Looking for cheap E30/E36/E46

Hey guys, I'm just about to get my license (just turned 16 October 1st). I want to find a cheap manual 3-series for a couple thousand. I got a job just to help buy the car. My dad was not very cool (actually kind of rude) about getting me a car so I looked a while for a 330Ci/i but now it looks like I will need to buy a car myself...

Please help me out guys. I know some of you out there can be very generous and devote some time.

Again main thing is that its a manual. Less than 100,000 if possible but I highly doubt it would happen...

I'm so hopeless. I even want to go to Clemson University and apply for that BMW program there.

hey there,
just search around and use all the resources (craigslist, cars.com, local papers), including monitoring this board frequently. You may need to be a little patient; but there are deals to be found out there in your price range. I know for myself, it took me 10 years to get my bimmer and it was great for me, my last car I really abused the sht out of it and now treat my e46 like a queen.

gl

thanks for the advice, I'm still planning on getting a bmw asap. Just any 3 series as long as its not modded to look like crap and as long as its a manual... I am willing to work my ass off for this so yeah, I'm pretty determined to get one in the next couple months.

I will be checking the forum persistently and I am sure I will run into a good deal.

Thanks for the advice again

Rob

I dont know what you're willing to spend and how far you're willing to go but here's my car: http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=707470 It's salvaged and I don't really know how to price a salvaged car so if you're interested just throw me a PM

I feel like these boards are getting younger and younger, my advise is to get something that will coast less to purchase and less to maintained, that you can really learn how to drive on. In your price range, your honestly looking at high mileage E30's that are most likely junk, and E36's that are also most likely junk, Your 16, if you get an E30 there will be no traction control, you will drive like a jerk, cause we all did, me included, and heaven forbid you cant handle the back end coming out on you. I suggest that you get something that can take a couple hit, learn how to drive, gain some valuable road experience, save some money, and buy an E46 that you will enjoy and will last. That's just my advise, you can take it or learn the hard way, and I am pretty sure many of the older people on the boards will agree.

Originally Posted by R0B

Hey guys, I'm just about to get my license (just turned 16 October 1st). I want to find a cheap manual 3-series for a couple thousand. I got a job just to help buy the car. My dad was not very cool (actually kind of rude) about getting me a car so I looked a while for a 330Ci/i but now it looks like I will need to buy a car myself...

Please help me out guys. I know some of you out there can be very generous and devote some time.

Again main thing is that its a manual. Less than 100,000 if possible but I highly doubt it would happen...

I'm so hopeless. I even want to go to Clemson University and apply for that BMW program there.

Good luck on your search, bro. Don't be so hard on your dad... he's ultimately doing you a favor in not buying you your car and making you work for it out of your hard earned money. Again, good luck.

kids these days.... i waiting around for 4 months. looking for the right bmw to buy. it doesnt come easy for everyone. some ppl are given what they want. and the others work hard for what they have.

Originally Posted by TiG3rBa7m

kids these days.... i waiting around for 4 months. looking for the right bmw to buy. it doesnt come easy for everyone. some ppl are given what they want. and the others work hard for what they have.

Guess I was wrong to look for some help and guidance on this forum... Who are you guys to judge someone that you never met and know only a fraction of who they are. I don't want to brag but I think that if you knew me you would find that I am probably the most mature 16 year olds you've ever met. Now I know that sounds conceited but its true. My life has not been very easy lately and my father has not helped one bit... I will repeat myself and say I am very determined and I see myself buying my OWN car and I feel like I am well deserving of one. I build computers for adults so I'm not exactly dim-witted.


I will not buy salvaged car unless its for $3000 lol...

I am also planning on messing with cars like I mess around with computers. I can comprehend many things that I'm interested in...

Thanks to the people who actually gave me some good advice but I have been driving since 10 years old (I know its not long but its long enough) and I pretty much know when and where I can drive like a jackass so I am not afraid of a locked differential/ limited slip with no TCS.

Originally Posted by Navin323i

Good luck on your search, bro. Don't be so hard on your dad... he's ultimately doing you a favor in not buying you your car and making you work for it out of your hard earned money. Again, good luck.

I know double post...

Thanks a lot! I used to live in D.C. but I moved to San Antonio last winter (Fairfax).

id say go for an e36, plenty of sweet 325is, 328is, and who knows, maybe you can find an e36 m3 for real cheap. E30s are cheaper and are pretty sweet, however, you really need to keep up on maintenance with those things, parts fail a lot b/c of age and mileage. As for an e46, the main problem would be maintenance, if you cant afford proper maintenance, then i wouldn't get 1. E36 can be cheap, fairly easy and cheaper to maintain than an e46. Now if you can get a cheap 323/328 with low miles than that might be a solution. It all depends how much money you willing to spend. Remember though, you are young (i am too, im 19), you WILL make dumb driving mistakes (as did I), and im pretty sure you'd want to make those mistakes on a cheap reliable car. Good luck with the car searching!

whats up with all these people from Northern Va/DC I was in Fairfax for five years before I moved here. Anyway I will cross out the chance of me getting an E46 and will now start looking for E30/36. I think I might enjoy working on an E30.

