E36 M3 3.0/3.2 owners feedback sought
Discussion
Another agreement for the 'buy on condition & history, not mileage' advice. Do your research. Check the service book stamps with info that is available from BMW Customer Services on 0870 5050160. Give them the VIN/Reg numbers and they will tell you where and when your car was serviced in the network. You can tally that with the service book then ring the individual dealers to see what work has been carried out and when. If everything is dandy then you should be ok.
The cars are pretty bulletproof apart from the (overpublicised) VANOS issue. Check this by opening the bonnet and listening to end of the engine nearest you. Get someone to rev the car up to 2.5k and release. If there is a distinct rattling or a BRR RRR RR noise then maybe the Vanos has issues. Mine is silent as a mouse so if there are any issues they are definately audible.
Also. The rear suspension top mounts are not as strong as they could be. A lot of people swap them for the e46 versions. Just make sure there is no knocking at the back over bumps and speedhumps and that when cornering enthusiastically everything is stable. Cars are engineered to understeer a bit.
Another thing I would advise is look at the tyres. 4 good, premium brand matching boots are a good indicator that the car is well looked after. Do not buy with the heart. If anything seems wrong walk away. Another will be along. I looked long and hard for mine and bought a 97P with 71k on the clock from a PH member. A year and 8000 enthusiastic miles she's been perfect all the way and has barely used a drop of oil. And I can average around 30mpg on a sensible motorway run! Drove 1250 miles over Easter weekend up to and across Scotland and back which involved a lot of motorway and also a lot of fast cross-country. 27mpg average.
Wonderful car. Go for it!
The cars are pretty bulletproof apart from the (overpublicised) VANOS issue. Check this by opening the bonnet and listening to end of the engine nearest you. Get someone to rev the car up to 2.5k and release. If there is a distinct rattling or a BRR RRR RR noise then maybe the Vanos has issues. Mine is silent as a mouse so if there are any issues they are definately audible.
Also. The rear suspension top mounts are not as strong as they could be. A lot of people swap them for the e46 versions. Just make sure there is no knocking at the back over bumps and speedhumps and that when cornering enthusiastically everything is stable. Cars are engineered to understeer a bit.
Another thing I would advise is look at the tyres. 4 good, premium brand matching boots are a good indicator that the car is well looked after. Do not buy with the heart. If anything seems wrong walk away. Another will be along. I looked long and hard for mine and bought a 97P with 71k on the clock from a PH member. A year and 8000 enthusiastic miles she's been perfect all the way and has barely used a drop of oil. And I can average around 30mpg on a sensible motorway run! Drove 1250 miles over Easter weekend up to and across Scotland and back which involved a lot of motorway and also a lot of fast cross-country. 27mpg average.
Wonderful car. Go for it!
E36GUY said:
Big result. Where do you live? I'm paying over a grand for mine but then, she does have to live on the street in SW london. Would be a shitload less if I lived in the country.
im 20mins from my nearest town (in the middle of nowhere)...im 32 years old 
the cars garaged,clean license,max no-claims..bla bla bla
my first quote was £700 f/c...second quote £514 f/c
Edited by y2blade on Friday 26th October 11:27
E36GUY said:
Big result. Where do you live? I'm paying over a grand for mine but then, she does have to live on the street in SW london. Would be a shitload less if I lived in the country.
You and me both mate. Insurance is due through any day now and i'm expecting it to be around £1,550 !I Pay just under £500 for insurance on mine with fully comp unlimited business use protected etc.
Definatelly buy on condition rather than mileage, I did this and it's proved to be the right decision as 60k miles later I still have had almost no problems with it even though its now done 160k.
My clutch has always been right on the floor & it takes a little getting used to (all EVO's are like this apparently) and the clutch thrust bearing has always rattled (gearbox noise mentioned above I think).
Definatelly buy on condition rather than mileage, I did this and it's proved to be the right decision as 60k miles later I still have had almost no problems with it even though its now done 160k.
