Thinking about buying a BMW (sold my STI)

[Guest SPANKU]

im glad someone else is joining up

i also got a BMW E39 525i currently standard. not looking to do anything to it

yeah i would love to have the E46 as my next car also

[Jammasta]

Whats everyones opinion on the 330i and Ci. 2001-03 e46?

Would love to find an e30 M3, but i am sure they are rarer than hens teeth around here.

[Guest]

those 330i and 330ci are pretty cool imo.

Nicely specced and go ok so i hear. havent actually driven one.

Try and get an M spec 330 and you will enjoy.

[newsuba]

 TURTLE said:

Whats everyones opinion on the 330i and Ci. 2001-03 e46?

Would love to find an e30 M3, but i am sure they are rarer than hens teeth around here.

The E30 M3 remains THE epitome of real M-cars.

There's a couple of E30 M3 imports on TardMe now.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/BMW/E30/auction-200401849.htm

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/BMW/E30/auction-213618882.htm

Neither looks particularly appealing to the M-connoisseur, although the white one has the advantage of being LHD.

You do not want an E30 converted to RHD as they lose the wonderfully sharp and tactile steering that is essential to the E30 M3 experience.

Love the E46 but not a fan of the coupes (M3 aside).

330i is superb, especially in M-spec.

Best was the 330D(iesel), an effortless touring car ideal for NZ conditions.

A good sized 4-seater with excellent build, great handling and a superb drivetrain that makes turbo Jappas feel like tractors.

Get NZ new though, most Jap imports have lower spec than NZ cars plus a FSH is essential.

[stira]

Im glad im not the only one getting old

[BC5RA]

If i have a sudden aged moment I'd probably just get a GEN1 legacy with Power windows.

[stira]

Yeah but your strange. ;D

[Jammasta]

 BC5RA said:

If i have a sudden aged moment I'd probably just get a GEN1 legacy with Power windows.

HAHAHAHAHAHA

[Guest]

I used to have an E36 320i, sedan.. was the commuter car basically.. these cars have buggerall boot space and leg room in the back seats for a 4dr sedan, theres more space in an Impreza.. mine didn't handle that well either.. (struggled to keep up with an Altezza on a road trip, due to major bodyroll and tyre squeeling).

The only E36 I would buy is a M3 coupe, but these cost $20k +

E36 isn't a very safe car either, Euroncap results in 1.5 Star rating!, however E46 gets a 4 Star rating.

http://www.euroncap.com/tests/bmw_3_series_1997/15.aspx

[CMPLSV]

the only bad thing i can say from when i owned a BMW is the repair bills... i spent twice as much as a normal car woud have cost me, altho my beamer was an older one, not sure what repair / parts prices are on the newer models...

- they are great cars - and by far the nicest car ive ever driven......

[Guest]

I hope this is helpful for ya ... I to am considering an BMW E36 .. there reasonably priced.. not for me though .. may buy it for my partner.. and take the impreza..

It has all spec codes, engines and power ranges etc etc

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_E36#Coupes

yes i read wiki.. pack'd with good info..

1995–1998

M3,3.2 L (3201 cc, 195 cu in) 6cyl DOHC 24V; Petrol; 321 PS (317 hp/236 kW) @7400 rpm; 350 N·m (258 lb·ft) @3250 rpm S50B32 (<engine number); 5.5 (<0-100km) 250 km/h (155 mph)

My favorite..

[Guest dynofiend]

Ive previously owned an e36 328i Sport. Great car, but a few things to say about it.

First, its a very torquey engine, but not all that fast. My 97 WRX is much faster as standard.

Second (and this goes for almost all BMWs), be wary of the 'M' badged cars. All they are, is normal BMWs with M spec cosmetic add ons. People will claim that the cars have M suspension and M brakes, but unless they are a genuine M car (ie an M3 or M5), then they dont. There are a few, very few, exceptions to that rule, but they are so rare its almost not worth mentioning! The e36 M3 running gear is unique to the M3 and never came as an option on lesser models. In fact, it seems like most BMWs in NZ wear an M badge somewhere. Means feck all basicly, even if they are registered as (for example) a 325 Motorsport, then they are just a 325 with factory cosmetic add ons, that a wiley importer registered as a 'motorsport' so that they could claim a higher forecourt price.

