Should I buy an E36 M3?

[camberwears]

I feel you on this as I am wanting/ thinking about selling my bagged E30 and buying a E36 M3 4 door.. I have had a E46 330ci and that damn thing was in the shop all the time ..lucky I had bought a certified pre owned with the warranty lol

[JinormusJ]

mine

/Thread


You cannot win against the laughter of children nor Recaros sport seats catered to the fastening of little teeny people


Btw, that first picture is awesome :up:

[Kovs]

I won't ream you for this pointless response for the mere fact that you have owned a URS4.



All of that input is awesome. Thanks for the detailed POV.

I know the M3/4/5 would probably be my best bet for what I am asking, but I think they are hideous. Something about the exterior irks me terribly.

I'm most likely going to keep the e30 until I can get a ZHP E46 as a daily. I don't see the point in buying something that isn't at least partially practical but I don't want to own something I hate either. I feel that the ZHP would be a good sacrifice, but not be too terribly above what I wanted to spend. Plus, with the E30 market the way it is, it shouldn't be too terribly hard to find someone to take a trade+cash offer for an e46.

I may just post it up and see what kind of offers I would get.:o

Sorry man, I just hate E36s. It's nothing that hasn't already been discussed on this forum, so I just felt like I would be rehashing old stuff... in a nutshell, if you like garbage cooling systems, garbage interiors that fall apart, flaky electrics, rear subframes that rip away because of inadequate reinforcement, and ho-hum steering feel, than yes, an E36 M3 is a GREAT choice!

By the way, everything mentioned about the E28 535 could not be more UNTRUE.

[slammin.e28]

As for an E28....just don't. Less safe than an E30 (designed before the E30 was, so older standards), WAY less fun, horrid steering, crap brakes, totally uninspiring engine, noodle chassis...I say this having driven our family's 535i for nine years now. My dad bought it new and has been fanatical about maintenance on it, so it's not a rusted craigslist crappile...but it's still awful. In the last five years though the car has clearly hit seniordom, and it is falling apart. Sagging interior, parts failing left and right due to age, more leaks than the Iraqi navy, and its electronics have mostly shat the bed. I would run away from any non-M E28-- the Ms are something special but the non-M are a totally different and altogether crap car. My favorite thing about the car is to see just how dramatically cars have progressed since 86, but I hate driving it.

I could not disagree more.

Apart from me doing stupid shit to my car in HS, my e28 has been the pinnacle of reliability. Nothing that has gone wrong was the car's fault, it was mine for trying to mod it cheaply. Mine still handled and turned as if it was on rails, even with it's completely worn out suspension. That said, if I had a choice, I'd get an e34 or e39 for kid hauling. E28s are a bit more of an, eh....plain car.

That said, I plan on hauling my kids, when the time comes, in my e28.

[InuFaye]

kids can ride the school bus, like I did.

[Q5Quint]

How do you define 'reliability'

My jeep has about 200k miles. My old turbo ix had about 300k.

A fuel pump is a fuel pump is a fuel pump. If your fuel pump is 10 years old and has 100k miles there is a chance it will die and leave you stranded.

I don't care if it is a e46/e36/e30/e28. They will all require the same basic maintenance on old parts so I would argue the difference is null. The benefit of the e46 is that most of it's parts are literally newer and therefore *should not break for another few years... but it also has a lot *more parts to break. You already know how to look up the common repair items for each chassis and judge if the time is 'worth it' or not.

Since you have already fixed up a bunch of stuff on the e30, there is less 'unknown' things to break. A e36 or any other used car may bring its own problems and headaches that you will have to sort out again. Not to mention smog testing/issues with $400 cats.

If I had to choose one I would probably go with the e36 m3 vert since I have owned 6 e30s and would like something new. Probably a 95 model vert so I could skip smog and add the required turbo, and take my top off for the ladies.

Yes getting rid of a car impractical for a family and getting one that is equally impractical makes perfect sense.

Exactly. My fleet will always include a 4x4 truck, car hauler/trailer, and a 'fun' car. And a motorcycle. If the wife thing ever happens I would try to set her up with a tdi wagon to round out the barn. If this e30/e36 choice is about your 'fun' car then pick the one that is the most fun for YOU...especially if you already have other wheels to meet your other needs. I have only driven a 328i coupe so I cant speak for the m3.

[slammin.e28]

If I had to choose one I would probably go with the e36 m3 vert since I have owned 6 e30s and would like something new. Probably a 95 model vert so I could skip smog and add the required turbo, and take my top off for the ladies.

Good luck with that. M3 'verts weren't until '98.

I wouldn't tarbo an M3 either. When the engine pops it much more expensive to get another S50/52. Get a 95 325 vert, M3 body panels, slammed, tarbo'd, and go. Just don't badge it as anything other than a 95 325iC.

[Kovs]

A fuel pump is a fuel pump is a fuel pump. If your fuel pump is 10 years old and has 100k miles there is a chance it will die and leave you stranded.

Unless you own a E90 / E92 335i :)

And maybe I'm just lucky, but I've owned 5 E30s, 3 E28s, and 1 E24 and never had to touch a fuel pump. Both pumps in my E28 right now are ORIGINAL. The only time I've ever seen an E30 fuel pump fail is on the track from fuel starvation.

[BMWManiac]

I have both a E30 and E36 M3. When the M3 was stock, I had only one concern...the cooling system, and if you replace the water pump, t-stat housing to metal one, and radiator... you'll be fine. That is the only things. No electrical glitches, no C101 plug, chassing 1222 codes to worry about, maintenance has been just as much as with my e30.

