1997 M3 Evolution
Discussion
Hello world ! Im back in the members journal section for my third build on an e36. I was on the fence about doing a journal for this car as to me, i done the "build an e36 and log every stage" bit to death. BUT, i had a think about it (well more like a slight musing) and decided that its not just me this is about. Having a look at viewing figures for my previous build across the forums i published it on, cumulated well over 100,000. Now, for a poky old bmw thats some interest. Im thinking maybe i inspired some people? guided? nah probably just misled most, maybe even lulled them into a false sense of security when it came to have a go yourself type situations!! Apologies if your one of the aforementioned but im genuinely not to blame for draining your savings accounts and plundering your kids trust funds into their potential "investments" 
Anyway i digress (quite considerably)... So i sold my GT
. Reasons? many really, mainly the fact it was pretty much done, more truthfully it seemed mad to have that sort of money tied up in a car that a lesser named model, but still the same car, could be had for half that. I know , i know ill never have the kudos of owning a limited edition rare model, but do we really want to keep everything for ever? Well yes we do but this is the real world and i am a real life person with adult responsibilities not an internet phenomenon. Do i miss it? Not as much as youd think.
So digressing seems to be the theme here so ill start talking about my new car (ooooo). The GT was gone, and i was left to drive an old toyota. This thing is so damn reliable its annoying. I tried to break it, kicking the doors shut at the end of the school run, putting it in first gear at 30, steering into obstacles (and that was just my 7yr old daughter) it just wouldnt die. So i made the announcement one morning to the wife "I need an interesting car in my life immediately" she replied with "ok but dont go to mad, the bank account looks healthy for once".
As per usual i respected her input so the classifieds were fired up and porsche 911's were selected. Zero f
ks given at this point. Found a lovely green 996 carrera , whacked the headphones in (Iphone 5 at this point) and blasted out some tunes to confirm what id be banging through the 90's porsche tapedeck. Went to bed with the guys number in my phone with an attempted plan to ring him and view the next day (Literally living like a rockefeller at this point after the GT sale)
I awoke the next morning to a screaming newborn and a 7yr old with a violin case, satchel and scooter ready to go to school. Hmmm perhaps i may have been a little selfish thinking a 2 seater (dont even try to tell me those stick on pads in the back of a 911 are seats) was a viable option. Back to the drawing board
Drawing board quickly tells my brain i need an M3 again...are you sure brain? YES dont change what you already know.. Oh ok then
E46 M3 in Oxford green found, kiwi interior :| in the arse end of Wales :? so same as before its headphones in, find good beats to pump through the harmon kardon stereo and off to bed to mull it over. Again, awoke to totally different circumstances, baby up all night, wife looks like a full on stoner with a zombie persona. Hmmm should i really be using a whole weekend to get a car? What i mean is the wife spends all week couped up with the baby and looks forward to the weekend family time with me and the kids, she doesnt want me dragging her off to Wales to buy cars. Strike 2 for car number 2
So im thinking i need a car that is within a mile radius of my doorstep and one that doesnt cost the entire contents of 6 years hard graft to sort and sell and old BMW. Spend the next 3 evenings scouring classifieds without headphones. No chance. Im stuck with the toyota forever
Brainwave ensues the following day as my brain remembers a thread over on cutters about a regular member possibly parting with his M3 Evo due to upgrading to E92. Turns out hes 19 miles from my upvc glazed exterior :smt004 messages exchanged at a faster rate my end then his, including me making a public post asking him to check his inbox (yeah not needy at all) and i bag myself a viewing. Champagne is close to being let loose here, puma shoes awaiting the glass half full treatment, i go and see the car.
I take the wifes agricultural farm machinery (X3 diesel) to save embarrassment of the old jalopy and watch as he drives in the meeting place with my new car. I say my new car at this point because this was being bought today , old dog or not. Nice chap, very honest, spent the whole time telling me what was wrong rather than laying on thick how its had its running in service done 19 years ago or its been pampered all its life blah blah. No, hes been to the ring in it and he services it himself. It also has some rust issues (read spots), an alarm that goes off as and when and a headlining thats made a break for it and trying to meet up with the carpet. I will take it at full asking price please do you have the logbook? Er no i didnt think youd want it??! Oh dear. Please dont say this is going to slip away from me..... I arrange to drive to his front door the next day and prise the key out of his hands. The rest as they say is history and for a few weeks i have been living the dream in a car i always wanted.
Welcome to my M3 Evolution
Some pics from the seller
Yes please seller go find the logbook with haste
Since i purchased the car ive literally driven it for 2 weeks without a wash and bloody enjoyed myself :lol: The power and drive is sooo different to the 3.0 its like night and day. I spent today sprucing it up, although it will need a machine polish in the future. I also took the time to note things that need doing along the way although im strictly NOT restoring this one.
Firstly the carbon effect wrap has to go. Originality is my disease
Nice to see the original airbox rather than the go fast one pictured from the seller.
Rolls royce vanos
An engine captured in its natural enviroment
Trim looking more like the colour of an elephants hide
I have no idea?
Engine oil on minimum
Top up found..
