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Just wondering what's peoples thoughts on them, I think there bordering on retro and quite collectable now, I've spent 2 days looking at them, I think people are pricing them just cos there an M3, few seem well priced but that had the smg auto box, which I don't want. Wanted to know what people though and if anyone's got much experience with them? Which is the one to go for? 3.0 or 3.2? There is a yellow one on ebay but, it's £7000 though, and thats e46 m3 money which I had one last year. IVe got a capri and a mk2 escort, but I'm bored of them now, and I don't like the ford scene, everything is so expensive, not saying an m3 won't be expensive either. Anyone got some nice photos of m3's post them up Paul.
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Last Edit: Jan 3, 2015 11:00:49 GMT by pauly22
1994 BMW 525i touring 2004 BMW Z4 sorn and broken 1977 Ford Escort 1982 Ford Capri getting restored 1999 Mazda B2500 daily driver.
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3.0 has the more reliable single vanos engine. It also doesn't suffer from the bottom end bearings failing like the 3.2 does. The 5 speed attached to the 3.0 is also more robust that the later 6.
However, the 3.2 Evo has better suspension, more power.
The smg is to be avoided at all cost.
An editorial blue late model manual spoiler less coupe on the sunflower wheels will be a nice investment.
Me personally. Prefere the 3.0s.
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,197
Club RR Member Number: 170
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BMW M3 E36ChasR
@chasr
Club Retro Rides Member 170
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Just wondering what's peoples thoughts on them, I think there bordering on retro and quite collectable now, I've spent 2 days looking at them, I think people are pricing them just cos there an M3, few seem well priced but that had the smg auto box, which I don't want. Wanted to know what people though and if anyone's got much experience with them? Which is the one to go for? 3.0 or 3.2? There is a yellow one on ebay but, it's £7000 though, and thats e46 m3 money which I had one last year. IVe got a capri and a mk2 escort, but I'm bored of them now, and I don't like the ford scene, everything is so expensive, not saying an m3 won't be expensive either. Anyone got some nice photos of m3's post them up Paul. £7k is a little rich but not far off for a good E36 M3 ; after all the E36 is heading in the retro direction. Cheap E46s are generally tricky business and can leave one in financial ruin as I am sure you have seen! As with anything you should buy the best you can afford ; one way or another the pain can arise! Most of the cheap E46s I have seen have the SMG 'box which seem to have people running for the hills with their 'supposed' issues. I am sure as an Ex M3 owner you can appreciate that . What is expensive? The cars or parts for Fords? They're cheaper than BMWs IME . As for the engines? The 3.2 has more power but it is pricier (and harder engine) of the two to maintain. The 3.0s are a simpler and generally a sturdier affair. Remember it is not only a badge that makes the M3 it is many things. Suspension bits, brakes, bushes and so on. As such specific parts can be pricey! It is one reason why many E36 M3s have aftermarket bits (exhausts are a common one; all of them are cheaper than BMW's system).
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Last Edit: Jan 3, 2015 11:52:31 GMT by ChasR
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Thanks for the advice. I think I could find a decent enough one for around £5000-£6000
I guess I'll just see what car are available, I'd probably like the 3.2 more but will see,
I want more of a modernish retro compared to the others I've got, want to be able to blast down to the misses or anywhere you know, I think one of these fits the bill.
There's not a whole lot avaliable though, fair few up around £10000 which I think is too much, unless super nice mileage etc.
I'm fairly handy with the scanners and will have a garage for it, so standard stuff like brakes etc I can sort just the vanos etc, I heard you can arp rod bolts fitted to help with the bottom end, and with the miles I do, I guess the vanos if in good shape wouldnt be a problem.
Need to get my cars sold ASAP now, will sell the daily too.
I know bmw parts won't be cheap, lol, but everything with old fords especially escorts seem so expensive, and I've had it 7 years time to let someone else have it to play with.
Cheers paul.
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Last Edit: Jan 3, 2015 13:05:21 GMT by pauly22
1994 BMW 525i touring 2004 BMW Z4 sorn and broken 1977 Ford Escort 1982 Ford Capri getting restored 1999 Mazda B2500 daily driver.
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markm3
Part of things
Posts: 86
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Getting pretty rare now for a decent example. Circa 6k should get you a clean example of either. If your used to running an E46 m3 you'll be used to the financial outlay!!!! I've had my 3 litre Avus blue coupe for 11 years. 180k miles on it and very reliable. Having fun trying to find period ac schnitzer parts for it now after welding new rear arches in , new nose cone and 2 new front wings. I've watched the market fall (and now start to rise on these cars). Too many broken for spares or drifted!!!
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92 miami 205 gti6 / 1994 m3 coupe a/c extras/coilovers/carbon csl boot
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I only had my e46 for 5 months, that was my only car, this would be just a weekend and nice day car really.
The yellow one has 120k on the clock. I think there pricing that one on the colour too. I think it's closer to £5500-£6000
Been doing fair bit of googke searching for info etc, does look like a lot having gone the way of the track and broken.
