1996 E36 M3 Evolution Saloon
"2009 Audi A5 2.0T Quattro, 2008 Fiesta ST, 2004 Fiesta Zetec 1.4"
'Sleeper' looks attracted Neil; drive likewise
"I 'needed' a driver's car and a project car. Ultimately the A5 while a fantastic car lacks driver appeal. Being a bit of a techie I had been hankering after a project car for some time. I'm keen to learn how to fix, repair and service things as well as find out how they work.
"I'd looked at classic Impreza turbos and DC2 Integra Type Rs. Any examples were well worn and not half the car the M3 is. This low mileage example popped up, I made the initial 'feeler' phone call, then had a think about it. I organised a suitable time to view the car, bartered with the owner over the following week, the man maths calculator was brought out and the car was mine that Saturday morning.
"Going through the history I have since discovered that the car was owned from new (for quite a few years), by my brother's ex-girlfriend's father. What a small world!"
What I wish I'd known:
"If I knew the community was so good, I probably would have made the jump earlier. I don't think there is anything I regret about buying the M3."
'No garage queen' says proud owner
"The engine, it's so tractable, responsive and revs out beautifully. A work of art.
"The subtlety of the package. The saloon body with no spoiler is a bit of a sleeper. Actually the package in its entirety. A superb engine, great brakes, a good chassis with a mechanical set of controls. A very organic car in an ever growing digital age!
"The community that supports the car. PistonHeads [See Neil's project thread here for more - Ed.] and the M3 Cutters forums have been a great help.
"Learning about the car, its history and how it works. Spot the car geek! Switching off from the daily job, faffing about with the car in the garage is very therapeutic."
Things I hate:
"Greedy dealership parts guys and being addicted to buying parts on eBay."
2014 M3 will be saloon only - here's the template
"Exhaust mounts, OEM head unit, service items (oil, filters, plugs, etc), subframe x-brace, Vanos upgraded seal and high tensile bolt kit. Pending costs are fuel filter, suspension, brake and wheel overhaul.
"The costs have been minimal so far. Dealerships can be expensive for parts at times, but bartering with the price or looking online can save quite a few quid."
Where I've been:
"I haven't actually driven the car much. Short trips after a fettle or on a nice day are always welcome. The best journey had to be a roadtrip with two mates, me in the 'loon, another in a 348 and another in a Boxster, epic cars and great roads, unbeatable.
"I'm usually too busying working or tinkering on the car to drive it. She is no garage queen, just being anal, I'm just keen to get her looking better than new, then I can relax and enjoy driving it."
What next?
"Continue improving the car... Drive her more, which I definitely will be doing next summer. Another toy to add to the fleet perhaps?"
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