pfb

E36 M3's have gotten pretty affordable , and I figuire the depreciation curve is going to flatten way out on them... Actually thinking of a sedan.

Any owners out there? Thoughts on the car?

Saab9-3

Not an owner, but I have heard that the steering feel is absolutely phenomenal.

offroadr35

i'm not a current owner but i used to own one. Absolutely an amazing car. I had a 99 and put about 6000 miles on it before i sold it (long story). I do not know how they have withstood the test of time as far as reliability goes but if they still run well there are very few better cars available. I wish i still had mine (estoril blue/creme coupe)

wickerbill

My Dad has a '97 four-door E36 M3 and it's great. I've borrowed it a few times for road trips and it's a great compromise between a sports car and a luxury car. I definitely don't find it near as fun as my S2000, but I would love to have it as a second car. As mentioned earlier, the steering feel is phenomenal. After taking the M3 on a 1200 mile road trip this past summer, I really noticed how much better the steering is when I got back in my S2000.

The only problems he's had are a broken thermostat and a rough idle problem that the dealer couldn't fix, but went away on its own.

derryck

I owned a 97 and a 99 and they are great cars. I currently own a E46 M3 but have been looking for a 98 or 99 convertible M3 which will head straight to Active Autowerkes for turbocharging. They are phenomenal cars... I wish my E46 felt as nimble as the E36 did.

stockae92

i also thought about getting a E36 M3 as my car cause i need a sedan

what about having it as a daily drive? put a lot of milage on it?

bjohnston

Never owned one, but have driven a few. For what it's worth, I think they are absolute classics. Fantastic cars. And, to me, they are in many ways more desirable than the E46. I lusted after the E36 throughout college. That was the gotta-have car back then, and a bunch of kids on campus actually had them. Lucky bastards. I'd say go for it, and post pics when you get it. Also, there was a 4-door '98 for sale on this site a week or so ago, but they should be easy to find anywhere. Good luck.

vroom

I've got a '97 M3. I've put 106,00 miles on it and it's still my daily driver. There is a "fix-it" period bxt about 60 and 80K where you have alot of minor issues (rear shock mounts - actually every 20k, trailing arm bushings, tranny slop, steering wheel squeak, radiator neck breaking). That said, my M3 is still to me a phenomenal car. I just had the diff replaced (3.23 to 3.38 with additional lockup - about the same as the gear change that xviper made to the S) because my original went at 98K. The last 8K have been problem free with 4 autocrosses thrown in. The car was a daily driver (4 seasons) and had about 50 autocrosses and 8 track days and had a stiffer than stock H&R coilover suspension for about 30K; it's now back to stock.

My S is more 'fun' but that is a combo of the visceral thrill of 9k RPM and lighter wieght. On the other hand, it sure is fun to lay into the throttle in 2nd gear from about 15mph and still have the M take off. Personally I'm faster and more comfortable with the M3 above about 70 MPH through turns with the M than the S as the M is more forgiving. Can't compare on track as I have only autocrossed the S but hope to get it on track next spring. In a few areas where I can do some comparos off of corners to a specific point, both cars trap at approximately the same speed (learned this from a bike buddy and I find it a great way to compare cars speeds when handling). Oh, and with the above mentioned useage - including terrible NYC/North Jersey roads - the M3 has only one small squeak.

Don't know what else to say, but feel free to ask for any specific questions. It does seem that based on www.bimmerforums particiaption, that with the falling price alot of younger owners are buying E36 ///M3's and thinking that they're Mustangs (lots of donuts and smokey burnouts seem to rule now).

steve c

Fantastic cars, worth every penny. The best turn in (stock for stock on stock tires) of anything out there, regardless of price.

Fapout

As most people know, my car was in an accident. My loaner car from my friend that crashed it was a 95 M3. Which I drove for about 2 weeks I guarantee it was one of the best cars for the money in it's day. But honestly, the S2000 is a more solid car. It's a nice car because it performs almost as well as the S2000 AND has a back seat.

I don't think it would be a bad purchase if you went with the M3. But after driving the S2000, it won't feel as nice and tight. The torque feels nice. But it would be more rewarding if you bought the M3 and drove a sloppy handling truck in the spare time to make the M3 feel better.

In no way am I bashing the M3. But in summary. After being an S2000 driver, the M3 will not feel as superb as the accolades everyone else gives it.