e36 M3 price difference by model
Discussion
Hi all,
Back in the day I had a couple of e36 325i coupes - loved them to bits. Moved on to an e46 330Ci and currently have an M135i (see the trend yet?)
I've been having those midlife crisis thoughts on getting an old car again. e36 325i's are hard to find but might be tempted to get one, add a turbo and refurbish it. Nothing too wild, just to get it to about 300bhp and to be more on par performance wise with a modern car.
Alternatively I looked at an e36 M3 Evo which already has 320bhp so is pretty competitive even today. Trouble is convertibles are cheap as chips but coupes are like hens teeth - what gives? I'm sure it was the other way round years ago but the coupes are hitting £20k in decent nick which is starting to feel like a lot for a 20+ year old car.
I'm just confused by the price disparity - thoughts from the collective?
thanks
Paul
Back in the day I had a couple of e36 325i coupes - loved them to bits. Moved on to an e46 330Ci and currently have an M135i (see the trend yet?)
I've been having those midlife crisis thoughts on getting an old car again. e36 325i's are hard to find but might be tempted to get one, add a turbo and refurbish it. Nothing too wild, just to get it to about 300bhp and to be more on par performance wise with a modern car.
Alternatively I looked at an e36 M3 Evo which already has 320bhp so is pretty competitive even today. Trouble is convertibles are cheap as chips but coupes are like hens teeth - what gives? I'm sure it was the other way round years ago but the coupes are hitting £20k in decent nick which is starting to feel like a lot for a 20+ year old car.
I'm just confused by the price disparity - thoughts from the collective?
thanks
Paul
I had a M3 Evo convertible. Brought it new in 98, sold it in 2016 for £10K. Was my first major purchased and loved it although it became a summer car in the end. Prices dropped and then crept back up, so I was happy with £10k. I never used it and it required £5K worth of work.
Personally I dont get the price points on these now. The prices do not match the car if honest. They aren't truly 321 but more 305bhp. My cab used to flex and was never truly a good drive. i had a MkIV tt Supra at the same time and that was a far better car. Coupes are rare as most now are thrashed or hyper mileage. Back in the day the saloons werent worth anything but due to limited supply now seem to be pricey too.
I loved my Evo but I dont think i deserves the price they are now. I get that the E30 M3 is the true drivers car and the price demand for these are bleeding over on to the e36. I keep an eye on prices and reckon the E46 M3 is a better car to aim for.
£20K can get you some seriously better cars, that are newer etc. AMG 63's for example.
Personally I dont get the price points on these now. The prices do not match the car if honest. They aren't truly 321 but more 305bhp. My cab used to flex and was never truly a good drive. i had a MkIV tt Supra at the same time and that was a far better car. Coupes are rare as most now are thrashed or hyper mileage. Back in the day the saloons werent worth anything but due to limited supply now seem to be pricey too.
I loved my Evo but I dont think i deserves the price they are now. I get that the E30 M3 is the true drivers car and the price demand for these are bleeding over on to the e36. I keep an eye on prices and reckon the E46 M3 is a better car to aim for.
£20K can get you some seriously better cars, that are newer etc. AMG 63's for example.
It's not just body type, but also trim levels... plenty of M3 for sale have the standard msport interior but the full nappa "vader" interior is much more desirable. From what I see this alone is worth £1k - £1.5k in value of the car. I shopped for 9 months for my M3 and still follow the market quite closely... Hellrot Red seem to sell very quickly. It might seem arbritrary when buying a 20+ year performance car, but I slightly overpaid for my M3 because it came in the right spec and has no rust. Don't rule out the 3.0 - do your own research.
HPI/MOT history withstanding, this seems a reasonable example: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E36-M3-3-0-COUPE-PE...
HPI/MOT history withstanding, this seems a reasonable example: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E36-M3-3-0-COUPE-PE...
If you plan on sticking a turbo on a 325 you'd be better off with an m50b25 non vanos. You think good EVO Coupes are hard to find.....
It's more expensive than people think to do too.
If you don't think the E36 is worthy of the current price tags I'd advise against getting one, you probably wouldn't enjoy owning it. As others have said what about an E46? Much more choice out there...
It's more expensive than people think to do too.
If you don't think the E36 is worthy of the current price tags I'd advise against getting one, you probably wouldn't enjoy owning it. As others have said what about an E46? Much more choice out there...
Thanks all,
I know the e46 M3 is a 'better' car. I had a 330 but it just wasn't as good to look at in my opinion. The late 90's models across the BMW range are some of my all time favourites looking sleek and athletic.