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1994 BMW 525i touring 2004 BMW Z4 sorn and broken 1977 Ford Escort 1982 Ford Capri getting restored 1999 Mazda B2500 daily driver.
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Bolf
Part of things
Posts: 507
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Fantastic drivers car , worth spending/searching for a proper cherished example from an owner that wanted the same things you do , for example a proper track setup car (there are proven formulas out there for suspension setups etc like Bilstien pss9 ) or a mint original example , (owners club)
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Seen that on eBay, would love a dakar yellow M3. Heres my 323i coupe, had it 4 weeks and worked properly for 1! hopefully al sorted now, had previously had K-seal in it and had caused it to mess up a few things, new heater control valve, new radiator, water pump, thermostat, coolant, viscous clutch and numerous (plastic curse word) bleed screw, I'm hoping ive sorted the problems now. My advice? well I'm fairly new to them... but don't play with the cooling system unless you really have to haha! full leather, 2.5, electric front and rear pop out windows, and the straight 6 noise is just lovely!
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What I'm after is basically a Dakar yellow m3 evo, with black leather, I want it to be as close to standard as possible, but know that's harder to find now there 15 years old. This was my old m3 Not driven anything remotely old for over a year now, or fast so want some power and noise now
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Last Edit: Jan 3, 2015 17:05:02 GMT by pauly22
1994 BMW 525i touring 2004 BMW Z4 sorn and broken 1977 Ford Escort 1982 Ford Capri getting restored 1999 Mazda B2500 daily driver.
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,197
Club RR Member Number: 170
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BMW M3 E36ChasR
@chasr
Club Retro Rides Member 170
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My advice? well I'm fairly new to them... but don't play with the cooling system unless you really have to haha! full leather, 2.5, electric front and rear pop out windows, and the straight 6 noise is just lovely! I reckon your advice should be not to buy a car with a bodged cooling system, especially where a reputation is present for that car, and that comes from me owning a couple of cars where previous owners became trigger happy with Radweld/K-Seal followed by the same model of car but it being cared for well . Just my 2p. They're not bad on song though eh? I am not going to lie, I am tempted to try my hand at an M3 before the prices continue to rise as they are. I never thought I would say this ever but I think that I even prefer the E36s these days ; the cost has been one thing but bar the M cars they seem to be a little more lively, probably due to less weight. Maybe I am missing near 300BHP as a daily driver OTOH :/. Back on topic, the biggest reason why E36 M3s get modified IMO is due to the parts prices. IIRC I think an exhaust system for one is around £1k, not great when they were creeping towards the £3k mark. When an aftermarket system is £500 it is small wonder that they soon start to become modified. I believe it is the same story with the lower arms (M3s run more castor than other E36s), the diffs (LSD diffs from memory with a more road friendly ratio), and other bits which soon begin to tot up (I am sure Bilstein B6 dampers with Eibach springs are probably cheaper than the M stuff if the exhaust is anything to go by. If I am honest the price of secondhand stuff for my RST is almost getting laughable.
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Last Edit: Jan 3, 2015 18:20:33 GMT by ChasR
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I had a 3.2 evo with the smg box a few years or so ago now. Lucky for me it came with a bmw extended warrantee and because boy did it pay out big time for the smg repairs. The only good thing with the smg was the launch control with was great until it killed the clutch but to be fair it did warn you in the drivers hand book that repeted use would lead to this. It was a stonkenly fast car and strangely mine wasn't limited to 155, Its the only car I never managed to take it to its max ( was a lot young and duller/braver at the time)
Took it on a track day once and a chap in a old E30 325 was all over me apart from the straights, The poxy smg box wouldent allow you to change down a gear if the revs were to hi and by the end of the day my brakes were smoked to. Young free and single them were the days.
If you do get one try and get a red limited edition one cant remember what there called now but they were quite sort after 10/15 years ago. Evo has the 6 speed box to. But I expect the 3.0 cars will be more sort after now.
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Last Edit: Jan 3, 2015 19:44:52 GMT by bababoom
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I won't have smg,
There's quite a few convertibles for around 5000 but not many coupes,
Hopefully be able to find a nice one, before the summer starts. Got to sell my other cars now.
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1994 BMW 525i touring 2004 BMW Z4 sorn and broken 1977 Ford Escort 1982 Ford Capri getting restored 1999 Mazda B2500 daily driver.
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Might be a daft suggestion, but have you joined the e36coupe forum? Always nice overly loved examples on there and great source of bmw knowledge.
The e46 looks great, love that colour on the e46 M3 and E39 M5
Good luck and make sure you post up what you buy up on here.
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Have you considered looking at a 328i. You could spend a bit of money getting the suspension geometry and braking right with some minor engine mods and come seriously close to M3 performance.
A mate of mine has a 328 track car and can seriously worry the M3s with thw way it's set up.
Just a suggestion and I'd you are dead set on an M3 probably one you will ignore but thought I would throw it out there.
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I haven't looked on the e36 forum. I'll sign up tomorrow and gave a look. I cant buy yet as I've got 3 cars to sell first.
