Advice on a 97 M3 Evo
Discussion
Hi Guys;
I have just purchased my first ever 1997 M3 Evo Saloon, it has 130k on clock, a huge wallet of bills etc, however, after only a few days of owning it I thought better get it checked out and took it to BMW Stealers for a routine maintenance check.
A list of problems were discovered, including engine oil leaks, discs worn all round, diff seal leaking, play in steering rack to name but a few.
As I bought it private as sold as seen, obviously nota great deal I can do about it.
There is also an issue with the gears, sometimes very hard to engage 1st gear for example, I had this checked out at a local garage and they inform me it is the Clutch Cylinder.
I have purchased all required parts, including air, oil & fuel filter at a cost of over £500 all to be fitted by an independent garage next week.
My concern at the moment is that the engine just does not sound right, the only way I can describe it is that there appears to be something catching/rubbing when idling, and it sounds really "tappety" I just got rid of my E39 528i for this and so far I feel as though I have made a big mistake.
Can anyone shed any light on this for me? There is an invoice from BMW in the pack which confirms the AT VANOS unit was changed 15'000 miles ago in 2002 at a cost of £1'500.
Many Thanks
I have just purchased my first ever 1997 M3 Evo Saloon, it has 130k on clock, a huge wallet of bills etc, however, after only a few days of owning it I thought better get it checked out and took it to BMW Stealers for a routine maintenance check.
A list of problems were discovered, including engine oil leaks, discs worn all round, diff seal leaking, play in steering rack to name but a few.
As I bought it private as sold as seen, obviously nota great deal I can do about it.
There is also an issue with the gears, sometimes very hard to engage 1st gear for example, I had this checked out at a local garage and they inform me it is the Clutch Cylinder.
I have purchased all required parts, including air, oil & fuel filter at a cost of over £500 all to be fitted by an independent garage next week.
My concern at the moment is that the engine just does not sound right, the only way I can describe it is that there appears to be something catching/rubbing when idling, and it sounds really "tappety" I just got rid of my E39 528i for this and so far I feel as though I have made a big mistake.
Can anyone shed any light on this for me? There is an invoice from BMW in the pack which confirms the AT VANOS unit was changed 15'000 miles ago in 2002 at a cost of £1'500.
Many Thanks
Boulder said:
Sell it and buy a 330CI.
Seriously sounds like you have a money pit there,im very wary of the evo engine after 100k miles.Wouldnt dare thrash one.
Speaking from experience.
Lol, any car with 130k miles is going to have some issues. Let me guess, you got it at a very good price - that'll be cos the previous owner didn't want to fork out on the required parts.Seriously sounds like you have a money pit there,im very wary of the evo engine after 100k miles.Wouldnt dare thrash one.
Speaking from experience.
Discs are consumables - you'd have seen they were worn before you bought it., but hopefully you budgeted for around £100 per corner. Probably worth doing pads at the same time.
The clutch hose is no big deal, budget around £100 inc parts.
The oil leaks I'm afraid will come with age.
Bearing in mind all M3 Evos are at least 9 years old now you've got to expect to do some work, unless you paid top price for a mint example.
Might this also be time to consider swapping the steering rack out for the Z3 item?
Sounds to me like you've got the opportunity here to do some decent upgrades (without breaking the bank) - if you just sell it on with these issues then unless you can find someone who doesn't poke around too much then you'll have to go bottom dollar.
Boulder said:
im very wary of the evo engine after 100k miles.Wouldnt dare thrash one.
Mine is on 127k and going very well thanks! They're reliable engines, but like any car (and certainly any car with its performance) will need some care to keep it in top condition.Edited by dan101smith on Sunday 11th May 17:54
dan101smith said:
You can get the braided clutch hose from BMSport.com - I just had one fitted, made a massive improvement, and only £35.
Does the engine only sound tappety at idle? Not uncommon, but worth having the clearances set.
Hi Dan;Does the engine only sound tappety at idle? Not uncommon, but worth having the clearances set.
Thanks for info, the tappety noise is more prominent when idling, although I can also notice it whilst on the motorway.
Really considering selling it once I get all the work doen, only thing is would you buy a car from someone who has only owned it for 2 weeks?!
An expensive lesson learnt, I should have stsyed with my trusty E39.