I did wonder about the convertible being too scuttley as a drive compared to the coupe but it seems a bit £ difference for just that.
I do like the Estoril blue with silver white interior although if I was fully restoring I'd go for Laguna Green with the silver white interior. Don't think it was ever released as an M3 colour but my first 325 was that colour and I thought it looked the dogs twitcher.
Paul
I know the e46 M3 is a 'better' car. I had a 330 but it just wasn't as good to look at in my opinion. The late 90's models across the BMW range are some of my all time favourites looking sleek and athletic.
I did wonder about the convertible being too scuttley as a drive compared to the coupe but it seems a bit £ difference for just that.
I do like the Estoril blue with silver white interior although if I was fully restoring I'd go for Laguna Green with the silver white interior. Don't think it was ever released as an M3 colour but my first 325 was that colour and I thought it looked the dogs twitcher.
Paul
Anyone going through a true midlife crisis would look no further than this beast
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
LHD not an option?
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
LHD not an option?
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
Thanks all,
I know the e46 M3 is a 'better' car. I had a 330 but it just wasn't as good to look at in my opinion. The late 90's models across the BMW range are some of my all time favourites looking sleek and athletic.
I did wonder about the convertible being too scuttley as a drive compared to the coupe but it seems a bit £ difference for just that.
I do like the Estoril blue with silver white interior although if I was fully restoring I'd go for Laguna Green with the silver white interior. Don't think it was ever released as an M3 colour but my first 325 was that colour and I thought it looked the dogs twitcher.
Paul
I know the e46 M3 is a 'better' car. I had a 330 but it just wasn't as good to look at in my opinion. The late 90's models across the BMW range are some of my all time favourites looking sleek and athletic.
I did wonder about the convertible being too scuttley as a drive compared to the coupe but it seems a bit £ difference for just that.
I do like the Estoril blue with silver white interior although if I was fully restoring I'd go for Laguna Green with the silver white interior. Don't think it was ever released as an M3 colour but my first 325 was that colour and I thought it looked the dogs twitcher.
Paul
White leather is lovely when new but soon gets stained, cracked and dirty. Stick to black.
My M3 Evo conv was Estril blue / black leather. I sold it with 66K on the clock and the interior was mint. I loved it but it was never the sports car I imagined but it was the cab so fair play.
When I sold it it required Shims, new AC compress, Vanos bolts, numerous vac pipes replacing and the tires were 10 years old as I only did 10 - 1000k miles a year.
lovely looking cars though.
Ive now moved on to AMGs. Something about big powerful engines. I had an v8 inch so went out and brought a Ml55. 5.4L truck. Ok it has its qwerks but smile factor is so much more than my M3. Now looking at a Ml63.
Which ever model, E36, E46, E90, all good cars at the end of the day.
My M3 Evo conv was Estril blue / black leather. I sold it with 66K on the clock and the interior was mint. I loved it but it was never the sports car I imagined but it was the cab so fair play.
When I sold it it required Shims, new AC compress, Vanos bolts, numerous vac pipes replacing and the tires were 10 years old as I only did 10 - 1000k miles a year.
lovely looking cars though.
Ive now moved on to AMGs. Something about big powerful engines. I had an v8 inch so went out and brought a Ml55. 5.4L truck. Ok it has its qwerks but smile factor is so much more than my M3. Now looking at a Ml63.
Which ever model, E36, E46, E90, all good cars at the end of the day.
J8 SVG said:
Anyone going through a true midlife crisis would look no further than this beast
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
Lol at that price!!! No way is it even worth more than a CSL!https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
Ubbs - i paid close to £50K for my new M3 evo cab in 98. I was 26, paid for it via a bonus via the investment bank I was working at. Took weeks to arrive and I continuiously kept adding to the options :-)
Now a much older man I realise... what a waste !!! :-) I used my M3 as a daily too !!! Nowadays I use a £1K honda civic.
The more you spend on a car, the more you expect from it. The numerous warranty work I had on my M3 was shocking, endless Vanos units, 2 gearboxes, 1 diff, endless AC parts, trim bits, etc etc. It really was my baby and i loved it but deep down never enjoyed driving it.
Boston Greens, during the late 90s / 2000s was a hard colour to sell. i remember seeing lots of boston green / black leather cabs for sale on Ebay, all between 4/5K tops. I loved the colour but Est blue was the best reseller colour. I used to love Dakar yellow, but wasnt brave enough to have it :-)
E36coupe was the forum of choice, not sure if it's still about.
