E36 328 - Tell me

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Phate

Phate

Caporegime
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Serious thread guys :)

I remember mentioning here a while ago that my friends E36 is for sale, well it dawned on me today, Mr I'm looking for a car and not sure what to do...that it might still be. Gave her a call, and it is, and reassuringly, it passed its MOT today.

Heres what I know about the car

1996
328
Black
Convertible
Cream Leather interior
Auto-box
It's got those 18" BMW wheels that are very popular
It's been very well looked after, on the basis that if it needed doing it was done, ignoring the cost.
To get through this MOT its had wishbones and bushes all round done and new front brakes.
It's done 101k and amazingly, somehow, hasn't exploded 1000 miles ago.

The car has been owned by my mate for the past 5ish years, shes a car/bike enthusiast/petrolhead and I'm confident she's looked after it very well :)

It was machine polished not long ago and is, in general...in very good condition :)

She's asking for 3 grand.

Is this too much? a good price? I don't know with these.

I need to do some insurance quotes first, but can ye olde great OcUK tell me what to look out for/ask on these please so I can ask her? :)

Also what can I expect, running costs wise? MPG? Things that break? et cetorah...

Cheers ears :)
Jake
 
Quite easy to ask what it cost to get through the mot as an idea of running costs - should give you a reasonable idea of the sort of bills. Likewise for mpg
 
iaind said:
Quite easy to ask what it cost to get through the mot as an idea of running costs - should give you a reasonable idea of the sort of bills. Likewise for mpg
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She said she gets about 24mpg with some spirited driving :) (wondered what others get)

Bills wise...good point, could just ask for her previous ones :o
 
Rich1988 said:
I thought you enjoyed driving cars though :P ? Auto 328, wont be quick or exciting to drive I imagine surely youll get bored?
Click to expand...

I do enjoy driving cars....my license says I need to calm down though :o

She reckons it goes well enough, plus I won't be giving it many beans with it being RWD and winter coming.

Might buy a 2nd car as a track **** anyway :cool:
 
Can't imagine an old convertible is going to be much fun at this time of year. Make sure the heater works :p
Could well get frost on the inside of the screen, etc. Fun for when you're late for work ;)
 
auto boxes lose more in transmission and generally have less gears meaning longer ratios which gives less acceleration

the auto version is just over half a second slower to 60 (not that it means a great deal)
 
The manual is 1 second faster if you hit the changes at the right time.
Now, 1 second isn't a lot is it....
 
Engine Size 2793 cc
Cylinders 6
0-60 mph 8.1 s
Power Output 193 bhp
Valves 24
Torque 280 Nm
Top Speed 140 mph

The MG was 7.3s to 60 which was fast enough for me. Just under a second slower won't bore me...plus it'll be quicker than the van anyway :p
 
Last edited:
Morba said:
The manual is 1 second faster if you hit the changes at the right time.
Now, 1 second isn't a lot is it....
Click to expand...

If it's the difference between a 0-60 of 7 seconds or 8 seconds then it is a fair amount. Bearing in mind that the auto takes very little time to change gears it's obviously sapping a fair bit of power, which also hurts economy. Slush boxes are nasty things.
 
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