poll from (i need suggestions)

[95BMWM3]

Should i swap an m3 engine in my 318i??
1.) yes
2.) no

[bizlur]

dont make cost a consideration =-P Power/Speed is what you need!!!

[Scorp965]

Buy the damn M3 already!

[Red325i]

buy my 2.5 for $800 than get a supercharger for about 4 k.... it will be faster than your precious m dreams....

[Scorp965]

Originally posted by Red325i
buy my 2.5 for $800 than get a supercharger for about 4 k.... it will be faster than your precious m dreams....

where can you find an M50 supercharger for $4K? If he is buying the $6K supercharger and your 2.5L M50 for $1000 - plus conversion costs of about $1000 he is now paying $8K to throw a used 325i engine into his 318i with a supercharger... all reliability issues aside (which are big issues) he is pushing around 290hp...

Better option:
Sell the 318i - don't fart around with various ideas... sell the damn thing - you now have $7K in pocket.

Take the $8K you are playing around with and add it to the $7K from the sale of your 4-cyl car - you have have $15K! - Buy an M3.

[Kompressor]

It's true
get a 1995 M3 why waste all that time and effort and money and headache and wory etc. when you could get a good looking 6 cyl. car with 240 HP?

[alfabetykal]

I was looking into putting an M3 engine in my 95 318is. You need more than just the engine and chip. theres getting enough fuel to it, there the flywheel and clutch then depending on how you do that, possibly the transmission, and finally that engine will burn out the 318's differential... Good luck with whatever you do.

[95BMWM3]

i dont know...becaue i already have the car. then i would have to come up w/ another 8,000 somehow.. or i just could spend not up to 8k and abuy like a 325i engine and put a supercharger engine in it?

[PhillyCheese]

ummmmmm, if you have the greens go ahead, or just buy an M3

[Scorp965]

Originally posted by 95BMWM3
i dont know...becaue i already have the car. then i would have to come up w/ another 8,000 somehow.. or i just could spend not up to 8k and abuy like a 325i engine and put a supercharger engine in it?

Did you read my outline of the costs associated with swapping in your supercharged 325i motor? That is going to cost you around $8K alone - you are trying to avoid this course of action, but face it - if you wan't performance the 318 is not a good way to go, if you need the additional 'go' then sell the car & buy a faster one, or at least a better base to build a car up on. Get a 325i for very little additional $$$, or as has been discussed (provided you have the cash, and you are not just messing around) don't spend money on your 318 forced-induction, spend it on making the jump to an M3. If you don't have the money to do this (and it sounds like you don't) then get a 325iS, the E36 325i is a good car and its a much better starting place than a 318.

My first bimmer was an E34 535i with the S38 (M5) engine swap, engine-swapped cars are a pain in the ass - it is NOT worth the hassle in most circumstances, I have posted this several times in the last week or so, if you are going to drop cash on an M3 engine swap or a supercharger spend it upgrading to an M3 instead - its a much better place to put your money, and unlike a hacked together 318/M3 or a supercharged 4cyl you will actually see a great deal of your money back in resale on the car in a few years. It is the wise thing to do...

in review, if you have the cash:
sell the 318i, buy a 1995 M3

If you don't have the cash:
sell the 318i, buy a 1992+ 325iS

either way the 318 is not a performance car, and it is not a wise place to dump money for performance upgrades, if you want a commuter car keep the 318, if you want to go fast get a 325i or an M3, depending on your budget. If you can actually afford a supercharger for your 318 you can afford a real M3 - this is not just a 318 with an M3 motor, this is a M3 with enhanced suspension, steering, braking, etc. - any more posts you make on similar terms I will not put my comments on, as now you are just going in circles...

[95BMWM3]

ok ok... i think iam probaly gonna buy an M3. but what year is better 98 or 95 or does it really matter?

[TJ_m3]

Buy a 1996-1999 OBD-II and convert it to OBD-I. Hella monster!!!

[consolidated23]

exactly what scorp 965 just said.

[blinky13]

spend the money on a good bmw such as an m3 or any non 4-cylinder for that matter.

[M5_dude]

Get the E30 M3 (Euro spec if u can find one if not get the electric muti-throttle body add-on from bmp design) and then supercharge it! Rice rockets wont know what hit them (that is if your not too busy with the circuit racing which is time better spent