E36 BMW M3 3.0
Discussion
Hello all,
I have read this forum with interest, and find it fascinating reading about readers cars ranging from a Rover 25 to an Audi R8. Everyone has their story to tell, about searching for their car, that first drive and then plans for the future!!
On to me and my new car!
Firstly, its probably worth while reading the below thread for a idea of what cars I have had and what has brought me to buy this car!
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=196&t=1313135&mid=66148&nmt=New+to+Dubai+-+Saying+Hi
If you can't be bothered to read my long winded posts, then I will say it in a nutshell!
December 2012 - Moved to Dubai
Bought a Cayman S (Loved it)
Sold Cayman S (Couldnt be enjoyed on the large straight roads)
Bought Golf GTI (Not bad, comfy cruiser)
Sold Golf GTI (Boring, not special enough)
Test drove more special cars that could be enjoyed on long straight roads and occasional twisties (B7 RS4, S4, 335i, M5)
Decided that I need seek thrills on the track rather than the road
Split my car budget up for 2 cars, Road & Track (70/30 approx)
Bought M3 for track car!
So the M3 is going to be the track car, but it will be used as a daily drive for now (has good working aircon).
The car is a Black 1994 3.0 M3 with 61,000KM on the clock and is largely perfect.
Its an import from Japan, and as a result the bodywork and under body is in very good condition.
19 years is going to take its toll, and on this one its show on the window seals, door handles and some aspects of the interior.
I'm still a track day novice, so my plans are to get the car in a good fit state (as standard) and then hit some tracks.
Following this, I will then see what improvements I need to make (both to me and the car!)
Aside from these changes, I have already fitted a new stereo (not a biggy for a TD car, but it'll be a DD for a few weeks so its something I wanted to do). I will also look at getting it de-tango'd and get the window seals replaced.
Anyway, onto some pics!
Apologies for the woeful quality. I will update with some proper camera pics soon.
Many thanks
Matt
I have read this forum with interest, and find it fascinating reading about readers cars ranging from a Rover 25 to an Audi R8. Everyone has their story to tell, about searching for their car, that first drive and then plans for the future!!
On to me and my new car!
Firstly, its probably worth while reading the below thread for a idea of what cars I have had and what has brought me to buy this car!
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=196&t=1313135&mid=66148&nmt=New+to+Dubai+-+Saying+Hi
If you can't be bothered to read my long winded posts, then I will say it in a nutshell!
December 2012 - Moved to Dubai
Bought a Cayman S (Loved it)
Sold Cayman S (Couldnt be enjoyed on the large straight roads)
Bought Golf GTI (Not bad, comfy cruiser)
Sold Golf GTI (Boring, not special enough)
Test drove more special cars that could be enjoyed on long straight roads and occasional twisties (B7 RS4, S4, 335i, M5)
Decided that I need seek thrills on the track rather than the road
Split my car budget up for 2 cars, Road & Track (70/30 approx)
Bought M3 for track car!
So the M3 is going to be the track car, but it will be used as a daily drive for now (has good working aircon).
The car is a Black 1994 3.0 M3 with 61,000KM on the clock and is largely perfect.
Its an import from Japan, and as a result the bodywork and under body is in very good condition.
19 years is going to take its toll, and on this one its show on the window seals, door handles and some aspects of the interior.
I'm still a track day novice, so my plans are to get the car in a good fit state (as standard) and then hit some tracks.
Following this, I will then see what improvements I need to make (both to me and the car!)
Aside from these changes, I have already fitted a new stereo (not a biggy for a TD car, but it'll be a DD for a few weeks so its something I wanted to do). I will also look at getting it de-tango'd and get the window seals replaced.
Anyway, onto some pics!
Apologies for the woeful quality. I will update with some proper camera pics soon.
Many thanks
Matt
Edited by matt_knowles on Monday 12th August 19:43
Edited by matt_knowles on Monday 12th August 19:47
jbaddeley said:
Good call Mat. I've recently bought one of these as a fun car. quite a long thread on here somewhere. Enjoy it and join bmw owner forum for lots of good reads.enjoy!