Thanks bro

I just got rid of my E36 M3 for $3k.

the insurance for a 16 yr old with an e46 will proly be more expensive than the car in the first yr

Originally Posted by MrHargs23

the insurance for a 16 yr old with an e46 will proly be more expensive than the car in the first yr

I've been thinking about that issue too... Maybe put it under Mom's name idk.

Originally Posted by m3on20z

I just got rid of my E36 M3 for $3k.

holy ****! thats cheap! Was anything wrong with it? what year?

I dont want to be a downer as well, but I think you need to heed some of the negative advice as well. Yes, in the current market, you can pretty easily find a BMW for 3k-5k. Easily. I can even find an E46 with some hard finding.

But the reality is within that range, you get what you pay for, in the form of a high mileage vehicle with a history. After 80k, things break nearly every month. then once you think youve done it all, they break again. Then there are the unavoidable accidents of adolescence.

I was a young buyer as well once upon a time, and along the way I seriously regret it - what you pay for it up front is not the end - there is insurance, parts / maintenance. Owning a car is no joke, especially an old one - there is a reason civics are so popular, they are cheap. Ive been working on my car since I was 16 - its easy, but finding the thousands of dollars along the way, on top of rent, food, tuition... thats the hard part.

sit on it a bit, invest the money let it work for you; then if you really want buy it but only if you know what youre getting into. Its fun, most of the time.

btw, my first car was an E30, it was awesome- doesnt have as many electronics or gimicks to break. The E36 also great, my choice of the 3 if I was going on the cheap, as people probably have done most of the maintenance if you find the right one. The e46, id avoid, as most people getting rid of them are running into the large degree of maintenance period.

Originally Posted by alwaysbored786

holy ****! thats cheap! Was anything wrong with it? what year?

Had 150k on her, was a '95 and an auto unfortunately. I had most of the parts to do the manual swap than ran into some money problems. Car was fine for the most part, needed some suspension goodies (control arms, and bushings). Had some rust around the fenders.

Sold it to a friend of a friend, had a lot of offers, but he actually had cash haha. Atleast I'll still get to see her once in a while.

Originally Posted by R0B

Thanks to the people who actually gave me some good advice but I have been driving since 10 years old (I know its not long but its long enough) and I pretty much know when and where I can drive like a jackass so I am not afraid of a locked differential/ limited slip with no TCS.

How do you know where you can, and can not do this if you dont even have a month of driving experience on the road, with traffic, and other idiots that dont know how to drive?

You taking my advice the wrong way, I don't want to see you invest your money into something that does not pay off in the long run. I got out of my e46 because everything started to go and I couldnt keep up with it and I work a full time job and graduated college. Just some food for thought.

Sux, you're a little late. I had an e30 325ix, 5-speed manual with 150k miles. Metallic grey with the red leather recaro interior, bbs wheels, electric sunroof, non cracked dash but it was project car status. I started it up and drove it home.. it was only run for about 30 mins since 2002 Didn't need much, just a tune up and some general maintenance. Sold it a couple weeks ago.

I want to sell my 2002 now, but it's also a project car.

Originally Posted by R0B

Guess I was wrong to look for some help and guidance on this forum... Who are you guys to judge someone that you never met and know only a fraction of who they are. I don't want to brag but I think that if you knew me you would find that I am probably the most mature 16 year olds you've ever met. Now I know that sounds conceited but its true. My life has not been very easy lately and my father has not helped one bit... I will repeat myself and say I am very determined and I see myself buying my OWN car and I feel like I am well deserving of one. I build computers for adults so I'm not exactly dim-witted.


I will not buy salvaged car unless its for $3000 lol...

I am also planning on messing with cars like I mess around with computers. I can comprehend many things that I'm interested in...

Thanks to the people who actually gave me some good advice but I have been driving since 10 years old (I know its not long but its long enough) and I pretty much know when and where I can drive like a jackass so I am not afraid of a locked differential/ limited slip with no TCS.

first off. im not here to bash on your life the whole 16 yrs you have had. life for you maybe hard or easy idk. im just gonna tell you this it is going to be very very hard to find a car you want with what you have to spend. so when i said that i waited 4 months for mine. i was meaning that maybe you should wait to around jan or feb to find one. you may get a better price caz it will be more winter time for most places. and it sounded from what your first post was is you was looking for someone to hand you a bmw and maybe a penty party at the sametime. but when you do get one. this forum wil be here to help and anyway it can.