My clutch has always been right on the floor & it takes a little getting used to (all EVO's are like this apparently) and the clutch thrust bearing has always rattled (gearbox noise mentioned above I think).
Condition over mileage eh? Have been offered a a very tidy S-reg coupe for relative pennies but it has 134k on the clock. Has had the VANOS done and even has a new block and 5 brand new boots.
What's this I keep hearing about gearboxes?
Insurance quotes are a joke a present. Seriously tempted but it'd involve some heavy belt tightening.
M3John said:
E36GUY said:
Big result. Where do you live? I'm paying over a grand for mine but then, she does have to live on the street in SW london. Would be a shitload less if I lived in the country.
You and me both mate. Insurance is due through any day now and i'm expecting it to be around £1,550 !
how old are you guys??? 21? ahhh i see you live in london!
Edited by y2blade on Sunday 28th October 18:20
y2blade said:
M3John said:
E36GUY said:
Big result. Where do you live? I'm paying over a grand for mine but then, she does have to live on the street in SW london. Would be a shitload less if I lived in the country.
You and me both mate. Insurance is due through any day now and i'm expecting it to be around £1,550 ! how old are you guys??? 21? ahhh i see you live in london!
Edited by y2blade on Sunday 28th October 18:20
And I imagine, the fact my car lives on the street as well!After owning over 12 E36 BMW's from a 325 to a GT2, including 2 x 3.0 M3 Coupes, a 3.0 Convertible and 4 x 3.2 Evolution Coupes both manual and SMG, 2 with ecu remaps, and two with New Vanos units prior to purchase, I have learned a fair bit of about the breed and thought I'd impart some knowledge for all you ebayers looking to buy one of what I consider to be the best value sport cars you can buy for prestige, power, style, comfort, handling and practicality. Hope it helps.
Things to check on a E36 BMW M3.
Rear Shocker top mounts ( They wear out, check by lifting car up and down via rear arch)
Vanos (An obvious one. Evos have twin vanos, problems usually show round 45,000 Miles, but cars advertised as having a new one are not always a good thing. The usual issue is leaking solenoid seals, a good independent dealer can replace these for circa £250)
Exhaust (Rear box over £500 and Cats very expensive, they rust at front and rear, where they mount to exhaust pipe, check for blow) at
Tyres (For a good set of Michelin Pilot Sports (They handle best with these as were fitted std) youre looking at £600)
Side Mouldings (The M Sport mouldings have metal inside them, these rust and the clips break off, enure all mouldings are close the the body of the car)
A/C (Ensure the ac blows cold as the ac system is expensive to fix if theres a leak in the condensor unit, up to £500 if its too cold the ac does,nt run, this is a feature)
Window Mouldings (A simple job, but the side rubbers by the rear windows perish, makes the car look old)
Door Rubbers (If ripped, they are expensive to replace)
Electric Windows (Check windows go up automatically, if not the units that control the window stop may have gone, which is a pain as they wont close unless you hold down the swtich, and full closure alarms wont b able to close the window, nor can you on the key.)
Keys (Most M3's from 94 ownwards have chip encoded keys that have to be programed t match the car, so if you only have one key than can be expensive)
Alloys (If they have diamond cut alloys most reburbishers will not touch them, as the laquer comes straight off again, and also if they are damaged bmw charge alot for a new one)
Keys (The M3 uses transponder keys, so getting a new one is costly, ensure you have at least 2 and 2 alarm fobs)
Front end (Check the bonnet catches are not to new, as these often get replaced on front end shunts. Check inner wing seam welds, should be neat and match each other, make sure all original bmw stickers ore on the front slam panel, and inner wings. Make sure bumper lines up, after shunts they can be loose or uneven.