I must admit, the thought did cross my mind!I probably wont strip it out to begin with, it just depends on how I get on with the car on track.
Thanks for the nice comments
El Capitano said:
Nice. How long have you had it, I saw an identical e on (if not this one?) passing the mall of the emirates the other day.
Nice to see a tidy e36 here
Thanks!Nice to see a tidy e36 here
I collected the car on Sunday, so still new to me!
I'm the first Dubai owner of the car.......its only been in the country a couple of weeks.
I drove past MOE on Sunday evening around 10pm, then again yesterday around 6pm
aspirated said:
Saw this parked up last week, had a nosey around! 
At the car garage? If so, was it covered in dust?It was quite possibly the worst presented car I have ever been to view! Hahaha, it was caked in dust from renovation work that was going on.
After a quick wash I was able to inspect closer.
Bit of an update.
Car is going well, and still being used as my daily drive.
I thought I would have ran into trouble by now in the 45c+ heat but things are ok (touch wood), although the aircon could be cooler!
I have managed to source and fit clear/newer spec lights to the car (see below), which help freshen her up, no end (all in for approximately 80 notes).
I have also fitted some new speakers as the old rears had turned to dust. I know, its a TD car but things like this really wind me up......especially when running as a DD.
Next on my list is the interior(door cards and rear panels, headlining). They look like they could do with a refresh, with areas coming unstuck or looking saggy.
I have also sourced some rubber seals for the door handles, as they have crumbled away.
If I go any further this is just going to turn into a restoration rather than a track day toy........but then with only 38500 miles on the clock, who knows what I should do!
Car is going well, and still being used as my daily drive.
I thought I would have ran into trouble by now in the 45c+ heat but things are ok (touch wood), although the aircon could be cooler!
I have managed to source and fit clear/newer spec lights to the car (see below), which help freshen her up, no end (all in for approximately 80 notes).
I have also fitted some new speakers as the old rears had turned to dust. I know, its a TD car but things like this really wind me up......especially when running as a DD.
Next on my list is the interior(door cards and rear panels, headlining). They look like they could do with a refresh, with areas coming unstuck or looking saggy.
I have also sourced some rubber seals for the door handles, as they have crumbled away.
If I go any further this is just going to turn into a restoration rather than a track day toy........but then with only 38500 miles on the clock, who knows what I should do!
Thanks guys,
I was kind of liking the retro look with the orange lights, but i'm glad I've changed it now....looks loads better. I'm still keeping the old lights in case I want to go back.
The paint is amazing on this car for the age, but maybe that's down to being in Japan all its life.
I need to give it a good clay, polish and wax (weekend job).
I'll get some proper pics up once its clean.
In Dubai - I work in IT (yawn) but quickly considering getting into the car business (I have few ideas that could work well here!)
Cheers
I was kind of liking the retro look with the orange lights, but i'm glad I've changed it now....looks loads better. I'm still keeping the old lights in case I want to go back.
The paint is amazing on this car for the age, but maybe that's down to being in Japan all its life.
I need to give it a good clay, polish and wax (weekend job).
I'll get some proper pics up once its clean.
In Dubai - I work in IT (yawn) but quickly considering getting into the car business (I have few ideas that could work well here!)
Cheers
Well the car is still going strong and proving very reliable (touch wood).
Its very easy to live with, and is a joy to use.
Only a couple of things creeping into my mind. On a cold start up (well as cold as Dubai can be), the car whines a bit as the revs rise. I suspect its a belt of some sort, but not 100% sure. It goes away after 5 mins of driving, and I have tried turning the aircon off before that time but the noise is still there. I'll get the alternator belt checked out and go from there.
On the subject of aircon.....mine appears to work fine, but just wondered if it was a E36 trait for it to be pretty noticeable when it engages? I know that might be the case when stationary but when driving at a constant speed, you can certainly feel the engine power momentarily blip as it engages. Maybe something else to just get checked out?
