1991 325i test drive question

Hello,
I just test drove a 1991 325i in Los Angeles, and I have a couple of
questions.

First of all, it only has 52000 miles(checked with Carfax).

It was an automatic, and it seemed very slow to me, I thought this was
a fast car, I remember driving 325i's in the UK, and they really were
very quick, automatics too.

When I floored it, the tranny hesitated to find the right gear, then
seemed to pick the wrong one. The car felt heavy. Everything else
seemed to be fine, just a lack of pick up.

What could be the cause of this, is the automatic tranny on the way
out?

Thanks for your help.

"Delboy" > wrote
> Hello,
> I just test drove a 1991 325i in Los Angeles, and I have a couple of
> questions.
>
> First of all, it only has 52000 miles(checked with Carfax).
>
> It was an automatic, and it seemed very slow to me, I thought this was
> a fast car, I remember driving 325i's in the UK, and they really were
> very quick, automatics too.
>
> When I floored it, the tranny hesitated to find the right gear, then
> seemed to pick the wrong one. The car felt heavy. Everything else
> seemed to be fine, just a lack of pick up.
>
> What could be the cause of this, is the automatic tranny on the way
> out?

Some things:
1) The '91 325i had the M20 2-valve engine, which isn't as rev-happy
and snappy as the later M50 engine.
2) IIRC, the US got different autos than Europe.
3) A 52K car probably badly needs a tune-up. Also, the
vacuum hoses might be bad (or the catalytic converter);
both kill the older engines.

Floyd

In article >, fbloogyudsr wrote:
>"Delboy" > wrote
>> Hello,
>> I just test drove a 1991 325i in Los Angeles, and I have a couple of
>> questions.
>>
>> First of all, it only has 52000 miles(checked with Carfax).
>>
>> It was an automatic, and it seemed very slow to me, I thought this was
>> a fast car, I remember driving 325i's in the UK, and they really were
>> very quick, automatics too.
>>
>> When I floored it, the tranny hesitated to find the right gear, then
>> seemed to pick the wrong one. The car felt heavy. Everything else
>> seemed to be fine, just a lack of pick up.
>>
>> What could be the cause of this, is the automatic tranny on the way
>> out?
>
>Some things:
>1) The '91 325i had the M20 2-valve engine, which isn't as rev-happy
>and snappy as the later M50 engine.

IIRC all E36 325i had M50 engines.


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\ / http://charm.zag.si/eng/, email: "name dot surname AT zag dot si"
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"Jan Kalin" > wrote in message
...
> In article >, fbloogyudsr wrote:
>>"Delboy" > wrote
>>> Hello,
>>> I just test drove a 1991 325i in Los Angeles, and I have a couple of
>>> questions.
>>>
>>> First of all, it only has 52000 miles(checked with Carfax).
>>>
>>> It was an automatic, and it seemed very slow to me, I thought this was
>>> a fast car, I remember driving 325i's in the UK, and they really were
>>> very quick, automatics too.
>>>
>>> When I floored it, the tranny hesitated to find the right gear, then
>>> seemed to pick the wrong one. The car felt heavy. Everything else
>>> seemed to be fine, just a lack of pick up.
>>>
>>> What could be the cause of this, is the automatic tranny on the way
>>> out?
>>
>>Some things:
>>1) The '91 325i had the M20 2-valve engine, which isn't as rev-happy
>>and snappy as the later M50 engine.
>
> IIRC all E36 325i had M50 engines.
>

They did. A '91 here in the US was the last year of the E30 325i.

Kyle.
98 740iL
97 M3

Jan Kalin wrote:
> In article >, fbloogyudsr wrote:
>
>>"Delboy" > wrote
>>
>>>Hello,
>>>I just test drove a 1991 325i in Los Angeles, and I have a couple of
>>>questions.
>>>
>>>First of all, it only has 52000 miles(checked with Carfax).
>>>
>>>It was an automatic, and it seemed very slow to me, I thought this was
>>>a fast car, I remember driving 325i's in the UK, and they really were
>>>very quick, automatics too.
>>>
>>>When I floored it, the tranny hesitated to find the right gear, then
>>>seemed to pick the wrong one. The car felt heavy. Everything else
>>>seemed to be fine, just a lack of pick up.
>>>
>>>What could be the cause of this, is the automatic tranny on the way
>>>out?
>>
>>Some things:
>>1) The '91 325i had the M20 2-valve engine, which isn't as rev-happy
>>and snappy as the later M50 engine.
>
>
> IIRC all E36 325i had M50 engines.
>
>
But a '91 is an E30 isn't it? Any BMW with a slushbox is not a *real*
BMW anyway... :-)

In article >, JimV wrote:
>Jan Kalin wrote:
>> In article >, fbloogyudsr wrote:
>>
>>>"Delboy" > wrote
>>>
>>>>Hello,
>>>>I just test drove a 1991 325i in Los Angeles, and I have a couple of
>>>>questions.
>>>>
>>>>First of all, it only has 52000 miles(checked with Carfax).
>>>>
>>>>It was an automatic, and it seemed very slow to me, I thought this was
>>>>a fast car, I remember driving 325i's in the UK, and they really were
>>>>very quick, automatics too.
>>>>
>>>>When I floored it, the tranny hesitated to find the right gear, then
>>>>seemed to pick the wrong one. The car felt heavy. Everything else
>>>>seemed to be fine, just a lack of pick up.
>>>>
>>>>What could be the cause of this, is the automatic tranny on the way
>>>>out?
>>>
>>>Some things:
>>>1) The '91 325i had the M20 2-valve engine, which isn't as rev-happy
>>>and snappy as the later M50 engine.
>>
>>
>> IIRC all E36 325i had M50 engines.
>>
>>
>But a '91 is an E30 isn't it? Any BMW with a slushbox is not a *real*
>BMW anyway... :-)

I know some people that disagree vehemently

But yes, I assumed that the E36 was introduced in the US the same year as
in Europe. My mistake.

--
/"\ Jan Kalin (male, preferred languages: Slovene, English)
\ / http://charm.zag.si/eng/, email: "name dot surname AT zag dot si"
X ASCII ribbon campaign against HTML in mail and postings.
/ \ I'm a .signature virus. Copy me to help me spread.

"Kyle and Lori Greene" > wrote in message
m...
>

> >
>
> They did. A '91 here in the US was the last year of the E30 325i.
>
> Kyle.
> 98 740iL
> 97 M3
>

Except the E30 325ic which remained until 1992/93.

"Jan Kalin" > wrote
> In article >, JimV wrote:
>>Jan Kalin wrote:

>>But a '91 is an E30 isn't it? Any BMW with a slushbox is not a *real*
>>BMW anyway... :-)
>
> I know some people that disagree vehemently
>
> But yes, I assumed that the E36 was introduced in the US the same year as
> in Europe. My mistake.

I almost noted the US/E30/'91 thing in my post, but figured I'd just
confuse the OP. The whole US vs. rest-of-the-world and Coupe/Sedan/
Convertible thing is confusing enough to the BMW community...

Floyd (never had an auto BMW)