My BMW M3 Evolution Imola Individual GT2 Journal

[Chunkychucky]

re: the dust situation, if that's your garage then paint the breeze blocks to seal them off. Had the same problem in our new garage, gave them 2 or 3 coats of matte white and no more dust. It's the problem with the bricks, apparently they 'breathe' cement dust which is what was all over our cars.

[mboon]

WHAT A DAY!!!!

Today is the first time I have properly seen the car. I had all intentions of getting it out the garage and cleaning her down and getting back on track with the car.

So I removed the front splitter and GT corner splitters



Good to see genuine BMW items as well

After this I went to Halfords, got some satin black paint and returned to the car, put the battery on and decided to check the fluids before I started. I popped the bonnet and my heart sank! Jaw hit the floor.













I had a good look around and although was unlucky, must of been one of the luckiest people going... No electrics had been touched!!!! Just the pipe going to the washer jets and the washer bottle!

I did have views of just offloading the car. Such a kick in the nuts. after double checking everything, hovering the engine bay out and having a fire extinguisher to hand I turned her over and she fired fine. No issues with any electrics and the damage was not too bad

So I cracked on with taking the bits off the car and looking for replacement parts

Removed some bits





So I started with re-spraying the front splitters





Got the car out and started to wet her down. I am impressed with the wax I used. The water just fell off the car.



I jacked the rear up and cleaned the back arches out while cleaning her

And then my little helper turned up in her matching coat



Already a better driver than me.

I then got this one to work... bloody thing. Turned out it was just stuck



And some of her cleaned up and ready to go back in the garage



















And a couple my mate took with some setting on his camera

[mboon]

Also just after I cleaned it and took some photos... a bird took a st all over the bloody thing! Someone is trying to tell me something I think.

I also took this little walk around video. You will have to click on it to watch it

[mboon]

For some reason I cannot upload pics to this anymore?

[gaz1234]

Ph limit

[mboon]

Whats that?

[mboon]

I have been promising myself for a few momths now about putting her on the road. Just signed up to get her insured for the road :-) End of this momth she will be taxed and bought out to play.

£314 a year!!

Happy days

[Leins]

Congrats, bet you can't wait! It's looking very well in those pics

[melvster]

Stunning M3

[161BMW]

Wow I absolutely love the BMW E36 M3 Evolution Imola Individual :-)

[NelsonR32]

I know the feeling of wanting to shift my E36 when I find another grand I need to spend on it.

But the only car I'd replace it with is a E90 facelift M3 saloon which is at least 12k more than mine. So when I consider that 1000 seems like a bargain!

[mboon]

Cheers guys. Looking forward to it now

I have been tempted with a E90 M3 but regrudge paying the tax on it

[mboon]

I finally got the old girl on the road.

One tax disk, the last one this car will have due to the changes by DVLA



She started first time which was nice, drove her back to mine and had a look around the car. Everything looked in shape

A couple snaps of our BMWs before I cleaned the GT







And some after a clean and a drive. These photos are at Haynes Motor Museum just up the road from me. Spent a fortune tarting this place up, looks really good













And a couple videos of her being driven. Nothing crazy just getting her used to the road again

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V8L6oBuH94&fe...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j40_wNrT2rc&fe...

I can also report back the car drove spot on! Think I have a very slight sticking caliper but could not hear it by the end of my 25 mile trip. Seems to pull as you would expect, handles well and no knocks or bangs.

Got a few looks and some numpty in a Toyota Corolla with a dump valve try it on. I just laughed at the fool. All in all... a good day

[melvster]

She's a beaut

[mboon]

[gaz1234]

what tax changes?

[mboon]

They are doing away with the tax discs this year. All be electronic

[mboon]

WARNING... PIC HEAVEY!

So walking home from work Thursday the weather looked nice, so took a gamble and went to get the M3. Got it home, loaded the family in and headed off for Weymouth/Portland in Dorset.

Car was faultless again, parked her up and off to the beach we went.

