Is the E36 bmw a future classic... - Non M Model
Discussion
I've owned my E38 318iS coupé (with sports pack) from new for just over 16 years now. Still love it. I parked it on my local high street the other day and crossed the road to nip into the Sainsbury's Local. When I came out again and gazed across the road my low-slung E36 looked borderline exotic juxtaposed with the bloated, gormless looking modern stuff parked in front of and behind it. When I see how the utter clumsiness of modern cars increases from one iteration to the next, the better I think my old one looks.
4rephill said:
NiceCupOfTea said:
They look far better, always thought the e36 m3 looks too try hard. 328iS looks great.......
Hilarious post! 
With the exception of different door mirrors, seats (if the M3 has "Vaders" fitted), lower front grille (mesh Vs. bars), and wheels (and to Me the 328i Sports BBS split rim alloys are much better looking than all of the E36 M3 wheels!), the 328i Sport and the M3 look identical!
Whether it's the wheels, the mirrors, the lairier colours that M3s tend to be in, I don't know. I think the BBS wheels look fantastic, as a package it looks more subtle to my eyes.
If I ever bought an e36 M3 I would fit the non-M mirrors I think!
Vincefox said:
SidewaysSi said:
Finer steering and more exploitable balance on the road. With a engine slight tweak, not much in it performance wise. And they are a fair bit lighter too which for me makes a big difference. A 328 running 15" wheels is probably the finer driver's car.
I value chassis ability and balance over pure straight line performance so it's an easy decision for me. Furthermore, at current prices, there's little argument which is the more appealing car.
As an aside I can't remember ever seeing a road test from a performance orientated mag/journo really raving about the E36 M3. It's more M330/M330 CSI IMO. A more hardcore coupe of the same era e.g. Integra DC2 is infinitely more exciting to drive than an M3.
Dc2 is fwd though. Nothing wrong with that, but an awkward comparison.I value chassis ability and balance over pure straight line performance so it's an easy decision for me. Furthermore, at current prices, there's little argument which is the more appealing car.
As an aside I can't remember ever seeing a road test from a performance orientated mag/journo really raving about the E36 M3. It's more M330/M330 CSI IMO. A more hardcore coupe of the same era e.g. Integra DC2 is infinitely more exciting to drive than an M3.
I like the M3 but to think it is some kind of wonder kid is short sighed. I do think overall the 328 is the better car and that was certainly backed up by the motoring press at the time.
SidewaysSi said:
Perhaps. But other than not being able to power oversteer, it is the more exciting car by some distance.
I like the M3 but to think it is some kind of wonder kid is short sighed. I do think overall the 328 is the better car and that was certainly backed up by the motoring press at the time.
Well ,personal opinion is what gives us such a broad choice of cars. I find the dc2 type r interesting but wouldnt own one. I like the M3 but to think it is some kind of wonder kid is short sighed. I do think overall the 328 is the better car and that was certainly backed up by the motoring press at the time.
I also really, really rate the 328i having owned two of them, but to me personally the m3 is much, much better in every way.
Vincefox said:
SidewaysSi said:
Perhaps. But other than not being able to power oversteer, it is the more exciting car by some distance.
I like the M3 but to think it is some kind of wonder kid is short sighed. I do think overall the 328 is the better car and that was certainly backed up by the motoring press at the time.
Well ,personal opinion is what gives us such a broad choice of cars. I find the dc2 type r interesting but wouldnt own one. I like the M3 but to think it is some kind of wonder kid is short sighed. I do think overall the 328 is the better car and that was certainly backed up by the motoring press at the time.
I also really, really rate the 328i having owned two of them, but to me personally the m3 is much, much better in every way.
. I like cars which are ruthlessly focused and for me, the M3 wasn't what I was after. I did run a DC2 for over 4 years and even alongside a Caterham and Elise S1, it was always a joy.Saying that, my 328 is a little too soft at the moment too and there is plenty of areas it should and could be better. But I have big plans (and a long list of parts!) to turn it into a proper, focused road racer/GT car with occasional track ability.
I recently managed to buy a 328i Manual Coupe with a mere 30,000 miles on the clock for a good price.
It needs a little TLC, which it is getting.
So I'm wondering what to do with it now as I'm a bit skint. I could use it as my daily driver as I suspect that once fettled it'll be fairly reliable. Maybe I should just keep it for a while and see it appreciate in value. Perhaps i should just move it on at a profit.
It's not an M-Sport and only has cloth seats. It has air-con and cruise but not much else. Not a speck of rust on the thing at all. I'm not sure if its basic specification will limit its value significantly.