Proof this happened
Water good
Eagle eyed viewers will see the bonnet struts too short
Theyre rusty anyway
Cruise control disabled due to mind of its own mentality advised by previous owner
Rust
Damage
Scuttle panel appears good though
Door mouldings making a break for it
How have these not been changed yet? It was the mod of 2007-2008
This was fixed with a firm whack
Sag,sag,sag
Sag,sag,sag
Bad bits over,cleanup started
Spare tyre was not very bouncy so the tractor came in useful
The little bugger
So these are the products used
And the results
Anyway i digress (quite considerably)... So i sold my GT
. Reasons? many really, mainly the fact it was pretty much done, more truthfully it seemed mad to have that sort of money tied up in a car that a lesser named model, but still the same car, could be had for half that. I know , i know ill never have the kudos of owning a limited edition rare model, but do we really want to keep everything for ever? Well yes we do but this is the real world and i am a real life person with adult responsibilities not an internet phenomenon. Do i miss it? Not as much as youd think.So digressing seems to be the theme here so ill start talking about my new car (ooooo). The GT was gone, and i was left to drive an old toyota. This thing is so damn reliable its annoying. I tried to break it, kicking the doors shut at the end of the school run, putting it in first gear at 30, steering into obstacles (and that was just my 7yr old daughter) it just wouldnt die. So i made the announcement one morning to the wife "I need an interesting car in my life immediately" she replied with "ok but dont go to mad, the bank account looks healthy for once".
As per usual i respected her input so the classifieds were fired up and porsche 911's were selected. Zero f
ks given at this point. Found a lovely green 996 carrera , whacked the headphones in (Iphone 5 at this point) and blasted out some tunes to confirm what id be banging through the 90's porsche tapedeck. Went to bed with the guys number in my phone with an attempted plan to ring him and view the next day (Literally living like a rockefeller at this point after the GT sale)I awoke the next morning to a screaming newborn and a 7yr old with a violin case, satchel and scooter ready to go to school. Hmmm perhaps i may have been a little selfish thinking a 2 seater (dont even try to tell me those stick on pads in the back of a 911 are seats) was a viable option. Back to the drawing board
Drawing board quickly tells my brain i need an M3 again...are you sure brain? YES dont change what you already know.. Oh ok then
E46 M3 in Oxford green found, kiwi interior :| in the arse end of Wales :? so same as before its headphones in, find good beats to pump through the harmon kardon stereo and off to bed to mull it over. Again, awoke to totally different circumstances, baby up all night, wife looks like a full on stoner with a zombie persona. Hmmm should i really be using a whole weekend to get a car? What i mean is the wife spends all week couped up with the baby and looks forward to the weekend family time with me and the kids, she doesnt want me dragging her off to Wales to buy cars. Strike 2 for car number 2
So im thinking i need a car that is within a mile radius of my doorstep and one that doesnt cost the entire contents of 6 years hard graft to sort and sell and old BMW. Spend the next 3 evenings scouring classifieds without headphones. No chance. Im stuck with the toyota forever
Brainwave ensues the following day as my brain remembers a thread over on cutters about a regular member possibly parting with his M3 Evo due to upgrading to E92. Turns out hes 19 miles from my upvc glazed exterior :smt004 messages exchanged at a faster rate my end then his, including me making a public post asking him to check his inbox (yeah not needy at all) and i bag myself a viewing. Champagne is close to being let loose here, puma shoes awaiting the glass half full treatment, i go and see the car.
I take the wifes agricultural farm machinery (X3 diesel) to save embarrassment of the old jalopy and watch as he drives in the meeting place with my new car. I say my new car at this point because this was being bought today , old dog or not. Nice chap, very honest, spent the whole time telling me what was wrong rather than laying on thick how its had its running in service done 19 years ago or its been pampered all its life blah blah. No, hes been to the ring in it and he services it himself. It also has some rust issues (read spots), an alarm that goes off as and when and a headlining thats made a break for it and trying to meet up with the carpet. I will take it at full asking price please do you have the logbook? Er no i didnt think youd want it??! Oh dear. Please dont say this is going to slip away from me..... I arrange to drive to his front door the next day and prise the key out of his hands. The rest as they say is history and for a few weeks i have been living the dream in a car i always wanted.
Welcome to my M3 Evolution
Some pics from the seller
Yes please seller go find the logbook with haste
Since i purchased the car ive literally driven it for 2 weeks without a wash and bloody enjoyed myself :lol: The power and drive is sooo different to the 3.0 its like night and day. I spent today sprucing it up, although it will need a machine polish in the future. I also took the time to note things that need doing along the way although im strictly NOT restoring this one.
Firstly the carbon effect wrap has to go. Originality is my disease
Nice to see the original airbox rather than the go fast one pictured from the seller.
Rolls royce vanos
An engine captured in its natural enviroment
Trim looking more like the colour of an elephants hide
I have no idea?
Engine oil on minimum
Top up found..
Proof this happened
Water good
Eagle eyed viewers will see the bonnet struts too short
Theyre rusty anyway
Cruise control disabled due to mind of its own mentality advised by previous owner
Rust
Damage
Scuttle panel appears good though
Door mouldings making a break for it
How have these not been changed yet? It was the mod of 2007-2008
This was fixed with a firm whack
Sag,sag,sag
Sag,sag,sag
Bad bits over,cleanup started
Spare tyre was not very bouncy so the tractor came in useful
The little bugger
So these are the products used
And the results
wjb said:
Saw your post on e36coupe, this look superb in black with sunflowers.
I've wanted an M3 forever, so I should really hurry up and buy one before I can't actually afford one anymore!
I think you have missed the boat. I had to pay a premuium for mine, they are just not out there anymoreI've wanted an M3 forever, so I should really hurry up and buy one before I can't actually afford one anymore!
jbaddeley said:
Quick work MAZ. Looking like a good start. Does it feel much quicker than the 3.0 then? I'm running 364 diff in mine and it keeps several of my pals e46s including a now departed csl honest upto a 100. What are the plans.
It feels like its got a better power delivery. This feels more civilised but still fast, whereas the 3.0 felt like you wer always driving a racing carGassing Station | M Power | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff