RE: Shed of the Week: BMW 325i (E36) Convertible
Discussion
mikeg15 said:
Superficially appealing, but I'd say AVOID. I had a saloon version of this and it developed every fault on your list except the hood issues. Not BMW's finest at all.
Disagree, early E36s had trim issues (glove box sag) and cooling issues aside (and Nikasil for early 323s/328s) they are solid, very decent cars. Easy to work on too.to3m said:
I'd have thought that price was sensible for a perfectly OK (but rather old and in absolutely average condition) car that its owner wants sold? Maybe you could get a bit more for it, but how much more? It's no Rolls Royce, it's 20+ years old, it's got a 2.5L petrol engine, it's got an automatic, and there's no aircon and no cruise control.
I'd also like to point out that it doesn't even have a proper roof.
Values for decent E36s are on the rise, especially original/unmolested ones. I'd also like to point out that it doesn't even have a proper roof.
Auto suits the wafty nature of the cabrio (IMVHO).
It does have aircon. Not only that, it has the full 18 button OBC.
Edited by g3org3y on Friday 1st July 14:47
g3org3y said:
mikeg15 said:
Superficially appealing, but I'd say AVOID. I had a saloon version of this and it developed every fault on your list except the hood issues. Not BMW's finest at all.
Disagree, early E36s had trim issues (glove box sag) and cooling issues aside (and Nikasil for early 323s/328s) they are solid, very decent cars. Easy to work on too.Needed rear wheel bearings and suspension bushes at surprisingly low mileage. Rear arches disappointingly rusty. Mine developed an intermittent misfire which proved impossible to track down and eventually I lost patience and sold the car.
It was a good car with a lovely engine, which steered and handled very nicely. It was well built, generally reliable and a pleasure to own.
The cabin was dull and Germanic and the styling was pretty underwhelming. Mine came with big BBS wheels and tyres, which gave the car a harsh ride. I had a set of steel wheels and skinny tyres from a 316 which I used during the winter months. It was much more pleasant to drive wearing them.
Vert,
Auto,
No mention of maintenance / service history (21 year old shocks + bushes doesn't sound good to me),
"Anti Skid / traction control" makes me suspicious I see no switch on the center console indicating that option is fitted and as far as i'm aware a 95 325 should have a LSD instead of ASC/TC?
Not a very enticing ad or desirable car imo but worth a gamble for someone who wants a auto vert and has a couple of grand held in reserve for repairs.
Auto,
No mention of maintenance / service history (21 year old shocks + bushes doesn't sound good to me),
"Anti Skid / traction control" makes me suspicious I see no switch on the center console indicating that option is fitted and as far as i'm aware a 95 325 should have a LSD instead of ASC/TC?
Not a very enticing ad or desirable car imo but worth a gamble for someone who wants a auto vert and has a couple of grand held in reserve for repairs.
I like the colour of the paint - it doesn't take itself too seriously, Ambers help. the interior is funky in a 90's German way, standard E36's are thin on the ground here in West Yorkshire, I've experienced that 325 motor in manual form and preferred it to the Busso V6 that was in my 156 at the time. Hmm tempted tempted tempted...
PoopahScoopah said:
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that something cannot be right here. Is the car a dud, or is the owner "not all there"? A BMW, with not too bad mileage for the age, not too many owners, and being of the non-roof variety and for sale in SUMMER......for less than a grand.....hmmmmmmmmm
For once I just can't help but think if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
+1. I don't stalk these cars in for sale ads, but I've never seen one close to Shed price in the US and this one seems pretty nice.For once I just can't help but think if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
AH33 said:
Thankyou4calling said:
It has 15 inch wheels!!
Do any current BMW's have 15 inch wheels?
are these little biscuit tins not 15?Do any current BMW's have 15 inch wheels?
Cars seem to require ever-larger wheels in order not to look silly. Maybe the suspension is becoming a bit higher, or the wheel arches are just shaped differently? I don't have an artistic enough eye to tell. But this trend only seems to be getting worse over time.
One of my friends had an E36 saloon with 15" wheels, which looked fine. Then I had an E46 saloon with 16" wheels, and they looked a bit small. Around the same time, one of my ex colleagues had an E90 with style 154 (I think? - 16"...) - which looked comically tiny.
Now my parents have one of the latest ones, whatever they are, with 18" wheels... and it actually looks like an eminently sensible, proportionate size. It's kind of ridiculous really.
