This is kind of a weird request but I am looking for my dad's E36, the car that got me started into my BMW enthusiasm. I figure considering its current status - it may be being parted out for a doner E30 candidate! Hopefully maybe someone on r3v may have some info or knows of the car. Perhaps someone is riding around in the old M50 non-vanos motor it had.
Every once in a while, I check the carfax because I still have the VIN# handy. Short story: my dad bought it, one of the first Black/Black E36 coupes in April 1992, right after we saw its debut at the 1992 NYIAS - went to one dealer that were he had place an order originally for a red/black coupe, then we decided to try another dealer and as we pulled in, a black/black coupe was getting unloaded from a truck, complete with plastic still on the seats. It was a fully loaded e36 at the time (heated seats, full OBC, rare LSD). I was 12 at the time.
He only drove it very sparingly, managed to only put 6k in 4 years! Always garaged...I helped take care of it, waxing and conditioning the seats. When I turned 17, I knew he would never just give it to me, he had his eyes on a Z3 and wanted to trade it in...I offered it to my high school buddy who was in love with the car. He sold it in 1997 for $18k and for the next couple of years, I got to live vicariously through him. Shortly after, the car was stolen, and was involved in a very high speed chase were it eluded the police! When we found the car 2 weeks later, the entire front suspension needed to be replaced, and BMW replaced the M50 with a brand new engine from Germany which at the time cost $20,000. The car was never salvaged.
Buddy and I drifted apart going into college and I found out in 2001 he sold the car and got a CLK. Since then my dad moved on, bought a R53 Mini MC40 and a 350Z. My dad passed away in 2006.
Fast forward to today, checking the carfax, the car is now in Spartansburg, SC and apparently the last entry was in 7/2012 - suffering a severe front end collision with airbags deployed. With E36s so cheap these days, if the car is somewhat salvageable, I'd like to see if I could buy it back and return it to former glory. I know its not an E36 M3 LTW or anything but the car holds a special memory for me. I've rebuilt 3 E30s and 1 E36 so I know BMWs well.
If anyone has any information on this particular car, the last 7 digits of the VIN# are EF36220 - Black/Black E36 1992 325is 5 speed coupe in Spartansburg, SC.
Every once in a while, I check the carfax because I still have the VIN# handy. Short story: my dad bought it, one of the first Black/Black E36 coupes in April 1992, right after we saw its debut at the 1992 NYIAS - went to one dealer that were he had place an order originally for a red/black coupe, then we decided to try another dealer and as we pulled in, a black/black coupe was getting unloaded from a truck, complete with plastic still on the seats. It was a fully loaded e36 at the time (heated seats, full OBC, rare LSD). I was 12 at the time.
He only drove it very sparingly, managed to only put 6k in 4 years! Always garaged...I helped take care of it, waxing and conditioning the seats. When I turned 17, I knew he would never just give it to me, he had his eyes on a Z3 and wanted to trade it in...I offered it to my high school buddy who was in love with the car. He sold it in 1997 for $18k and for the next couple of years, I got to live vicariously through him. Shortly after, the car was stolen, and was involved in a very high speed chase were it eluded the police! When we found the car 2 weeks later, the entire front suspension needed to be replaced, and BMW replaced the M50 with a brand new engine from Germany which at the time cost $20,000. The car was never salvaged.
Buddy and I drifted apart going into college and I found out in 2001 he sold the car and got a CLK. Since then my dad moved on, bought a R53 Mini MC40 and a 350Z. My dad passed away in 2006.
Fast forward to today, checking the carfax, the car is now in Spartansburg, SC and apparently the last entry was in 7/2012 - suffering a severe front end collision with airbags deployed. With E36s so cheap these days, if the car is somewhat salvageable, I'd like to see if I could buy it back and return it to former glory. I know its not an E36 M3 LTW or anything but the car holds a special memory for me. I've rebuilt 3 E30s and 1 E36 so I know BMWs well.
If anyone has any information on this particular car, the last 7 digits of the VIN# are EF36220 - Black/Black E36 1992 325is 5 speed coupe in Spartansburg, SC.