The 'you need an E36' thread

[PoorHouse]

Sounds like a great deal.

[Chris_V]

Posted this one here before, but last year we found this '93 325i for $1200 and drove it home for my kid's GF.



It's needed a water pump and a coil pack and a basic tuenup, but that's it mechanically. It also needed both front window regulators because the PO trashed them trying to install a **** stereo system. Luckily he hadn't had it long enough to truly trash it and was using the money to go buy another Civic. It's been a good car for her since we got it.

[magicninja]

I love my e36s!

[danny_16v]

Gotta say Dan, your M3 was very clean.

It's been several years but I've been missing my old one quite a bit...

dc


m3 in the fog by Daniel Crouch, on Flickr

[danny_16v]

more BRG GT goodness

[DarrenW]

Car 36 – Mark Smith / Arran Moulton-Smith – 1993 BMW E36 M3 by retromotoring, on Flickr


Car 111 – Mark Astall – BMW E36 M3 3200 by retromotoring, on Flickr


Car 55 – Mark Humpries / Matthew Humphries – Blue 1996 BMW E36 Coupe by retromotoring, on Flickr


Car 12 - Dennis Crompton - White BMW E36 M3 3200cc by retromotoring, on Flickr


Car 6 - M Jones and C Brierley - BMW E36 M3 XSN206A by retromotoring, on Flickr




Car 8 - Tim Harvey - BMW 318is by retromotoring, on Flickr

[Charlie84]

I just bought a nicely kept 1997 M3 Sedan. Its in amazingly good shape, never seen a winter despite living all of its life in Vermont. Everything except the radio works, has a few light mods (drilled rotors, bilstein shocks, wheels). Only issue I had originally is that its an automatic, but for my purposes (daily driver in city traffic, occasional baby hauler), I kind of like having it. Has 136k miles, and I bought it for $5900, which as far as I can tell is a very decent price.

If you're wondering why it rides like ****, switch out the Bilstein shocks asap for some Koni Sports or OEM ones (Sachs/Boge only, which are very inexpensive at autohausaz.com).

[Eightysixturbo]

in

[BHCfarkas]

Still looking for a reason to need an E36

[20aeman]

in

I'd prefer the more attractive version:

[VadGTI]

If you're wondering why it rides like ****, switch out the Bilstein shocks asap for some Koni Sports or OEM ones (Sachs/Boge only, which are very inexpensive at autohausaz.com).

[matty_peppers]

Found a clean-as-hell M3. Now to sell the 'speed3. Hopefully I'll be posting pics in here soon.

[Charlie84]

If you're wondering why it rides like ****, switch out the Bilstein shocks asap for some Koni Sports or OEM ones (Sachs/Boge only, which are very inexpensive at autohausaz.com).

The valving on the Bilsteins Sports for E36s is extremely aggressive (I think in bump damping). They are notorious in the E36 community for delivering an unjustifiably harsh ride quality. So, I rail against them every chance I get.

[danny_16v]

The valving on the Bilsteins Sports for E36s is extremely aggressive (I think in bump damping). They are notorious in the E36 community for delivering an unjustifiably harsh ride quality. So, I rail against them every chance I get.

I've yet to ride in sports, only rode in an E36 with PSS or PSS9's once and they rode fine. But that's a different damper altogether.

[a2a4raddo]

I'd prefer the more attractive version:

I would rather have an m powered/converted Ti.i find them more attractive, practical, and exclusive then an m coupe.

[Chapel]

The valving on the Bilsteins Sports for E36s is extremely aggressive (I think in bump damping). They are notorious in the E36 community for delivering an unjustifiably harsh ride quality. So, I rail against them every chance I get.

Good to know. I'll probably go H&R Cup Kit or FK Coilovers

[Dan337]

^^^Perfection.

Dan, what headlights are those and how did you wire the city lights?

Thanks!

They were OEM replacement e-code ZKW's, which were the best for the money in my mind in terms of performance and looks. No angel eyes or HID's, which look out of place in my opinion. I think the city lights were pre-wired but I can't quite recall as my buddy did the install.



dc

[danny_16v]

Good to know. I'll probably go H&R Cup Kit or FK Coilovers

What car are you getting Chapel? There are better options in my opinion...

depends on what you want to achieve, let's hear your requirements

[Diamond Dave]

The valving on the Bilsteins Sports for E36s is extremely aggressive (I think in bump damping). They are notorious in the E36 community for delivering an unjustifiably harsh ride quality. So, I rail against them every chance I get.

For everyone's awareness, there's no difference in valving between Bilstein Sports and Bilstein HD's. Sports are built with a shorter piston so they work in conjunction with lowering springs.

[Chapel]

What car are you getting Chapel? There are better options in my opinion...

depends on what you want to achieve, let's hear your requirements

E36 328i
Requirements? a bit lower. a bit sportier. not terrible to drive daily.

