Which E36s have folding rear seats?

[JoePublic]

Contemplating a new daily driver at the moment and I was quite keen on an E36 (probably a 328 coupe) until I got a lift in a friend's battered old 316. Chatting about it he explained the seats don't fold, which pretty much ruled one out for me as I'm a keen cyclist with bikes to lug around. Now I've heard that the seats do fold on some examples?

Is that true, and if so which cars have folding seats and which don't?

Also, on a more general note - is there much difference in handling between the saloon, the touring and the coupe? I do prefer the idea of a coupe, but it appears they attract a reasonable premium over the others, so it would have to present more than just a slightly sleeker silhouette to justify the cost.

[Shropshiremike]

JoePublic said:

Contemplating a new daily driver at the moment and I was quite keen on an E36 (probably a 328 coupe) until I got a lift in a friend's battered old 316. Chatting about it he explained the seats don't fold, which pretty much ruled one out for me as I'm a keen cyclist with bikes to lug around. Now I've heard that the seats do fold on some examples?

Is that true, and if so which cars have folding seats and which don't?

Also, on a more general note - is there much difference in handling between the saloon, the touring and the coupe? I do prefer the idea of a coupe, but it appears they attract a reasonable premium over the others, so it would have to present more than just a slightly sleeker silhouette to justify the cost.

I'm pretty sure all coupes and estate versions have folding rear seats
On the saloon it was special order. I have a saloon with folding rear seats

[clonmult]

Shropshiremike said:

JoePublic said:

Contemplating a new daily driver at the moment and I was quite keen on an E36 (probably a 328 coupe) until I got a lift in a friend's battered old 316. Chatting about it he explained the seats don't fold, which pretty much ruled one out for me as I'm a keen cyclist with bikes to lug around. Now I've heard that the seats do fold on some examples?

Is that true, and if so which cars have folding seats and which don't?

Also, on a more general note - is there much difference in handling between the saloon, the touring and the coupe? I do prefer the idea of a coupe, but it appears they attract a reasonable premium over the others, so it would have to present more than just a slightly sleeker silhouette to justify the cost.

I'm pretty sure all coupes and estate versions have folding rear seats
On the saloon it was special order. I have a saloon with folding rear seats

I was very, very surprised to find that the coupe had folding rear seats, and had a surprisingly useful load space with them down. Don't fold totally flat from memory though.

[klimakool]

my e36 325 coupe has folding rear seats, dont go flat though so arent the best for getting things with any depth in

[neil_bolton]

clonmult said:

Shropshiremike said:

JoePublic said:

Contemplating a new daily driver at the moment and I was quite keen on an E36 (probably a 328 coupe) until I got a lift in a friend's battered old 316. Chatting about it he explained the seats don't fold, which pretty much ruled one out for me as I'm a keen cyclist with bikes to lug around. Now I've heard that the seats do fold on some examples?

Is that true, and if so which cars have folding seats and which don't?

Also, on a more general note - is there much difference in handling between the saloon, the touring and the coupe? I do prefer the idea of a coupe, but it appears they attract a reasonable premium over the others, so it would have to present more than just a slightly sleeker silhouette to justify the cost.

I'm pretty sure all coupes and estate versions have folding rear seats
On the saloon it was special order. I have a saloon with folding rear seats

I was very, very surprised to find that the coupe had folding rear seats, and had a surprisingly useful load space with them down. Don't fold totally flat from memory though.

Correct.

However I moved house 3 times in mine, and carried countless bikes in it.

Very useful bit of kit considering...

[scz4]

My M3 Evo coupe has folding seats as standard. Could comfortably get my mountain bike in with the front wheel off and seats folded, well until I added the rear strut brace

[JoePublic]

[Mr Burns]
Excellent...
[/Mr Burns]

Now just have to try and persuade my OH that a 3-Series is neither big, nor scary to drive. Wish me luck...

[neil_bolton]

JoePublic][Mr Burns said:

Excellent...
[/Mr Burns]

Now just have to try and persuade my OH that a 3-Series is neither big, nor scary to drive. Wish me luck...

My missus was nervous of driving my 328 at first and grumbled at the weight of the control etc etc, but when she went back to her (no joke) Mitsubishi Carisma she said that she no longer liked her car - the BMW was nicer to drive, more responsive etc.

Additionally the power comes on in such a way that there is no 'catch you out' urge - its a very tame car to drive.

[NickXX]

It's also very easy to get them to fold flat - the rear seat base just pull up (it is fastened by a couple of large clips.

Even the seat backs can be removed without unscrewing anything.

Makes stripping my 318 for track days very easy