Still need to get around to removing the rear tints. The fronts, I was able to remove myself but no such joy with the rears. I'm sure it'll look a whole lot better with them done.
A couple of pics
Its very easy to live with, and is a joy to use.
Only a couple of things creeping into my mind. On a cold start up (well as cold as Dubai can be), the car whines a bit as the revs rise. I suspect its a belt of some sort, but not 100% sure. It goes away after 5 mins of driving, and I have tried turning the aircon off before that time but the noise is still there. I'll get the alternator belt checked out and go from there.
On the subject of aircon.....mine appears to work fine, but just wondered if it was a E36 trait for it to be pretty noticeable when it engages? I know that might be the case when stationary but when driving at a constant speed, you can certainly feel the engine power momentarily blip as it engages. Maybe something else to just get checked out?
Still need to get around to removing the rear tints. The fronts, I was able to remove myself but no such joy with the rears. I'm sure it'll look a whole lot better with them done.
A couple of pics
S3_Graham said:
ref your aircon have you checked the pollen filters?
mine blew ice cold air but with no flow, changed the pollen filters and was ice cold and full flow again. common for them to be overlooked on general home servicing.
Out of interest how much do E36 M3's cost over there? Similar to here in the uk?
Thanks,mine blew ice cold air but with no flow, changed the pollen filters and was ice cold and full flow again. common for them to be overlooked on general home servicing.
Out of interest how much do E36 M3's cost over there? Similar to here in the uk?
Yeah its been changed recently and re-gassed.
Well guys, I toyed with the idea of tracking it (never made it) and I also looked into selling it (but couldn't go through with it).
My hand now has been forced due to baby arrival (Due end of summer). As a result, the M3 is a luxury I no longer can afford so she has to go.
I will be sticking an advert on Dubizzle for anyone on the look out.
Car is still running like a dream, and really felt strong during the cooler months.
All the best
Matt
My hand now has been forced due to baby arrival (Due end of summer). As a result, the M3 is a luxury I no longer can afford so she has to go.
I will be sticking an advert on Dubizzle for anyone on the look out.
Car is still running like a dream, and really felt strong during the cooler months.
All the best
Matt
Update
Firstly, the car has been on the market for a while now and it seems the market for 20 year old cars which aren't white and have a MT are few and far between.
I've been relatively keen with my asking price as its not a distressed sale and i'm not (wasn't!) in a rush to sell.
Of course if the right person came along with the right money I would consider still selling, but in the meantime I am just having too much fun!
Anyway I keep this up to date, this is what I have done recently.
Rear Speakers -
The new Sony units I installed a while ago in the original covers (4" or there abouts), sounded like a wet fart (to be honest wasn't expecting too much)
So I purchased some of these and then purchased some sony 6x9's. I am not massive into in car tunes and perfect quality, but this was much improved over what I had and enabled me to keep the OEM look. Couple that with my entire iTunes library installed on a 64gb flash drive, and i'm good to go (iPhone kept over heating!)
Wheels balanced -
Ok so not very exciting I know, but I began to get a slight vibration around 60mph which would come and go. First things first I thought, lets get the wheels balanced. Upon doing so, I noticed the rears could do with changing. They still had some meat on them, but were beginning to look a little cracked and it wasn't something I wanted to risk in the heat here at the moment (40c most days, pushing 45c). So I ask the garage what they have in stock in my original non staggered setup of 235/40/17 and they have zero, nothing.....not a zip! They offered some Khumos in 225/40/17 but I am unwilling to compromise. So back on with the old tyres for now, and off in search of the correct size. I leave the garage, get maybe 200 yards down the road when I here clunk clunk clunk coming from the rear passenger side.......feck! They've done me haven't they! I'm going to be left with no choice but to replace them now at their garage! As I get out to have a look nothing springs (little clue there) out at me, so I slowly head back to the garage. Inevitably, they try and pin the problem on the tyres but after some heated discussion I explain and finally get through to them that this was not happening before I arrived. So they have a little test drive and come back, scratch their beards a little and then figure out the problem. No ones fault really, and not sure how it happened but when the car was jacked up the spring uncompressed had become misaligned somehow. When it was then lowered and not aligned correctly the first two coils were tighter packed then they should have been, which resulted in the problem (that's my understanding anyway)! After a quick tweak with a huge persuader they had it sorted.
