Life and times of my M3 Evolution
Discussion
After owning and loving the pinnacle of fwd coupe hatches, a Championship White Honda Integra Type R for a couple of years, there was really no place to go other than a rear driven chassis, and so the hunt began for a replacement. A hard act to follow.
After considering various Japanese cars, 200sx, skyline and the like, I thought something with grunt and relative sophistication was in order. I would have loved an E30 M3, partly because of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiBoP7tcG_s At the time, around 4 years ago, they were right at the top of my budget at £9000, but I was concerned that the upkeep would concern my finances, and I wouldn’t want one if it meant owning it on a shoestring . I loved TVRs as a teenager, and remembered a Performance Car article pitting the Cerbera against a then newish M3. There was one photo of the M3 oversteering through a left hander. I thought at the time that the car looked great, and the childhood spent in the back of my Dad’s E28 520 gave me added reason to look at BMWs. With this in mind I started looking at E36 M3 Evolutions in the knowledge that if I chose right, it would really only be the seemingly over-hyped vanos failure that would concern me.
Locating a car in Estoril Blue, but missing out on it, I located one in techno violet all the way down in Hastings. I drove down from Derby in the Integra to have a butchers with the idea that if all seemed well, I could part exchange the Honda, and be driving back in the ‘bahn crusher.
All seemed well on test drive, and the car was in excellent condition, quite visually imposing in the sun with its dark hue and grey alcantara upholstery.
On getting acquainted with the car around Derbyshire, I discovered a strange floating sensation over crests, especially crests on corners, as the back end seemed to shimmy sideways, not very confidence inspiring to say the least. Drastically different to the Integra that preceded it, which seemed to barely touch the tarmac from corner to corner, dispatching corners with absolute ease on the cusp of traction.
I brought forward the next inspection at my local BMW specialist, I mentioned about the ride issue, and to carry out a full bush, suspension and subframe inspection. It seemed fine and so after an oil service and a few minor issues sorted, I resumed daily use.
To free up some noise from under the bonnet, I got hold of a K&N cone filter, heat shield and piping. The S50B32 inline 6 makes a classically distinctive noise, and the new filter certainly made it more audible in the cabin, positively bellowing towards the redline.
A short time later I decided to invest in some adjustable Bilstein PSS9 coilovers, thicker antiroll bars and poly bushes for the suspension. This was a major investment for me at the time, but my intention was to tighten the car up for road use, and occasionally use the car for track days, and maybe sprinting – for fun of course. I bought the kit and dropped the car off at my new best friends for fitting. The car had developed an intermittent erratic idle on start up which I asked them to fix. A week later, and I picked up the fettled car and it was fantastic. Little roll, and shimmy free. The car felt tight and agile, as I hoped it would.
In the same week, parked outside Sainsbury’s, someone broke into it resulting in a new door needing sourcing. My car has the aluminium doors, and after finding one, and the palaver of sorting the mess out, the whole side of the car needed repainting. More expense!
Around a month later I took the car out during my lunch break. I dipped the clutch as I re-entered the works carpark and noticed a really lumpy idle. As it didn’t clear, I took the car to the local dealership for a full diagnosis, and they said that they could fix it. They retimed the cams for me, which was pretty must a waste of time, and money, and I was left with the same symptoms as I arrived with, much to my annoyance. As I suspected, the problem turned out to be a vanos failure on the exhaust side.
For those not in the know, the vanos unit controls via solenoid the advance and retard of both banks of cams. This allows 30mpg+ when cruising (retarded), but also performance approaching 100bhp per litre (advanced), like a technically advanced vtec system in fact! There are a few things that can go wrong, internal rubber seals perishing, electrics failing, solenoids breaking and solenoid rubber o rings perishing, or not sealing.
The dealership advised a new vanos unit be fitted at a cost of around £3000 which I could not afford, so with the car woefully down on performance, and with a serious drivetrain shunt at low speeds, I parked it up and borrowed one of my Dad’s cars whilst I worked on a fix. Over the next couple of years I replaced vanos solenoids, various rubber parts and seals, idle control valves, and other bits and bobs to try and remedy the problem to no avail, and returned to Honda in the form of an S2000 which I thoroughly enjoyed. Having found a fit vanos unit from another M3 that was being broken for spares, I geared myself up for resurrecting the car from its tomb.
Around October last year, I found a chap who had set up a business specialising in Vanos rebuilds, and arranged for him to come over and fit a fresh unit with uprated components that wouldn’t wear in the same way the original BMW parts would, for a 3rd of the price. As I had a spare vanos unit, this reduced the cost further. With this work done, the car was absolutely transformed, pulling hard through the rev range with a rock steady idle, and defined performance steps as the vanos engaged.
I started using the car daily, after fitting new pilot sports all round, and sailing it through its MOT despite a 3 year layup.
