Need a new car! Thinking of e36 M3!
 

So! My WRX has left my hands to another in the family. My 986 is about to head up to Cali for a few months for some engine surgery, and I need a new car to drive me around while she is there! I do not plan on financing any car, and would rather just use what I've saved up to buy a car outright. I'm looking for something a bit more practical (4 seats, maybe 4 doors), fast-ish (not necessary, but still important), and cheap to maintain (relatively). I've been looking around and considering all options... Even the occasional Honda Civic... Budget of about 10k, but I'd like to spend less than 6k. I'm still young, single with no kids (known), good savings and investments, so I really would like to avoid trucks/SUVs. Really, just another daily driver to replace the WRX alongside my 986.

I've found some really cheap E36 M3s around my area (as low as 4k!) and test drove some. They feel really promising. A lot of power and great driving feel, not unlike the 986.

My questions are as follows:

Anyone ever own E36 M3s? How were they? Reliable? Cheaper to maintain than a Porsche?

Anyone have any other suggestions for a 4 seater that's fun to drive?

Hey crono I don't own a e36 M3 but I have 3 friends that do and daily drive them. First thing is first, they are pretty cheap to buy, feel good but they are old german cars, so Parts are expensive. My friends haven't had any major problems with their cars but perusing an m3 forum would definitely give you a better perspective. Make sure to check the suspension that is what my friends have had problems with. Then again we live in jersey with snow and salt.

I would personally look for an e34 M5 just because its a rarer car, more power, and looks good. Only thing is that they are not under 6k but they can be found under 10k.

Also think of it this way if you do spend 4k on an M3 then you use the 2k to make sure its not going to fail.

I babysat a friends 1998 M3 coupe for a year while he was down a parking space. Having a fast second car is what led me to own my Boxster.

You can definitely get an E36 M3 cheap and here are some of the reasons for that. BMW interiors from that era just don't stand up to time and weather particularly well. Much poorer than the Porsches from what I can see. Be prepared for lots of brittle fabric and the resulting dust, deriorating seals, non-functional luxury items like seat motors and auto climate. That series also had some serious transmission linkage issues, and not just the shift bushings, like broken centering springs. Lastly it burned oil like mad, which I gather is fairly common with the M3 engine at that time.

They are fun to drive of course, and have one of the stiffest clutches around so could be a good work out too.

I've been browsing/posting a lot of bimmer forums. Some are biased, others are informative, but 986forum has a community I know and trust, and you can give me a perspective completely detached from the car.

I would much rather spend 4k on a car, and then 2k to make sure it stays going, than 8k on a newer car which poops out... although there could be a very long tunnel until I see the light (just like my 986!)

One of the guys in a local club is selling an e36 M3: E36 97 M3 sedan, 5 speed, MA, silver/ black MA

That looks like a sweet ride! One of our engineers in or group is a huge BMW enthusiast and for a 4 door commuter and all the work that has been done he thinks its a sweet deal.

When you can talk to someone who is engaged in their car and done the work to it, I get more warm fuzzies than from an owner who goes...I changed the oil and she ran great.

Looking forward to seeing how this turns out and what you end up with!

You could PM Chard as he's had numerous BMW's and I've PM'ed him about them. My choice would be a 2003 540- the last year of that style and the fastest. I almost bought one before I bought my Boxster. It was a mint, low mile car and I walked away after reading an article stating that the engines are complex and difficult to work on ( for a back yard mechanic). That didn't stop me with my Boxster though!:confused:
I still long for that cool silver sleeper- so solid and fast!

well, you've done german and Japanese, time to mix it up. English - how about one of those 400 hp supercharged jags? American - caddy? Swedish - saab 900 turbo? Italian - meh, not much under $10k there.

m3 is a good choice - always a couple at the track. fast.

I can't stand American cars. Straight line racing isn't my thing.
Don't really want a Jag or a Saab. In all honesty, I'm trying to look for something Japanese because they are really cheap and easy to maintain. The only reason I'm getting M3 fever is because I test drove some and fell in love with the power and driving feel.

Ughh, but I am so scared some maintenance costs are gonna throw me into the 8-9k range. PPI for sure.

I needed another car as my wife does not like it when I put the 986 away for the winter months. She said 4 seats and 4 doors. I bought a Mazda RX 8 and it's perfect for my purposes.

Questionable snow car but it keeps miles off the Porsche, can actually take 4 people with some comfort, and is fun to drive.

