I have an '07 Z4 3.0 si and a week old baby. So long story short I am looking to put the Z4 in the garage and pick up an E36 as a DD. Either a Coupe or Convertible. I have been looking at cars with MT and sport packages. I would like to do an M-Tech body kit, CSL wheels, and suspension work. Strangely enough the only 3 series that I don't have experience with is the E36 so I turn to all of you for your advice on where to buy and what to get. and then of course there will be follow up and photos as the project continues. Thanks in advance
Hmm. Week old baby. How about just buy a 4 door M3 and keep the stock rollers and suspension. Your wife (I am sorry if I am incorrect assuming that you did not bear the child yourself) will appreciate you spending time and money on the family vs. the car and you get one of the better cars BMW has made. Sounds like a win-win, especially if you can convince her that you will "settle" for an M3. Just look for the service history and expect to spend a little here and there on ball joints and rubber components and basic service and you will be in good shape.
Thanks for the advice. i would like to find one of those but have had little luck finding one in my area that is 1. unmolested and 2 reasonably priced. In my area there are a surplus of low mileage and well maintained E36 coupes and convertibles versus the rare 4 door M3 find. I also appreciate a project and live within 5 miles of Rogue Engineering and Motor Werks West ( a Dinan shop). So some of the wrenching would be done on my own and other projects could be performed by these shops. Oh, and I just don't like 4 doors. Just need a back seat to put the baby in on the rare occasion that I need to pick her up or drop her off. Probably should have kept the E30 but live and learn I guess.
Before getting to your first responder, I was thinking the same thing... we have a 97 M3 sedan and drive it all winter long in upstate NY. Great for throwing around the curves, great for getting groceries, and holds it's own in the ice and snow with snow tires.
Again thanks for the advice. I am looking for a coupe or convertible. Just need a back seat and have always been really fond of the look of an E36 with and M-Tech body kit and CSL wheels. If I get a coupe I would like to turn it into a track car eventually. If I were to get a sedan I would drop the Z4 altogether and buy a 335i or an E39 540i. We already have a perfectly capable car for the winter so this is not the purpose of the vehicle at all. Basically I want a dd/ occasional baby taxi that has the character and look that I like. And an excuse to have Ben at Rogue help me build an individual car.
I still say get the M3 coupe, then. The money you will spend on the body kit and paint, and any performance mods will put you into a nice M3 that has lots of that stuff already, plus door panels that won't shrink and peel off like the vinyl ones in a regular E36 coupe will.
I've had an e36 DD since 2000. Bought a 1996 328i when it had 54K on the clock. It's driven about 52 miles each day to and from work. It now has 179K on the clock and no serious issues. I've done all the routine maint & inspections, oil changes every 5K since I've owned the car and it's been a great car to date. That includes 6 years of child seats in the back seat as well.
+4 for the M3. With very few modifications, it makes a tremendous track car and a great daily driver. I've got 150K on my '95, it's seen more autocrosses and track days than I can remember and it's my daily driver. Just do the regular maintenance on it and it will run forever. But I do have to say, I love the M3 sedan! The black car in the photo is my wife's '98 M3 sedan and I come up with excuses all the time to drive it. I know you want a coupe or convertible and that's cool but the 4-door M3 is just...special somehow. Just my 2 cents worth...
Just get the sedan M3. They're a bit harder to find, but they're worth it. If you're tall, they also offer about an inch more headroom. Personally, If I had to do it all over and I needed a sedan, I'd try to find a Byzanz M3. It's got the looks you're looking for already done and the performance to back it up. Sports cars with baby seats in the back are always awesome to look at.
I dunno... methinks Technoviolett or Estorilblau are purtier.... And you don't have to have a '97 M3 4-door to have them.
