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Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 10:15 pm
by ross_jsy
4 door Evo. Tbh I'm not holding out much hope, the seller says it needs a bit of TLC and we all know that means bridge dodging turd.
What do I look out for bar growling VANOS?
Thanks
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 10:27 pm
by ross_jsy
Hmm maybe not. The seller just sent me this
it needs brakes, left bottom arm, a couple of bushes up front and a proper control idle valve, as i had one out in a couple of months back but wasn't genuine and its pretty much idling pretty rough, the bonnet has ripples in it but body work wise its alright part from that
And it has a rattle at idle despite having the Vanos seals done.
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 10:29 pm
by zd3bx
Often you don't even have to view the car, because the ad says a lot about the seller and usually the car is in the same "condition" as its owner, if you know what I mean.
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 10:36 pm
by ross_jsy
He seems like a nice enough chap. Honest anyway. Nothing worse than going to look at a car that the seller says is good only to be sorely disappointed.
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 11:44 am
by ross_jsy
I went to look at it. It was a turd, didn't feel or sound like any of the suspension components were attatched to the car in any way

Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 12:53 pm
by senna
How much is he asking for this car?
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 5:59 pm
by Simon13
and sorting out and replacing the suspension on an e36 is easy and still cheap..........
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 7:30 pm
by zd3bx
ross_jsy wrote:I went to look at it. It was a turd, didn't feel or sound like any of the suspension components were attatched to the car in any way

E36 M3s are very rare nowadays in general, especially the ones which are worth looking at.
Forget about budget ones at £3-4k. I think the ones which are well-maintained and in decent condition are probably worth around £6-7k today.
Of course, the price is not everything, but often it's a good indicator.
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 11:48 pm
by ross_jsy
It was priced at £2k which should have been enough to put me off, but figured it was worth a look.
Easy perhaps Simon, but cheap for an evo? They have evo specific bottoms arms iirc which aren't cheap and it needed at least one side. Throw in the fact it needed discs (floating evo specific items) and pads all around, as well as probably every bush on the car and no doubt shocks, you would easily be up to the purchase price and end up with a car with no service history and a rough running lump to figure out. Not for me I'm afraid.
I ran into a dilema though. I've driven a few m3's, the last one being an e46 a couple of years ago and at the time it felt rapid. But now I've had the impreza, the smoothness of the power delivery made it feel very slow. The speedo said otherwise, but it didn't feel quick. Saying that, I need to get back in a BMW soon.
There's a nice one with full history up for sale for £5,500 I'm going to look at. Another evo saloon, really like the 4 doors.
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 12:36 am
by senna
2k
Can you pm me the details and I will buy it
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 1:05 am
by ross_jsy
It's f#cked and in Jersey. I somewhat doubt that
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 8:35 am
by Andyboy
Evo discs can be bought from motor factors at about 50 quid each - non floating but they do the job. M3 bottom arms can be repaired with new steel balljoints. Some say they don't fit, but they do.
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 8:46 am
by Simon13
Indeed the 3.0 M3 uses the same size dics but solid, thats all they changed for the evo was the floating disc. I run these brakes on my B3 even the floaters aren't amzingly expensive
This is the sort of car that gets swallowed up by a european and taken the the continent for breaking as they'll get their money back on the engine alone over there. Rough running or not.
You can always just fit normal e30 arms and the eccentric e30 M3 lolipop bushes also. Its fixed then for the next 15 years at least
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 10:48 am
by ross_jsy
It's so rough it's not even worth considering. Why pile money into a shitter? I didn't see any as the boot was full of stuff (perhaps intentional) but a friend went to look and apparently the boot floor is rotten
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 1:03 pm
by Andyboy
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 5:23 pm
by pacerpete
Hark at all the freaks getting damp over a shagged quattroporte donor

Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 6:19 pm
by 87mtech27
If the seller wants 2k for the whole car then I think it's cheap... Buy it and put it out of its misery.
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 6:46 pm
by Andyboy
Indeed.
How is an E36 M3 Evo NOT worth 2 grand? Who has ever seen a rotten E36 boot floor?
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 6:50 pm
by ross_jsy
I don't have the space, nor the desire to break a shagged out quattroporte as Pete puts it to earn a couple of quid. If anyone wants that hassle in their life, I'll happily put you in touch with the owner.
Judging by how often he is bumping it on the Facebook selling page, and the fact he has a kid on the way, I'm sure it could be bought for less than £2k
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 6:53 pm
by ross_jsy
I take it you are implying I'm making it up Andy? Feel free to purchase the turd and find out for yourself.
I'll even load it onto the boat for you for a fee.
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 6:55 pm
by ross_jsy
As for the boot floor, seller says it's had a rear end at some point and had the back panel replaced, guessing that is where the boot floor problems came from
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 7:09 pm
by ross_jsy
And just in case you are doubting the rot, the friend that went to view it:
But feel free to say I'm making it up all you want if makes you feel any better Andy

Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 10:10 pm
by Andyboy
It doesn't, but it sure wound you up like a clockwork mouse.

Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 11:01 pm
by ross_jsy
I don't really like being called a bullshitter tbf, especially over a rotten e36!
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2015 8:37 am
by Andyboy
Oh well.
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2015 8:50 am
by DanThe
I thought you had a driveway Ross? Go on, the neighbours will love it

Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2015 6:25 pm
by ross_jsy
I have a garage which the e30 is in with 3 underground spaces outside it. Bastards were giving me funny looks when I was rebuilding my KTM on the weekend so a crusty e36 might be pushing it!
Don't laugh, but an immaculate '36 318is has caught my attention. Oh the shame!
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 8:50 pm
by ross_jsy
What is wrong with car sellers? Just been to look at that 318is. Black on black leather with factory m kit that the seller described as perfect. Absolute shit heap! All 4 corners were scraped, rust on the panel under the headlight, engine weeping oil everywhere, tatty leather etc. I wouldn't mind if the advert had said it was tatty and priced accordingly, I wouldn't have wasted my time
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 8:55 pm
by maxfield
Buying a 36 can be a challenge. Most are nails, generally due to the owners letting them slip.
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 9:05 pm
by ross_jsy
Yep, I've no problem with the turds out there as long as they are properly described but this kid had just lied through his teeth in the ad. As a result Ive wasted an hour of my evening going to see it. The only thing that attracted me to it was the description of it being immaculate and to be fair it looked it in the pictures.
The anal eyes should have sent alarm bells ringing tbf. Apparently the tintz cost £500. All well and good but there were multiple areas that £500 would have gone a long way
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 9:22 pm
by pacerpete
Indeed, the tintz, anal eyez and the zorst were ample warning !
As you rightly said, these peasants think nothing of spunking many hours of minimum wage action on pointless look at me tat but balk at spending on the important stuff

Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 9:28 pm
by ross_jsy
Hadn't even noticed the exhaust! Thought it sounded a bit fruity but figured it was a blow/the bad boy pipercross airfilter it was sporting

the kid had just bought a cheap e46 m3 from the UK. I'm sure that will love the lack of maintenance this turd has seen.
Another 318is has popped up that looks nice but I shall reserve judgement till I see it. 2 owner and fully fruited with FSH so hopefully it's a goer. Have a buyer for the impreza and am getting tired of it and something sensible makes sense while I'm finishing my degree
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 9:29 pm
by 87mtech27
The car looks nice other than the anal lights
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 9:30 pm
by ross_jsy
As for the m3 evo, he is apparently keeping it. Sure it's nothing to do with the fact it's unsaleable as is
Re: Going to look at an e36 m3 tomorrow
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 9:44 pm
by ross_jsy
Forgot to mention, the starter motor was shagged and it took 3 attempts before it would catch. At that point I asked if the price was flexible and he said no a˜‚