What car - almost an open floor for fun suggestions c.£2000
Discussion
I've had a couple of E36s, and they are great cars, but tread carefully as they are magnets for owners who want to scrimp on the proper maintenance issues and instead fit dubious modifications.
The M52B28 engine is lovely, you really feel the torque advantage over the M52B25 in the 323i.
Most E36 328i's will require quite a lot of work at this age. They shouldn't have structural rust, which would be a major issue to look out for on an older E30 car, but they will need attention to the brake pipes unless they have lived in a vacuum.
They should not use much oil. If they do, then they have compression issues and are knackered. BMW fixed this issue in March 1998 so best buys are after that date. I've heard of rear floor cracks on the 328i model but never seen it. It is more common on the E46 323ci, 328ci and M3. Suspension will need work.
Personally, I think they are a great bargain at the moment as buyers feel the shape hasn't aged particularly well - boxy 90s style is out of fashion right now - I've noticed that another "pretty" car in its day, the Peugeot 306, has been described as ugly by some very recently - more evidence it is a dated styling treatment. This is something to look beyond.
They are lighter than the E46 and so offer more enjoyable drives. Personally I'd look for a clean 328i saloon from mid 1998 (end of line for the shape). They don't have the sports suspension of the 328is, but neither do they have the BBS wheels that pickle like fun. The 328is suspension will be done now anyway.
As regards refinement, I think they are a very refined car. The engine character adds to this, without being characterless.
The M52B28 engine is lovely, you really feel the torque advantage over the M52B25 in the 323i.
Most E36 328i's will require quite a lot of work at this age. They shouldn't have structural rust, which would be a major issue to look out for on an older E30 car, but they will need attention to the brake pipes unless they have lived in a vacuum.
They should not use much oil. If they do, then they have compression issues and are knackered. BMW fixed this issue in March 1998 so best buys are after that date. I've heard of rear floor cracks on the 328i model but never seen it. It is more common on the E46 323ci, 328ci and M3. Suspension will need work.
Personally, I think they are a great bargain at the moment as buyers feel the shape hasn't aged particularly well - boxy 90s style is out of fashion right now - I've noticed that another "pretty" car in its day, the Peugeot 306, has been described as ugly by some very recently - more evidence it is a dated styling treatment. This is something to look beyond.
They are lighter than the E46 and so offer more enjoyable drives. Personally I'd look for a clean 328i saloon from mid 1998 (end of line for the shape). They don't have the sports suspension of the 328is, but neither do they have the BBS wheels that pickle like fun. The 328is suspension will be done now anyway.
As regards refinement, I think they are a very refined car. The engine character adds to this, without being characterless.
samdale said:
Dated? How very dare you 
The sort of money you have to spend would get you a really decent {MR2}...
Hehe, sorry! I admit I hadn't looked for a while, but yes, it seems you're right. The only thing is, as I said, I'm not sure I could see myself using one every day. I can feel my own bloody thread title mocking me here, but that's the size of it. However, I am now definitely keeping MR2 Turbos in mind because they too would make a fantastic track car when that time comes in a couple of years - so thanks The sort of money you have to spend would get you a really decent {MR2}...
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I really was very excited about them, and I know there's a lot of possibilities if something does go wrong - the problem is, that as I don't have any sizeable sort of steady income, the car would be bought "as is" with a few hundred quid for emergencies but no big saved fund kept behind. That strikes me as a risky proposition for an RX, and then there is the catastrophic fuel consumption to think of. I'm also coming to doubt how well I'd got on with a really insistently revvy nature after a relaxed V6, too. So again, they go in the fantastic second car pile - didn't someone get a £1200 one as a track car or something recently? But I think my mind might just be made up on this one And thank you, fozzy, for your E36 and general M52 engine info
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