I thought it was "loaded", but...
 

I have a 1998 318ti Sport with a manual transmission. It's in awesome shape, and I love the sport seats, suspension, wheels, front, rear and side air dams, and trim...BUT...It DOESN'T have...
The computer OR cruise control!
I can deal with it not having cruise control...I rarely used it on my 530i, or any of the other cars I've had over the years with cruise control...BUT, I do miss the COMPUTER...In fact, that really bugs me!
I know none of the 318ti's had tilt wheels, but, since the wheel is in the perfect position for ME, I don't miss that, either.
I can't believe BMW made a car in 1998 WITHOUT the computer or cruise control. Again, crusise control I can live without...but I miss the computer!
I guess it would cost an arm and a leg to retrofit the car with the computer, but I'd consider it! ALSO...Although it was advertised as having keyless entry...It doesn't! That's another thing I miss. I went to the dealer to see if the keyless entry system could be installed...It CAN, but WOW...It's expensive!

I should mention that I just spent my limit on this paycheck on a K&N air filter, Bosch cabin air filter, front rondel, ///M shift knob, 2 new Continental tires, a whelskin steering wheel cover, and a new front windshield...The original windshild wasn't cracked, but it wasn't clear! Next week, I'm having it inspected...I hope it doesn't need anything else! If it doesn't need anything else, I'll consider keyless entry next...

BMW didn't. BMWNA, however, ordered lots of cars without OBCs, in fact all of their four cylinder cars, with the exception of some of their 318ti's.

Well, if it is important enough to you, I am confident that you'll save up the money and retrofit an OBC.

The dealer-fitted alarm is just an Alpine unit with an adapter harness. You can probably still buy the 12 pin alarm connector plug and pins, and hook up another aftermarket unit that's more to your liking. Please take this as a piece of encouragement rather than criticism, but I'd say it's time to stop writing and start doing. ;)

Thanks John. Actually, I've done a lot to the car in the week or so I've had it. For one thing, I'm having a new windshield and cowl installed on Thursday....plus ///M shift knob, new rondel, K&N air filter, Bosch cabin air filter, 2 Continental tires, Wheelskin wheel cover... I think that's pretty good for a week or so, considering I'm having it inspected next week and it may need other stuff, don't you?

John...I forgot to say...Bitte for the Alpine tip!

You can get the factory keyless entry system from Bavarian Autosport for around $371. It's not free, but mine's worked great for 13 years and the install is exceedingly easy. There used to be a retrofit kit for the OBC but I don't think it's available anymore. I'm not sure what use the OBC for but you might consider a ScanGauge. It's much cheaper and actually gives you a lot more information out of the ECU. Best part is that you can change the screen color to match the stock lighting and it fits nicely in the tray in front of the ashtray. www.scangauge.com

Wow Bullmand! That's cool!!! Thanks! I might have to wait a month or two, but I definitely want to do it! Might I ask...How long did it take ou to install?
Hey...are you inthe Army Field Band? I'm a trumpet player / band director. I have two old buddies in the Army Blues! ScanGuage...COOLLL!!!

wait a sec, they really made some 318ti's with out a computer? and by computer, you mean the little digital read out that tells you the MPG, MPH, outside air temp, and miles left on the gas tank?

how many did they produce with out computers. I would think this is a standard feature... hmm.

In the US it was standard on the active models.
Optional on the Base, Sport and Club Sport.

Honestly, the OBC is useless in the ti. Its not realtime/constantly updating. Its fairly slow at mpg, and VERY slow at accurately calculating the speed. The only feature thats nice is the ambient temp sensor, but even then, you should know how hot/cold it is outside.

Nice to know. I guess i got lucky with my 1997 Active model. (I didn't even know about the base, active, sport options until if found this forum) thanks! I do enjoy the mpg readout, but i do find my self hitting the reset button a lot.

wow, I think I need me one of them, check out the "TURBOGAUGE III"
I can live without the OBC but this one basically tells you everything a normal OBC wouldnt! Now I know that it is possible to know this info anyway, I want it!

Oh, yes, you can sense that. As what used to be called a man of positive action, I was just trying to constructively give you a hard time.

Just for fun, I surveyed my car and counted up the various refinements I have made to its electrics and electronics. If I were to start a thread with one post for every two things about the car I questioned and refined, I'd ramble on for three pages. I haven't as there are more enjoyable things to do -- such as modding the car to how I like it and getting people's reactions.

Off and on, someone muses about adding an 18-button OBC from a non-compact E36. It offers a longer list of diversions:

• an outside temperature / freeze warning
• the average speed
• two average consumption values
• the range remaining for the fuel on board
• a speed limit warning
• the time and distance to a destination
• a stopwatch or park ventilation clock/timer
• and a drive-away protection code (pretty much eclipsed by the EWS-II in later cars)

The biggest challenges could be finding a place to mount it, and the wiring. The range remaining might also be off because of the ti's different gas tank. Or it might not work at all, but that's just part of the adventure of trying something different. I'd be happy to give you the EINHEIT values from my 18-button OBC to match your M44 engine. You can use them to reconfigure a used OBC without trying to find someone to recode it.

That ScanGauge sure looks cool. It does, however, require OBD-II which didn't make it to Europe until the E46.

This page gives the details with part numbers of installing an aftermarket alarm in a Z3. A U.S. Z3 has the same or very similar alarm connections as a U.S. 318ti.

if you do not care about the alarm, only keyless entry, you can get an aftermarket kit that will install pretty easy (about 1 hour or less) for like $60. or even a remote start for like $80 (+ about $50 for extra parts) (takes about 2 hours - 4 hours on an auto, and 3 - 5 hours on a 5spd) atleast with a remote start, you get door locks, and you can start your car from pretty far away. nicer for the Summer (a/c) but it def comes in handy for winter (heater and turn on heated seats)

just some ideas. and is much cheaper if you want to do it yourself, and not that hard to figure out, even your first time. you can even get a remote start professorially installed for like $200 - $400, but please goto a custom shop, not a retail store like bestbuy =]