I actually cannot recall the last time I saw an E36 that didn't at least have a load of s
tty halfords badges stuck to it, and the vast majority I've seen over the last decade have been utterly ruined and driven in that inept, ham fisted way morons try to drive fast. That car looks really appealing, I think the time is rapidly coming for the E36 to return from the wilderness or knuckle dragging moron owners and take it's rightful place as a desirable car.
As for the colour - it's immensely preferable to that drab and almost indescribable wet road grey/blue that so many of the coupes seemed to come in and seemed to look dull and knackered even when they were new.
tty halfords badges stuck to it, and the vast majority I've seen over the last decade have been utterly ruined and driven in that inept, ham fisted way morons try to drive fast. That car looks really appealing, I think the time is rapidly coming for the E36 to return from the wilderness or knuckle dragging moron owners and take it's rightful place as a desirable car. As for the colour - it's immensely preferable to that drab and almost indescribable wet road grey/blue that so many of the coupes seemed to come in and seemed to look dull and knackered even when they were new.
Edited by dme123 on Friday 1st July 22:23
That is good value for an unmolested example.
Most have been ruined as others have already echoed.
Morea Green suits the car, although I am not too keen on the interior!
I've had quite a few E36s over the years, but never a convertible. This M50 325i is probably the best all-rounder, durable and reliable.
Apart from general consumables, I doubt there will be much to go wrong on these.
Most have been ruined as others have already echoed.
Morea Green suits the car, although I am not too keen on the interior!
I've had quite a few E36s over the years, but never a convertible. This M50 325i is probably the best all-rounder, durable and reliable.
Apart from general consumables, I doubt there will be much to go wrong on these.
Pat H said:
I had a 328 Coupe auto with the same paint and trim combination. You eventually get used to it.
It was a lovely old thing. I sold it about seven years ago and the rear arches were pretty scabby back then.
Sounded fab with a Supersprint cat back exhaust.
If I wanted dirt cheap rag top motoring, I think I would get an Alfa Spider. But that BMW would undoubtedly be the more sensible choice.
The black wheel centres, schnitzer badge and aftermarket exhaust ruin your old car I'm afraid. The appeal of this one is that it's completely unmolestedIt was a lovely old thing. I sold it about seven years ago and the rear arches were pretty scabby back then.
Sounded fab with a Supersprint cat back exhaust.
If I wanted dirt cheap rag top motoring, I think I would get an Alfa Spider. But that BMW would undoubtedly be the more sensible choice.
Compare with the E46 318 saloon I passed today stickered at £700 with 12 months MOT and 'any test welcome' (I always like that)
Some rust around the arches (obv - it's a 3 series) - I fully expect the door panels have fallen-off many times - otherwise seemed like a lot of metal for £700 (compared to the X-Type I'd passed earlier which had £500 on the screen and looked like it hadn't moved in a year)
Some rust around the arches (obv - it's a 3 series) - I fully expect the door panels have fallen-off many times - otherwise seemed like a lot of metal for £700 (compared to the X-Type I'd passed earlier which had £500 on the screen and looked like it hadn't moved in a year)
Edited by 405dogvan on Saturday 2nd July 10:15
Ive had a few bmw cars and all have been trouble.PoopahScoopah said:
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that something cannot be right here. Is the car a dud, or is the owner "not all there"? A BMW, with not too bad mileage for the age, not too many owners, and being of the non-roof variety and for sale in SUMMER......for less than a grand.....hmmmmmmmmm
For once I just can't help but think if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
To be honest the convertibles don't seem to fetch as high a price as you might think, at this age it's starting to be more enthusiasts buying and they generally go for coupes, not drop tops.For once I just can't help but think if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
tomic said:
Pat H said:
I had a 328 Coupe auto with the same paint and trim combination. You eventually get used to it.
It was a lovely old thing. I sold it about seven years ago and the rear arches were pretty scabby back then.
Sounded fab with a Supersprint cat back exhaust.
If I wanted dirt cheap rag top motoring, I think I would get an Alfa Spider. But that BMW would undoubtedly be the more sensible choice.
The black wheel centres, schnitzer badge and aftermarket exhaust ruin your old car I'm afraid. The appeal of this one is that it's completely unmolestedIt was a lovely old thing. I sold it about seven years ago and the rear arches were pretty scabby back then.
Sounded fab with a Supersprint cat back exhaust.
If I wanted dirt cheap rag top motoring, I think I would get an Alfa Spider. But that BMW would undoubtedly be the more sensible choice.
Of much greater relevance for me is the originality of the stereo, and the period Sony tape-deck in this sends out all the correct signals (although it may not necessarily pick them all up
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