02s2k01s4

im thinking about buying a e36 m3 here pretty soon and i was wondering if any of you guys could give me insite on which years are the best and what to watch out for. any input is much apreciated cause i really want one but i know nothing about them. -tom

Iceman1

well... the newer the car, the better IMO... '95 was the only 3.0 liter OBD I year... '96 - '99 was 3.2 liter OBD II... (same HP, little more torque)

BMW's are known for expensive maintanance, thus i suggested the newer, and less mileage, the better...

one thing they had is a rear subframe problem, there are reinforcement options available... also, radiator neck can go bad after 60K miles...

make sure you also check m3forum.com, and bimmerforums.com ... a lot more data there...

its a legendary car... it re-defined the market and created the benchmark of Grand Touring... good luck...

6speedftw

You can also easily add up to 20 rwhp to the S52 engine on the 96-99 ///M3's by swapping the intake manifold for an M50 manifold from the old 325i M50 engine, but you will lose a bit of torque.

MeFryRice

After owning two E36 M's I can tell you a couple things to look for.

If you are able to, get one that has lower miles. I can be more specific if you tell me what year your looking to get. Here's just a quick list of what to look for.

- Make sure the cooling system has been replaced (updated waterpump and aluminum thermostat housing)
- Vanos isn't making any weird noises.
- Rear strut mounts didn't tear from the subframe.
- Subframe bushings

Here's a link that should def. help you out more.
http://edgemotorworks.com/index.php?option...id=24&Itemid=55

Sammyzuko

I've daily driven my '97 M3 for the past 4+ years and it's been rock solid. I run it hard almost every time I'm behind the wheel and it's seen a few track days. Just make sure you find one with up to date basic maintenance(ie the things covered in BMW's inspections) and be prepared to take care of future maint. Without proper maintenance you won't be happy with such an old car. If you can find a good one, you'd be hard pressed to find a better car for the money.

weneversleep

I have a 99 E36 M3. Last month of E36 M3 production.

Fantastic car. I would recommend hanging out at bimmerforums.com, specifically the E36 M3 forum (obviously), to read about common issues. Also go buy Wayne Dempsey's book, 101 Projects for your BMW 1992-2000. Tons of good E36 stuff in there, and it'll teach you to DIY, which is important on this car. (BMW dealers are $$$ for service)

I spent $14K on mine a year ago (98K miles), and I've sunk another $14K into it, so it's become a $28K car for me so far. Some of that was maintenance (replace cooling system, replace all rubber parts in the car i.e. suspension bushings & rubber trim, weld oil pump nut, lots of electrical things, etc.), and some of it was "elective surgery" (Pelican Parts Stage 4 suspension kit w/ PSS9s, SSK, etc.) I've also spent money on tires & brakes, because it has become my track car.

(Of course, sometimes I wonder whether I should have just bought the C5Z06 that I was originally looking at, if I was going to spend $28K... )

Anyway, what a track car it is. Once you get the thing updated (if it has high mileage), it's an amazingly balanced and forgiving car on the track. Fast, too. Not the fastest thing out there, but a good driver can really move one. I originally bought the M3 to be a daily driver, but once I took it on the track, it replaced my S2000 as the track car. It's just too much fun to drive out there.

--michael

bkw

Look for a 98.5 - 99. Has the sweet 3 spoke wheel.

I sold my 98 Estoril earlier this year.

Look out for the following.
RSM's
LCAB's
Guibo
5th gear stick which could lead you to the 'Money Shift'
Plastic water pump impeller, and cooling system in general
Leaky power steering hose

Preventative maintenance goes a long way on this car. Find one that has been well kept and it will serve you well. If you pick one up thats questionable, then you'll find yourself in a money pit.

Hootsama

Yeeesh. Doesn't sound like any fun at all (financially).

TheDonEffect

Don't know much about the E36 M3s, but they are fantastic machines and working on one is like working on a well made model kit, all that parts are just so intricate and well engineered. Everyone that I know or read about that has/had one has put in a lot of money into them, but again they all say it's rewarding. FD bad? Nah, but Honda good? nope. Might as well come to grips with it now before you go out.
But I do know that a lot of the money that goes into them is typically labor charges, and to be honest most non BMW specialists shops can do the work just as well provided that they're a reputable shop. Most BMW specific shops charge more not because so much that these cars require more hours but because their hour rate is higher.
For instance, replacing a windshield on a newer BMW (00+) requires some special weights that help the windshield set and BMW (surprise surprise) requires only BMW glass. In dissection, teh glass is no different that any other glass and many shops (all but BMW dealer owned) replaced windshields without the special procedure and have yet to see any problems.
So in summary, if you do have some mechanical know how, the ownership costs of the M3 shouldnt be too bad over any other speciality sportscar so long as u stay away from teh dealers and know a good independent mechanic or do it urself.

Onehots2k

I'm not really fond of the E36 M3. I'm absolutely smitten about the E30 M3.