Steve 6 said:
Hi Guys;
I have just purchased my first ever 1997 M3 Evo Saloon, it has 130k on clock, a huge wallet of bills etc, however, after only a few days of owning it I thought better get it checked out and took it to BMW Stealers for a routine maintenance check.
A list of problems were discovered, including engine oil leaks, discs worn all round, diff seal leaking, play in steering rack to name but a few.
As I bought it private as sold as seen, obviously nota great deal I can do about it.
There is also an issue with the gears, sometimes very hard to engage 1st gear for example, I had this checked out at a local garage and they inform me it is the Clutch Cylinder.
I have purchased all required parts, including air, oil & fuel filter at a cost of over £500 all to be fitted by an independent garage next week.
My concern at the moment is that the engine just does not sound right, the only way I can describe it is that there appears to be something catching/rubbing when idling, and it sounds really "tappety" I just got rid of my E39 528i for this and so far I feel as though I have made a big mistake.
Can anyone shed any light on this for me? There is an invoice from BMW in the pack which confirms the AT VANOS unit was changed 15'000 miles ago in 2002 at a cost of £1'500.
Many Thanks
What have you bought that is going to cost you £500 to fit? I have just purchased my first ever 1997 M3 Evo Saloon, it has 130k on clock, a huge wallet of bills etc, however, after only a few days of owning it I thought better get it checked out and took it to BMW Stealers for a routine maintenance check.
A list of problems were discovered, including engine oil leaks, discs worn all round, diff seal leaking, play in steering rack to name but a few.
As I bought it private as sold as seen, obviously nota great deal I can do about it.
There is also an issue with the gears, sometimes very hard to engage 1st gear for example, I had this checked out at a local garage and they inform me it is the Clutch Cylinder.
I have purchased all required parts, including air, oil & fuel filter at a cost of over £500 all to be fitted by an independent garage next week.
My concern at the moment is that the engine just does not sound right, the only way I can describe it is that there appears to be something catching/rubbing when idling, and it sounds really "tappety" I just got rid of my E39 528i for this and so far I feel as though I have made a big mistake.
Can anyone shed any light on this for me? There is an invoice from BMW in the pack which confirms the AT VANOS unit was changed 15'000 miles ago in 2002 at a cost of £1'500.
Many Thanks
oil filter
air filter
fuel filter
oil
pads front and rear
discs front and rear
should cost you no more than £300 maximum
Steve 6 said:
Really considering selling it once I get all the work doen, only thing is would you buy a car from someone who has only owned it for 2 weeks?!
Can I ask how much you paid for it? Chances are you won't see your money back if you sell it on straight away.The flip side is that if this is all that needs doing, and you're going to get it done, then afterwards you should have a good car with no issues.
Definitely worth getting the clearances checked - it should be done at every Inspection II from memory, so worth checking if that is outstanding.
Changing discs is a pretty straightforward job, maybe you can cut down on the expenditure by fitting them yourself?
dan101smith said:
Steve 6 said:
Really considering selling it once I get all the work doen, only thing is would you buy a car from someone who has only owned it for 2 weeks?!
Can I ask how much you paid for it? Chances are you won't see your money back if you sell it on straight away.The flip side is that if this is all that needs doing, and you're going to get it done, then afterwards you should have a good car with no issues.
Definitely worth getting the clearances checked - it should be done at every Inspection II from memory, so worth checking if that is outstanding.
Changing discs is a pretty straightforward job, maybe you can cut down on the expenditure by fitting them yourself?
I will be getting the work done, as I would not be able to sell it like it is, all the work is being done for me by a local independent garage, brake discs, pads, all filters, clutch slave cylinder, diff seal, power steering leak, steam clean engine & hand brake pads.
There are 3 small patches of surface rust which I will also be getting done.
I should really have done some more research into the M3 issues before commiting to buying one, especially as the con artist I bought it off was more than aware of what he was doing.
dan101smith said:
Boulder said:
Sell it and buy a 330CI.
Seriously sounds like you have a money pit there,im very wary of the evo engine after 100k miles.Wouldnt dare thrash one.
Speaking from experience.
Lol, any car with 130k miles is going to have some issues. Let me guess, you got it at a very good price - that'll be cos the previous owner didn't want to fork out on the required parts.Seriously sounds like you have a money pit there,im very wary of the evo engine after 100k miles.Wouldnt dare thrash one.