GearBox (Whatch the 2nd gear syncro, they can get worn when previous owners have been snatching 2nd gear in the 0-60 dash)
Clutch (A clutch will cost you a good £500 to fit, if the car has between 75K and 100K most are ready for a clutch)
Trailing Arm Rubbers (The rubbers on the front and rear trailing arms tend to need replacing circa 75K Get garage to check for you.
Lamdba Sensors (There burn out round 60K and there are2 of them on each cat)
Check oil levels for the hydrolic system, as if its low it will pop out of gear, can suddenly select nutrel when driving and give the occasional erorr code on the dash. when warm get the car in sport mode (not manual) and drive it hard through the gear range, ensure the clucth doesnt slip.
Check for standard equipment, as a bmw cd changer connection lead if the car doesnt have one is a good £50.00 and a new cd unit can be £300. Ebay is obviously a good place to get things, but the e36 cd changers are rare. Look for signs of paintwork, usual spots are round edge of windscreen rubbers, under the rear lights on the rear 1/4 where the 1/4 meets the rear panel, and inside the fuel filler area. None standard exhaust tend to be too noisy, like the scorpion type as they drown at motorway crusing speeds, thornely motorsport do some good performance bits I belive.
Most of this stuff is obvious, but I've learned the hard way Hope its of some use.
FYI The uprated top mounts are a bit stiff, the stadard (new not 150000 mile) bushes and suspension on a m3 work for me, I had a 325 with uprated shocks, and bushes and it was real teeth jerker.
Things to check on a E36 BMW M3.
Rear Shocker top mounts ( They wear out, check by lifting car up and down via rear arch)
Vanos (An obvious one. Evos have twin vanos, problems usually show round 45,000 Miles, but cars advertised as having a new one are not always a good thing. The usual issue is leaking solenoid seals, a good independent dealer can replace these for circa £250)
Exhaust (Rear box over £500 and Cats very expensive, they rust at front and rear, where they mount to exhaust pipe, check for blow) at
Tyres (For a good set of Michelin Pilot Sports (They handle best with these as were fitted std) youre looking at £600)
Side Mouldings (The M Sport mouldings have metal inside them, these rust and the clips break off, enure all mouldings are close the the body of the car)
A/C (Ensure the ac blows cold as the ac system is expensive to fix if theres a leak in the condensor unit, up to £500 if its too cold the ac does,nt run, this is a feature)
Window Mouldings (A simple job, but the side rubbers by the rear windows perish, makes the car look old)
Door Rubbers (If ripped, they are expensive to replace)
Electric Windows (Check windows go up automatically, if not the units that control the window stop may have gone, which is a pain as they wont close unless you hold down the swtich, and full closure alarms wont b able to close the window, nor can you on the key.)
Keys (Most M3's from 94 ownwards have chip encoded keys that have to be programed t match the car, so if you only have one key than can be expensive)
Alloys (If they have diamond cut alloys most reburbishers will not touch them, as the laquer comes straight off again, and also if they are damaged bmw charge alot for a new one)
Keys (The M3 uses transponder keys, so getting a new one is costly, ensure you have at least 2 and 2 alarm fobs)
Front end (Check the bonnet catches are not to new, as these often get replaced on front end shunts. Check inner wing seam welds, should be neat and match each other, make sure all original bmw stickers ore on the front slam panel, and inner wings. Make sure bumper lines up, after shunts they can be loose or uneven.
GearBox (Whatch the 2nd gear syncro, they can get worn when previous owners have been snatching 2nd gear in the 0-60 dash)
Clutch (A clutch will cost you a good £500 to fit, if the car has between 75K and 100K most are ready for a clutch)
Trailing Arm Rubbers (The rubbers on the front and rear trailing arms tend to need replacing circa 75K Get garage to check for you.
Lamdba Sensors (There burn out round 60K and there are2 of them on each cat)
Check oil levels for the hydrolic system, as if its low it will pop out of gear, can suddenly select nutrel when driving and give the occasional erorr code on the dash. when warm get the car in sport mode (not manual) and drive it hard through the gear range, ensure the clucth doesnt slip.