Following this the vibration has improved as I still had the wheels balanced. There is no longer any wheel judder, but there is definitely still a noise / sensation of something not 100% towards the rear......I will continue to investigate. I still haven't been able to source some replacement tyres in the correct size......they just don't seem to be available anywhere. The nearest I can get is 235/45/17, so I might go for them if I have no joy in the next couple of weeks.
Spark Plug change -
Not a hard job, and managed to do it relatively easily with one exception! There is an earth lead attached to the mounting of the last coil (firewall end), which managed I managed to lose down the back of the engine. Thankfully I have quite small hands, so I could attempt to reach and retrieve the wire. So I go for it....I can feel the wire, its almost in grasp when......my hand begins to slow-roast on the still hot engine (2hrs after driving it). In my now desperate and flustered attempt to get it before the BBQ really kicks in, I push it further and further away. After many failed attempts, I give it another hour and come back armed with a bottle of cold water! Finally managed to retrieve the lead, and put it all back together. The old plugs looked in good condition apart from 5 or the 6 having a medium coating of oil. Next task is the valve cover and spark plug gaskets!
All in all, it was a worthwhile job as in traffic smoothness has much improved.
Roof Ledge Molding -
This is still work in progress but I have been meaning to do this for a while now. The roof ledge molding on my car has looked bad since day 1, but has progressively got worse.
I had planned to buy replacements, and depending on how this goes I may well still do that. However being a Yorkshire lad, I'm all for saving a few fils so will refurbish them.
So I remove the old ones in about 5 mins flat. I sprayed a bit of WD40 down the gap then gently tapped it off with small bit of wood and a hammer......no problems.
This is a small section of what they looked like to begin with once I got them indoors
I considered sanding initially, but after having a brew I decided my friend Stanley the Knife would be the best weapon of choice. Turned out I was right......just ran the knife down both the bottom and top edge of the trim, then once onto the middle section it just easily peeled away in most parts. I was down to bare metal on both parts within 15mins and had a nice pile of rubbish to go with it.
After this I sanded them down to a smoother finish and then hit them with a first coat. The humidity and temperature wasn't in my favour, so the first coat isn't the best, but I allowed time to dry and smoothed them off again. Second coat (not in pics)has a much better finish and is already looking good.
So I just need give them another fine sanding this evening and apply another coat and they should be good to go. I am hoping my care removing them will allow them to be re-fitted easily! Will post some pics of it completed soon.
Finally a pic of the car from a few weeks ago just after I had received a parking ticket...scandalous!
Firstly, the car has been on the market for a while now and it seems the market for 20 year old cars which aren't white and have a MT are few and far between.
I've been relatively keen with my asking price as its not a distressed sale and i'm not (wasn't!) in a rush to sell.
Of course if the right person came along with the right money I would consider still selling, but in the meantime I am just having too much fun!
Anyway I keep this up to date, this is what I have done recently.
Rear Speakers -
The new Sony units I installed a while ago in the original covers (4" or there abouts), sounded like a wet fart (to be honest wasn't expecting too much)
So I purchased some of these and then purchased some sony 6x9's. I am not massive into in car tunes and perfect quality, but this was much improved over what I had and enabled me to keep the OEM look. Couple that with my entire iTunes library installed on a 64gb flash drive, and i'm good to go (iPhone kept over heating!)