Speaking from experience.
Discs are consumables - you'd have seen they were worn before you bought it., but hopefully you budgeted for around £100 per corner. Probably worth doing pads at the same time.
The clutch hose is no big deal, budget around £100 inc parts.
The oil leaks I'm afraid will come with age.
Bearing in mind all M3 Evos are at least 9 years old now you've got to expect to do some work, unless you paid top price for a mint example.
Might this also be time to consider swapping the steering rack out for the Z3 item?
Sounds to me like you've got the opportunity here to do some decent upgrades (without breaking the bank) - if you just sell it on with these issues then unless you can find someone who doesn't poke around too much then you'll have to go bottom dollar.
Boulder said:
im very wary of the evo engine after 100k miles.Wouldnt dare thrash one.
Mine is on 127k and going very well thanks! They're reliable engines, but like any car (and certainly any car with its performance) will need some care to keep it in top condition.Edited by dan101smith on Sunday 11th May 17:54
The engine isnt that reliable though is it,considering the limited numbers in the UK and the ammount of engine failures,the odds are stacked against it and with new engines at £10k i wouldnt want this chap to have that on his hands like someone i know of infact.
Boulder said:
dan101smith said:
Boulder said:
Sell it and buy a 330CI.
Seriously sounds like you have a money pit there,im very wary of the evo engine after 100k miles.Wouldnt dare thrash one.
Speaking from experience.
Lol, any car with 130k miles is going to have some issues. Let me guess, you got it at a very good price - that'll be cos the previous owner didn't want to fork out on the required parts.Seriously sounds like you have a money pit there,im very wary of the evo engine after 100k miles.Wouldnt dare thrash one.
Speaking from experience.
Discs are consumables - you'd have seen they were worn before you bought it., but hopefully you budgeted for around £100 per corner. Probably worth doing pads at the same time.
The clutch hose is no big deal, budget around £100 inc parts.
The oil leaks I'm afraid will come with age.
Bearing in mind all M3 Evos are at least 9 years old now you've got to expect to do some work, unless you paid top price for a mint example.
Might this also be time to consider swapping the steering rack out for the Z3 item?
Sounds to me like you've got the opportunity here to do some decent upgrades (without breaking the bank) - if you just sell it on with these issues then unless you can find someone who doesn't poke around too much then you'll have to go bottom dollar.
Boulder said:
im very wary of the evo engine after 100k miles.Wouldnt dare thrash one.
Mine is on 127k and going very well thanks! They're reliable engines, but like any car (and certainly any car with its performance) will need some care to keep it in top condition.Edited by dan101smith on Sunday 11th May 17:54
The engine isnt that reliable though is it,considering the limited numbers in the UK and the ammount of engine failures,the odds are stacked against it and with new engines at £10k i wouldnt want this chap to have that on his hands like someone i know of infact.
In the last couple of years of being on here and e36coupe.com I can probably only think of one instance where a replacement engine has been needed.
Not sure without looking how many E36 M3s were produced, but judging by the number available on the second hand market at any given time I think it's fair to say that there's no real issue with engine failure.
Steve 6, If the car is on idle does the tappety noise disappear when you press the clutch? My EVO's clutch release bearing is faulty and makes a tappety noise unless the clutch is pressed and mines only done 53,000 miles.. I will live with it until the clutch needs changing.
I agree with dan101smith with regards to M3's with over 100K on the clock. There is absolutely nothing to worry about if they have been looked after. Birds UK who service my BMW and previous BMW's currently service an M3 EVO that has 250,000 miles on the clock. Birds say that the engine is still healthy and requires no more attention than any other M3.
I agree with dan101smith with regards to M3's with over 100K on the clock. There is absolutely nothing to worry about if they have been looked after. Birds UK who service my BMW and previous BMW's currently service an M3 EVO that has 250,000 miles on the clock. Birds say that the engine is still healthy and requires no more attention than any other M3.
Tony at munich legends has an evo which I'm sure has well over 200,000 miles on it and its still going strong.
The M3's can have a few engine problems with shells, but this is a high performance engine. From what i've seen on here Porsche 996 911's have been know to have more engine failures. I think its a bit unfair to expect the M3 to be as reliable as a 318i.
Part of the issue is that these cars are very cheap to buy and not always cheap to run, although having said that i doubt i've spent much more than £200 + tyres on my evo this year.
