E36 BMW becoming a classic?

E36 BMW becoming a classic?

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Discussion

blade7

11,311 posts

224 months

Wednesday 4th October 2017
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raceboy said:
Have a bit of a soft spot for them, and not a fan of seeing so many deteriorate into the 'drift' world although this must be good for prices of good, sound, standard cars, really only see stock M3's and 328i Sports, and maybe 318iS's becoming 'collectable'.
My 328 Coupe wasn't a Sport, it had the wheels and bodykit though. Other than the headlining and front seats there didn't seem much justification for the Sport being nearly twice the money 8 or 9 years ago. As for the 318iS it reminded me of the E30 version, gutless.

RobM77

35,349 posts

242 months

Wednesday 4th October 2017
quotequote all
blade7 said:
raceboy said:
Have a bit of a soft spot for them, and not a fan of seeing so many deteriorate into the 'drift' world although this must be good for prices of good, sound, standard cars, really only see stock M3's and 328i Sports, and maybe 318iS's becoming 'collectable'.
My 328 Coupe wasn't a Sport, it had the wheels and bodykit though. Other than the headlining and front seats there didn't seem much justification for the Sport being nearly twice the money 8 or 9 years ago. As for the 318iS it reminded me of the E30 version, gutless.
The suspension was quite different on the Sport.

Gad-Westy

15,151 posts

221 months

Wednesday 4th October 2017
quotequote all
blade7 said:
My 328 Coupe wasn't a Sport, it had the wheels and bodykit though. Other than the headlining and front seats there didn't seem much justification for the Sport being nearly twice the money 8 or 9 years ago. As for the 318iS it reminded me of the E30 version, gutless.
Yeah, the Sport isn't quite as exciting a prospect as their reputation suggests. They're basically cosmetic only changes over base 328. Maybe LSD was only an option on Sport models but hardly any have it anyway. Has to be said though, they are very good cosmetic changes. The wheels especially.

RobM77

35,349 posts

242 months

Wednesday 4th October 2017
quotequote all
Gad-Westy said:
blade7 said:
My 328 Coupe wasn't a Sport, it had the wheels and bodykit though. Other than the headlining and front seats there didn't seem much justification for the Sport being nearly twice the money 8 or 9 years ago. As for the 318iS it reminded me of the E30 version, gutless.
Yeah, the Sport isn't quite as exciting a prospect as their reputation suggests. They're basically cosmetic only changes over base 328. Maybe LSD was only an option on Sport models but hardly any have it anyway. Has to be said though, they are very good cosmetic changes. The wheels especially.
I don't think that's true. As far as I know, 'sport' cars had different springs and dampers along with different bushes to give different geo change characteristics under load; these bushes also made the wheelbase of sport cars slightly longer.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=13...

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/how-do...

The LSD that you mention was an option on early 6 cyl cars.

InitialDave

12,294 posts

127 months

Wednesday 4th October 2017
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For what it's worth, there's an E36 on the cover of the latest Practical Classics.

s m

23,530 posts

211 months

Wednesday 4th October 2017
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161BMW said:
What was the E21 323i like ?
Very 'adjustable'. You could understand why they got withdrawn from the market in Sweden For the money I paid for it it was hard to look past them 5-speed box, Recaros, opening rear quarter vents, sunroof, LSD - 15-20 years ago there were loads of cheap spares for them too. Only had small 13" wheels so was cheap on tyres

blade7

11,311 posts

224 months

Wednesday 4th October 2017
quotequote all
RobM77 said:
Gad-Westy said:
blade7 said:
My 328 Coupe wasn't a Sport, it had the wheels and bodykit though. Other than the headlining and front seats there didn't seem much justification for the Sport being nearly twice the money 8 or 9 years ago. As for the 318iS it reminded me of the E30 version, gutless.
Yeah, the Sport isn't quite as exciting a prospect as their reputation suggests. They're basically cosmetic only changes over base 328. Maybe LSD was only an option on Sport models but hardly any have it anyway. Has to be said though, they are very good cosmetic changes. The wheels especially.
I don't think that's true. As far as I know, 'sport' cars had different springs and dampers along with different bushes to give different geo change characteristics under load; these bushes also made the wheelbase of sport cars slightly longer.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=13...

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/how-do...

The LSD that you mention was an option on early 6 cyl cars.
If I recall correctly my car had M-Tech suspension originally (whatever that was) in any case it was lowered on a Bilstein kit when I bought it. I chose a Coupe with a low mileage replacement BMW linered block over a Sport with the original Nikasil time bomb block. whistle

SidewaysSi

10,742 posts

242 months

Wednesday 4th October 2017
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Sports had different suspension, wider tyres etc. Of course unless replaced, most cars will need a suspension refresh anyway.

RobM77

35,349 posts

242 months

Wednesday 4th October 2017
quotequote all
SidewaysSi said:
Sports had different suspension, wider tyres etc. Of course unless replaced, most cars will need a suspension refresh anyway.
yes This is very true. BMWs seem particularly sensitive to suspension wear. I've replaced suspension on three that I've owned. Generally this will be between 60k and 90k, although it depends on what use the car's had. With my current car I didn't buy a sport at all, I just got the right car without worrying about the suspension and put a full Birds kit on it.

g3org3y

21,132 posts

199 months

Wednesday 4th October 2017
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Carlton Banks said:
Here she is out with some friends

Nice friends smile

T-bagger

450 posts

212 months

Wednesday 4th October 2017
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Is the E36 becoming a classic? I think and hope it is, a nice example really stands out when you see one on the road among more modern stuff.
Of course I hope they hold their value too, as even though I don’t plan on selling it once finished, it would be nice to know that the time and money I’m pouring into this would be retained in the vehicles value.
Currently taking the whole under body back to bare metal.


