Anyone want to talk about E36’s with me?

[MPLFoster]

So I’ve picked up an E36...https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/sho...d.php?t=415495

Before we begin, i never really wanted an E36. They’re not so pretty and the community surrounding them are basically a lot of stance bros and drifters...plus some track rats that are doing race car things. I just happened to find an excellent example that fulfilled my needs. So if you’re here to tell me I’ve made a terrible decision, don’t bother. I’m happy with it so far. Plus i still have my E30 and i love it much much more...no worries there.

I just can’t seem to find a decent forum for the chassis. So if there are some E36 guys lurking around here that can inform or help me with questions i may have, please make yourselves known. ;)

[superj]

I have always wondered how people like them for normal stuff. I have looked at them locally but by the time they show up for sale at a price I don't mind, the interior is all torn up or they are beat to crap.

I think they could easily be a very fun daily though

[Ryan...]

I've had many e36's, every single one I've been glad to get rid of :)

Bimmerforums is still the most active e36 forum I've found.

[MR E30 325is]

Second on Bimmerforums. I still go over there (or M3Forums) when I need an E36 fix.

I have had two E36's, but both were M3's.

I too was excited to get rid of both of them, but I may be feeling their call once again.

Let me know if I can help.

[MPLFoster]

I have always wondered how people like them for normal stuff. I have looked at them locally but by the time they show up for sale at a price I don't mind, the interior is all torn up or they are beat to crap.

I think they could easily be a very fun daily though

As a daily, its been fantastic. Its a 318i with the very anemic single cam M43B18 (115hp) that was only available in Europe. Even so the chassis is quite good and chucking it into corners sideways is child’s play. It gets decent fuel economy (averages 6.8L/100KM or 34.5mpg). I found one with a nearly immaculate leather interior and everything works...AC is ice cold, seat heaters get real toasty, auto windows go up and down smoothly and did i mention the pristine leather?! It’s bone stock save for an aftermarket head unit i put in and so far its been a very comfy grocery getter/autobahn cruiser for the girly and I. No complaints as of yet...except for the gutless motor.

I've had many e36's, every single one I've been glad to get rid of :)

Bimmerforums is still the most active e36 forum I've found.

What were your negative experiences with your E36’s? Believe me i was hesitant to jump into one from what i was hearing about them but when i saw this one and how well taken care of it was, i took the plunge.

Bimmerforums is a decent resource but it’s no R3V. ;D

[MPLFoster]

Second on Bimmerforums. I still go over there (or M3Forums) when I need an E36 fix.

I have had two E36's, but both were M3's.

I too was excited to get rid of both of them, but I may be feeling their call once again.

Let me know if I can help.

I may take you up on that...Thanks! ;)

[Ryan...]

What were your negative experiences with your E36’s? Believe me i was hesitant to jump into one from what i was hearing about them but when i saw this one and how well taken care of it was, i took the plunge.

Bimmerforums is a decent resource but it’s no R3V. ;D

I had the following e36s, a 98 328is, 95 M3, 98 M3, 98 323i, and a 95 325ic. All had the same usual e36 issues (shit interior, rattles, etc). Between the crap interior and rattles, I had EWS issues, random electrical issues, window issues, etc.

By itself the e36 isn't a bad car, but compared to any other chassis I've owned it was far and away the worse. I found the e30 infinitely more fun to drive and work on, the e39s (540i and M5) were quieter and more fun (albeit less nimble), and my brother's e46 feels significantly more solid than I remember my e36s feeling.

[flyboyx]

I've had many e36's, every single one I've been glad to get rid of :)

just change a starter (the one with through bolts) or an oil pan gasket on one of these things. you will be glad to get rid of it too.(or light it on fire)

I detested to one we bought for our daughter with the very fiber of my soul.

the day some guy came and bought it from our craigslist ad, I am pretty sure I did a happy dance for 20 minutes.

[MPLFoster]

I had the following e36s, a 98 328is, 95 M3, 98 M3, 98 323i, and a 95 325ic. All had the same usual e36 issues (shit interior, rattles, etc). Between the crap interior and rattles, I had EWS issues, random electrical issues, window issues, etc.

By itself the e36 isn't a bad car, but compared to any other chassis I've owned it was far and away the worse. I found the e30 infinitely more fun to drive and work on, the e39s (540i and M5) were quieter and more fun (albeit less nimble), and my brother's e46 feels significantly more solid than I remember my e36s feeling.