I didn't think at all of those little rotary engines. I'll look into that as well!
Keep the suggestions coming. Test drove another Honda Civic today... My god they are creamy. The clutch and steering is so soft! But they beat on until infinity beautifully. I really love Hondas.

Crono,

For you purposes an E36M3 4dr would do fine. They have issues like any car but are quite reliable for an "old" car.

I've owned a number of E36 and E46 BMW's, some of them M3s. By and large they are much cheaper to maintain than a Porsche. The fact that a few hundred thousand were imported keeps the cost down just like the Hondas you also like.

Personally I'm a track nut and only Porsches, BMWs and perhaps an STI or Nissan can be flogged on a track day in stock form and live to tell.

If you have any questions send me a PM.

Max

Test drove an RX8 today. I loved the high rev! Back seats are a little small, but they're big enough to fit someone comfortably. It was smooth and sporty, although not as tight as the Boxster (obviously). E36 has a contender alright, especially since they're newer, have more creature comforts, and just as cheap! A little hard to maintain with the rotary engine though.

I also had an idea looking for a 1985 Toyota Corolla GTS AE86 (tofu car!), but the chances of me finding that in good shape will be very rare.

Keep the ideas coming!

Purchased a used 2009 Civic LX with an automatic for one of the kids to use earlier this year. It is dead reliable, rides well (much better than the Corolla my other kid has), plenty of room, etc. Like you said, they are very smooth and from what I have seen there is nothing bad to say or not to like about them. GREAT cars as an appliance, nothing inspiring about driving them though. If you bought the SI version with a manual that may be a different story.

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I resent that, madmods. I grew up on Japanese imports. To me, they're dead reliable, cheap, and easy to mod.

In all reality, I'm probably going to end up with an EK hatch Civic. It's cheap, fills my transportation needs which the Boxster lacks, provides fun mod opportunities for practically nothing, and can even handle some power when I'm done with the Boxster. Yes, the driving at first is ... well, barely existent. But I can teach my girlfriend how to drive stick! And it'll be a fun car I can tune and mod on my own time.

Also, the cheaper car I buy, the faster I can get my Boxster to Cali. I'm very excited for the 3.6

The M3 has everything I want, but I'm not sure if I want to handle the stress of another European car repair if it were to break down. I'm going to need it 100% when the 986 goes away.
I cannot stand American cars. Fast on the straights, but so empty everywhere else. I once rented a Camaro SS and prayed every time I stepped on the brakes that it would stop.
The RX8, while a great car, is just... well I can't think of a good argument against the RX8, aside from the fact that it will never live up to its predecessor... That and it's ugly... and lacks power... But we're Boxster drivers after all :P

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Initial D all day right hahahaha. I don't know if you would like a 240sx or sil80. They are very cool, have semi-usable back seats, and are quite reliable. EK are little bubble shaped missiles if done right. Integras are also nice but they tend to be in terrible condition from previous owners.

straight outta japan like a rocket from the crypt ...

Performance and Luxury Cars for sale | Supra, RX7, Skyline, WRX

I test drove an SR20DET 240sx. That light little rice rocket flies! Made me almost jealous when I got back and realized how soft the 986 clutch is compared to those things. And I may be biased because of my auto upbringing, but I think this is gorgeous:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2623/...c11d486b_b.jpg

No rush. Plenty of time to decide.

Oh my god. This website is so much win. Thank you.

EDIT: Too bad I'm located in the states :(

there's jdm import places like this all over Canada; I presume the same in the us. my understanding is that the Japanese tax their vehicles based on age - the older they are the higher the tax, so cars over a certain age have no resale value within japan and get sold to importers. you gotta not mind driving on the right, however. the cool thing is that a lot of really tuned cars wind up over here; lord knows how hard they got rode in japan (old drift cars, etc.).

So, if anyone is still interested.

My Boxster ships off in about 1-2 months, and I need my 2nd car before then. I'm still looking for a fun and semi-reliable sports car that can still be practical for under $6k. I've made the following conclusions:

Any older European car is much too unreliable and expensive for me. As fun as it is, I am not able to financially support two old European sports cars that have high repair bills. This rules out old E30s, E36s, and other old Porsches.

I will not buy American. I hate Mustangs and Camaros. I hate that it comes with all that straight line power, and I have to stamp on the brake and hope I stop in time. I hate how they turn like a truck.