Service history is comprehensive but exists only in BMW's computers. Although I have a copy of the most recent bill from a main dealer that validates the mileage at least.
TBH I am tempted to use it. It's such a pleasure to drive after using diesels exclusively for the last 10+ years.
It was like this:
but is being fettled and having bumps and scrapes fixed to look like this:
It needs a little TLC, which it is getting.
So I'm wondering what to do with it now as I'm a bit skint. I could use it as my daily driver as I suspect that once fettled it'll be fairly reliable. Maybe I should just keep it for a while and see it appreciate in value. Perhaps i should just move it on at a profit.
It's not an M-Sport and only has cloth seats. It has air-con and cruise but not much else. Not a speck of rust on the thing at all. I'm not sure if its basic specification will limit its value significantly.
Service history is comprehensive but exists only in BMW's computers. Although I have a copy of the most recent bill from a main dealer that validates the mileage at least.
TBH I am tempted to use it. It's such a pleasure to drive after using diesels exclusively for the last 10+ years.
It was like this:
but is being fettled and having bumps and scrapes fixed to look like this:
Edited by rlg43p on Friday 28th August 14:56
SidewaysSi said:
Let's agree to disagree . I like cars which are ruthlessly focused and for me, the M3 wasn't what I was after. I did run a DC2 for over 4 years and even alongside a Caterham and Elise S1, it was always a joy.
Saying that, my 328 is a little too soft at the moment too and there is plenty of areas it should and could be better. But I have big plans (and a long list of parts!) to turn it into a proper, focused road racer/GT car with occasional track ability.
Agreed! . I like cars which are ruthlessly focused and for me, the M3 wasn't what I was after. I did run a DC2 for over 4 years and even alongside a Caterham and Elise S1, it was always a joy.Saying that, my 328 is a little too soft at the moment too and there is plenty of areas it should and could be better. But I have big plans (and a long list of parts!) to turn it into a proper, focused road racer/GT car with occasional track ability.
For the record i do like the dc2 type r.
rlg43p said:
I recently managed to buy a 328i Manual Coupe with a mere 30,000 miles on the clock for a good price.
It needs a little TLC, which it is getting.
So I'm wondering what to do with it now as I'm a bit skint. I could use it as my daily driver as I suspect that once fettled it'll be fairly reliable. Maybe I should just keep it for a while and see it appreciate in value. Perhaps i should just move it on at a profit.
It's not an M-Sport and only has cloth seats. It has air-con and cruise but not much else. Not a speck of rust on the thing at all. I'm not sure if its basic specification will limit its value significantly.
Service history is comprehensive but exists only in BMW's computers. Although I have a copy of the most recent bill from a main dealer that validates the mileage at least.
TBH I am tempted to use it. It's such a pleasure to drive after using diesels exclusively for the last 10+ years.
It was like this:
but is being fettled and having bumps and scrapes fixed to look like this:
That looks smart. Agree on the ambers and keep it standard if it's that low on mileage. Unchanged ones are becoming the rarest of all with the rise of cheap drift nonsense.It needs a little TLC, which it is getting.
So I'm wondering what to do with it now as I'm a bit skint. I could use it as my daily driver as I suspect that once fettled it'll be fairly reliable. Maybe I should just keep it for a while and see it appreciate in value. Perhaps i should just move it on at a profit.
It's not an M-Sport and only has cloth seats. It has air-con and cruise but not much else. Not a speck of rust on the thing at all. I'm not sure if its basic specification will limit its value significantly.
Service history is comprehensive but exists only in BMW's computers. Although I have a copy of the most recent bill from a main dealer that validates the mileage at least.
TBH I am tempted to use it. It's such a pleasure to drive after using diesels exclusively for the last 10+ years.
It was like this:
but is being fettled and having bumps and scrapes fixed to look like this:
Edited by rlg43p on Friday 28th August 14:56
Quite possibly especially given that decent ones (328s especially) are increasingly hard to come by.
A number of years back you could get a decent (non Sport 328) for less than 1k. Much harder now.
I've had three, my favourite is my current 328 Touring. Great car for less than 1.5k. Bought it on 120k miles, now on about 167k.
Working climate, leather, a great n/a straight six and a manual box. What's not to like!?
The other thing to bear in mind is that these are decent cars to work on. If you keep the cooling system in check the engines are solid (Nikasil issue apart). Moreover, there aren't a huge amount of electronic gubbins to interfere or go wrong. Unfortunately rust is the killer.
Edit to add some pics:
Current 328 Touring in Montreal Blue
(Alpina reps have been swapped to genuine Softlines as previously fitted to my other E36s. Indicators will be remaining amber)
Also have a set of winters for it.