[max302]

e36's were the cars of my youth. Pretty sure I had my first boner seeing a technoviolet e36 M3.

This thread is awesome!

[eburg_DUB]

I love mine

as of today its ready for paint all stripped just a shell . I still have to pull all the wires
still in the air on the color but Porsche macadamia metallic is in the top 5

[Charlie84]

For everyone's awareness, there's no difference in valving between Bilstein Sports and Bilstein HD's. Sports are built with a shorter piston so they work in conjunction with lowering springs.

I learned this just today! Whatever the exact source, be it valving, bump-stops or overall lack of travel, the Bilstein Sports ride terribly with just about any spring combo. I've never heard of anyone whose figured out how to get them to ride nicely without modifying the shock itself in some what.

[danny_16v]

For everyone's awareness, there's no difference in valving between Bilstein Sports and Bilstein HD's. Sports are built with a shorter piston so they work in conjunction with lowering springs.

Bilstein HD's aren't made for the E36 M3 apparently... only the standard E36. However you could use the HD's by converting to non-M style front sway bar end links, where the end links of the sway bar mount to the control arm instead of the front strut. I've done this on my M3... it's actually kind of an upgrade as the non-M front bar is thicker than the M3 front bar.

The problem seems to be that because of the shorter travel length the shocks seem to hit the internal bump stops more often... Bisltein apparently made a revision to the Bilstein sport... and some have even opened them up to shorten the bump stops themselves.

E36 328i
Requirements? a bit lower. a bit sportier. not terrible to drive daily.

You forgot the big one... Price?
If we're including all of the options (including the pricey ones)...

The most important and probably best modification on these E36's is getting camber plates or getting some camber for the front... you could also flip 96-99 strut hats left to right to gain a good amount of camber.

H&R Sports/Eibach/Vogland Club Sports + Koni adjustables (you can get old Porsche 911 rears which actually have top adjustment via knob, instead of getting the 'adjustable bodies' which you'd have to remove the shock to adjust. TCKline and Ground Control have both used these as the 911's rear forces etc are similar to the E36)

Bilstien PSS or PSS9... progressive springs, pretty good on the street, ok for track, but you'd probably want some linear rates.

TcKline SA's... best option for coilovers using Koni's IMO, best valving, great support, well known quantity. You can run springs up to 700# but anymore than that and they won't last long or you'd have to get Double Adjustables.

TRM coilovers... valve, tested, designed specifically for E36. Can handle spring rates up to 1000# and as low as 450#, comes with camber plates and rear shock mounts, monotube, adjustable clicks, adjusts rebound/compression together with a split. Separate height/preload adjustment. I have these on my car and even running almost double the spring rates of my old Tein's, they actually ride better.

JRZ RS1... $$$ supposed to be really good though

[Chapel]

yeah, I was thinking like $600...

[danny_16v]

springs and Konis it is!

[Chapel]

springs and Konis it is!

any suggestion on springs?
what's "wrong" with the H&R Cup Kit?

[Charlie84]

any suggestion on springs?
what's "wrong" with the H&R Cup Kit?

H&R OE Sports w/ Koni Yellows are a well-liked separate spring/shock combination.

The OE Sports are the same spring rate as the H&R Sports, but don't lower the car as much. This is a good thing, as the stock springs are already getting pretty darn close to how low you can take the E36 before the effects are detrimental.

But simply refreshing the suspension with OE components will amaze you.

[DrivinAW8]

no e30, no care.



but seriously i would fancy an e36 m3 coupe.. s54/6 speed swapped (it would sit nicely next to my s52 e30)

[Remedy]

no e30, no care.



but seriously i would fancy an e36 m3 coupe.. s54/6 speed swapped (it would sit nicely next to my s52 e30)

[crannky]

I've yet to ride in sports, only rode in an E36 with PSS or PSS9's once and they rode fine. But that's a different damper altogether.

Totally different car, but I had Sports on my GTI and the rebound was, IMO, way underdamped. It rode like **** anywhere there were undulations or successions of bumps.

[StudiousPete]

Yeah! Here's mine...97, just rolled past 24k miles last week

[Pf3il]

i love mine. picked it up from a friend in July 2011 with 200,000 miles, and it's up to 207,500 now. the straight six is really great engine, and the sound it makes at WOT is just awesome.

that was a great car, i miss oversteer on demand.

and that hellrot alpina!!!

[danny_16v]

any suggestion on springs?
what's "wrong" with the H&R Cup Kit?

actually for a standard E36, the cup kit sounds like a good alternative... matched shocks to springs is good.

[Chapel]

actually for a standard e36, the cup kit sounds like a good alternative... Matched shocks to springs is good.

and cheap!