Tempted to buy E36 M3
 

I am getting tempted to buy a used E36 M3. I know I should wait out for the BRZ but I am starting to feel that itch.

You know what they say, dont scratch when you itch ;)

That is true. Just feel like getting something different to drive and not sure I can hold out for the BRZ. I guess it is only another month until new info at Detroit.

If you need a car, then by all means get one!

But if you don't need one right now, then I think waiting for the AS1 will truly be worth it.:thumbsup:

Just buy the M3 and the BRZ, you can never have too many cars :)

Not everyone has the ability to just give out HJ's like you, Longhorn... :lol:

I don't "need" a new car now as my Mazda is still doing its job. Thinking about it more, not sure I want to go through the headache of trying to find a decent e36 that won't take too much $$ to get up to par. Plus the time commitment of looking online and then traveling out of state if need be to see it. So probably not the best use of time or my money.


Hahaha yeah I wish. Right now I am a 1 car guy. Hopefully in the future I can change that and have more cars when I am settled. :) but a e36 has always been a dream of mine along with some others.

Lol Longhorn will prolly go to vegas first to win and then go and buy those with lots of Hotel Juilets

Lol I know what you mean. Few months back, I've almost bought first gen Celica (which was on hella good deal)... But I've hold it in...

Hold out! Used 370Z prices are falling like a rock (I planned on buying one before I saw the FT-86 concepts) but I've waiting too long to pass up on the FR-S or BRZ. Just over five months to wait.

:lol:

E36 is the worse 3 series BMW you can buy.

Just buy S50/S52 E30. or even the cheaper M50/M52 E30 are fun as well

Care to back that statement up with anything?

not really. just hear too many bad things about the build quality of the e36 compared to the e30/e46/e9x

Everything's better when you win it for free ;)

I'm also one of the 370z converts. I was planning on February, but then I figured I'd wait for this car. Same price or cheaper, better gas mileage, hopefully cheaper insurance, and likely just as fun!

So basically you have no first hand knowledge?

The E36 M3 is probably the BEST M3 to buy in that it's reasonable priced, extremely fun to drive and fairly cheap to maintain. E30s are absolute blasts, but they have a steep price of admission and parts sourcing can be an issue. E46s are.. bleh.. good highway cars, but no where near as fun as the E36. Most E46 guys I know have an E36 for fun driving (or some other vehicle like an ITR, etc), and use the E46 to drive to work.

E92s are pretty fun actually, but way too expensive right now.

Do it.

http://i865.photobucket.com/albums/a...ingitright.jpg

My neighbor's son uses E92 as a fun car... Result? Tranny blew in less than 2 month of owning that car.

He learned his lesson & went w 911 GT3 for a fun car...

The E36 used market is really hit or miss. Although even some high mileage ones are still in phenomenal condition.

Have you driven one yet or have you just started looking?

Not what I have read. Sure the E36 is older and harder to find one in good condition with good maintanence records. From my reading M3 enthusiast consider the E36 the most fun to drive. Plus price wise you can get them for a good deal.

As you stated, this is what I have come to learn from reading BMW forums.

Just started looking. Nothing in my area and would need to travel out of state. My buddy has a E36 which I have driven and it is a blast to drive. Just not sure I want to put that time and effort in for finding a good used car.

I haven't researched the E92s (due to price, I have no interest in spending that kind of money on a car) but all the track guys I know with one haven't had any issues. Which trans was it? I only know guys with the manuals.. I'd suspect abuse or a defect there though unless it's a wide spread problem.

I had to buy a one-way plane ticket to Chicago to buy my car, then drove it back. The whole process took a couple of days (visited with old friends and family I'd never met along the way), but it was an adventure I'll never forget. Took me a while to find the car, but totally worth it.

Wait and find a good condition with records 95 M3 IMO :)

My favorite E36 M3 is a 95 Avus Blue M3 :)

If I were buying one right now I'd take a serious look at this car, even though it's about 4k higher than I'd be willing to spend. Avus blue, cloth interior (rare and seats would be swapped anyways) and most importantly (for me) it's a no sunroof car... the 42k miles don't hurt either..

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...standard=false

See, this guy owns a 95. Listen to him. :)

I flew to Omaha, NE for the last car I bought :thumbup:

I love e36s. However, it's so damned hard to find one I'd be willing to spend the money on and then to maintain.

Thanks Dave. That is a great looking car. Just not sure I want to spend that much on a 12yr old BMW (I realize you have to spend to get one in good condition) but for a little more I can save up for a BRZ. If I could find a used one for $8-9k that would be ideal but would assume I would then need to put some money into it.

Exactly. Parts are expensive and will probably become harder to find as it gets older. Damn expensive to bring to a shop too. I can do basic stuff myself but would need the shop to do the rest.

I've heard that the early ones had fragile engines. Any truth to that?

Oh you can find them for less easily.. that is just about the perfect M3 for me :)

They will last a good long time, I know of some stock unopened engine cars with over 200k on them. I'd personally stick with 100k or less but that's just me..

Probably two years ago a friend sold his 95 Avus Blue with 40k on it for 12k, I regret not buying that car :(

Not that I've ever seen. I've seen people blow them up with too much boost and I've known people to do damage with misshifts, but I've never heard of any widespread problems with the engines if left alone (at least US spec, no idea on the S50B30 used elsewhere).

I have known people (and read about even more) with cluster issues in 95 M3s though..

Oh and of course the subframe tearout issues but that's not specific to the E36, E46s, M coupes, etc all suffer from that flaw.

I have read there are issues with the radiator/engine cooling system.

The problem with the e36 is some had plastic water pump impellers. There's a factory part with a metal impeller, and many cars you'll find have upgraded.

I can't imagine you'd find any enthusiast owned one that hasn't been by now but I'm sure there are some out there still.

I just have vague memories of there being a reliability difference between the 3.0L (is that the S50B30 you mentioned?) and the 3.2L.

I think he had the AT... One week, saw him w E92 prepping to go drag race at the local track... Next week, I saw him saying E92's tranny broke & instead of waiting to be fixed, bought GT3.

I'm pretty sure some bad luck stuff. Every time he go to the track, he come home breaking something (that including his bones). But of course, he have enough money laying around to spent fixing or buying new car, so I'm pretty sure he doesn't care.

Sounds like money is putting him in cars he is not otherwise prepared to drive.

Did he blow up the trans, blow up the rear, or break an axle? I thought those DCTs were pretty stout.

Hm... I don't think so. His family have been car/bike holic for generation to generation. From what I know, he can drive/ride em faster than any one of the family... but he'll break em faster than any one of the family :bellyroll:

IDK, only thing he told me was he blew the tranny and wasn't willing to wait to be fixed, so he bought GT3... That's all I know, sorry. Sunday, when I visit my family, I'll ask him how he broke it