E36 M3 Convertible,some small questions!
 

now that summer should be here, i am considering buting one(Non evo edition)

does any body know whether or not the roofs on these cars close/open automatically or do you have to release a latch?and then press the open button?

is it true that these cars engines come into their own after 100k or is that just a load of tosh?!

and last but not least,are they really as reliable as everyone says they are?

thank you

Hi there

I drove an E36 328i until recently and my missus currently drives an E36 M3.
Although now a proud Impreza owner, I have to say both beemers are/were great cars. The hoods on earlier models (pre 96' I think) have a twist and lift handle then the power hood takes it from there. After 96' they changed the design - just press the button and down it comes.

Not sure it's accurate to say the engines 'come in to their own' after 100K. They are however very strong and will go on for ever if looked after. My missus M3 has 140,000 on the clock and still pulls like a train. In fact you wouldn't guess the miles at all from its condition and the way it drives. I would warn that whilst the engines are pretty bullet proof and the cars in general are as well built and reliable as you'd expect, any car with well over 100k on the clock will succumb to wear and tear (bushes, brake discs etc etc) and you should budget for that along with normal servicing costs. On the subject of that - find a good independant garage, don't go to BMW direct as it's daaaaamn expensive. If you have a brand new 'M' then fine you'll have warranty and you'll use the main dealer. But on a 10 year old car, nah.

I think the engine went from a 3.0 to a 3.2 (probably at the same time as the revised hood design). Something to bear in mind as I gather the 3.2 is significantly quicker.

Hope thats of some help

Been toying with the idea of an M3 myself :thumb: , and had wondered about the milages on these cars.

Would be interested to know when they changed from the 3 litre to the 3.2?

Might get a few more answers in the other marques section though :)

I think the evo version was released in 1996, but have a read on bmw forums as the vanos can break on these and is a very expensive fix.

thanks guys...i am looking at one with total closure on the hood as well....but needed to know about the twist and lock thing!!

sold my terzo yesterday!!

should really do the sensible thing and buy that impreza wr sport on sale here!!but my daughter(7year Old)has been wanting our next car to be a rag top for ages...so i now have my stupid head on!!

I've just picked this up after owning scoobs for the last 5 years........ loving every minute of it.

Doesn't go as quick as a scoob, nor does it handle like a scoob......... but the quality is far superier to a scoob in every respect, build quality, paint quality and interior quality etc etc........!

Always wanted an M3 and I dropped upon this 1994 3.0L M3 with 24k on clock and FULL service history........ and beautiful unmarked grey leather.

Ragtop is initialized with a handle and the hood takes about 15 seconds to completley fold away...........LUVLY........;)

Here's a pic.......
IMG_0594.jpg - Image - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Si.

nice...

i have jut made an offer on an M plater in dayton/techno violet with hard top and 88k on the clock....£6000,waiting to hear back from the owner as the car just went on for sale so he is waiting to see what other offers he gets,he was asking £7000

thinking about another offer as well, on an r plate, same colour no hardtop,130k on the clock,full dealer history and a respray from BMW!!,,(Due to stone chips,because according to BM they could not get a colour match!!..

also going to offer £6000 for her

any other suggestions guys?

the vanos system was changed on the late evo models as they kept breaking and are around the thousand pound mark to repair. there great cars and will keep up with anything on the roads today. the evo model is the better of the 2 with more power but there is a e36 m3 gt wich is the light weight model and are quitw rare. this is the 1 to go for but there all great cars. techno violet imo is the best colour with matching leatherrs or dakar yellow. if you decide on the rag top try and get 1 with the hard top to go with it as come winter time you'l be glas not only that but they ;look cool with them on too.

I've had a smatter of M3's in the past starting from the fall apart E30 (but still the best) and the heavy E36 3.0 and 3.2. The gearbox on the 3.0 litre is far stronger than the 3.2, plus ones a 5 speeder and the other a six. The 3 litre is cheaper and easier to maintain but lacks the 3.2 high rev power range and glorius sound track. The early E36 models are shocking for build quality and up untill the last of the line the quality is not typicall of BMW, but they are a very special car and when the Vanos (£1500 to replace) comes on it is superb and you'll be revving it just for that sound. Join the E36coupe forums and you wont go wrong. A proper sorted E36 M3 3.2 is more than a match for the later E46 model but watch stuff like the climate control display/control as if that fails you get no heating/cooling etc.... but one of the lads on the E36 forums repairs them for about £30, Buy well and you'll love it buy badly and you'll hate it. Engines easily pass 200k if maintained well and remember to ask for the invoices to prove the service stamps. good luck

should i stay well clear of SMG boxes?

heard that they cost quite a lot to get rectified,or reset?

I'd stay clear of SMG on an E36 as this is the SMG1 rather than the SMG11 found in the E46. It's a much more basic system and is known to be quite jerky and difficult to get used to. They don't tend to go wrong much but when they do....... ouch