Am I mad for wanting an E36 M3?

[TW]Fox said:
This is the problem. The E36 is now owned by wideboys and people who buy a car because it's a BMW, not becuase of it's other merits. They can often by founding hammering around town being driven by chavs and people wearing hi-vis vests. The convertables all come out in Summer, driven by people with stained white shirts, and beer bellies.

The problem with the M3 is the genuine Sport models look exactly the same, bar the mirrors. Same bodykit, and factory fitted M badges. Telling a 328i Sport and an M3 apart requires someone who knows their M Series cars.

This is, however, a real shame. As a drivers car, the E36 M3 is fantastic. Provided you get one in great condition, it's as good now as it ever was and there is lots of thrills to be had.

So, you must ask yourself. Do you care about image? Do you care how others judge you for the car you drive? Do you mind paying £8k and getting a 10 year old BMW that looks every bit like a 10 year old BMW?

If the answer to any of these questions is 'Yes', then you should get the 330Ci instead. It's nearly as quick. If, however, you don't care about the above, then do it.

Buy a mint E36 M3. In Estoril Blue :D
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You can generally say the same about all bmw's tbh, they all seem to attract idiots, and the sporty ones dont tend to differ that much from their std counterparts, i find the only give away to the untrained eye is the exhausts at the back.
 
I stunning car and even my tunned e46 m3 didn't feel as raw and fun.

They are very"chav" now with every 316 having m3 kit and wheels on but if you want one go for it as they are unrivaled for the money and in estorial blue they rock, avoid the smg (smgII in the e46 is ok but the SMG I was not all that) I personnely don't like the heavy 'vert as that defeats the point of an M3 and don't get me started on the 4 door!!

The 3.2 evo did have VANOS issues but this was made more of an issue than I think it was as the 3.0 single vanos early M3s also had the odd problem, but admitidly not as much.

I got one with a recent VANOS change to be on the safe side, if you get one with a very low clutch bite point the clutch hose will need changing for a stainless braided one (genuine BMW part) as the hose gets hot and expands due to the location to the engine.

also a slight oil leak at the back of the block is normal as there is a bad o ring on the oil presure valve that goes (12p part) get it done by a specialist for £70 not BMW who wanted £300!!!

rear bushes go but are cheap, as do top mounts, pads and disks aren't cheap but are VERY good, she is lardy but will out break an s2000 from 60 by a car length or two

get one get one now!!!!!

Pics of my one can be found in my sig
 
Do it, for the reasons that TDS has brought up. Great cars, and i dont know about where you are, but around here i NEVER see E36's, so they dont have any stigma attached to them.
 
paradigm said:
See now thats what I wanted to read :D
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a friend said something to me a LONG time ago that's stayed with me ever since.
we were talking about various financial ventures then moved onto "boys toys", i forget which one we were specifically talking about but i remember trying to advise against it for not being practical etc.
he said the following...

"in however many years time, the last thing i want to have running through my mind as i lie on my death bed is i wish i'd been there, or had that, or done this..etc."

advice like that works for me, upto you if you take it.
 
The_Dark_Side said:
a
"in however many years time, the last thing i want to have running through my mind as i lie on my death bed is i wish i'd been there, or had that, or done this."

advice like that works for me, upto you if you take it.
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I try to live by that ideal as well, hence why I am also looking at expensive 10yr old cars. ;)
 
Jez said:
Do it, for the reasons that TDS has brought up. Great cars, and i dont know about where you are, but around here i NEVER see E36's, so they dont have any stigma attached to them.
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Thats becuase you don't live near any crappy areas :p

Plymouth is infested with them, I am not joking when I say there are more E36's than Mk2 Mondeos.
 
[TW]Fox said:
Thats becuase you don't live near any crappy areas :p

Plymouth is infested with them, I am not joking when I say there are more E36's than Mk2 Mondeos.
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The whole of the south west seems infested with last gen cars, by the looks of the sheer number of E90/2's up this way you should in theory be seeing a large influx of old E46's starting to appear? Noticed many yet? They must be going somewhere!
 
[TW]Fox said:
Thats becuase you don't live near any crappy areas :p

Plymouth is infested with them, I am not joking when I say there are more E36's than Mk2 Mondeos.
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if there was a Ferrari on every corner it wouldn't make them suddenly crap would it?
 
Fox, how many times have you said something like "who cares what other people think about my car"?

What difference does it make whether its a chav symbol or not?

BMs arnt my thing, but the chav reason wouldnt stop me buying a clasic impreza if I wanted too.
 
Jez said:
The whole of the south west seems infested with last gen cars, by the looks of the sheer number of E90/2's up this way you should in theory be seeing a large influx of old E46's starting to appear? Noticed many yet? They must be going somewhere!
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Hardly ever see E46's down here.

Just LOADS of E36's, old Mondeos etc etc. Plus company cars, so we've got loads of base model E90's..

Seeing an E92 is rare enough to make me 'omg, E92!'.
 
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