318ti and 318i Whats the difference?

[DaVE]

Besides the look, whats the difference between a 318ti and 318i?

[r_br...@nospamyahoo.com]

ti's rear suspension is from the E30 (1980's) BMW's. 318i's have the
same suspension as all the other E36 3-series cars. I believe the
dash is different on the Ti's as well. Engine and Transmissions are
the same on the Ti's as the 318i's. Regardless, the Ti is a fine car.
I drove one at the BMW drive for the cure last year, and was impressed
at how well it handle, drove and rode. The 1.9 engine is no drag
racer, but more than competent for this little car.

[Charles Wait]

In addition, the body is shorter and the fuel tank moved in front of the
back axle. I own both a to and an E 30 325. The ti handles as well as its
big brothers.

DaVE <scottca...@mailexcite.com> wrote in message
news:7h38au$4nbs$1...@newssvr04-int.news.prodigy.com...

[Ron Katona]

From the front bumper to the A pillar, the ti is the same as the 4-door
E36 318i with the exception of the brake rotors (I'll explain later).
Even though it's a 2-door plus hatch, the front end is from the 4-door,
which is slightly different than the 2-door E36s. From there back, it's
a new chassis that is about 9 inches shorter than the other E36s. The
roofline is about one inch higher giving extra headroom. The dashboard
is unique to the ti. Some would say cheaper or decontented, some would
say cleaner and more efficient. It's actually a mix of E30 and E46
design hints with BMW taking some old parts, new parts, and some new
thinking to come up with the ti's dash layout. And, of course, it's a
hatchback.

Having the same front end as other E36s, the front suspension and
steering system layout is the same. The rear suspension is the older E30
semi-trailing arm setup rather than the E36's more sophisticated
"Z-link" rear suspension. Having a usable hatch area and cutting costs
mandated this as the Z-link suspension is more expensive and takes up
room in the trunk. While the car is 9 inches shorter, the wheelbase is
exactly the same as the other standard E36s. The hatch are can carry an
amazing amount of cargo with the rear seats folded.

The semi-trailing arm setup is a little less adept at handling bumps mid
corner and therefore slightly less capable on bumpy roads. Having said
that, all Z3s and its M versions also use the semi-trailing arm setup.
So does the Porsche 944 and other great handling cars. With the factory
(M-Technik tuned) Sport suspension, the ti rates as one of the most fun
handling cars sold in the US.

The front brakes on the ti were originally non vented, but same
diameter, versions of the E36 325/328 front brakes with slightly smaller
rear discs. These brakes are quite large for a car this size and the ti
stops better than anything other than an M car. For really hard driving
(drivers' schools or other track driving), the non-vented brakes are
prone to fade or warpage. However, this is not a problem even for
spirited street driving. For 1999 models, BMW went to vented rotors on
all 318tis. Bolting in vented rotors and associated calipers from the
E36 to the ti's front hub is a straight swap since the hub is the same
as the regular E36.

Power comes from the M42 or M44 4-cylinder 16v DOHC powerplant. The 1.8L
M42 was introduced to the US on the 1991 E30 318is. It carried on
through the E36 318i/is until 1995, including the first year of the ti.
This is an OBD-I equipped motor. From 1996 on, the M44 1.9L replaces the
M42 on all 318s. It has a slightly better torque curve, but otherwise
offers no real performance gain. It is OBD-II equipped, meaning
aftermarket upgrades are harder to come by. The powertrain consists of
the same transmission as the E36 318/325 and the differential from the
(non-M) E30.

The big difference with the ti is the fact that it weighs about 150-400
lb. less than its bigger E36 cousins (depending on the car and options).
Some of this comes from sound insulation, the ti is a little louder than
a 318i, most comes from the shorter body. Having less weight to throw
around makes the ti feel more like an E30 in handling - very "tossable."
The E36 feels larger and heavier in comparison, although they still
handle great as well. Less weight also means that power from the M42/44
is adequate in the ti, while it's marginal in the 318i/is. With a
5-speed, the ti is actually pretty peppy if you keep the revs up.

Equipment runs pretty much the same as other E36s. The on board computer
(OBC) is decontented with fewer display modes. Other than that, pretty
much any option available on the E36 from the same year was available in
the same form on the ti (CD-changer, cruise, ASC+T, ABS, sound systems,
heated seats/washers/mirrors, leather, etc.). Much of that equipment
became standard over time, or was included in options packages.
--
Ron Katona