Confidence buoyed by a healthy car, I arranged an inspection 2 service at the well regarded Darren Wood in Stockport. At the same time, I requested for oem BMW suspension to be fitted, along with some subtle lowering springs to tuck the back wheel under the arch a little. The coilovers, as good as they were, had started to bang over rutted roads, as the rear top mounts had worn. Also, for me the rebound of the damper was too aggressive for purely road use, although it had to be said that the ride was still very good. These will be going for sale along with the front wheel spacers very soon. When I went to pick the car up, it looked superb on its new suspension, and very clean after a thorough washing session of the paint work, and under the bonnet. Darren said that they’d had several interested parties should I decide to sell up, and that the car was one of the best they’d seen.
With fresh fluids, valve clearances adjusted, fresh suspension and a very fit engine, the car is a joy to drive. I was considering fixing the vanos and selling for an E46 M3, but now its sorted, I’m finding myself cleaning it often, and just enjoying owning it. Driving a clean and fettled example of an older car is somehow quite satisfying, and it’s a good performer all round. Good economy for the performance, decently refined on the motorway, swift at overtaking, and easy to catch skids should you want a laugh on a deserted roundabout. Other than that it is still a very analogue experience, the sound from the straight 6, the feel of the cable throttle and the slightly low geared steering all add to the package. Considering these cars are now around 6-7k for a good one, they’re a bit of a bargain really.
Future plans are fitting a quick shift kit from Mr.Vanos, a machine polish, wheel refurb, and fitting a better head unit in time for a European road trip to Italy in the early summer.
After considering various Japanese cars, 200sx, skyline and the like, I thought something with grunt and relative sophistication was in order. I would have loved an E30 M3, partly because of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiBoP7tcG_s At the time, around 4 years ago, they were right at the top of my budget at £9000, but I was concerned that the upkeep would concern my finances, and I wouldn’t want one if it meant owning it on a shoestring . I loved TVRs as a teenager, and remembered a Performance Car article pitting the Cerbera against a then newish M3. There was one photo of the M3 oversteering through a left hander. I thought at the time that the car looked great, and the childhood spent in the back of my Dad’s E28 520 gave me added reason to look at BMWs. With this in mind I started looking at E36 M3 Evolutions in the knowledge that if I chose right, it would really only be the seemingly over-hyped vanos failure that would concern me.
Locating a car in Estoril Blue, but missing out on it, I located one in techno violet all the way down in Hastings. I drove down from Derby in the Integra to have a butchers with the idea that if all seemed well, I could part exchange the Honda, and be driving back in the ‘bahn crusher.
All seemed well on test drive, and the car was in excellent condition, quite visually imposing in the sun with its dark hue and grey alcantara upholstery.
On getting acquainted with the car around Derbyshire, I discovered a strange floating sensation over crests, especially crests on corners, as the back end seemed to shimmy sideways, not very confidence inspiring to say the least. Drastically different to the Integra that preceded it, which seemed to barely touch the tarmac from corner to corner, dispatching corners with absolute ease on the cusp of traction.
I brought forward the next inspection at my local BMW specialist, I mentioned about the ride issue, and to carry out a full bush, suspension and subframe inspection. It seemed fine and so after an oil service and a few minor issues sorted, I resumed daily use.
To free up some noise from under the bonnet, I got hold of a K&N cone filter, heat shield and piping. The S50B32 inline 6 makes a classically distinctive noise, and the new filter certainly made it more audible in the cabin, positively bellowing towards the redline.
A short time later I decided to invest in some adjustable Bilstein PSS9 coilovers, thicker antiroll bars and poly bushes for the suspension. This was a major investment for me at the time, but my intention was to tighten the car up for road use, and occasionally use the car for track days, and maybe sprinting – for fun of course. I bought the kit and dropped the car off at my new best friends for fitting. The car had developed an intermittent erratic idle on start up which I asked them to fix. A week later, and I picked up the fettled car and it was fantastic. Little roll, and shimmy free. The car felt tight and agile, as I hoped it would.
In the same week, parked outside Sainsbury’s, someone broke into it resulting in a new door needing sourcing. My car has the aluminium doors, and after finding one, and the palaver of sorting the mess out, the whole side of the car needed repainting. More expense!
Around a month later I took the car out during my lunch break. I dipped the clutch as I re-entered the works carpark and noticed a really lumpy idle. As it didn’t clear, I took the car to the local dealership for a full diagnosis, and they said that they could fix it. They retimed the cams for me, which was pretty must a waste of time, and money, and I was left with the same symptoms as I arrived with, much to my annoyance. As I suspected, the problem turned out to be a vanos failure on the exhaust side.
For those not in the know, the vanos unit controls via solenoid the advance and retard of both banks of cams. This allows 30mpg+ when cruising (retarded), but also performance approaching 100bhp per litre (advanced), like a technically advanced vtec system in fact! There are a few things that can go wrong, internal rubber seals perishing, electrics failing, solenoids breaking and solenoid rubber o rings perishing, or not sealing.
The dealership advised a new vanos unit be fitted at a cost of around £3000 which I could not afford, so with the car woefully down on performance, and with a serious drivetrain shunt at low speeds, I parked it up and borrowed one of my Dad’s cars whilst I worked on a fix. Over the next couple of years I replaced vanos solenoids, various rubber parts and seals, idle control valves, and other bits and bobs to try and remedy the problem to no avail, and returned to Honda in the form of an S2000 which I thoroughly enjoyed. Having found a fit vanos unit from another M3 that was being broken for spares, I geared myself up for resurrecting the car from its tomb.
