Bought myself an E36 328i
Discussion
Bought my first BMW, an E36 328i Coupe - more of a write up in "Reader's Cars":
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
It's going to be fun!
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
It's going to be fun!
I washed and polished My old Montreal blue E36 328i sport shed last weekend and when I had finished I stood back and couldn't help thinking how cool the E36 design really is (even the rust came up looking good! ).
A well looked after E36 is going to be one of the coolest cars on the road in a few years time! (I think the E30 3 series will become like a MK1 Escort and the E36 will be the equivalent of a MK1 Capri when it comes to looking cool later on in life!).
Keep a close eye on those rear wheel arches! - At the first sign of bubbling, get them sorted! - Trust Me!
A well looked after E36 is going to be one of the coolest cars on the road in a few years time! (I think the E30 3 series will become like a MK1 Escort and the E36 will be the equivalent of a MK1 Capri when it comes to looking cool later on in life!).
Keep a close eye on those rear wheel arches! - At the first sign of bubbling, get them sorted! - Trust Me!
SidewaysSi said:
No chance of that. It does need a few modifications to sharpen it up but it won't be bastardised! The aim is to keep it looking as is but to convert it to my perfect everyday practical roadcar
Sounds perfect. Look forward to seeing this take shape These are starting to thin out now.
Funk said:
4rephill said:
Keep a close eye on those rear wheel arches! - At the first sign of bubbling, get them sorted! - Trust Me!
Mine are starting to go but I'm not spending any money on it that's not linked to keeping it rolling.It'd be easier and cheaper to just buy another one.
Now after 8 years the old girl has grown on Me quite a bit, and as the years go by the design looks cooler than ever (at least the 2 door coupe's and convertibles do. To be fair, the Touring's can look pretty good with the right, subtle mods but the 4 door saloons have never struck Me as being as good looking).
Looking at the car last weekend, I fully appreciated how good the design looks now, and could see how cool the design is going to become in the coming years (as I have previously posted, think a modern day equivalent of a MK1 Capri).
Yes you could just ditch the car and replace it easily and cheaply enough at the moment, just as you used to be able to do with MK1 Escorts/Capri's/Cortina's/Granada's etc., but as with those cars, one day that will no longer be the case.
As the years go by they are getting rarer and rarer, and so if you find a good one, it is worth looking after it properly now before the rot gets severe.
The E36 coupe/convertible is a car that I can see becoming sought after in years to come, and the values of unmolested/very subtly modified cars (not the "The Fast and the Pathetic" wannabe's that have been slammed to the ground and had their interiors butchered to fit stupid sized stereo systems in), are going to take off one day. When that day comes, many an ex-E36 owner will look back fondly and wish they had looked after theirs better and still had it.
Trust Me, at the moment people are not seeing the full potential of the E36 coupe/convertible as a future classic, just as people didn't with the Capri and Escort, but it's going to happen, so get a good one now whilst they're still affordable, look after it/restore it properly now and one day you'll own one of the coolest cars on the road that people will want to buy for serious money!
I had the less sought after saloon - only cost a couple of grand- ran it for 7 years and nearly 100k miles ( starting at 130k )
Went all over Europe in it on hols and it was fun to drive plus pretty economical
Had a 2.93 (then a 3.07) LSD, Z3 rack, Eibach adj ARBS, Xbrace, Bilsteins, RTAB limiters, Z3 rear and M3 front strut reinforcers
Like all the E36/E46 saloons I've had, had the folding rear seats which can be handy for carrying wheels, extra stuff
As 4rephill says, these are (or were ) so cheap for an affordable rwd, DIY-able car - taken over for me from the old Mk2 Escort/Hipo 4 cyl or V6 Sierras
Aircon, heated seats, sunroof, leather...all thrown in for minimal outlay
Good luck with your new car
Went all over Europe in it on hols and it was fun to drive plus pretty economical
Had a 2.93 (then a 3.07) LSD, Z3 rack, Eibach adj ARBS, Xbrace, Bilsteins, RTAB limiters, Z3 rear and M3 front strut reinforcers
Like all the E36/E46 saloons I've had, had the folding rear seats which can be handy for carrying wheels, extra stuff
As 4rephill says, these are (or were ) so cheap for an affordable rwd, DIY-able car - taken over for me from the old Mk2 Escort/Hipo 4 cyl or V6 Sierras
Aircon, heated seats, sunroof, leather...all thrown in for minimal outlay
Good luck with your new car
4rephill said:
Funk said:
4rephill said:
Keep a close eye on those rear wheel arches! - At the first sign of bubbling, get them sorted! - Trust Me!
Mine are starting to go but I'm not spending any money on it that's not linked to keeping it rolling.It'd be easier and cheaper to just buy another one.
Now after 8 years the old girl has grown on Me quite a bit, and as the years go by the design looks cooler than ever (at least the 2 door coupe's and convertibles do. To be fair, the Touring's can look pretty good with the right, subtle mods but the 4 door saloons have never struck Me as being as good looking).
Looking at the car last weekend, I fully appreciated how good the design looks now, and could see how cool the design is going to become in the coming years (as I have previously posted, think a modern day equivalent of a MK1 Capri).
Yes you could just ditch the car and replace it easily and cheaply enough at the moment, just as you used to be able to do with MK1 Escorts/Capri's/Cortina's/Granada's etc., but as with those cars, one day that will no longer be the case.
As the years go by they are getting rarer and rarer, and so if you find a good one, it is worth looking after it properly now before the rot gets severe.
The E36 coupe/convertible is a car that I can see becoming sought after in years to come, and the values of unmolested/very subtly modified cars (not the "The Fast and the Pathetic" wannabe's that have been slammed to the ground and had their interiors butchered to fit stupid sized stereo systems in), are going to take off one day. When that day comes, many an ex-E36 owner will look back fondly and wish they had looked after theirs better and still had it.
Trust Me, at the moment people are not seeing the full potential of the E36 coupe/convertible as a future classic, just as people didn't with the Capri and Escort, but it's going to happen, so get a good one now whilst they're still affordable, look after it/restore it properly now and one day you'll own one of the coolest cars on the road that people will want to buy for serious money!
If it were an E36 M3 then I'd completely agree, however.
Thanks all - I am not bothered about future values etc. as often running costs are far more than any appreciation (something most people don't want to factor in).
I am looking to just create my perfect long term everyday road car out of it (maybe 10 years plus) - something sharp, light, agile, feelsome and with a penchant for oversteer...This will not be the fastest car on the block but hopefully just a sweet handling and great fun old BMW that can also carry the family when needed.
I don't want to make it overtly stiff and want to keep it standard looking (so no stripped out interiors etc.) but it sorely needs more focus - my old Integra R was a much more exciting drive and I want to gain some of that spark with this.
I appreciate a near 1400Kg car will never be as fun as a lightweight but let's see what can be done...
I am looking to just create my perfect long term everyday road car out of it (maybe 10 years plus) - something sharp, light, agile, feelsome and with a penchant for oversteer...This will not be the fastest car on the block but hopefully just a sweet handling and great fun old BMW that can also carry the family when needed.
I don't want to make it overtly stiff and want to keep it standard looking (so no stripped out interiors etc.) but it sorely needs more focus - my old Integra R was a much more exciting drive and I want to gain some of that spark with this.
I appreciate a near 1400Kg car will never be as fun as a lightweight but let's see what can be done...
Edited by SidewaysSi on Monday 25th May 20:33
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