A Life Less Ordinary

[Lair]

I own a fairly rare silver E36 - a 4 door Lux 5-speed M3. It's a nice car. It does everything I want it to do. It's comfortable and capable. I really enjoy the way it feels when I drive it.

Why am I bored to tears with it? Is it just that silver E36's are so common? I see them everywhere. Even as rare as the M3/4 is, there are two in my city (population 1.1 million) that are EXACTLY like it. There are literally thousands of silver E36's that look EXACTLY like it. The average citizen sees it and thinks 'another old silver BMW'. They don't know it's special, because it looks decidedly ordinary. Even with wheels/wings/headlights, the E36 is still just another old BMW. Even other BMW drivers have no clue about the car (for the most part)

Maybe it's just that I've always driven cars that aren't so common. I used to build resto-custom air-cooled VW's back in the day. One of the Ghia convertibles I built was featured in Hot VW's magazine, and my DD Ghia convertible made it into VW Trends magazine. I couldn't go anywhere in any of my VW's without turning heads and being approached by complete strangers.

Same with my later years. I built a '94 Miata that got more attention than the E36. I also owned a Porsche 968 cabrio that was unique to the city, and probably the state.

Maybe that's why I'm so happy with the E30 I just bought. It takes me back to the days when a car was a blank canvas and not just some cookie-cutter transportation appliance.

[YAN-3]

so you want the attention? i personally love how most people dont even notice you or the car im in, however when i do get a double take or a stare thats when you know its someone who knows what your in and appreciates it. thats my take on it at least.

[Lair]

It's a double-edged sword.

I like being able to perform illegal maneuvers without repercussion, but it would be nice if SOMEBODY noticed my car.

I've gotten more looks in the beater E30 than I have in the M3, and I've only had the E30 for a couple of weeks.

[Tim Flat4]

I think it's because E36s in general are common, including the M3. There isn't obvious characteristics that set the M3 apart from the rest of the three series so they all look the same to someone that isn't up on their BMWs.

[McCoolidge]

Well, an e36 m3 isnt recognizable like an e30 m3, people see only the body you know, and the e30 m3 is much different in body styling than a normal e30 to most people, but to them, your e36 is just some silver 4 door sedan.

[M42Technik]

so you want the attention? i personally love how most people dont even notice you or the car im in, however when i do get a double take or a stare thats when you know its someone who knows what your in and appreciates it. thats my take on it at least.

I got a thumbs up from a 40-something man in a Porsche 996 with Fikse's and the works.

I haven't been given a thumbs up ever, other than that time, and E30 drivers never notice the car. Its a weird world.

[equate975]

How is any e36 "rare" ? (i guess aside from a real LTW) My city has around 100,000 people and I see e36 m3's all the time, including 4 door ones. Hell I just saw one for sale about an hour ago when I was looking at cars today.

"rare" for me would be an e30 m3. I have yet to see one in town. I guess I have seen one, but I know the guy didnt live in town because I have seen his car before when driving to winona. I always oogled at his car when I drove by it, he lives in some little hick town.

[Bimmerista]

I hope that I don't sound like I'm e-humping my e30, but it gets more attention that my e46 ever did on campus at school.

[equate975]

I hardly ever get a second look unless someone knows what my car is. Anyone that drives a BMW around here does because they buy it for the brand name. All the doctors buy them because they are expensive, and all the kids buy e36s just to say they own a BMW. I highly doubt anyone here would be able to tell me the difference between a m20 and a s50.

I bet everyone just "looks down on me" becuase I "have to drive an old bmw" lol

[AdironRider]

I live in a pretty well to do neighborhood and my buddies e36 and my e30 to some extent dont even get noticed. The only people who comment on my car are older guys who used to have one or enthusiasts. Its kinda nice how many old timers lament about how they regret selling theirs for a newer BMW.

[equate975]

I live in a pretty well to do neighborhood and my buddies e36 and my e30 to some extent dont even get noticed. The only people who comment on my car are older guys who used to have one or enthusiasts. Its kinda nice how many old timers lament about how they regret selling theirs for a newer BMW.

Yeah thats true, my mail man started talking to me about my m3 one day while working on it. He said back in the day his buddy has a bavaria 3.0 that they took up hill racing. He asked me if I had "the seats that go up on the sides to hold you in" and im like yup, he said he loved those the best lol

[Lair]

How is any e36 "rare" ? (i guess aside from a real LTW) My city has around 100,000 people and I see e36 m3's all the time, including 4 door ones. Hell I just saw one for sale about an hour ago when I was looking at cars today.

"rare" for me would be an e30 m3. I have yet to see one in town. I guess I have seen one, but I know the guy didnt live in town because I have seen his car before when driving to winona. I always oogled at his car when I drove by it, he lives in some little hick town.

When you're talking about E36 M3's, the 5-speed sedan is 'rare'. I'm not implying that my car is special or anything, but compared to the number of coupes and 4-door autos, it's rare.

My next-door neighbor is a 50ish woman who moved here from WA state. She has a minty '88 635 for a daily driver, and also owns a 3.0 CSL. (It LOOKS like a CSL, and she calls it a CSL, but I haven't verified that.)

Both her cars are really 'rare'.