E30 318i M10 or M40?

[NWZ333]

Hi guys

I am looking to buy a 318i E30 (because I cannot find a 320i or 325i in a good condition at a good price). When I use the VIN number of the car it shows that the car is a 1991 model with M10 motor. So now I am confused because as far as I know, M10 was the first gen and M40 was second gen. Considering the car is a 1991 model, it is the last lot of the E30. Can somebody please tell me which 318i comes with M10 and which one comes with M40?

Also, is the M10 motor a good motor? What's the right price to pay for the car?

 

[I_M_Preshaan]

The m10 comes on the evo 1 (metal bumper) and m40 comes on evo 2 (plastic bumper) I've got the m40 in mine. 4 door plastic bumper model. And the m40 is slightly stronger than m10 and parts are much more available compared to m10

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[Fordkoppie]

M40 is the later engine and much more efficient.

M10 is tough as nails, but slow and heavy on fuel.

They are easy to distinguish between the 2

 

[NWZ333]

Thanks guys for the advice.

The car I am looking at looks like it does have plastic bumpers. It is a 1991 model which is a later model. But has a M10 engine. How is this possible?

Please see attached the picture of the car and advice me if it is correct?

 

[JayDrft]

Hi Nawaaz,

As far as it goes - don't even ponder on it. The M40 is what you shoul dbe aiming at.

I had a 1991 318i M40...and as far as I know - anything after the '90 is all M40.

My M40 gave me the best of everything...put it this way, from taking ownership at 250k - the car got me all the way up to 480k, with no major issues. As stated....the M10 is strong, however - don't put the M40 down.

You have to go for the M40. Nothing else! Im pretty sure that car has an M40 in it. Do yourself a favour, get the VIN number of that particular car, and visit www.RealOEM.com. Type the VIN into Real oem and it will layout exactly what you have in front of you. A good clean example, accident free, fair milage, leather interior etc...you looking at pricing between R18k and R35k.

Hope it helps.

PS - only real thing to look out for, is the servicing...as the Oil feed pipe on the head blocks up, and wears the cam lobes. Mine seized twice, not to mentione wearing a good 3-4mm on the lobe...the car still started like clockwork and performed surprising well considering the condition of the cam. I still kick myself for selling that car...Fark!!!!:RedNo:

 

[Gizmo]

If it really is a 1991 model then its supposed to have the M40 engine. Simple vin check would confirm. The fact that it has the M10 in it means something is dodgy about it so rather walk away and keep looking.

 

[NWZ333]

I have the vin number and I checked it on www.vindecoderz.com as well as I phoned BMW. The car production date is 1991-06 but has a M10 motor and the guy from BMW said that M10 was produced from '85 and m40 from '87 so you could have a 1991 model with M10. Is that possible?

 

[I_M_Preshaan]

Most possibly it was an m40 model but previous owners did an m10 swop

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[Fordkoppie]

Oh FFS! Have you physically inspected the car to confirm it has an M10 or are you still hung up on what the vin decoder says?

These vin decoders are not reliable when it comes to the old BMWs. I can almost guarantee that once you actually see the car, it will have an M40 as it should.

 

[NWZ333]

The car is 232km away from me, it is in another province so I had a look at the pictures of the car to see if it is worth it for me to drive so far to physically inspect it.

I'm not hung up on what the decoder says, I'm hung up on what BMW told me. I phone 3 dealerships and all 3 dealership confirmed it is a 1991 model with M10 motor. Anyways see the pic below and tell me what engine it is:

P.S I got a picture of the license disk as well as the engine number and both match. The BMW dealership gave me the engine number of what is on they system and that also matches.

 

[I_M_Preshaan]

That is an m40 engine


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[Fordkoppie]

The car is 232km away from me, it is in another province so I had a look at the pictures of the car to see if it is worth it for me to drive so far to physically inspect it.

I'm not hung up on what the decoder says, I'm hung up on what BMW told me. I phone 3 dealerships and all 3 dealership confirmed it is a 1991 model with M10 motor. Anyways see the pic below and tell me what engine it is:

P.S I got a picture of the license disk as well as the engine number and both match. The BMW dealership gave me the engine number of what is on they system and that also matches.

This is an M40 engine

 

[Luis Malhou]

m40 motor...