My '96 E36 M3 Evo Saloon
Discussion
As mentioned on the advert for the M3, I would sort a years MOT... However due to lack of availability for free dates in some MOT centres, it was delayed a little...
So Saturday was the day.
Queuing up at the MOT centre.
Disappointingly I didn't manage to get any photos of the car up on ramps. I spent the majority of the time beside the MOT tester, chatting about cars and detailing lol!
Naturally the MOT was passed with flying colours, that was easy lol!
So Saturday was the day.
Queuing up at the MOT centre.
Disappointingly I didn't manage to get any photos of the car up on ramps. I spent the majority of the time beside the MOT tester, chatting about cars and detailing lol!
Naturally the MOT was passed with flying colours, that was easy lol!
g3org3y said:
Sorry to see you putting your car up for sale Neil. Always been a pleasure to read your detailed updates.
Surely must be one of the best E36 M3s out there?
Thanks for the comments as always . I've started doing the odd few videos on my YouTube channel, must do a walk around of the car to give you a better look.Surely must be one of the best E36 M3s out there?
Totally biased of course, but I'd say its up there.
July brings round a charity Cars and Coffee event for Clic Sargent - https://www.clicsargent.org.uk
Hosted by Bavarian BMW Belfast, the BMW Car Club Ireland and NI-BMW were invited.
Here are some photos of the cars.
Also here is a video I made of the event, just some clips stitched together.
https://youtu.be/Fu-857ISS_M
And trying to avoid the same photos after each update... the M3 arrived back home, still looking nice and shiny!
Hosted by Bavarian BMW Belfast, the BMW Car Club Ireland and NI-BMW were invited.
Here are some photos of the cars.
Also here is a video I made of the event, just some clips stitched together.
https://youtu.be/Fu-857ISS_M
And trying to avoid the same photos after each update... the M3 arrived back home, still looking nice and shiny!
Time for another update on the M3 and not the usual cleaning photos, though that did happen later on of course .
One of the local car forums was planning a little drive up the north coast. Being from Northern Ireland, that meant some superb driving roads. I'm in!
The M3 was cleaned up as per usual. However on the way to the meeting point, I stopped off for fuel and even found another member doing the same.
The first stop off meant a quick walk around video (sorry only one photo). A quick pit stop for myself and grab a few bottles of water (it was a pretty warm day).
Then onwards to the end point Halliday's of Bushmills, who had a very cool 205 in the showroom.
I also recorded a quick walk around video of the end point. Both clips have been compiled together here... Sorry I didn't take many photos.
https://youtu.be/1vy0uD7n-Zg
One big bonus was a turntable facility for photos, with proceeds going to McMillan Cancer Care.
Photos courtesy of Jamie from JPG Digital Imaging.
I'm glad to say the M3 performed flawlessly throughout the day. I can see why so many people turn these into track or ring racers. Some chassis work and improving the turn in, would make it into a serious track tool. Currently though, shes a brilliant road car, even showing her breadth of abilities by lapping up the hour long drive back home in perfect comfort.
One of the local car forums was planning a little drive up the north coast. Being from Northern Ireland, that meant some superb driving roads. I'm in!
The M3 was cleaned up as per usual. However on the way to the meeting point, I stopped off for fuel and even found another member doing the same.
The first stop off meant a quick walk around video (sorry only one photo). A quick pit stop for myself and grab a few bottles of water (it was a pretty warm day).
Then onwards to the end point Halliday's of Bushmills, who had a very cool 205 in the showroom.
I also recorded a quick walk around video of the end point. Both clips have been compiled together here... Sorry I didn't take many photos.
https://youtu.be/1vy0uD7n-Zg
One big bonus was a turntable facility for photos, with proceeds going to McMillan Cancer Care.
Photos courtesy of Jamie from JPG Digital Imaging.
I'm glad to say the M3 performed flawlessly throughout the day. I can see why so many people turn these into track or ring racers. Some chassis work and improving the turn in, would make it into a serious track tool. Currently though, shes a brilliant road car, even showing her breadth of abilities by lapping up the hour long drive back home in perfect comfort.
Just the typical M3 update which is me washing the car.
However a slight difference is a video of me washing the underbody of the car...
https://youtu.be/SmTLWjj_fqE
I still have the M3 up for sale. I've had a few fellow owners contact me to say they have not had a great deal of interest in theirs. It seems the market isn't exactly boyant for the E36's at the moment. Arguably a few other classic cars have taken a hit at this time, possibly down to Brexit and thus investment concerns...
