e36 M3 for daily

[slammin.e28]

The one thing I'm dealing with right now is shitty interior. Headliner falling down, saggy glovebox, and door panels falling apart.

Now that I've got the engine running right and no longer leaking, I'm gearing up to tackle the interior. Suspension is 90% done. Getting coil overs and it's done.

Then there's a few body defects, but they'll wait 'till last.

All in all, I love this car. It suits my needs perfectly. My friends say the car suits me too, better than my e30 did....

[evandael]

i've noticed a swing in the board's mentality towards e36's since i've joined.

i'm with a good number of people on this.. an E36 M3 (or 328is as a more fiscally reasonable alternative) would be an excellent daily driver and even a weekend toy. someday i'll own one.

[MR E30 325is]

no no more projects- im done for a while. just want another turnkey DD.... till the mod bug bites a few months later lol.

I said exactly the same thing. And I spent a year fixing a clapped out E36 M that I paid 7500 for.

From my experience, nothing but a POS.

[mikeedler]

U.S. e36,even the M is an ugly piece of crap. end.

[evandael]

^ refer to this thread: http://www.r3vlimited.com/BOARD/showthread.php?t=239569


OP, just get a well documented one... maintenance records, owner history, original parts/paint/etc. don't try to save money upfront with these cars, or suffer the fate of MR E30 up there.

[VinniE30]

The way I see it is you could have a really nice, fast, reliable 24v e30 for the price of a good e36. So you took the best thing out of the e36, and put it in a lighter, simpler, better looking body. You now don't have to worry about the e36 subframe problems, more suspension bushings to replace, all the other problems that plague it, and you now have both better gas mileage and acceleration in a lighter, more fun to drive, classic platform.

[JinormusJ]

Buy the e36 m3 then change your name to e36moremoneypit

THIS

The way I see it is you could have a really nice, fast, reliable 24v e30 for the price of a good e36. So you took the best thing out of the e36, and put it in a lighter, simpler, better looking body. You now don't have to worry about the e36 subframe problems, more suspension bushings to replace, all the other problems that plague it, and you now have both better gas mileage and acceleration in a lighter, more fun to drive, classic platform.

I don't know if that exactly evens out..you'd be spending close to $10k on the swap build while a decent M3 will run you $6-8k.. I'm all for the idea honestly, but once I know for sure once I pull my swap, I'll buy an e46 4 door auto as a daily for cruising and work and keep the e30 s54 as a weekend warrior and track beast.

If I was you, I would look into the 328is. Usually M3s (especially e36s) are owned by youngins and clots who abuse their cars, living their life one red light at a time, knowing that no matter how they treat the car and what the condition it's in, they would easily get a sale just cause its an M. People with a slightly slower version are more likely to be a little more down to earth and actually treat their car right because they don't have that freedom. My .02

It's funny how e36s were once crap cars on the board until someone found a use for them... Keeping the miles off an e30 and becoming a DD slave bwahah! :-D

[straight6pwr]

was others are saying, youd be better off spending 5-9k on an e30 and not have to worry about your interior falling apart, electronics dying, rear strut towers ripping, etc, etc.

[ELIXIR]

get a 325e. Great gas saver and and reliable as hell Then when the mod bug bites throw an I head on that bitch and you've got yourself a sleeper stroker!~

[CrusherCurtis]

It will be a very nice daily. I've dailyed them twice. Do yourself a favor and get a 96+. Between my very and my tj, I really miss the e36's fixed roof and quiet interior.

[JinormusJ]

get a 325e. Great gas saver and and reliable as hell Then when the mod bug bites throw an I head on that bitch and you've got yourself a sleeper stroker!

I'd second that notion... But for the money.. I myself would probably buy an e39. Amazing luxury, cheaper price, still has great BMW feel to it. Perfect daily to and from work/school

That'd just me though hah ;)

[Kershaw]

i really miss my eta.

[dinanm3atl]

Why get an e36 when you can have a 24v e30?

Because an E36 M3 is a better DD?

I said exactly the same thing. And I spent a year fixing a clapped out E36 M that I paid 7500 for.

From my experience, nothing but a POS.

So you bought a clapped out E36 M3 that you overpaid for... and it was a POS? That is really odd to hear.

The way I see it is you could have a really nice, fast, reliable 24v e30 for the price of a good e36. So you took the best thing out of the e36, and put it in a lighter, simpler, better looking body. You now don't have to worry about the e36 subframe problems, more suspension bushings to replace, all the other problems that plague it, and you now have both better gas mileage and acceleration in a lighter, more fun to drive, classic platform.

You obviously have very little experience with E36 M3s. If you think the best thing in the E36 is the engine when compared to an E30... well I dunno what to say. There is more to a car then flooring it in a straight line. The E36 M3 will do everything performance related better than a 24V E30. Brakes are better. Suspension is WAY better. Both cars have their issues and problems. You can of course just ignore basic maintenance on an E30 and it will just keep going and going.

More suspension bushings to replace? How do you figure? Have you compared your front end to an E36? Subframe issues.. is not all that common in the E36 m3. It has reinforcements from the factory. I still have yet to see any of the chassis failures with my own eyes. I tracked an E36 m3 for years and never added additional reinforcements. Yet I went to upgrade my E30s front sway and oops... the tab is cracked off! But E30s have no issues...

Fun to drive is an opinion. I currently have a Turbo E36 M3 and a 24V e30 with a 6 speed. They are both fun however it's much better to DD the E36.

[nando]

In before dinanm3atl e36 trollpo.. Oh, dang. :p

[dinanm3atl]

In before dinanm3atl e36 trollpo.. Oh, dang. :p

1997 M3 Artic Silver Coupe Turbo BBS RK 5 by Halston Pitman | MotorSportMedia, on Flickr