BMW e36 328i sport - Another one!

[StentGTA]

So, after lurking a long time in the forums I've decided to do a little write up of my latest acquisition, and give a little background to my car history which led to buying the BMW.

As any eagle eyed people reading this will see my previous car was an Alfa 147 GTA, up until October last year. My partner and I both work in Agriculture and as I was considering leaving my current job we both decided to head out to Australia to work and do a bit of travelling for a year or two.


As is was a bit of a rushed decision, and we would need a bit of a lump of cash once we arrived 'down under' I needed to sell my baby. After three years of ownership and quite a few thousands spent on preventative maintenance and performance upgrades I had a pretty quick road car with the best sounding engine I have ever come across.

Here's a couple of pictures of the dearly departed Alfa


Once in Australia, we did what every Australian did 15 years ago and bought a 1998 Holden Commodore. With a 190-ish bhp 3.8 V6, and a slushy worn out 4 speed automatic and 200,000 miles on the clock it was well worn but an incredibly reliable old workhorse! It even made it round Bathurst, unfortunately at the obligatory 60kph speed limit which is strictly enforced!



Although it was like driving a barge, it did us well, only needed a new battery and an oil change during our 15,000 km ownership it even managed to average 28 mpg with all our worldly possessions on board.

Fast forward to mid September this year and we decided to head home, having sold both our cars we were back in the old daily which I had lent to mother as a runaround while we were away.




Bought for £650 with no MOT and needing new tyres and a couple of little bits in August 2014 I sold it a couple of weeks ago for £800 after 10,000 miles trouble free ownership.

Now that we're up to date I can introduce my first ever car from Germany, let alone one from Bavaria.


After browsing eBay and pistonheads for months while down under there wasn't a lot of choice once I landed back in the UK and I was being impatient. A wanted advert on e36coupe.com yielded a few pictures from a friendly chap from Bedfordshire. Lots of emails back and forth and a viewing later I brought my new car home.

Edited by StentGTA on Wednesday 21st October 12:24

Edited by StentGTA on Wednesday 21st October 12:50

[Trustmeimadoctor]

I want another so bad! Mine was hellrot too :-) all I keep seeing are autos though and I don't want an auto

[StentGTA]

Here are a few more pictures from the original advert



The car is a January 1996 registered 238i sport coupe, originally a nikasil engine, BMW replaced the engine in 2000 with a steel lined block at around 45,000 miles, and was purchased with 108,000 miles on the clock. A credit to its previous owner it is extremely clean and original, all apart from the M3 wheels which are on due to the original BBS wheels partially stripped ready for a refurb, when I get around to it.

My plan is to keep it as original as possible, while making it quick and enjoyable on the road and track.

My current list of parts/work I'm planning is:
New tyres - currently top of the list are 235/40 Yokohama AD08R all round
3.15 LSD
A good service, not due on mileage but it has been nearly three years!
Braided brake lines ATE brake fluid
M50 manifold and remap
Alloy thermostat housing
PF Z rated pads all round
M sport steering wheel - to replace the tiller from a London bus!
Powerflex bushes all round
Lemforder e30 lower arms

Any suggestions would be welcomed. I love doing track days and would like to do a few sprints, however it is my daily as well (although I walk to work) and with it being in such good original condition I'd like any modifications to be reversible.




My partner has also now picked her new car up which she is completely smitten with. A 2007 mk5 golf gti with 93,000 on the clock.

Edited by StentGTA on Wednesday 21st October 12:19

[StentGTA]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

I want another so bad! Mine was hellrot too :-) all I keep seeing are autos though and I don't want an auto

Ah I should have said it was manual. I'm really not a fan of auto cars, a feeling which was strengthened after living with the Holden for so long!

[e21Mark]

Whilst E36 are a bit modern for my tastes, I do love the M52/2.8 engine and have one in my E21. So far it has the usual M50 inlet swap, cams, E36 six branch etc, but I also fitted a lighter flywheel, which has made quite a difference to the way my engine now revs. The step when the VANOS comes in is way more noticeable now. The E21 twin silencer system helps the M52 sound better too.

Excuse the rubbish video but watch from 30 secs in and you'll see/hear for yourself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX7UP8ql1cQ

[Sf_Manta]

e21Mark said:

Whilst E36 are a bit modern for my tastes, I do love the M52/2.8 engine and have one in my E21. So far it has the usual M50 inlet swap, cams, E36 six branch etc, but I also fitted a lighter flywheel, which has made quite a difference to the way my engine now revs. The step when the VANOS comes in is way more noticeable now. The E21 twin silencer system helps the M52 sound better too.

Excuse the rubbish video but watch from 30 secs in and you'll see/hear for yourself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX7UP8ql1cQ

M20 conversion per chance? pretty easy swap and very cost effective if i recall, helped do Motorhole's E30 when we put the engine in.

[e21Mark]

Sf_Manta said:

M20 conversion per chance? pretty easy swap and very cost effective if i recall, helped do Motorhole's E30 when we put the engine in.

M52 conversion. It came as a povery spec 316 though.

[Sf_Manta]

e21Mark said:

Sf_Manta said:

M20 conversion per chance? pretty easy swap and very cost effective if i recall, helped do Motorhole's E30 when we put the engine in.

M52 conversion. It came as a povery spec 316 though.

Meant with the flywheel conversion, sorry, wasn't clear

[Vincefox]

Lovely, colour looks spot on.

[wjb]

Nice one OP, I miss my E36, the older I get the more 90's cars appeal to me.

[LanceRS]

Nice car, the tyres should be 245/40s on the back and 225/45s on the front. I found the Michelin PS 3s brilliant.

[Rensko]

I learnt how to drive on a "tungsten" VT Commodore. Not a bad car - oversized Omega with a crappy interior!

Nice score with the 328i