e36 M3 questions

[lukem23]

I might be getting a 1996 M3 and i was just wondering about maintenance and how reliable they are and what i should know about them.

thanks everyone,
Luke

[e30devo]

you should probably check on an e36 forum.

[lukem23]

i did but i know that a couple of guys on here had or have an e36 M3

[dannyyisntt]

as with any e36 the cooling system needs to be overhauled around 80k to 100k miles...also, i'd check the rear subframe for any damage because after several hardy launches the bushings tend to show wear

[dirty30]

I have a 97, it has 166K and has never let me down. The engines are very robust and will give you little to no trouble for a very long time. The suspension can get sloppy but thats just like every other car on the road. I recommend checking a few things:

Trailing arm bushings: these wear out and cause tires to wear extremely fast

Vanos unit: with the windows rolled up, roll into the throttle and listen for a rattling sound from the engine, this indicates a worn vanos unit but does not necessarily mean it is going to explode or anything, just makes noise after a while

Cooling system: its hit or miss here, just make sure it is not leaking anything, some people replace everything at one time which I think is retarted... I've driven mine with the same cooling system for 80K and I haven't had to replace anything yet

Transmission: SIB 24 04 04 says if the shifter sticks in 5th or reverse the trans needs to come out and the detent things get replaced so it centers the shift knob while in neutral.

A/C: the IHK unit will fluctuate temp and fan speed sometimes at random, will need a rebuilt IHK or a new unit... sometimes blower regulator

Cats: Mine threw cat codes, but just ended up needing pre-cat O2 sensors, always start with the cheap stuff first.

Thats about it for the big stuff, if you don't do all the work yourself these repairs can get expensive.

[lukem23]

Thanks for the advice but to my surprise it turned out to be a scam :( It seems that way now anyways.

[red325]

Thanks for the advice but to my surprise it turned out to be a scam :( It seems that way now anyways.

How?

[dirty30]

Thanks for the advice but to my surprise it turned out to be a scam :( It seems that way now anyways.

Take a look at mine, its not a scam... I promise!

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=136100

[Kovs]

I have a 97, it has 166K and has never let me down. The engines are very robust and will give you little to no trouble for a very long time. The suspension can get sloppy but thats just like every other car on the road. I recommend checking a few things:

Trailing arm bushings: these wear out and cause tires to wear extremely fast

Vanos unit: with the windows rolled up, roll into the throttle and listen for a rattling sound from the engine, this indicates a worn vanos unit but does not necessarily mean it is going to explode or anything, just makes noise after a while

Cooling system: its hit or miss here, just make sure it is not leaking anything, some people replace everything at one time which I think is retarted... I've driven mine with the same cooling system for 80K and I haven't had to replace anything yet

Transmission: SIB 24 04 04 says if the shifter sticks in 5th or reverse the trans needs to come out and the detent things get replaced so it centers the shift knob while in neutral.

A/C: the IHK unit will fluctuate temp and fan speed sometimes at random, will need a rebuilt IHK or a new unit... sometimes blower regulator

Cats: Mine threw cat codes, but just ended up needing pre-cat O2 sensors, always start with the cheap stuff first.

Thats about it for the big stuff, if you don't do all the work yourself these repairs can get expensive.

+2 on everything here. All the horrid internet tales of exploding E36 cooling systems scared me so I replaced everything - except the fan blades - and upgraded to a Stewart water pump. 1 week later, WOT on the highway, and the old fan blade shattered and took out my new radiator. Serves me right for cheaping out on a $40 part.

Otherwise, my 1997 has been mostly trouble free for the last year and 10K miles (total mileage now = 117K).

[lukem23]

Take a look at mine, its not a scam... I promise!

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=136100

Thanks anyways but that's out of my range. Its really nice car though for the price. The one i was going to get was an unbeatable price and will probably never see a deal like that again.

[lukem23]

I have another question for you guys, how expensive is it to maintain? Basic and not so basic?

[retardotyler]

j

[dude8383]

I have another question for you guys, how expensive is it to maintain? Basic and not so basic?

dude, just look up the prices for all of the parts that dirtye30 mentioned above...you're pretty much asking the same question again