Wheels balanced -
Ok so not very exciting I know, but I began to get a slight vibration around 60mph which would come and go. First things first I thought, lets get the wheels balanced. Upon doing so, I noticed the rears could do with changing. They still had some meat on them, but were beginning to look a little cracked and it wasn't something I wanted to risk in the heat here at the moment (40c most days, pushing 45c). So I ask the garage what they have in stock in my original non staggered setup of 235/40/17 and they have zero, nothing.....not a zip! They offered some Khumos in 225/40/17 but I am unwilling to compromise. So back on with the old tyres for now, and off in search of the correct size. I leave the garage, get maybe 200 yards down the road when I here clunk clunk clunk coming from the rear passenger side.......feck! They've done me haven't they! I'm going to be left with no choice but to replace them now at their garage! As I get out to have a look nothing springs (little clue there) out at me, so I slowly head back to the garage. Inevitably, they try and pin the problem on the tyres but after some heated discussion I explain and finally get through to them that this was not happening before I arrived. So they have a little test drive and come back, scratch their beards a little and then figure out the problem. No ones fault really, and not sure how it happened but when the car was jacked up the spring uncompressed had become misaligned somehow. When it was then lowered and not aligned correctly the first two coils were tighter packed then they should have been, which resulted in the problem (that's my understanding anyway)! After a quick tweak with a huge persuader they had it sorted.
Following this the vibration has improved as I still had the wheels balanced. There is no longer any wheel judder, but there is definitely still a noise / sensation of something not 100% towards the rear......I will continue to investigate. I still haven't been able to source some replacement tyres in the correct size......they just don't seem to be available anywhere. The nearest I can get is 235/45/17, so I might go for them if I have no joy in the next couple of weeks.
Spark Plug change -
Not a hard job, and managed to do it relatively easily with one exception! There is an earth lead attached to the mounting of the last coil (firewall end), which managed I managed to lose down the back of the engine. Thankfully I have quite small hands, so I could attempt to reach and retrieve the wire. So I go for it....I can feel the wire, its almost in grasp when......my hand begins to slow-roast on the still hot engine (2hrs after driving it). In my now desperate and flustered attempt to get it before the BBQ really kicks in, I push it further and further away. After many failed attempts, I give it another hour and come back armed with a bottle of cold water! Finally managed to retrieve the lead, and put it all back together. The old plugs looked in good condition apart from 5 or the 6 having a medium coating of oil. Next task is the valve cover and spark plug gaskets!
All in all, it was a worthwhile job as in traffic smoothness has much improved.
Roof Ledge Molding -
This is still work in progress but I have been meaning to do this for a while now. The roof ledge molding on my car has looked bad since day 1, but has progressively got worse.
I had planned to buy replacements, and depending on how this goes I may well still do that. However being a Yorkshire lad, I'm all for saving a few fils so will refurbish them.
So I remove the old ones in about 5 mins flat. I sprayed a bit of WD40 down the gap then gently tapped it off with small bit of wood and a hammer......no problems.
This is a small section of what they looked like to begin with once I got them indoors
I considered sanding initially, but after having a brew I decided my friend Stanley the Knife would be the best weapon of choice. Turned out I was right......just ran the knife down both the bottom and top edge of the trim, then once onto the middle section it just easily peeled away in most parts. I was down to bare metal on both parts within 15mins and had a nice pile of rubbish to go with it.
After this I sanded them down to a smoother finish and then hit them with a first coat. The humidity and temperature wasn't in my favour, so the first coat isn't the best, but I allowed time to dry and smoothed them off again. Second coat (not in pics)has a much better finish and is already looking good.
So I just need give them another fine sanding this evening and apply another coat and they should be good to go. I am hoping my care removing them will allow them to be re-fitted easily! Will post some pics of it completed soon.
Finally a pic of the car from a few weeks ago just after I had received a parking ticket...scandalous!
Edited by matt_knowles on Sunday 29th June 10:20
Edited by matt_knowles on Sunday 29th June 10:21
Edited by matt_knowles on Sunday 29th June 10:23
Edited by matt_knowles on Sunday 29th June 10:26
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