Chester
08-17-2009, 10:09 PM
Hi guys,
My '99 E36M3 is currently undergoing major work. It was in an accident back in '02 and the shop that did the repairs did a horrible job...it's been rusting away so I bought a rolling chassis sans interior which is in good shape and am transferring everything over:
http://www.pbase.com/ekosan/image/115562295/original.jpg
I'm thinking once the black M3 is back up and running, I will probably not treat it like a daily driver and so I've been trying to think of a car that provides good safety, good handling, more comfort than the M3, has good looks and doesn't kill me at the gas pump. I considered a Jetta TDI, but I just can't stomach the looks. I drove a E90 335d and think the chassis is one of the best chassis out there, but I just can't swallow paying that much for something that doesn't tug at my heart strings. Truth be known, I'm trying to find an Aston Martin V8 Vantage :redspot so if I spend over 20k on a new car, the Aston is out of the picture.
Anyway, after thinking about it a lot, I think a E39 would be a great choice. I would imagine one in good shape can be had around $12k. My parents have a E38 740i so I'm familiar with the V8 and all of the issues like leaking valve covers, etc, etc....and I also know how thirsty that engine can be, so I will probably rule out the 540i.
That said, I think I want a maroon on tan E39. How many different shades of maroon did they make? What were the names of the colors? I know at a certain point, BMW changed the tail lights to LEDs. What model year did that start? Are they retrofitable to the older cars? I do know the V8 models used a recirc ball for steering and the inline 6 used a rack and pinion. Other than that, I'm looking for any tips, advice, etc. Like, "Look for a 530i because...." or "avoid a 525i because..." Last, but not least, in fixing up the M3, I might get a new engine for it and then take my time rebuilding the one that I have. There is a thought in my head to put that engine to good use by putting it in a E39. I tried to search around and some have said it's a simple procedure where you just drop it in and that's it. Would I have to then look for particular model years that used the M52 engine?
TIA,
Chester
My '99 E36M3 is currently undergoing major work. It was in an accident back in '02 and the shop that did the repairs did a horrible job...it's been rusting away so I bought a rolling chassis sans interior which is in good shape and am transferring everything over:
http://www.pbase.com/ekosan/image/115562295/original.jpg
I'm thinking once the black M3 is back up and running, I will probably not treat it like a daily driver and so I've been trying to think of a car that provides good safety, good handling, more comfort than the M3, has good looks and doesn't kill me at the gas pump. I considered a Jetta TDI, but I just can't stomach the looks. I drove a E90 335d and think the chassis is one of the best chassis out there, but I just can't swallow paying that much for something that doesn't tug at my heart strings. Truth be known, I'm trying to find an Aston Martin V8 Vantage :redspot so if I spend over 20k on a new car, the Aston is out of the picture.
Anyway, after thinking about it a lot, I think a E39 would be a great choice. I would imagine one in good shape can be had around $12k. My parents have a E38 740i so I'm familiar with the V8 and all of the issues like leaking valve covers, etc, etc....and I also know how thirsty that engine can be, so I will probably rule out the 540i.
That said, I think I want a maroon on tan E39. How many different shades of maroon did they make? What were the names of the colors? I know at a certain point, BMW changed the tail lights to LEDs. What model year did that start? Are they retrofitable to the older cars? I do know the V8 models used a recirc ball for steering and the inline 6 used a rack and pinion. Other than that, I'm looking for any tips, advice, etc. Like, "Look for a 530i because...." or "avoid a 525i because..." Last, but not least, in fixing up the M3, I might get a new engine for it and then take my time rebuilding the one that I have. There is a thought in my head to put that engine to good use by putting it in a E39. I tried to search around and some have said it's a simple procedure where you just drop it in and that's it. Would I have to then look for particular model years that used the M52 engine?
TIA,
Chester