Around October last year, I found a chap who had set up a business specialising in Vanos rebuilds, and arranged for him to come over and fit a fresh unit with uprated components that wouldn’t wear in the same way the original BMW parts would, for a 3rd of the price. As I had a spare vanos unit, this reduced the cost further. With this work done, the car was absolutely transformed, pulling hard through the rev range with a rock steady idle, and defined performance steps as the vanos engaged.
I started using the car daily, after fitting new pilot sports all round, and sailing it through its MOT despite a 3 year layup.
Confidence buoyed by a healthy car, I arranged an inspection 2 service at the well regarded Darren Wood in Stockport. At the same time, I requested for oem BMW suspension to be fitted, along with some subtle lowering springs to tuck the back wheel under the arch a little. The coilovers, as good as they were, had started to bang over rutted roads, as the rear top mounts had worn. Also, for me the rebound of the damper was too aggressive for purely road use, although it had to be said that the ride was still very good. These will be going for sale along with the front wheel spacers very soon. When I went to pick the car up, it looked superb on its new suspension, and very clean after a thorough washing session of the paint work, and under the bonnet. Darren said that they’d had several interested parties should I decide to sell up, and that the car was one of the best they’d seen.
With fresh fluids, valve clearances adjusted, fresh suspension and a very fit engine, the car is a joy to drive. I was considering fixing the vanos and selling for an E46 M3, but now its sorted, I’m finding myself cleaning it often, and just enjoying owning it. Driving a clean and fettled example of an older car is somehow quite satisfying, and it’s a good performer all round. Good economy for the performance, decently refined on the motorway, swift at overtaking, and easy to catch skids should you want a laugh on a deserted roundabout. Other than that it is still a very analogue experience, the sound from the straight 6, the feel of the cable throttle and the slightly low geared steering all add to the package. Considering these cars are now around 6-7k for a good one, they’re a bit of a bargain really.
Future plans are fitting a quick shift kit from Mr.Vanos, a machine polish, wheel refurb, and fitting a better head unit in time for a European road trip to Italy in the early summer.
Nice car!
Rollcage said:
Is 30+ MPG available on a run without driving terribly slowly, ie 80mph cruise?
It is in mine, whole journey to work staying below 3krpm (just over 80mph) for the motorway bit (75% of the journey) was 31.4mpg according to the onboard computer. That included the warming up...
nonuts said:
Nice car!
Thanks. i would have thought that to be the case, as the straight six is relatively economical in it's other guises, and O have seen well in excess of 33mpg in a 2.8 at similar speeds.Rollcage said:
Is 30+ MPG available on a run without driving terribly slowly, ie 80mph cruise?
It is in mine, whole journey to work staying below 3krpm (just over 80mph) for the motorway bit (75% of the journey) was 31.4mpg according to the onboard computer. That included the warming up...Thanks for the comments.
The engine is as fit as a butchers dog, and is likey rated at around 310bhp after the work done. 321ps remember, not bhp. The only remaining mods are stiffer Eibach antiroll bars, Powerflex polyurethane suspension bushes, Boge lowering springs (30mm), and the K&N filter and shield (a Dave F kit).
In my quest for originality, I've even replaced the gearknob with a new nappa BMW Msport item, and fitted new carpets that screw down into the footwell.
I think it should be on the road for a good while longer!
The engine is as fit as a butchers dog, and is likey rated at around 310bhp after the work done. 321ps remember, not bhp. The only remaining mods are stiffer Eibach antiroll bars, Powerflex polyurethane suspension bushes, Boge lowering springs (30mm), and the K&N filter and shield (a Dave F kit).
In my quest for originality, I've even replaced the gearknob with a new nappa BMW Msport item, and fitted new carpets that screw down into the footwell.
I think it should be on the road for a good while longer!
I know of one of these that is allegedly "OK" mechanically, but certainly has rusty arches and quite worn leather. Haven't had chance to check the VANOS yet, but think it available "Cheap"! somewhere around 95000 miles I believe - when I have the chance I will surely be investigating a bit more, as I quite fancy one.
Nice write up BTW!
Nice write up BTW!
Great thread fella! I've got one too, awesome cars, proper "man's" cars with no traction/stability control, totally agree they're a much more analogue experience than the later cars, but equally aswell usefully quicker than the earler E30s! The only thing mine has needed (low miles) has been Bexley Motor Works' braided steel clutch pipe, as the standard one was soo bad at holding pressure that even with the pedal hard against the bulkhead you would be lucky to get 1st gear from standstill. With the new hose however it is a revelation, something I would definitely consider doing as the part is only about £40.
, I quite fancy owning one at some point i remember said:
Just a quick question on the wheels, are these wheels for an e36 m3 evo rather than this type?
Those wheels look like there off an EVO as they look like they're wider for the rears. Non EVOs had same width front and rear I think.I think there was a choice of design, but the sunflower ones were the standard EVO wheels (those in the OP), again, I think. Beardy people will be along to point out where I'm wrong.
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff