E36 M3 would i be mad?

Cyrus

Im changed the 323ci before the summer, lovely car and no probs with it but when i bought it i decided id keep it for 10,000 miles or so (i like changing) and then move on, ill come up to that before may so im starting to look about.

ive a max budget of 25k for a new car, but up to 21k would be more comfortable, i could go the extra to 25 if really needs be.

to that end ive been looking at mazda rx8 or saab 9-3 aero from the uk, or another e46 coupe, a sport this time, either a 325 or 330.

however i could also save some money and get a minty e36 m3, maybe even a vert (altho a lot of the 99 verts seem to be smg?) is this a bad idea, am i going to end up in a mountain of debt trying to run one? whats this vanos thing i keep hearing about?

Anan1

I know of a 00 Mercedes C43 with 36,000 miles that you could have landed for that kind of money. That's what i'd do if I were going to spend €25k on a car. Think of it as an M3 for grown-ups.;)

Gerry

No, this is a great idea. About 10k will get you a minty one. For this money, you can get one which already has the vanos replaced. The vanos is more of an issue on the 3.2 evo, but again, if you have 25k to spend, spend 11 or 12k on an evo with the smg gearbox, keep some money aside for repairs. The 3.0 is insanely fast.
I'd recommend a 3.0, or an evo without the smg gearbox, as that is expensive if it goes.
If you do your research, you can get one for around 10k which doesn't need any work.
Heres an example:
http://www.bavarian-board.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=35304&PN=2

Andrewf20

Yep the 3.0 with half the vanos seems a better bet from the reports / magazines Ive read and its very similar performancewise to the 3.2.

Anan1

Gerry wrote:

No, this is a great idea.

Spoken like a true petrolhead!

Gerry

Well yeah, I am a petrolhead. But the whole idea of going for an older car, well maintained, getting a good one, with a good spec, and still saving loads of money is a simple one. Most of the time it doesn't get applied in Ireland because of the incredible snobbery about having a new car. Plenty of Irish BMW owners ( remember, there are plenty of them ) would regard their own bmw as somewhat superior to an e36 which was made in the last century.
Its a particularly good idea because its such a great car. I've not driven one, but I've been in a similar one to the one advertised a few times. I'd be tempted to go for one myself, the ssia approaches

Seth Brundle

Gerry wrote:

If you do your research, you can get one for around 10k which doesn't need any work.
Heres an example:
http://www.bavarian-board.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=35304&PN=2

I know the car and owner well and this is a good, well maintained car!

SouperComputer

Ah go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, ye will, ye will, ye will, ye will,ye will, ye will, ye will.

I was going to get an E36 M3 over here in the US until I found out how under-specced the are over here.

The Saab Aero is great, but its not RWD (Right wheel drive!). But if that doesnt bother you, maybe consider a Volvo with a T-5 engine of some description. Both awesome cars! Even the Saab 9-3 2.0L turbo is great fun to drive, very impressive low-end response.

Gatster

I would have bought the '97 Estoril blue one I drove in the UK two weeks before Xmas, which was as mint as I'd seen. I loved driving it but then, in the intervening time between selling the car I had at the time and a few other commitments arising, I decided aginst it because of the running costs (petrol & servicing).
This was then sealed because he dropped it a grand after Xmas and sold it the day after, by which time I'd convinced myself that up and down the M50 wasn't a deserving location for such a machine, or a big engine

All the same, do it, but I saw loads and most were rough, even when described as mint, so you have to be in it for the long haul. Next year, after my wedding and the hopeful recovery of my finances, I'll look for an E46 M3 as the E90 M3 should be out and forcing prices down

kdevitt

kbannon wrote:

I know the car and owner well and this is a good, well maintained car!

Apart from being crashed at Mondello

I reckon an M3 without leather interior isn't going to be too easy to sell on. Plenty of clean examples in the UK well within your budget.

Seth Brundle

Crash is kind of an overstatement - the damage wasn't bad!

bazz26

If you really want an E36 M3 and can afford to run it then go for it.

At the frequency you change cars Cyrus you may not loose too much on it.

littlejukka

what year and mileage is the 323ci?

unkel

bazz26 wrote:

At the frequency you change cars Cyrus

This is quite alarming. Like an M3 soon, perhaps a TVR next year, but then it will have to be a Lambo or Ferrari before the OP's 30th birthday and then what, a massive early mid-life crisis as there is no more progress possible? :eek:

Cyrus

unkel wrote:

This is quite alarming. Like an M3 soon, perhaps a TVR next year, but then it will have to be a Lambo or Ferrari before the OP's 30th birthday and then what, a massive early mid-life crisis as there is no more progress possible? :eek:

LMAO, this keeps my missus awake at night alright, she cant understand my obsession with changing my car, for me its something to do, an interest etc, as ive said before i loose very little on my cars so its not costing me much

@littlejukka its a 00 D 323ci with 62000 miles currently

BostonB

Cyrus wrote:

LMAO, this keeps my missus awake at night alright, she cant understand my obsession with changing my car, for me its something to do, an interest etc, as ive said before i loose very little on my cars so its not costing me much

@littlejukka its a 00 D 323ci with 62000 miles currently

Does it not cost you more each time you upgrade? How long have you had the BMW? Can't be a year.

Cyrus

what i mean is i dont lose money on the cars i sell, ie bought golf gti for 14,250 sold for 15k that type of thing

have 323ci since end sept 06

unkel

Cyrus wrote:

bought golf gti for 14,250 sold for 15k that type of thing

Excellent!

What do you put it down to, Cyrus? Buying bargains and selling at normal value, buying at normal value, doing it up (spending big bucks) and selling at a premium or something else altogether?

Cyrus

em bit of both

when i bought the golf it had the hard to get recaro leather interior and only 32000 miles but it also had a dodgy front and back body skirt.

i got it from a dealer around christmas and id say he wanted it off the forecourt

so i removed the body kit and changed for oem items, bought a second set of BBS CH alloys wheels and removed the stock gti rims and had some eibach springs fitted (and a remap aswell) prob spent about 1,500 so i suppose in actual terms i lost 750 euros but still a very good result

It was worth the 15k i sold it for tho, still only had 39k on it and looked much nicer than any other golf (bar anniversary editions) that i had seen on the roads

unkel

Cyrus wrote:

i suppose in actual terms i lost 750 euros but still a very good result

Indeed. So back O/T what do you think about the M3 in Gerry's link? I'd be very feckin' tempted myself

Cyrus

id want a 99 one with leather methinks! i have a while to think an 330 e46 could also be on the cards either, or a mazda rx8! Should be nice whatever i go for