Couldnt help but take a photo of her parked next to the mundaine stuff we have on the roads now


20140605_192043_edit by mboon, on Flickr

Just looks so cool in my eyes

Anyway we got some chips and headed up behind Porltand Prison where you can find this view!!


20140605_202247 by mboon, on Flickr


20140605_202516 by mboon, on Flickr

We moved on to Portland Bill Lighthouse which is always nice. Weather was spot on!


20140605_203904 by mboon, on Flickr


20140605_203917 by mboon, on Flickr

And on the way home I seen this sunset! Decided I had to get a photo of the car in there somewhere. Such a lovely evening


20140605_211638_edit by mboon, on Flickr


20140605_211643_edit by mboon, on Flickr


20140605_211649_edit by mboon, on Flickr


20140605_211657_edit by mboon, on Flickr


20140605_211713 by mboon, on Flickr


20140605_211725 by mboon, on Flickr


20140605_211749 by mboon, on Flickr

So ended up taking the car to work Friday and out after for a blast. Ended up parking behind this


20140606_073501_edit by mboon, on Flickr

Old and Older


20140606_073531 by mboon, on Flickr

And today I popped into Haynes Motor Museum as something was on. Lots of police presence and some cracking kit they have to play with


20140608_115801 by mboon, on Flickr

And this!!! Which is used by my local police. Gone have the days of getting away


20140608_115637 by mboon, on Flickr

Noticed this in the carpark as well


20140608_115352 by mboon, on Flickr

Had a quick clean over the engine bay today, still need to get the M Power cover painted.


20140607_183905 by mboon, on Flickr

Cheers

Mark

[mboon]

My opinion of the GTii.

As some will know, this is my third E36 M3.

I started off in a 3.0 Saloon in Cosmos Black. I was 19 at the time of purchase, the car had full BMW history and 95,000 on the clock.
My second was a E36 M3 Evolution Convertible in Estoril Blue and black leather. I was 26 when I bought this car. This car was a one owner Full BMW history with 107,000 on the clock.
And my current E36 M3 Evolution GTii with 115,000 on the clock. 30 years old when purchased.

I had so much control of the saloon, kicking the arse out and holding it was easy, you could put it anywhere you wanted. The chassie was perfect. No nanny in the 3.0 so spinning the wheels up in the lower gears was easy. Biggest downside to the car was no 6th gear and the bus like stearing wheel. I really did love this one, if I could have it back now in the condition I sold it in, I would. Would I have another 3.0 after the Evo? I think if I could find a black on black with a healthy engine then yes.. or a GT.

After covering 200 miles in the GTii over the last couple weekends I do think it is a better handling car than the other two, front end just stays where you want it and enough power to kick the arse out if you want it. Suspension is just the right mix of handling and comfort. The vadars, although look stunning really do not hold you in the seat that well... that said they are very comfortable and being full electric is a nice touch.
Biggest downer is that bloody nanny again. I honestly thing my third gear pulls better than 2nd When third is select the car really takes off but you are approaching 100mph in third and that is license loosing territory.

The convertible was the only one I didnt want to ring its neck, getting that roof down and listening to that straight 6 engine purr was lovely. Scuttle shack was the biggest issue but avoiding big pot holes would keep this down to a minimum. Car was faultless in my ownership and the mechanics showed it was a one owner full BMW service history car. Handling not as good as the other two but considering no roof it was more than capable of pushing through the country lanes.

The biggest issue with all of them. The slow stearing rack. I would love to have a quicker rack in this GT but trying to keep her OEM.

I am happy with the GT and the more I drive her, the quicker she feels. I am getting used to the engine and the revs needed to get her going.

Would I buy them all again... Yes I would, if I could have them all I think I would. All great cars with different positives and negatives.

[NelsonR32]

I fitted an E46 Compact rack to mine yesterday. What a difference! Highly recommended to anyone considering it. Gets rid of the bus-like steering.