My old 328 Saloon in Boston Green
(Yes, those are angel eyes! They (and I!) used to be cool)
My old 325 Saloon in Diamond Black
(Recently scrapped this (rusted to death) and managed to sell the M50 manifold for £155 on ebay - much more than the rest of the car for scrap!)
A number of years back you could get a decent (non Sport 328) for less than 1k. Much harder now.
I've had three, my favourite is my current 328 Touring. Great car for less than 1.5k. Bought it on 120k miles, now on about 167k.
Working climate, leather, a great n/a straight six and a manual box. What's not to like!?
The other thing to bear in mind is that these are decent cars to work on. If you keep the cooling system in check the engines are solid (Nikasil issue apart). Moreover, there aren't a huge amount of electronic gubbins to interfere or go wrong. Unfortunately rust is the killer.
Edit to add some pics:
Current 328 Touring in Montreal Blue
(Alpina reps have been swapped to genuine Softlines as previously fitted to my other E36s. Indicators will be remaining amber)
Also have a set of winters for it.
My old 328 Saloon in Boston Green
(Yes, those are angel eyes! They (and I!) used to be cool)
My old 325 Saloon in Diamond Black
(Recently scrapped this (rusted to death) and managed to sell the M50 manifold for £155 on ebay - much more than the rest of the car for scrap!)
Edited by g3org3y on Sunday 30th August 06:49
Vincefox said:
That looks smart. Agree on the ambers and keep it standard if it's that low on mileage. Unchanged ones are becoming the rarest of all with the rise of cheap drift nonsense.
I'm not sure why people like the ambers; I say it would look a bit more up to date with clear indicators if you prefer them.wibblebrain said:
I'm not sure why people like the ambers; I say it would look a bit more up to date with clear indicators if you prefer them.
Theyre an easy swap either way, think i like them as they make the car look a little older and distinguish it from the m models a little more, but what do i know? My m3 has lightly smoked fronts to blend them to the headlights.I had an e36 328i coupe a few years ago that succumbed to a mix of Nikasil failure and rot. I believe late e36 328i sports, with alusil blocks and rot-free bodywork, will definitely become classics. Finding one in such condition, however, is not easy as their value has been so low for so long.
They are excellent UK road cars, the suspension is wonderfully judged for pushing on along an imperfect a/b road. Much like the e39, I think BMW's of that era are a better drive than their more modern counterparts.
If not done already, they will require new dampers and bushes/balls/links
They are excellent UK road cars, the suspension is wonderfully judged for pushing on along an imperfect a/b road. Much like the e39, I think BMW's of that era are a better drive than their more modern counterparts.
If not done already, they will require new dampers and bushes/balls/links
The chances of finding a rot-free one is remote in the extreme, and even if you do it doesn't mean the rot won't appear. Better to find a car that's potentially brilliant and deal with the rot so comprehensively that it can't come back.
Ad far as indicators are concerned, I'd keep the ambers at the front unless you're prepared to change all the clusters. When I see one with clear lenses at the front and ambers at the rear it looks like a bodge job.
Ad far as indicators are concerned, I'd keep the ambers at the front unless you're prepared to change all the clusters. When I see one with clear lenses at the front and ambers at the rear it looks like a bodge job.
NiceCupOfTea said:
4rephill said:
NiceCupOfTea said:
They look far better, always thought the e36 m3 looks too try hard. 328iS looks great.......
Hilarious post! With the exception of different door mirrors, seats (if the M3 has "Vaders" fitted), lower front grille (mesh Vs. bars), and wheels (and to Me the 328i Sports BBS split rim alloys are much better looking than all of the E36 M3 wheels!), the 328i Sport and the M3 look identical!
Whether it's the wheels, the mirrors, the lairier colours that M3s tend to be in, I don't know. I think the BBS wheels look fantastic, as a package it looks more subtle to my eyes.
If I ever bought an e36 M3 I would fit the non-M mirrors I think!
Personally speaking, I think the E36 M3 door mirrors look great, the only problem is, every E36 owner decided to fit them to their non-M cars (or worse still fitted a set of those crappy replica versions), and then every Tom, Dick and Harry started to fit E36 M3 style mirrors to their Ford/Vauxhall/Toyota/Honda etc., making them a bit too common and tacky looking.
BMW got the E36 and E46 door mirrors spot on as far as I'm concerned, but after that, the M3 door mirrors looked awful, and if ever I owned one of the later M3's then I'd fit the standard door mirrors to the car as they look so much better.