This leaves me with an old Japanese import. My choices, in preferred order:





1. Toyota Corolla GTS AE86
http://www.sub5zero.com/sites/defaul...orolla-gts.jpghttp://image.importtuner.com/f/featu...gt-s+front.jpg

Pros:
This one is at the top for a few reasons. It's a good financial investment seeing as how the prices are continuing to get more and more inflated thanks to drifting pop culture. It was my dream car as a kid, and I would love nothing more to do something crazy like an f20c swap from an S2000. It's also relatively cheap to maintain, rear wheel drive, economic, and practical.

Cons:
It is EXTREMELY hard to find one in good condition. AC is a must since I live in Arizona, and most of them didn't come from the factory with AZ. Plus, all the ones that are nice and clean are inflated beyond measure. We're talking about a 30 year old car that can cost $10k easy. It's also a piece of crap to drive. Old and slow without any work done to it. Big word here is also old. The things fall apart as they drive.






2. Nissan Silvia S13/240SX
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...03-16-2012.JPGhttp://image.turbomagazine.com/f/160...front_view.jpg

Pros:
This one, like the AE86, is cheap to maintain, rear wheel drive, economic, and practical. It also let's me have tons of modification options, from swapping a whole SR20DET, to a RB26 engine if I was to go really crazy. Lots of really cheap aftermarket mods that make the car unique and fun to drive. They are also really cheap to buy one... if you can find one.

Cons:
It is also incredibly hard to find one unmolested by the drift/ricer kids. These cars are the choice of weapons for high school kids to spend their paycheck, and I really dislike super loud exhausts and super flashy-yet-not-matching body kits.





3. Honda Civic (Preferably EK Hatch)
http://wakpaper.com/large/Honda_wallpapers_402.jpghttp://www.ek9.org/forum/picture.php...pictureid=2919

Pros:
This one, like the other two above, is cheap to maintain, economic, and practical. They are also incredibly cheap to buy. They offer tons and tons and TONS of modification options. A b18c1 swap only costs $3k including labor (that's a FOURTH of what my 3.6 will cost). A full body kit costs only $400 (you can't even buy one of my OEM 997 DRLs for that much). They can be made soooooo fast for sooooo little, it's ridiculous. It's also very easy to find one.

Cons:
Oh boy. Front wheel drive. Uninspiring driving. Common. ... but that's about it.





So that's basically where I stand. Hopefully a good AE86 or 240sx will pop up within the next two months, but the most probable choice is to get a Honda Civic. I know this might not sit well with many of you, knowing your hatred for them, but it's the most realistic and responsible direction for me.
Plus, I grew up JDM, so I absolutely love them :) I'm also young enough to pull the image. It'll be fun to have a Japanese project car again. I really miss my WRX, now in the hands of my brother.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.n...83397315_n.jpghttps://sphotos-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/h...89035277_n.jpg

Oh, I hate you now. That web site was really nice. And only after browsing and reflecting on your comment about being in the states for a bit did I realize the site is a Canadian site and it's not going to help at all! :)

Well, that is OK though since I'm heading up to AZ this weekend to pick up my nephew's BMW Z3. He offered to sell it to me for 5K. Has 155K on the engine, but has been well maintained. Minor fender bender, but all repaired under insurance and he's putting on new shocks this week just to keep the warranty on the new tires & rims - so he informs me.

Hopefully it will all work out. If so, I'll be putting my Boxster on the market shortly after that so I can buy a house. The things I do for family! Ah well, my wife assures me I'll be able to buy another Porsche afterwards. But so many possible choices, I'm not sure what I'll do. :D

The RX8 is a fuel and oil hog. I don't know if it's reliable, but the e36 is. Trim parts for the e36 aren't that expensive, but some of the mechanicals are. The e36 M3 doesn't have any electronic driving aids besides ABS, so with almost 300 bhp (and 5 gears) it's a bit tricky to drive, specially in the wet. A big engine Mercedes (C32, CL500), or an Audi 4.2 is around the same price here, if you want comfort, or an Evo VI if you want to stay on the same type of car (like your WRX).

Most of those are out of my price range. I don't want to finance a car, and don't really want to spend more than $6k. The less I spend on my 2nd car, the faster I can get my 986 to the shop.

I say go with any of the 240sx models from s13 till s15. I don't know what part of AZ your in so I cant scope out craiglist for you but I did look around and generally they are some good deals and not in horrible riced out conditions. They are good cars, very fun, and easy to mod. There are a couple of older fc rx7s but Im not very familiar with the rotary system nor have I ever been in one.


