge.

I have had absolutely no electrical problems with any 3 of my e30s.

Depreciation is not a problem, as I don't think they will go down in price anymore. Maybe they will increase as they become more rare.

Parts are easy to find in a scrap yard and cheap. Never bring it to a BMW dealer. They don't want to see you if your car is over 10 years old unless you are willing to pay ridiculous amounts for parts and labour.

I never have a fear of it breaking down. I have driven a few long drives with no problems. The only problems I have had were fixed before they caused a major catastrophe.

Being an enthusiast helps as it's very easy to work on.

It is very easy to live with, once you get used to the pedal offset of course. The engine is very smooth and the handling is great. I love the gearbox. I will never buy FWD after owning one of these cars.

They can be a bit messy in the wet, but it's very easy to correct a slide after you get used to RWD. I always feel safe driving it. There is so much feeling of the road, you know exactly what's going on and when/if the wheels are going to break loose of the tarmac.

The car even though the lowest end model is quite good spec wise. It has a tilt/slide sunroof, Electric front windows, all round disc brakes and ABS.

There is almost no difference (book values) on economy on any of the 4-cyl models, so the only reason you should buy the 316i over the 318i is for tax or insurance reasons. My 316i actually is worse than my previous (now dead) 318is (318i to 16v touring conversion) on petrol. The body is a bit heavy for only 100hp, and you find yourself flooring it to merge or overtake.

The 316i is no rocket. In fact I am always left behind at the traffic lights by Peugeot 206s and Ford Fiestas with 1.2l engines, but it can take some weight and barely effect the performance.

Looks wise, it stands out. When I meet new people where I live, they ask me "Are you the one that drives that old silver estate?" I think it's a classic and has aged quite well. It is most distinctively 80s design and the standard 15" BBS alloys are perfect for it. It turns heads at traffic lights, and gets a few looks in a car park.

For its age, rust isn't much of a problem, even though I live beside the sea, and I think it did in its former home. There a few small rust spots, but they haven't spread. The paintwork is amazing for 16 years even on the wheels, a good wax job shows up my mother's 2007 Saab.

The body's sheet metal is thick and doesn't dent easily. There is no stone chips amazingly!

It is truly, along with the e34 5-series, the last real BMW. The design philosophy behind it is very different to modern BMW's. It's a classic design. The quad headlights, it's low to the ground, the dash is really low, and visibility all round is amazing, although the mirrors have terrible blind spots.

I find the lighting terrific. The halogen lights are very bright, and you feel confident driving at night. I couldn't say the same thing of my dad's Volvo.

The interior lighting is a different story. One of the worse points about the car. It's only lit by two lights above the rear seats.

The seats are reasonable, although there is little side support. The rear seats are very comfortable, although headroom is a serious problem for people over 6 foot. The car really only fits 4 people comfortably.

I would recommend this car to anyone who is comfortable working with cars, or who wants to learn. Even though it's had its share of problems, I still love it. What can you expect when it's 16 years old. I'm sure the parts I've changed won't have to be changed again any time soon. I learned to drive in it, and everything I know about working on cars.

Faults:

The rear brake cables have corroded - noted at the last service (78000 miles) - but cheap to sort out.

Oh, and at the assembly plant, they fitted cardboard Blaupunkt speakers - what were they thinking?

General Comments:

For starters, this car looks the absolute business. EVERYONE comments on the styling of the E36 coupe. In my humble opinion it's the best looking BMW ever.

My last car was a Ford Fiesta and so I've not got much to compare it to, but the BMW is THE most comfortable car I've ever had the good fortune to drive. No more back pain for me, and I regularly drive from Edinburgh to Sheffield, which is around 4 hours. It could take 24 hours for all I care when I'm in the Beemer.

As for actually driving the thing, it's amazing. The acceleration is by no means record-breaking, but easily quick enough to embarrass most of the boy-racers I come up against. It cruises with ease on the motorway, with more than enough oomph to get past all those caravans and tractors one finds on the A-roads in the north of England. On the more winding roads it is a joy - the BMW goes exactly where you point it. Oversteer is possible if you push it hard, but let off the accelerator and the car rights itself whilst making you feel like a Rally pro. To be honest, it's like playing Gran Turismo (drive safely and observe speed limits please kids!)

The fuel economy has been a pleasant surprise. At the moment, it costs around £45 to fill up from empty, and I get around 400 miles from it.

The only real downside of this car is the stereo. I don't know about you, but if I were buying one of these brand new back in the day, I would have been pretty miffed with the standard set-up. On top of that, after-market upgrades are made an absolute nightmare because of the speaker placements. You either need to cut through metal bodywork to get anthing decent in the rear, or go for some adapter speaker pods. These are expensive for what they are (I paid £29.99) and are fiddlier than a fiddler fiddling with a fiddle to get fitted right. Not really much of a gripe though. It depends on how much you like your music.

All in all, if you're looking for a new car, and you've got around £2000-£3000 to spend, get a 318iS. You will not be disappointed. Think twice about a white one though, because they are a nightmare to keep clean!