As for the amber/clear indicator debate: Whichever you go with, have the same colour indicators on all four corners, not a mixture as it just looks wrong! (and for God's sake never ever fit those stupid Lexarse or awful cheap LED rear clusters to the car!).
I've owned My unmolested but slightly rusty '97 328i Sport for 9 years now and currently she is sitting outside My house with a blown Nikasil engine
.My original plan was to just scrap her off and move on to another car, but the more I looked at her, the more I couldn't bring Myself to do it! - We've had a lot of adventures in that 9 years and she's been a lot of fun (a bit more power would be nice though as she was starting to feel a little bit on the slow side).
Ideally she needs a replacement engine (obviously!), the rear quarter panels cutting off and replacing, a new boot lid, lower boot panel, the A-posts and front edge of the roof repairing (it looks to Me as though some windscreen fitter managed to damage the paint in the windscreen surround when replacing the windscreen at sometime and just left the damage untreated!
), the headlining re-doing, and the hole in the drivers seat base repairing (the other three seats look immaculate!)The problem is, currently I find Myself with three cars: The broken E36 328i Sport, an E46 330ci SE (bought to replace the E36), and a Ferrari 348 TS (bought last year to fulfil a 36 year dream of owning a Ferrari).
The E46 is a nice enough car (love the torque of the engine!), but doesn't feel as right to Me as the E36 does (an Msport/Sport model might have been better but it was a decent,low nileage [82K miles that looks to be genuine] car that was local and within My tight-arse budget of £2K), and so doesn't feel like it's going to be a keeper.
The E36 328i Sport is a car I've grown to love over the 9 years I've had her and it would break My heart to let her go, but she needs £££££'s spending on her to make her perfect again (far more than she's financially worth at the moment). The thing is though, I can see the classic car potential in her, and if I had the work done she would become an incredibly cool classic car to own.
The Ferrari as I say is the fulfilment of a 36 year dream and I love driving her!
It's not the fastest car on the road any more by a long shot (she's still no slouch mind you!), and when out and about you have to put up with loads of knob-heads who seem to cum in their pants at the sight of a Ferrari on the road and suddenly develop a desperate need to prove that their car is faster (quite often by using ridiculous/dangerous overtakes in the process), but on the whole the car gets a great reception from others on the road and I just leave the knob-heads to enjoy their moment of pathetic glory.
It also makes you feel good when you get kids point and shout/scream out: "FERRARI!"
The downside to Ferrari ownership is that it costs a lot to run an old Ferrari, especially if something goes wrong (Aircon control panel required? - That'll be £2500 please! [or @ £1800 for a second hand part if you can find one!], indicator/headlight column switch required? - £975 please!, Need a door mirror assembly? - £2500 per side please!, just the door mirror glass required? - Not available and never has been, you're supposed to change the entire door mirror assembly instead! [in reality you simply make a replacement out of another manufacturers mirror glass for a few pounds]).
To securely park her and have 24/7 access costs @ £2500 per year for Me and she drinks petrol like Oliver Reed in a free bar!
However, it's a Ferrari not a Ford Focus and so the expense goes with the territory!
Then there's the fact that she only really gets driven on the dry/sunny days, the front end is so long and low that you have to be careful with slopes and speed bumps, and the suspension is so firm that she'll rattle you fillings out on the UK's p
ss poor excuse for roads!After a year of ownership, the dealership I bought it from have been in touch to say that they have a client wanting to buy a 348 TS and wondered if I'd like to sell My car for a substantial profit.
This creates a bit of a dilemma!
I love owning and driving the Ferrari (even though the model I really wanted was a 328 GTS), and would miss having her in My life.
On the other hand, if I did sell her, I could get My 328i Sport back to immaculate and have a cool classic to cruise around in, whilst still putting a decent wedge of money into My bank account and My monthly expenditure would drop dramatically.
It's a tough call: Have money in the bank and a cool old BMW or have no money in the bank but have a fabulous Ferrari to drive!
(If only that bloody lottery win would happen then I could have both!
)MitchT said:
I've owned my E38 318iS coupé (with sports pack) from new for just over 16 years now. Still love it. I parked it on my local high street the other day and crossed the road to nip into the Sainsbury's Local. When I came out again and gazed across the road my low-slung E36 looked borderline exotic juxtaposed with the bloated, gormless looking modern stuff parked in front of and behind it. When I see how the utter clumsiness of modern cars increases from one iteration to the next, the better I think my old one looks.
Me too. Bought my 4 door 323i in Avus Blue back in 1998 and still have it. Love driving it and it does look so much better than all the modern stuff. A 4 series coupe pulled up next to me and I thought it was a new 7 series. It's flippin' huge.
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