E36 Touring - New daily driver - Couple of Pics Added 4/12

Post Mon Feb 23, 2009 5:14 pm

Just put a deposit down today on a beautiful 1998 E36 323i SE Touring. 1 owner from new, 90k with full main dealer history.

Interior is mint, externally also very good - only faults I could find were a couple of very minor scratches, one of the wheel centre caps is missing and the headlight lens has a stonechip ( will be replaced at dealers cost if its an MOT failure )

I'm very pleased - the dealer I am getting it from is putting 12 months MOT on it and giving a 3 month warranty as well so shouldn't have any problems. It drives like a new car

Picking it up Saturday - pics will follow

Post Mon Feb 23, 2009 5:35 pm

you should be ashamed

only kidding sounds like a sweet car, what colour is it ???

needs a b25 inlet manifold too to get more ponies

hope your keeping the chromie

Post Mon Feb 23, 2009 5:44 pm

Its Morea Green Metallic ( lighter shade than the common Boston Green ) with grey cloth trim.

Not a colour combination I would have usually gone for, but the condition and spec of the car coupled with the lowish miles and service history made it a no-brainer.

It drives really nice - everything feels super tight - gearbox is slick, engine is very quiet, no squeaks or rattles at all.

I'm keeping the chromie anyway - subject to it not failing the MOT on anything too catastrophic in the next few weeks ! It shouldn't do - its done less than 3k since the last one and been garaged every night.

Post Mon Feb 23, 2009 5:56 pm

sounds like a decent e36

Post Mon Feb 23, 2009 6:46 pm

Yeah can't wait til Saturday now !

Post Mon Feb 23, 2009 6:49 pm

Sure youll be very happy with it

I was well impressed with my old 323i despite its huge mileage.

Post Mon Feb 23, 2009 7:05 pm

My last E36 was a 328i Coupe which was pretty rapid - this 323i obviously doesnt feel quite as quick but it still feels pretty nippy. Will be the first touring/estate type car I have ever owned - also the first one with ASC ! will be interesting to see whether it makes much of a difference in the wet.

Post Mon Feb 23, 2009 7:48 pm

Alex wrote: needs a b25 inlet manifold too to get more ponies

one for sale on here atm

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=126813

Post Mon Feb 23, 2009 8:13 pm

Is it simple spannerwork straight swap or are there other bits you need to buy ?

Post Mon Feb 23, 2009 8:14 pm

straight swop i think

it will then be the same as a standard e36 325i

Post Mon Feb 23, 2009 8:31 pm

Its on the list then !

Post Mon Feb 23, 2009 10:29 pm

Add a rolling road re-map to that and it could nudge over 200 ponies, might rival your old 328 then

Post Sat Feb 28, 2009 7:53 am

only 3 hours to go before I pick it up ! Pics this afternoon hopefully !!

Post Sat Feb 28, 2009 1:37 pm

Well I got it this morning - very very pleased :

Will replace missing centre cap this week.

Towbar is detatchable but no key - got to try and get one so I can re-fit lower valance trim

A very nice place to be. BMW Business radio cassette - unfortunately no CD Autochanger in the boot - its on the list.

Super clean and oil tight - and the right number of cylinders

All the keys, original dealer Key fob, original dealer plates and tax disc holder
Also had genuine BMW floor mats.

All the books.

Post Sat Feb 28, 2009 1:56 pm

Very smart!Potential engine donor?

Post Sat Feb 28, 2009 2:22 pm

I'm loving e36 tourings at the moment. There's a silver 328i with deep dish alloys and Mtech kit on it in Yeovil, fooking lovely looking car!

Post Sat Feb 28, 2009 2:28 pm

Solid little motor. Ally blocked two eights generally have a decent reputation and it has to be said that e36 tourings like the e30's seem to have that something. 1.5k or more maybe in what looks like good order.

Good shot

Post Sat Feb 28, 2009 3:03 pm

looks nice

very unmolseterd

Post Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:45 pm

I think i may change the wheels to the 328i Double-spoke 16" alloys but thats about it.

Thought I'd give the E30 a wash this afternoon as well for first time in months.
Only just noticed the registration numbers.........now all I need is a 911

Post Sat Feb 28, 2009 6:50 pm

Noice, I've been thinking about one of these as a daily for a while now, they are too cheap for how good a car they are. Not an e30, but they have the right number of cylinders and right wheel drive, and tourings don't seem to get chavved. A fine purchase sir!

Post Sat Feb 28, 2009 10:03 pm

capri_rob wrote:I think i may change the wheels to the 328i Double-spoke 16" alloys but thats about it.

My better half has an R reg 323i SE Saloon in Montreal Blue with silver sport cloth.

It to is a low owner full historied car and despite its 166000 miles still drives realy well and has No fluid leaks at all.

The suspension is in need of a freshen up so a pair of E30 wishbones and some new Bilsteins are on order.

My cars spec from new was,

M3 side skirts
M3 Steering wheel
Digital climate
Digital clock with outside temp
Sport seats
Rear head rests
Top tint screen
Auto dim mirror

I to have the same 15" alloys as yours and also want to replace them with 16" twin spokes. I think an M3 bumper woud be nice to.

I like it but a touring would have been better.

323i's are the underated bargain!

Post Sat Feb 28, 2009 10:13 pm

I have a set of the 16" twin spokes surplus to requirements.

Tyres are past it, come and collect them for peanuts because they are in my way!

Great cars the E36 touring. Some real bargains out there at the moment, a lot of car for the money.

