Question about E30/E36's

Hey,

So my girlfriend is in need of a beater car and I am in the want for a fun car to turn into a little track toy or jus tplain work on and enjoy. I know nothing about PRe-e46 bmw's.

Can anyone list the pro's/cons of getting an E30 vs an E36? Which is better and easier to mod (and easier to find)? Is it worth it to find an M? How much am I looking to spend? (<5K)

E36 M3 ftw!

only benefit from E30 is pricing, cuz they're older!

I don't think you will be able to find a E36 M3 for under $5000.00, nor a E30 M3 "which seem to be rather rare to me".. I almost bought a old 4cyl Z3 to putz around with until I found out how much insurance would be for it!!!

Well they are fun to drive and moderately quick since they are really light. They arent expensive to repair. They are built like tanks and they are quite roomy in the front seats even though they are tiny. The cons are you have no traction or stability control so be careful in the wet and they can be a pain to find. Oh wait I know where to find one. I have one for sale. LOL but you knew that already. You posted earlier

found an e36 m3 with only 80k miles. what sounds like the right price for it? i know for a fact its been sitting at this dealership for at least 3 years. the guy said 13k and i laughed.

Originally Posted by alex328ci

found an e36 m3 with only 80k miles. what sounds like the right price for it? i know for a fact its been sitting at this dealership for at least 3 years. the guy said 13k and i laughed.

it might be worth 13k if it was well cared for and has had its proper maintenance. I would ask for the maintenance history and if they don't have it-make them do all of it and drop theire price. 10-11k is about right if it is stock.

Originally Posted by alex328ci

found an e36 m3 with only 80k miles. what sounds like the right price for it? i know for a fact its been sitting at this dealership for at least 3 years. the guy said 13k and i laughed.

He probably laughed right back at you. That price is almost spot on.

You will not find an E36 M3 for much less than that and it is not most likely not the right car for her anyway. Unless she is into BMW's she will also not appreciate the E30 for what its worth.


You can find a decent E36 325/318 for that price range. Girls seem to like them. Good luck.

best bet is just going for e36 325i/238i. I got an e36 328i with about 157k on the clock and it drives fine with minor repairs here and there. Overall it's a very solid car.

I wouldn't suggest an M3, e30 or e36... because you'll end up paying a lot more if its in good condish, and if this is just a daily driver, its not worth it... the e30 is an awesome car. if you want a car to work on i would say go this route since they were made much less complicated (obviously) than its newer counterparts... however, if you want just a reliable beater, e36s might last longer since they are newer...
personally though, i love the e30s and i would buy one if i had the room... just because they are incredibly fun to tool around in...
just my .02

If you're looking for just an old beater/something to work on, I'd say go with the E30. They're very fun to drive. There might be compromises in comfort and condition due to its age, but for what it seems you are looking for, it's perfect. I have a 1991 318i 5 speed and I love it.

i know a very clean e36 325 for around 5k. Its not an m3 but its in great condition and has had a lot of maintenance done

So...anyone selling a e30 ///M