Check for standard equipment, as a bmw cd changer connection lead if the car doesnt have one is a good £50.00 and a new cd unit can be £300. Ebay is obviously a good place to get things, but the e36 cd changers are rare. Look for signs of paintwork, usual spots are round edge of windscreen rubbers, under the rear lights on the rear 1/4 where the 1/4 meets the rear panel, and inside the fuel filler area. None standard exhaust tend to be too noisy, like the scorpion type as they drown at motorway crusing speeds, thornely motorsport do some good performance bits I belive.
Most of this stuff is obvious, but I've learned the hard way Hope its of some use.
FYI The uprated top mounts are a bit stiff, the stadard (new not 150000 mile) bushes and suspension on a m3 work for me, I had a 325 with uprated shocks, and bushes and it was real teeth jerker.
Had my Evo SMG Coupe for 9 years & 42k miles later I still can't find another car I want, considering how much I would have to spend to improve on it. It's Estoril Blue with Silver leather an icon, without a single scratch bar a couple of stone chips. So I think I'll keep it for now. I thought the SMG box was a mistake when I first bought the car but once you get used to it you'll never want to see a clutch pedal again. Once you master the SMG art you can realy drive the car, just don't do too many launch starts or you'll need a new clutch. I've suffered the detached rear shock mounts, had a new set of wheels courtesy of BMW because they corroded after 2 yaers of loving care, had a new clutch at 40k, & 2 sets of discs, but I still love the car. My biggest criticism is the short life of the discs if you brake hard from high speeds. I've warped 2 sets & wouldn't dream of taking it on a track day because I would need to add a set of discs & pads to the cost of the day.
My only advice would be not to judge the SMG option too quickly. I wanted a specific car & I could only find the SMG version. It wouldn't have been my first choice but now I only want an SMG not an auto & nothing with a clutch.
I've always taken mine to a main dealer becuase it's on the Firm but do yourself a favour & find a reputable specialist & save yourself a fortune.
My only advice would be not to judge the SMG option too quickly. I wanted a specific car & I could only find the SMG version. It wouldn't have been my first choice but now I only want an SMG not an auto & nothing with a clutch.
I've always taken mine to a main dealer becuase it's on the Firm but do yourself a favour & find a reputable specialist & save yourself a fortune.
mpwr321bhp said:
Some useful stuff
Very interesting reading their Sir. I've had my Evo 4 months and love it.I bought the best I could possibly find and ended up paying mega money for a spotless 27k mile example. Five thousand miles later and I'm still very impressed.
However, for me, the standard car is too wallowy. Mine has had the Beilstein sport kit fitted and I still find it too under-damped for proper Hoonery. I'm currently having an AC Schnitzer coil-over kit fitted and will pollybush the whole car over the next couple of months.
I've also had mine on the track a couple of times where it has performed pretty well. High speed understeer is a problem but I hope to dial this out with a more aggressive setup (including adjustable top-mounts).
As for brakes, well, where do I start? All I'll say is that single piston sliding callipers have no place on a £40k 1500kg sports coupe. They are awful! My plan is to upgrade the lot with 6-pot monoblocs on the front and floating discs.
Oh and rather worryingly, my air con has stopped blowing cold. I do sincerely hope it just needs a re-gas!
I agree with the value though. I've not driven the E46 but have passengered in many. They are a supremely capable car, but to find a good 'un you'll still pay ~£20k. Really good Evo's can be had for less than £10k and IMO they are about 85% of the car the E46 is. Also in the performance stakes, there is very little in it between the two, the older car loosing out slightly in the top end. It is however, a lighter car.
All in all then, a fantastic car. I wouldn't go as far as calling it a sports car because it isn't (my previous car - a Focus RS, was better handling). What it is, however, is a supremely capable all-rounder with a simply glorious engine.
Get one. Yesterday
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