The M3's can have a few engine problems with shells, but this is a high performance engine. From what i've seen on here Porsche 996 911's have been know to have more engine failures. I think its a bit unfair to expect the M3 to be as reliable as a 318i.
Part of the issue is that these cars are very cheap to buy and not always cheap to run, although having said that i doubt i've spent much more than £200 + tyres on my evo this year.
Edited by andye30m3 on Tuesday 13th May 08:35
Shells ?? was'nt that the early E46 engines because they raised the engines ability to rev higher & thus affected the Big end shells, never really heard of to many E36 Evo's with shell probs.
I think these engines are virtually unburstable as long as regular maintenance is folllowed, nothing to difficult either.
I think the problems come when there are a spate of owners who just blast the car around & do no maintenance whatso ever & then sell it on after a few months.....what do you expect from any car thats neglected?
I think these engines are virtually unburstable as long as regular maintenance is folllowed, nothing to difficult either.
I think the problems come when there are a spate of owners who just blast the car around & do no maintenance whatso ever & then sell it on after a few months.....what do you expect from any car thats neglected?
E36's can also have problems with shells, I know i got the £3K bill to repace the engine and have since heard of a few others which have done the same thing.
I though the basic problem was to do with the bolts on the bottom of the conrods stretching and allowing the shells to spin but could be very wrong about that, Its been a year or so since mine went and i'm doing my best to forget about it.
I though the basic problem was to do with the bolts on the bottom of the conrods stretching and allowing the shells to spin but could be very wrong about that, Its been a year or so since mine went and i'm doing my best to forget about it.
dan101smith said:
Boulder said:
dan101smith said:
Boulder said:
Sell it and buy a 330CI.
Seriously sounds like you have a money pit there,im very wary of the evo engine after 100k miles.Wouldnt dare thrash one.
Speaking from experience.
Lol, any car with 130k miles is going to have some issues. Let me guess, you got it at a very good price - that'll be cos the previous owner didn't want to fork out on the required parts.Seriously sounds like you have a money pit there,im very wary of the evo engine after 100k miles.Wouldnt dare thrash one.
Speaking from experience.
Discs are consumables - you'd have seen they were worn before you bought it., but hopefully you budgeted for around £100 per corner. Probably worth doing pads at the same time.
The clutch hose is no big deal, budget around £100 inc parts.
The oil leaks I'm afraid will come with age.
Bearing in mind all M3 Evos are at least 9 years old now you've got to expect to do some work, unless you paid top price for a mint example.
Might this also be time to consider swapping the steering rack out for the Z3 item?
Sounds to me like you've got the opportunity here to do some decent upgrades (without breaking the bank) - if you just sell it on with these issues then unless you can find someone who doesn't poke around too much then you'll have to go bottom dollar.
Boulder said:
im very wary of the evo engine after 100k miles.Wouldnt dare thrash one.
Mine is on 127k and going very well thanks! They're reliable engines, but like any car (and certainly any car with its performance) will need some care to keep it in top condition.Edited by dan101smith on Sunday 11th May 17:54
The engine isnt that reliable though is it,considering the limited numbers in the UK and the ammount of engine failures,the odds are stacked against it and with new engines at £10k i wouldnt want this chap to have that on his hands like someone i know of infact.
In the last couple of years of being on here and e36coupe.com I can probably only think of one instance where a replacement engine has been needed.
Not sure without looking how many E36 M3s were produced, but judging by the number available on the second hand market at any given time I think it's fair to say that there's no real issue with engine failure.
My advice was based on an experience and based on how many thousands of pounds are at stake on a worn evo.it still stands.
Boulder said:
What isnt true?
That it's an unreliable engine and that a disproportionately high number suffer from massive engine failure requiring a £10k replacement.It may have happened to yours, it may have happened to a few, but out of the thousands of M3s that were produced it is by no means common nor likely.
dan101smith said:
Boulder said:
What isnt true?
That it's an unreliable engine and that a disproportionately high number suffer from massive engine failure requiring a £10k replacement.It may have happened to yours, it may have happened to a few, but out of the thousands of M3s that were produced it is by no means common nor likely.
Next time you red line it,remember this thread-watch out for the cracked exhaust manifold flex aswell,quite labour intensified that one....
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