Early E36 Coupe

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 9:34 am

Anyone know what to look out for on these apart from Rear Arch Rust, Soft Rear Springs, front and Rear Suspension bushes.

Possibly contemplating one as a daily driver to use until the E30 is sorted out.

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 9:40 am

Good cheap motoring tbh! corroded brake / fuel lines at the rear is another classic issue.

What engine are you opting for?

Try and get one with a years ticket then if you have an epic fail in a yeas time scrap it. If you source a 325i then you can always use/sell it for 24v conversion.

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 9:55 am

No idea, wife saw it up for sale on facebook, its up for £500 and the add says its a hardtop, so i am asuming its a coupe. My suzuki swift keeps jumping out of 5th gear and is my daily driver and am going to need something to replace it soon as the E30 is not yet back on the road. I need good mpg though, i do about 17k miles a year, approx 2/3 of which is urban driving, i average 35-40mpg and use about £35-£40 a week and can't afford for this to rise much more than about £5 a week. hence why the E30 is a 316i M10.

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 10:07 am

6 cylinder will be shyte on fuel in urban driving, I'd think wisely, £5 a week is neither here nor there lol you can lose that by nipping out to the local shop

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 10:10 am

i know, but i do fancy an E36 as a daily driver and i can have the E30 as a toy on classic insurance.

I'll see what tax and test the E36 has, if its 6-12months then i may be interested.

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 11:40 am

try a late 318is, still have a wee bit of poke and they are not terrible on fuel if you drive them right. get a sport and you get all the toys the bigger engined cars have.

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 11:49 am

this is a specific car up for £500 my mrs found, depending on engine and t&t i may be interested. i just need a daily driver thats cheap to run, my suzuki is going down in flames and fast. (noisly thrust bearing, been like it years, clutch on its last legs with a very high bite and has now started popping out of 5th gear, once its starts doing 4th too its time for it to go).

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 12:46 pm

Another E36 318i Auto, J plate with about 140k on the clock (11mths MOT and tax till december), does about £450 sound fair

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:15 pm

£500 for a 318Ti.. No tax but MOT'd till end Nov. Just had a major service inc lambda, and rear discs and pads.

Nice little run about. Did 36mpg on the commute for me.

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:25 pm

Is the Ti an E36 Compact? If so i don't like the look of those, just look weird. sorry.

Also looking at an Auto Carlton, had carlton's before and they are cheap to run and reasonably reliable.

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:27 pm

and yet you drive a Swift and want a Carlton..

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:31 pm

swift was a bargain motor i got last year. My old carlton was nicked 6 years and never recovered, carlton i was 3rd owner from new 2 owners in the same family, loved it.

I have a swift daily driver, the 2dr E30 and a 4month old Honda Civic. swift is rappidly dying so need a cheap replacement until the E30 is back on the road.

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 2:06 pm

Jhonno wrote:and yet you drive a Swift and want a Carlton..

Sorry Dan, your 'pact is not council enough !

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 2:19 pm

Should have bought that £2500 2008 540i eh?

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 2:21 pm

no, i would have just bought it and sold the 540 on for a profit.

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 2:22 pm

Andyboy wrote:Should have bought that £2500 2008 540i eh?

Alas, it lacked the handling balance of the alloy panelled 924

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 2:23 pm

m8782538 wrote:no, i would have just bought it and sold the 540 on for a profit.

That is hardly a crime !

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 2:24 pm

m8782538 wrote:no, i would have just bought it and sold the 540 on for a profit.

So, what stopped you from making the thick end of 15 grand for a days' work?

Not that I believe you for a second of course!

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 2:36 pm

Andyboy wrote:
m8782538 wrote:no, i would have just bought it and sold the 540 on for a profit.
So, what stopped you from making the thick end of 15 grand for a days' work?

Not that I believe you for a second of course!

Religious beliefs would have prevented me from taking advantage of such a situation !

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 3:37 pm

couldn't be bothered and was rather sceptical, plus the mrs wasn't too happy about the idea.

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 4:01 pm

I can never be bothered to earn 15k for a weeks work either..

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 4:16 pm

wouldn't have sold it for 15k profit, sold it fast and cheap first come first served.

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 4:17 pm

Ok my bad... 14k..

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 4:21 pm

6-7k make about 5k on it, i'm not greedy.

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 5:02 pm

I see.

So 'the wife' wasn't happy about buying a 20 grand car for £2500 and taking it round to Dick Lovett's the next day and coming away with a cheque for £20'000. Have I got that right?

Instead you're scratching around with 500 quid bangers - and there's a good reason for that.

Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 6:10 pm

Women eh....

Post Wed Jul 27, 2011 7:12 am

m8782538 wrote:couldn't be bothered and was rather sceptical, plus the mrs wasn't too happy about the idea.

I know what you mean. My wife would be livid if I came home with 20K burning a hole in my pocket...

She still hasn't forgiven me for turning down a £200 barn find M3!

Anyway, a M43 donk 316i/318i saloon is what you need. They are out there for £500 but spending closer to £1K should buy an excellent example with plenty of life left in it.

Post Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:09 am

This 540i wasn't in a barn at all was it..?

Post Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:55 am

haven't got 1k to spend at the moment as i can repair the swift for £300.

Post Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:57 am

m8782538 wrote:haven't got 1k to spend at the moment as i can repair the swift for £300.

I can see why you passed over the 360.

Echo above, four door 318i or even an E34 518i. Cheap to buy and run.

Post Wed Jul 27, 2011 10:10 am

Considered an E34 518i a while ago, a mate got one to sell on but it had a knackered gearbox so i didn't bother. I may end up just putting a new gearbox on the swift, engine is sweet, new gearbox and clutch as it will run as new. Bodywork a bit rough around the edges but nothing a small amount of filler and a rattle can can't sort out. Needs new alloys though, existing TSW ones were knackered when i got the car and have no centre caps.

Post Wed Jul 27, 2011 12:35 pm

m8782538 wrote:Considered an E34 518i a while ago, a mate got one to sell on but it had a knackered gearbox so i didn't bother. I may end up just putting a new gearbox on the swift, engine is sweet, new gearbox and clutch as it will run as new. Bodywork a bit rough around the edges but nothing a small amount of filler and a rattle can can't sort out. Needs new alloys though, existing TSW ones were knackered when i got the car and have no centre caps.

Sounds lovely......

Post Wed Jul 27, 2011 8:23 pm

m8782538 wrote: I may end up just putting a jet pack and Delta wings on the swift, engine is sweet, new gearbox and clutch as it will run as new. Bodywork a bit rough around the edges but nothing a small amount of filler and a turbo conversion can't sort out.