Find a M3/4/5 and you'll find the perfect daily driver with 4 doors. Plenty of power, great touring, relatively cheap to maintain. Only problem is, you'll probably start modding it!

[James Crivellone]

As for an E28....just don't. Less safe than an E30 (designed before the E30 was, so older standards), WAY less fun, horrid steering, crap brakes, totally uninspiring engine, noodle chassis...I say this having driven our family's 535i for nine years now. My dad bought it new and has been fanatical about maintenance on it, so it's not a rusted craigslist crappile...but it's still awful. In the last five years though the car has clearly hit seniordom, and it is falling apart. Sagging interior, parts failing left and right due to age, more leaks than the Iraqi navy, and its electronics have mostly shat the bed. I would run away from any non-M E28-- the Ms are something special but the non-M are a totally different and altogether crap car. My favorite thing about the car is to see just how dramatically cars have progressed since 86, but I hate driving it.

My 88 528e (I swapped) is the complete opposite of what you describe. The brakes are very good, the chassis feels fine, with an M30 the engine provides plenty of power, and safety is not worse because of age.

Hell, when I was a kid my mom had an 85 528e, bone stock. Coming home from work a stolen late 80's Dodge Ram slammed into the back of her at 50mph. Yes the trunk was destroyed (it hit above the bumper due to height of the truck) however the rear glass did NOT break and the rear doors still opened perfectly. She walked away with nothing more than a back ache and a burn from the seatbelt.

I've driven E36 M3's, and everytime I get into one I just want to rip that horrid excuse for an interior out and replace it with something better. Yes the drivetrains are solid (with the exception of rear subframe issues which every BMW has (even E30's fellas).

If I had a choice I'd go E46 330i Sedan over an M3/4 any day of the week. The interiors are a millions times better, DBW is fine once you get used to it, and they are just overall nicer places to be (which sounds important to what OP is looking for)

Plus US Market E36 M3's are not real M3's, but that's another argument for another day.

[InuFaye]

I don't know why people hate on e36 interiors, aside from some shitty plastic they are fine.

[ZenkiOwns]

I don't know why people hate on e36 interiors, aside from some shitty plastic they are fine.

The clips used are crap. If one breaks and you remove the panel to replace it, you will be replacing all of them. I had my e36 for around a year and I replaced all the clips in both doors, and then a few more after that. My interior was extremely nice besides that, minus the lack of character the e36 dash has. It's just boring, almost as if something you would find in a Camry of the time.

I may just use the cash I wanted to pick up a new car with to S50 swap the e30, put in AC and weld in some reinforcements behind those rear interior panels. It's unlikely, but still an option!

[e30shmobberr]

ive never been a fan of e36's. maybe its because i dont see them as a true m3. especially the us models!

every m3 besides the e36 m3, has a widebody.
every m3 has itb, except the us e36 m3.

nuff said. thats my

[mrcheezle19]

I would honestly buy this:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=259855

[Stanley Rockafella]

So....I'd get an E36 M3 sedan (m3/4/5). Excellent car.

For what it's worth, I owed both an E30 and an E36 M3 at the same time. Both had nice interiors, good suspension, and modded brakes/exhaust. I sold the E30 after a few months as I'd been driving the M3 every single day unless it snowed, when I'd drive the Subaru. I realized I liked looking at the E30 and thinking about what it represented, but it wasn't the fun, engaging, powerful, practical, and most importantly, reliable car my E36 was. I just didn't like driving it nearly as much as the E36, which was the entire reason I bought the car in the first place. While the E30 is easier to hoon in, due to its ultimate handling limit being much easier to reach than the E36, I found the E36 is more fun and satisfying to approach its limits.

I don't miss my E30 one bit. My M has now dived off the deep end and is headed towards GTS4, but I'm heavily considering buying another for daily duties once this school thing is over with. For me, the E36 M3 has a nearly unbeatable combination of soul, practicality, reliability, and power that is missing from many other cars I've owned or driven in. Others will/have disagreed with me but I stand by my point.

However, and this is a fairly decent caveat for someone wanting to use the car as a family DD-- no old BMW, E30/36/xx is going to be safe when hit by Drunky McRetard in an F250. The E36 is a more substantial and safer car than the E30, but it's not a Volvo.

Now, E30s are NOT bad cars. They are great and can be made very capable, and I enjoyed mine for a good three years, but the E36 is just 'right' for me. Drive an E36 before you decide though.


As for an E28....just don't. Less safe than an E30 (designed before the E30 was, so older standards), WAY less fun, horrid steering, crap brakes, totally uninspiring engine, noodle chassis...I say this having driven our family's 535i for nine years now. My dad bought it new and has been fanatical about maintenance on it, so it's not a rusted craigslist crappile...but it's still awful. In the last five years though the car has clearly hit seniordom, and it is falling apart. Sagging interior, parts failing left and right due to age, more leaks than the Iraqi navy, and its electronics have mostly shat the bed. I would run away from any non-M E28-- the Ms are something special but the non-M are a totally different and altogether crap car. My favorite thing about the car is to see just how dramatically cars have progressed since 86, but I hate driving it.

This post has me seriously considering a non M e36 sedan. Sure it's not as powerful, but the later 90's ones seem more durable with the framed windows and structural integrity of a sedan over a coupe.