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

[ZenkiOwns]

No

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

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.

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

[Kovs]

No

[Bimmerman325i]

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.

[mikeedler]

Thanks for all if the input guys. If I had a front facing car seat it wouldn't be as much of an issue. I guess besides the creature comforts the things that worries me most is the worry of a side impact and the car seat being right next to that back window/ quarter panel. Maybe I'm bring an overly cautious parent, I don't know. In my buddies spec e30 car the only thing protecting the rear passenger area is the cage, which I obviously don't have.

For the record any of the cars will be modified in the same fashion as the e30 at the minimum heavily powered and wheels.

Choices:
Keep e30
E36 m3 coupe
e46 sedan

And unless I've just had bad luck it seems reliability goes in transcending order e46, e36, e30 and the fun level goes the opposite way.

How would an e34, e32 or even e28 compare to the said choices above?

reliability comes from preventive maint. and not what year the car was built. If a 2001 e46 hood was never popped, it would be less reliable than an e30 that was taken care of. Shit, I work at a dealership and there are enough "older" e90s coming in on flatbeds every day. My E30 has NEVER left me stranded--- because I take care of it.

And if you think an E36 is better in a side impact crash, or even an e46 in the rear without airbag, your fooling yourself.

the wifes E46 touring is nice, pretty safe FEELING with all the airbags, but I still like my E30 a ton more. and I feel safer in my e39 than the e46 just due to the size.

[GDA]

E34 M5

Fixed that one for you...

[Rook12V]

Actually I think a well maintained E36 M3 is more reliable than an E46 and probably more than an E30, but mainly because it'll be newer with less miles.

[txtorquemade]

e46

[ZenkiOwns]

Thanks for all if the input guys. If I had a front facing car seat it wouldn't be as much of an issue. I guess besides the creature comforts the things that worries me most is the worry of a side impact and the car seat being right next to that back window/ quarter panel. Maybe I'm bring an overly cautious parent, I don't know. In my buddies spec e30 car the only thing protecting the rear passenger area is the cage, which I obviously don't have.

For the record any of the cars will be modified in the same fashion as the e30 at the minimum heavily powered and wheels.

Choices:
Keep e30
E36 m3 coupe
e46 sedan

And unless I've just had bad luck it seems reliability goes in transcending order e46, e36, e30 and the fun level goes the opposite way.

How would an e34, e32 or even e28 compare to the said choices above?

[Boostesi]

she even fell asleep in the car with m50/ straight pipe exhaust cruising around lol

[Boostesi]

My 3 1/2 year old daughter loves my e30, she used to love my bronzit 86, she liked it better than the black 1990 with the m50swap i have now, but she always tells me how she likes me wheels, and the noise my car makes haha, its a great time when for both of us to drive around together lol.

[e30trooper]

my car is dumped and its the DD and does kid duties daily. We've got a 2nd car but I like to drive mine :D

[Wschnitz]

E36 M3 Sedan?
E30 Sedan on coils?

Both I'd say would work.

[e30trooper]

mine

[Rook12V]

One thing that I don't like on the E46s is Drive By Wire. It removes a lot of feel and I really like that about the E36, specifically the M3, drives way better than an E46 IMO.