Now a much older man I realise... what a waste !!! :-) I used my M3 as a daily too !!! Nowadays I use a £1K honda civic.
The more you spend on a car, the more you expect from it. The numerous warranty work I had on my M3 was shocking, endless Vanos units, 2 gearboxes, 1 diff, endless AC parts, trim bits, etc etc. It really was my baby and i loved it but deep down never enjoyed driving it.
Boston Greens, during the late 90s / 2000s was a hard colour to sell. i remember seeing lots of boston green / black leather cabs for sale on Ebay, all between 4/5K tops. I loved the colour but Est blue was the best reseller colour. I used to love Dakar yellow, but wasnt brave enough to have it :-)
E36coupe was the forum of choice, not sure if it's still about.
I've a Boston 328 Sport and would have never bought it if it were not for the price. Never liked the Green but now I own one I can see the attraction, it really pops in the sun.
Dakar I also love but would look a right berk driving it so would never be brave enough. Estoril is a nice colour but I'm more smitten by Techno. that's the colour for me..
Dakar I also love but would look a right berk driving it so would never be brave enough. Estoril is a nice colour but I'm more smitten by Techno. that's the colour for me..
J8 SVG said:
Anyone going through a true midlife crisis would look no further than this beast
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
LHD not an option?
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
Thanks - I've seen the first one before. It's in Hong Kong where it's completely wasted. Not really somewhere to enjoy it but they certainly have the money to own it. https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
LHD not an option?
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
LHD not for me unless it was some silly Yank Tank redneck pick up. Yee-haw.
skylarking808 said:
I agree with Paul, Green with a light grey leather work well on an E36 and pretty rare. Oh wait that's the colour of mine, metallic Boston Green.... 
Other greens came in with the E46.
Most green cars came with a black or occasionally tan/beige interior.
Mine was definitely not Boston Green - the plate stated Lagun Grun if I recall correctly. I've seen other about so it wasn't a custom and just light enough to stand out against a Boston Green. Other greens came in with the E46.
Most green cars came with a black or occasionally tan/beige interior.
Re: adding a turbo to a 325. Yeah, I know those are rare too. Probably all been stripped out for track use. Definitely would be an M50 and certainly would steer clear of 328's for such a project.
Like most mid life crisis stuff unless it drops in my lap it'll probably just end up a pipe dream - but what a dream. Yes, I could go faster for less but a semi classic car is as much about the looks and how it makes you feel than sheer speed. I'd only be turboing (and brakes, suspension, etc etc) to bring it closer to current mainstream models as I'd probably use it as a daily.
[quote=sbk1972]Ubbs - i paid close to £50K for my new M3 evo cab in 98. I was 26, paid for it via a bonus via the investment bank I was working at. Took weeks to arrive and I continuiously kept adding to the options :-)
Now a much older man I realise... what a waste !!! :-) I used my M3 as a daily too !!! Nowadays I use a £1K honda civic.
The more you spend on a car, the more you expect from it. The numerous warranty work I had on my M3 was shocking, endless Vanos units, 2 gearboxes, 1 diff, endless AC parts, trim bits, etc etc. It really was my baby and i loved it but deep down never enjoyed driving it.
Boston Greens, during the late 90s / 2000s was a hard colour to sell. i remember seeing lots of boston green / black leather cabs for sale on Ebay, all between 4/5K tops. I loved the colour but Est blue was the best reseller colour. I used to love Dakar yellow, but wasnt brave enough to have it :-)
E36coupe was the forum of choice, not sure if it's still about.
Mine was pretty much bulletproof, the red looked really good and suited it imo the cloth alcantara interior was pretty cool too, I added the AC Schnitzer exhaust and short shift.
Now a much older man I realise... what a waste !!! :-) I used my M3 as a daily too !!! Nowadays I use a £1K honda civic.
The more you spend on a car, the more you expect from it. The numerous warranty work I had on my M3 was shocking, endless Vanos units, 2 gearboxes, 1 diff, endless AC parts, trim bits, etc etc. It really was my baby and i loved it but deep down never enjoyed driving it.
Boston Greens, during the late 90s / 2000s was a hard colour to sell. i remember seeing lots of boston green / black leather cabs for sale on Ebay, all between 4/5K tops. I loved the colour but Est blue was the best reseller colour. I used to love Dakar yellow, but wasnt brave enough to have it :-)
E36coupe was the forum of choice, not sure if it's still about.
Mine was pretty much bulletproof, the red looked really good and suited it imo the cloth alcantara interior was pretty cool too, I added the AC Schnitzer exhaust and short shift.
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