So far my E36 isn’t rattling or squeaking but it does have a bit of road/wind noise. Still better than the E30 in that regard. As far as driving dynamics I have to agree that the E30 is far and away the better, more fun, drivers car. But we all know that goes without saying. ;)

But to speak on that point for a moment, the E36 is still very tactile and responsive. If I’m pushing it it definitely talks back to me and I feel what’s going on with the front suspension through the steering wheel and the chassis in the seat of my pants. Very predictable and easily managed at the limit. Being that mine is a 98, maybe it hasn’t lost too much rigidity over the years. Doesn’t feel too sloppy...although the suspension is quite soft so I’m probably not feeling any flex just old springs and tired dampers. Not sure if I’ll be modifying it soon but if I do the first thing is a proper suspension refresh and wheels/tires.

just change a starter (the one with through bolts) or an oil pan gasket on one of these things. you will be glad to get rid of it too.(or light it on fire)

I detested to one we bought for our daughter with the very fiber of my soul.

So much hate.

I haven’t done any major maintenance other than an oil change and the front brakes (rotors and pads). Was pretty standard stuff. We’ll see how it goes when I need to do a bigger job. I can’t imagine it will make me hate the car.

[Rennsport]

I daily an e36 328i. I love it. Mine is over 200k, the only issues its had in the last 4 years were vanos rattle and a header cracked (likely from not having a hanger until the very back of the car, which has been resolved)
It's more modern as far as tech and drive-ability go. It out-handles my e30 with waayyyyy more rear grip and with M strut mounts to add caster, the understeer is virtually gone.

I can see how people think the interior is crap, but they are really only referring to the door cards, which you can buy new clips to an eliminate any rattling.

Maybe I'm biased due to both of the e36's I've owned being well taken care of. However, I beat on mine and haven't seen any of the "typical" issues.

[roguetoaster]

I've had E36s for about a year and a half now. I do like that the 318ti models I have look/feel more modern without being too modern, and having one with an S52 is enjoyable. That said, the paint is shot on the '99 ti and both cars have suffered from some interior rattle, door handle and window troubles. Additionally the 99 has sunroof leaks and random sunroof inop conditions.

I can say that an "incident" at a private rallycross caused the '95 to slam in to a dip immediately followed by catching a solid foot of air on one side, but it didn't seem to do any lasting damage, which was impressive. So I suppose they are sturdy.

All considered I don't see me playing with E36s for more than a year or two before jumping to E39s. This is of course the natural progression if you start out with an E30, just as the factory planned it, only 10-20 years behind schedule.

[mtech325]

I have to agree with Rennsport. A well maintained e36 can be a solid car. I bought my 1996 328is with a 168k from the first owner 8 years ago, and the car is still going with 276k. The interior has a few rattles, but it has held up surprisingly well. Like most old cars, if you address things as they arise, the car will last. It's the band-aid fixes on fixes which seem to cause these cars to rapidly fall into disrepair. An e36 is still a cheap car, so a lot of people buy them as beaters that just so happen to be a BMW.

Between the e30 and e36, the e36 is a major upgrade in terms of servicing for your average DIY home mechanic. Everyone jokes that they suck, but there's a reason BMW sold so many e36's (and why a lot of e30 upgrades are e36 parts). An e30 325i does take the cake for nice exhaust note though.

[Balleristic31]

I daily a $900 98 M3 sedan that is a total piece of crap. It's fun to scoot around in day to day but the interior is completely falling apart (glovebox, headliner, sunroof, door cards, seats, HVAC controls etc.). The best part about the car is the drivetrain which will eventually be going into an E30.

E36s are good cars, but don't really have the soul of E30s and to me just aren't that special. After owning one I will not be buying another.

BFC is the best E36 forum that I have found as well.

[psmura]

That is one clean 318i! Really liking those steelies.

E36's are great cars and are super fun to daily. They have more space and are a bit more modern when compared to the e30 chassis. The only time I was left stranded in any e36 was due to a faulty water pump.

Overall I think that I have spent just as much time and money getting my e46 reliable as I did any of my e36's.

It really comes down to the previous owners and the preventative maintenance that was done. From the looks of it you have a perfect car to start with, and you have plenty of engine options down the road.

[e30davie]

In Aus At least the majority of e36s do not appear to have been looked after. Unsure who was buying these back in the day but alot of them are incredibly ratty. Of course the odd clean one comes along. But as a general rule it appears they are all very sad cosmetically. Mirrors falling off, bumpers half on, trim missing etc.

They dont appear to be very special and for not much more money you can go for an E46 or whatever the nexxt one is and have a much newer and nicer car.

I think they are a pretty good candidate for a race car though. Dirty cheap compared to an e30 and quite plentiful. Rip out the interior and go thrashing. Bin it, get another one - rinse and repeat.