Anyway she's all cleaned up as per usual.
However a slight difference is a video of me washing the underbody of the car...
https://youtu.be/SmTLWjj_fqE
I still have the M3 up for sale. I've had a few fellow owners contact me to say they have not had a great deal of interest in theirs. It seems the market isn't exactly boyant for the E36's at the moment. Arguably a few other classic cars have taken a hit at this time, possibly down to Brexit and thus investment concerns...
Anyway she's all cleaned up as per usual.
found2secure said:
I am new to Pistonhead but have been a long time E36 M3 Sedan owner from Taiwan. I have been following your thread all the while and appreciate what you have shared. Great story, photos and of course awesome car!!
I guess the challenge you have is that the RHD E36 M3 built for UK market is far more difficult to sell compared with the LHD ones which has a much larger market demand. One of the fact is, for exmaple, many of the good ones from Japanese market E36 M3 (coupe and sedan which are all Euro models) are nowadays sold at decent price above US$30+ and the price just kept going up overtime. The Euro E36 M3 are basically becoming collector cars for the Americans simply because this (Euro 3.0 & 3.2) is something they didn't have.
As regulated by the NHTSA, 25 year old or older cars are legal for import into the US and will be road legal. A few years from now, some Euro E36 M3 (3.2 S50B32 in particular) will available in the US market as collector cars (some low milages ones have already been imported and sold at over US$ 60K). But note these are all LHD models.
I think it is not that hard to convert E36 RHD to LHD. I would try to be creative and import your car with a RHD to LHD project. . I did this 7 years ago importing the 3.2 engine and the entire drivetrain that came from a US RHD E36 M3 Cabrio to Taiwan. As a lesson learned, the most challenging part of the conversion is that I have to source LHD engine wiring harness, steering column and water pipes. Other than that, the swap/conversion was quite straight forward.
That said, I doubt I would do that again given the hassle of conversion and that was the reason why a few years back, I chose to buy two other LHD E36 M3 Sedan that came from Japan which makes things so much easier!!
Anyways, good luck to your sale!!
Thank you for the comments, very much appreciated .I guess the challenge you have is that the RHD E36 M3 built for UK market is far more difficult to sell compared with the LHD ones which has a much larger market demand. One of the fact is, for exmaple, many of the good ones from Japanese market E36 M3 (coupe and sedan which are all Euro models) are nowadays sold at decent price above US$30+ and the price just kept going up overtime. The Euro E36 M3 are basically becoming collector cars for the Americans simply because this (Euro 3.0 & 3.2) is something they didn't have.
As regulated by the NHTSA, 25 year old or older cars are legal for import into the US and will be road legal. A few years from now, some Euro E36 M3 (3.2 S50B32 in particular) will available in the US market as collector cars (some low milages ones have already been imported and sold at over US$ 60K). But note these are all LHD models.
I think it is not that hard to convert E36 RHD to LHD. I would try to be creative and import your car with a RHD to LHD project. . I did this 7 years ago importing the 3.2 engine and the entire drivetrain that came from a US RHD E36 M3 Cabrio to Taiwan. As a lesson learned, the most challenging part of the conversion is that I have to source LHD engine wiring harness, steering column and water pipes. Other than that, the swap/conversion was quite straight forward.
That said, I doubt I would do that again given the hassle of conversion and that was the reason why a few years back, I chose to buy two other LHD E36 M3 Sedan that came from Japan which makes things so much easier!!
Anyways, good luck to your sale!!
You are quite right on the E36s in the states, they didn't quite get the engines we were lucky to get.
I don't quite think I will convert it to LHD, originality for the win .
Just the usual cleaning and OCD related updates...
Some philistine had opened a wiring conduit under the bonnet with a screwdriver. So it was replaced, freshly taped up and attached to the bonnet under the insulation as per OE.
Before.
Conduit removed.
Work in progress.
Done.
I've also recorded a walk around video of the M3. It was intended to be a quick video. LOL it ended up being a short film at 27 minutes long! BAFTA nominations are welcome.
https://youtu.be/x8IkONPT2hw
Some philistine had opened a wiring conduit under the bonnet with a screwdriver. So it was replaced, freshly taped up and attached to the bonnet under the insulation as per OE.
Before.
Conduit removed.
Work in progress.
Done.
I've also recorded a walk around video of the M3. It was intended to be a quick video. LOL it ended up being a short film at 27 minutes long! BAFTA nominations are welcome.
https://youtu.be/x8IkONPT2hw
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