Or you can take the scary not to electrically reliable MR2 route. Like a boxster just that jap and not a boxster. Still mid-engined and fun.



If it was my money find a 240

Can't do an MR2 for the same reason I can't do a Miata. Already have a Roadster.
240s very hard to find in AZ.

almost forgot Check out the 3000GT they are very nice cars. Don't know the price range in AZ

here is a random one from CL ******1999 mitsubishi 3000gt***** sale/trade ASAP

Crono 2 has arrived!
 

Been a while so I guess I'll update this thread.

I got a second car! I know a lot of you aren't into the tuner scene, but here its:

https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/...48584900_n.jpg
https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/...50227110_n.jpg
https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/...41223295_n.jpg

It's a 1985 Toyota Corolla AE86, or HACHIROKU! For those of you who don't know, it's a cult car following the cartoon Initial D, which spurred the whole drift scene in Japan, which recently made it out west.

Now the car I got was a 2-owner barn find. Very stock, very together. Most of the ones you find are completely gutted out and ruined by kids. This one is all in one piece.

Man is it slow! We're talking foot down full throttle and I'm still losing speed going uphill. But I must say, it's a happy little car. The steering is responsive and tight, not unlike the Boxster. Where handling and driving experience is concerned, this thing blows Civics and other cheap imports out of the water. None of that steering wheel play or unresponsive throttle. This truly is a driver's car. I can't really explain why I love it so much, other than the fact that it was my dream car as a kid. It knows it's not fast, and it knows it's not pretty. But it tries its best to please you. Like an old dog, almost.

Plans? Not to rice it up. JDM bumpers, maybe Initial D replica for exterior. As for interior, I'll probably go full Honda F20C VTEC swap (engine from an S2000). This will give 986S kind of speed and handling. Will let you all know how it goes.


For those of you interested, the build album is here:
https://www.facebook.com/crono0001/media_set?set=a.10201108279841939.1073741827.10172 70010&type=3

I know this is late, but I just found the thread.

I had an RX-8 for 7 years, driving it year round. Great car in the winter with proper snow tires, and the traction control was just right - let the back end start to slip before cutting in (usually my foot beat the traction control on reaction). Great fun, I only managed to spin it once in the snow. Good handling in the summer. Oil consumption was about 1 quart every 3-4 K miles - about the same as my wife's CTS. Fuel consumption was not great - around 12-12.5 l/100 km (about 20 mpg US). Didn't seem to matter what kind of driving, it was pretty constant. In some ways the engine seemed more like a motorcycle engine - keep the revs up if you wanted power.

Cons? HVAC was likely undersized to save weight. Thank god for heated seats in the winter, because it took forever for the cabin to heat up, and air conditioning was not the most effective in the summer, but better on the highway. It absolutely did not like short drives, especially in the winter, and would flood if not warmed up enough.

I sold it last year because the seat was starting to bother my hip joints - too low and pressure at the wrong points for me to drive on a regular (daily) basis. Which brings me to being in the market for a Boxster...

Nice find Crono!

Hope it came with a valet key.

hah - we had one of those when I was a kid. in Canada they came in three trim levels - standard, sr5 and gts. I guess the gts is the ae86 version. after trying to decide whether to get the corolla or a prelude we decided on a coupe version of the gts. we'd owned it a month and I was coming home from a party one night in the wet, hit a corner too fast, the rear end drifted out into the other lane, onto the far shoulder, and clipped a light standard. rolled it twice until it slid to a stop on the roof. I was knocked-out but came to hanging upside down (seatbelt on!) and the engine running. shut off the engine, undid the belt, fell to the ground (roof) and passed-out again. came back to consciousness only to see some big black shoes standing outside my window and a voice saying "may as well go home now folks, nothing you can do here". it was a cop and he thought I was dead. he didn't even check; didn't even call an ambulance. he was pretty surprised when I crawled out the window. didn't take me to the hospital, just took me to the station, charged me with careless driving and told me that insurance wouldn't cover the car (he was lying). parents showed up and took me to the hospital (concussion). I've hated cops ever since.

insurance gave us the money and we got another one - hatchback this time. I managed not to roll this one, and it was the most fun I've ever had with 113 hp.

It's rear wheel drive! :)

Ok time to paint the car white, the wheels black and put a tofu store vinyl on the side. Call it a day. oh and find a friend with a yellow RX-7