Murphy16

254 posts

90 months

Wednesday 4th October 2017
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T-bagger said:


Love how there's 20 years between the two cars, but you can clearly see the evolution in the lights and grille and bumper. Some other marquees have kinda abandoned their 'face'.

s m

23,530 posts

211 months

Wednesday 4th October 2017
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Still popular at the Chambery car-wash


Stick Legs

6,103 posts

173 months

Wednesday 4th October 2017
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161BMW said:
What was the E21 323i like ?
Manual E21 323i with a slipper is a lot of fun. Probably too much for grown ups, smile

SidewaysSi

10,742 posts

242 months

Wednesday 4th October 2017
quotequote all
RobM77 said:
SidewaysSi said:
Sports had different suspension, wider tyres etc. Of course unless replaced, most cars will need a suspension refresh anyway.
yes This is very true. BMWs seem particularly sensitive to suspension wear. I've replaced suspension on three that I've owned. Generally this will be between 60k and 90k, although it depends on what use the car's had. With my current car I didn't buy a sport at all, I just got the right car without worrying about the suspension and put a full Birds kit on it.
The full Birds kit must be great.

I have just taken delivery of a Mishimoto radiator and Eibach adjustable ARBs which will get fitted this week. Also got hold of a Z3 rack which is going to be rebuilt and put on the car.

Currently mine has the Bilstein B12 kit, E30 arms, M3 bushes, X Brace, Vibratechnics mounts etc. It is a very well resolved road car and now more agile and fun.

Got a few more mods to do (M50, BBTB, 3.64 diff, LSD etc) then I will just keep it as my practical family car for many years to come.

iguana

7,060 posts

268 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
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SidewaysSi said:
How do people find the engine mass of the M3? I haven't driven an E36 but I found the front end quite heavy in the E46. Allied to usual dull standard steering and I didn't gel with the front end.

Perhaps it could be sorted with some Vibratechnics mounts?
Shorter rack, more camber, solid guibo etc good effects, well still pretty numb but better, however over priced engine mounts do nothing at all.

s m

23,530 posts

211 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
quotequote all
iguana said:
SidewaysSi said:
How do people find the engine mass of the M3? I haven't driven an E36 but I found the front end quite heavy in the E46. Allied to usual dull standard steering and I didn't gel with the front end.

Perhaps it could be sorted with some Vibratechnics mounts?
Shorter rack, more camber, solid guibo etc good effects, well still pretty numb but better, however over priced engine mounts do nothing at all.
M3 EVO rack is the same ratio as a normal E36 one - will have Lock limiters on so might 'seem' less turns lock to lock but is in effect the same ratio - about 3.2 turns lock to lock instead of about 3.4 without lock limiters.
3 litre M3 is a quirky rack with a lot of straight-ahead 'sneeze factor'. Many people don't like the 'feel' of it.

M-cars usually have substantially more caster than non-M cars that provides more more dynamic -ve camber ( as opposed to static -ve camber ) as wheel is turned away from straight ahead position. Also selef-centreing effect
This was also the reason for the Avus pack eccentric bushes at front on the 328i Sport

By the way Si, the Z3 rack ( or a late E46/Compact rack ) will be a faster ratio than any M3 one, CSL included

RobM77

35,349 posts

242 months

Thursday 5th October 2017
quotequote all
SidewaysSi said:
RobM77 said:
SidewaysSi said:
Sports had different suspension, wider tyres etc. Of course unless replaced, most cars will need a suspension refresh anyway.
yes This is very true. BMWs seem particularly sensitive to suspension wear. I've replaced suspension on three that I've owned. Generally this will be between 60k and 90k, although it depends on what use the car's had. With my current car I didn't buy a sport at all, I just got the right car without worrying about the suspension and put a full Birds kit on it.
The full Birds kit must be great.

I have just taken delivery of a Mishimoto radiator and Eibach adjustable ARBs which will get fitted this week. Also got hold of a Z3 rack which is going to be rebuilt and put on the car.

Currently mine has the Bilstein B12 kit, E30 arms, M3 bushes, X Brace, Vibratechnics mounts etc. It is a very well resolved road car and now more agile and fun.

Got a few more mods to do (M50, BBTB, 3.64 diff, LSD etc) then I will just keep it as my practical family car for many years to come.
It is thanks, yes. The anti-roll bars especially improve the cornering massively. If I knew what I was doing then I'd play with the geo next. It's a very good setup as it is though for UK roads.

Kettmark

905 posts

161 months

Friday 24th April 2020
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Drove my e36 318is to the mot station today. First outing for 5 months. Feels like a breath of fresh air after more modern machinery.

The Brummie

9,393 posts

195 months

Friday 24th April 2020
quotequote all
Kettmark said:
Drove my e36 318is to the mot station today. First outing for 5 months. Feels like a breath of fresh air after more modern machinery.
Bitterly regret, even after 3 years, selling my 318is.

From the second I watched her disappear down the road I wished I had not sold the car. And within 3 weeks the bloke I sold her too crashed it.

And he never got it repaired because he only had third party insurance. So for the best part of 3 years the car has sat unloved on an industrial estate in Stoke on Trent.

He refused too sell the car back to me & now I have lost his phone number!!!

Need another E36 on my drive to replace my hated Renault.