This will only be a weekend toy so I don't really fancy a 328 although I appreciate your thoughts,
I think I'll aim to spend about £5000 thats should get me something half decent.
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1994 BMW 525i touring 2004 BMW Z4 sorn and broken 1977 Ford Escort 1982 Ford Capri getting restored 1999 Mazda B2500 daily driver.
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retrorides.proboards.com/thread/165214/1993-bmw-m3-5k-bracknellThis was mine. Typically I Sold up just before the prices went up! It was a great drivers car and couldn't fault it. Probablt helped that I had a really well looked after example. Ultimatly the reason i sold up was it was not possible to save money whist owning an m3, the Parts and servicing cost is not for the faint hearted! £1200 for an inspection 2 service.....£80 for exhaust nuts!
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Last Edit: Jan 4, 2015 14:14:26 GMT by ag51bye
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My advice? well I'm fairly new to them... but don't play with the cooling system unless you really have to haha! full leather, 2.5, electric front and rear pop out windows, and the straight 6 noise is just lovely! I reckon your advice should be not to buy a car with a bodged cooling system, especially where a reputation is present for that car, and that comes from me owning a couple of cars where previous owners became trigger happy with Radweld/K-Seal followed by the same model of car but it being cared for well . Just my 2p. don't get me wrong their great cars and i love mine, i had a 316 coupe last year and never had a problem with it no matter how many hedges i put it in lol. I just hate the cooling system is what I'm saying pain in the to bleed properly as and when you need to.
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,197
Club RR Member Number: 170
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BMW M3 E36ChasR
@chasr
Club Retro Rides Member 170
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They are indeed a pain to bleed. Have a read of my thread and you shall see what issues I had . Despite following the BMW guide to the letter I ended up removing one of the heater pipes despite people saying that BMW would never design such an awkward cooling system (yeah right!). You do wonder if the above is something many stay quiet about (my heater is still super hot and the coolant level does not seem to be dropping). As for my comment it was not aimed at you specifically but from cars I have bought in the past. I previously drove 2 Mondeo V6s, another car with a reputation for iffy cooling. Both cars travelled 150k each in my hands, but that is where the similarities stopped. The first V6 (with a very very similar cooling system) was OK for the first few months it was bought. After which alot of the stuff in the engine bay was changed (around 90% of the cooling hoses and system (including the 'famous' water pump issue (which IMO is not one without neglect(read on)) and even another engine (my heads were scrap). The first car came to me with only water in the cooling system and plenty of K-Seal (before I changed the radiator the cooling system struggled to keep that car cool in the summer with the fans almost always staying on). I figured it was no big deal at the time ; I'll whack in some coolant before the winter and everything will be OK right? I wish! My second V6 still did have cooling issues but nowhere near as bad as the first one (where I was changing something on an almost weekly basis). Sure it has taken two new coolant hoses (one changed as a precaution), a radiator and fan controller but it has been relatively maintenance free. I also begrudingly stuck with the pricey (stupid to some) Ford coolant on the advice of someone (I bought that car with 110k on the clock and gave it away with 260k). Seeing the issues the Stag had with 3 coolant changes (and even my Escort with the coolant being 1 year old (it is going rusty inside :/) I can appreciate the other chap's advice. That car still on the 'plastic' water pump with no issues as of yet, but I have never let that car go without coolant. The second V6 however was owned by the police with it wanting for nothing whereas I was always chasing the bodges of the previous owner on the first car IMHO. At least without bodges the issues are alot easier to chase .
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Have you considered looking at a 328i. You could spend a bit of money getting the suspension geometry and braking right with some minor engine mods and come seriously close to M3 performance. A mate of mine has a 328 track car and can seriously worry the M3s with thw way it's set up. Just a suggestion and I'd you are dead set on an M3 probably one you will ignore but thought I would throw it out there. I'm sorry but I strongly disagree with this. A 328 will never make more than 220 bhp without a lot of money or a turbo. The only thing a 328 can match a m3 for is fuel consumption. 328 is a great car in it's own right but it will NEVER match an m3 without considerable investment.
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3.0 has the more reliable single vanos engine. It also doesn't suffer from the bottom end bearings failing like the 3.2 does. The 5 speed attached to the 3.0 is also more robust that the later 6. The 3.0 absolutely DOES suffer from BEF. The gearbox is NOT stronger. I'm sorry but I strongly disagree with this. A 328 will never make more than 220 bhp without a lot of money or a turbo. A 328i with US-spec M3 Cams, remap and M50B25 manifold WILL make 240bhp with the correct RR setup. I won't have smg, There's quite a few convertibles for around 5000 but not many coupes, Hopefully be able to find a nice one, before the summer starts. Got to sell my other cars now. if you're open to a cabriolet, I'll have either a Techno or Avus Evo Convertible up for sale for £3995 when Spring starts. I would expect a Dakar Evo Coupe to be the thick end of 7k. Good ones are rising quickly in price as all the cheap ones disappear into E30s and tyre walls. Good service history is a must - engines die at the drop of a hat when not looked after.
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