Third, be wary of earlier models. I dont know if any were brought to NZ, but alot of 328s came with a 'Nikasil' lined engine block, which has a habit of just randomly failing due to excessive bore wear with no warning and at any point in its life span, and is virtually irrepairable. There is a way to check to see if the block is a Nikasil one, but its hard to spot unless you know what you are looking for.

Lastly, dont get an auto. Autos are for people who either dont know how, or dont want to drive properly. (sorry to auto owners, but I really hate them!) Ive driven an auto 325 round the nurburgring, and also a manual 328. Driving the auto fast was fine on the straights, but in corners it dropped into too high a gear, and under braking you couldnt go down through the gears like you do in a manual. Rubbish.

My Sport was different from a standard 328i in that it had a LSD and Bilstein suspension as standard. I rated the car highly in terms of its handling, comfort, and all round ability.

If youre intrested any more, give me a PM as I worked around these cars (mates have had a few e36s as well) for quite a few years.

[newsuba]

Blame BMW for the confusion caused by calling both their serious, once handbuilt roadracers and their sporty accessory line "M".

:

An offshoot company, BMW Motorsport GmbH, originally handbuilt the first M3 and M5 cars.

Then BMW GmbH appropriated the M for their Motorsport accessory line.

The Motorsport options did include a suspension package as well as the cosmetic bits like seats, steering wheels, road wheels, bodykits etc.

So while the M3 running gear was not optional it is possible to get an E36 with factory Motorsport suspension (they never offered a brake package). These cars were lower, a bit better handling and poorer riding.

Finally, if you're not tearing around the Nurburgring, there's nothing wrong with the auto gearboxes, they are well suited for regular driving.

[Guest dynofiend]

I think what I was getting at was that the M suspension package offered with the e36 was not the same as the M3 suspension. For a start, the M3 uses a completely different front antiroll bar setup and drop links etc.

I guess what slightly irritates me is the plethora of BMWs wearing M badges, like they are a special edition model, when in fact, all they have is (possibly) more option boxes ticked on the list. I had someone the other day telling me how their e46 325 (M) was the 'next one down from the m3'. I hadnt the heart to ask if he'd heard of the 328 or 330, and certainly didnt have the guts to tell him that there actually is a 325 Motorsport limited edition (carbon rocker cover etc etc), and that his car wasnt one of them. Fact was, he'd been spun a line by the dealer, and was just telling me what he'd been told by someone else. Shame really.

I still hate automatics, even for general driving ;D

[stira]

My STI went today, sad day but time for something new.

[Guest]

condolances, but i understand.

There are a few of us...ahem....elder members of the forum in a similar situation i think.

[Guest]

An affordable M3 http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/BMW/E36/auction-214325699.htm

Not much more $ than a 328i Coupe in Manual, but then theres the High KM's.. although according to reviews they will last well into the 300,000k range.

[newsuba]

It's been chipped and there's some typical Bimmer selling BS...

 

Superchip upgrade brings Hp upto 300RWHP from 285

These things never had even close to 285 bhp from the wheels.

Factory figure was 286bhp from flywheel...

 

Drives and feels like a 26,000km car

But notice there are no interior photos ?

Caveat emptor

[Guest]

 newsuba said:

It's been chipped and there's some typical Bimmer selling BS...

 

Superchip upgrade brings Hp upto 300RWHP from 285

These things never had even close to 285 bhp from the wheels.

Factory figure was 286bhp from flywheel...

 

Drives and feels like a 26,000km car

But notice there are no interior photos ?

Caveat emptor

Yeah, I guess its cheap for a reason, is a nice 1993 one on there for 20k, with 118,000ks, lots of pics etc.. but 20k is alot of coin for a 16 Year old car imo.

I like them though.. but might wait for a E46 one.. will start saving now.. in 3 years i'll pay cash for one, assuming they are under 30k by that time..

[stira]

Ive got similar thoughts, the E46 was supposed to be a much better car and there seems to be a lot about so may be quite a bit cheaper in the next few years.