My one..

Post Sat Feb 28, 2009 10:32 pm

Shame your in wales...

Post Sat Feb 28, 2009 10:40 pm

bss325i wrote:Shame your in wales...

Only the other end of the M4 for you,Barry!

Post Sat Feb 28, 2009 10:41 pm

bss325i wrote:Shame your in wales...

It's not that bad!

Post Sun Mar 01, 2009 7:25 am

Simon wrote:I have a set of the 16" twin spokes surplus to requirements.

Tyres are past it, come and collect them for peanuts because they are in my way!

Great cars the E36 touring. Some real bargains out there at the moment, a lot of car for the money.

PM Sent !

Post Sun Mar 01, 2009 7:31 am

OK Couple of questions guys :

Climate Control - if I set the temparatures to hot on both sides of the car, the engine gets up to temparature in a normal amount of time, however I get cold air for a lot longer than I would expect - and then all of a sudden hot air will come through. Is it the case that if for example I set the heat to 32 degrees ( maximum ), the climate control won't allow any warm air through at all until it can deliver it at 32 degrees ? seems a little strange if thats the case but its the only logical explanation I can think of - once you've done a few miles its fine but it just seems a little strange !

CD Autochanger - I take it this would be fitted in the left hand side of the luggage area behind the removable panel ( right hand side holds the warning triangle etc ) - as yet I havent managed to remove the left hand panel completely to have a look. As the car has the BMW Business Cassette head unit, is it likely that the autochanger wiring will already be there ? Can any autochanger be used or does it have to be a specific BMW unit ?

Post Sun Mar 01, 2009 12:21 pm

bss325i wrote:
capri_rob wrote:I think i may change the wheels to the 328i Double-spoke 16" alloys but thats about it.
My better half has an R reg 323i SE Saloon in Montreal Blue with silver sport cloth.

It to is a low owner full historied car and despite its 166000 miles still drives realy well and has No fluid leaks at all.

The suspension is in need of a freshen up so a pair of E30 wishbones and some new Bilsteins are on order.

My cars spec from new was,

M3 side skirts
M3 Steering wheel
Digital climate
Digital clock with outside temp
Sport seats
Rear head rests
Top tint screen
Auto dim mirror

I to have the same 15" alloys as yours and also want to replace them with 16" twin spokes. I think an M3 bumper woud be nice to.

I like it but a touring would have been better.

323i's are the underated bargain!

I like Montreal blue - problem I found when looking around was that all the ones for sale in my budget in the more desirable colours - i.e Montreal Blue, Silver, Black etc had done mega mileages. Whilst that in itself doesnt worry me too much I got a much better car for the same money - albeit in a less desirable colour.

Mine has the Digital Climate control, Digital clock with outside temp ( no check control though ), rear headrests and the auto dim rearview mirror ( only noticed that last night - very cool ! )

If anyone has a Rydale Sutton small dealer rear window sticker knocking around please PM me !

Post Sun Mar 01, 2009 12:47 pm

i also just bought an e36 touring for the princely sum of £1070.

the only things i have found wrong so far is, i hope, a noisy wheel bearing and a small patch of rust on the tailgate.

107k, new engine at 36k, good history, not quite as well specced as yours and not as nice a colour either, but its the only manual 328 touring ive seen up here in months for sale.

Post Sun Mar 01, 2009 1:46 pm

nickso wrote:i also just bought an e36 touring for the princely sum of £1070.

the only things i have found wrong so far is, i hope, a noisy wheel bearing and a small patch of rust on the tailgate.

107k, new engine at 36k, good history, not quite as well specced as yours and not as nice a colour either, but its the only manual 328 touring ive seen up here in months for sale.

Very nice ! - and a steal at that price - especially for a 2.8 Manual !

Post Fri Mar 20, 2009 1:47 pm

Do any E36 Touring owners have a pic of the BMW CD autochanger in-situ ? Mine doesn't have it fitted but appears to have the wiring already installed - but there are 2 references to Autochangers in the handbook - Type A or type P - there appears to be loads of the larger type A for sale on Ebay but I can't see the more compact Type P - and looking at the space available thats probably what it needs.

Failing that are all Autochanger connections the same ? - The wiring thats there is a round multi-pin plug.

I've got a Sony Bluetooth CD head unit that I could put in easy enough, but I like the originality of the BMW Business Head unit. Is there a way I can get a bluetooth connection through an old head unit like this - without having to install one of those Parrot things or having wires everywhere, having to drill the dash or having to connect stuff to the cigarette lighter ?

Forgive my ignorance - ICE is never something I've been particularly interested in as long as it works !

Post Fri Mar 20, 2009 8:34 pm

I shall arrange a pic of mine tomorrow.

Post Fri Mar 20, 2009 9:45 pm

Cheers Simon - much appreciated

Post Sun Mar 22, 2009 4:56 pm

capri_rob wrote:Do any E36 Touring owners have a pic of the BMW CD autochanger in-situ ?

As promised..

Post Sun Mar 22, 2009 5:11 pm

Im looking at one of these to replace my E30 in the summer, was thinking of building an iS tourer but having seen the prices of 323i and 328i (and having just got a very sensible quote for insurance!) Im thinking maybe and E36 may be the way forward as it will be my daily driver and needs to carry all my kit........

What are peoples thoughts on the various engine combinations (323/25/28?) - and what easy mods are there to gain extra ponies and improve the way that they drive (not like they are exactly shabby anyway!)

Chris