Would you consider the E36 3 Series "Reliable"?

[11Past9]

I am looking for a car that can be fun, reliable and look good. Most of you will say go with something Japanese but I figured I'd run things by the E36 crowd before I ruled it out...

What should I expect out of an E36 3 Series? When I ask this I mean, for problems, fun factor, resale and overall satisfaction. Is it as simple as finding a nice condition 3 Series with all maintenance and service records up to date to have a BMW that is pretty worry free so I don't have to dump more money into it? Or should I expect a higher mileage E36 (100K+) to be a money pit no matter what?

[earthwormjim]

I've had my '96 318is for 50k miles now (it's at 150k now.) It has never failed to start, and has never broken down. I have total confidence in the car, I could easily drive across the country and have zero mechanical problems.

As far as costs, the only things I've done are brakes, some suspension components (upgrades mostly, not 100% necessary),replacing a leaky valve cover gasket, and replacing the serpentine belt. None of these things wouldn't be expected of a high mileage Japanese car.

The engine bay is nice to work in, compared to FWD cars there's a ton of space.

[bmw4life99]

I have had my car going on 5 years now and I havent had any problems with it breaking down or anything going out of it! Every time I need to go some where it gets me from point A to point B with no problems!! I would give this series a 10 for reliability and fun to drive they are a great car thanks bmw

[heliman53]

I have had my 93 325 IS for about three years, it has over 260,000 miles on it. n that time I have replaced the fuel pump and converted it to manual trans. Other than regular services it has needed nothing else. Craig B

[WV Jim]

Most of you will say go with something Japanese

Somehow I doubt that "most" of us here will recommend Japanese.

I also have a Japanese car. I drive it when I want to handle snow or get a little bit better gas mileage. I don't drive it if I know anyone will see me IN it.

I love my E36. I've put a considerable amount of money in it, but it's value to me is ten times more than I've spent on it.

It is, after all, a BMW.

Buy one. You'll love it.

[kevinqjhps]

Do a search on the high mileage e36's. Their are a lot with 300,400k on them.

[just4kinks]

The car has lots of common problems, luckily not too many will leave you stranded on the side of the road.

Does it bother you if your windows don't roll up? Or if your brake lights don't work? Or if your climate control turns itself off every time it heats up?

There are lots of annoyances, and DIY is the only option because of the outrageous labor fees at most BMW shops. Parts are expensive, and it seems like BMW makes you buy the expensive part because the cheap one is not replaceable (e.g., you can't replace the shifter bushings, you have to buy the whole shift lever).

Nevertheless the car is still fun to own and drive. It is not cheap but it's worth the money. If you buy one, consider paying more for one with low mileage.

[11Past9]

Would I be wiser to search for a clean E30 instead?

[Righteous]

E30 or E36... E36 might have slightly easier to get parts for though?

Either one are pretty straight forward cars with out a lot of bullshit newer cars have. So that right there makes them more reliable.

Reliability has more to do with how it was taken care of and how you plan to take care of it. Keep up on maintenance and all cars should be reliable.

[LockDots]

Keep up on maintenance and all cars should be reliable.

+1

[BradR127]

I don't think the E36 is necessary more or less reliable than other brands.... but they definitely cost more to maintain and fix than many other brands. No matter what you drive, doing your own work helps save some money.... the BMW will just cost you more. (I'll probably get flamed for this. :tongue )

[EverydayGetaway]

Yes. Buy one.

[Brent 930]

It will be everything you want except the million issues they have.

Sorry, people are blowing smoke.

You need to be rich, or at least a 90% DIY guy.

[acp750]

It will be everything you want except the million issues they have.

Sorry, people are blowing smoke.

You need to be rich, or at least a 90% DIY guy.

+1 , even if you buy one in mint condition it can become a lemon, to me it's just a matter of luck, my 97 318is with 50K miles(dealer maintained until 07) has given me more issues than my friend's high mileage and trashed 92 318is.., my E36 is a maintenance whore, it's too much, even for me ( I'm used to spending a lot on preventative maintenance and details and keeping the car perfect), and I just can't seem to finish fixing it.. :(

[CirrusSR22]

My 318ti has 186,000 miles and I've owned it since 97,000 (5.5 years). It's only "broken down" once and that was a failed alternator. $99 for a remanufatured unit.

There's other little finicky stuff, but that's the only time it was undriveable. I'm happy :)

[Blitanicle99]

The 3 series is so over-engineered that it just runs like shit, it doesn't break.

I love my car. :D

[strad]

I'd consider it to be a very reliable car. I've got about 90k miles between two E36s, and have only been sidelined once, and that was by a plastic water pump on the 94, 3k miles after I purchased the car. It failed at 90k miles -- I should have known better but that was seven years ago and I was a BMW newb. On my second one I replaced the wp about 1 month after I purchased the car lol (at about 90k miles come to think of it!).

[Righteous]

All cars are a liability.

I would rather have an E36 than any other liability.

I didn't know anything mechanically before I owned my E36.

[snobles]

All cars are a liability.

I would rather have an E36 than any other liability.

I didn't know anything mechanically before I owned my E36.


:buttrock

[WV Jim]

In the end ...

I'd rather push my BMW than drive my Eclipse.

[jijacob]

In the end ...

I'd rather push my BMW than drive my Eclipse.

Werd.

In the end I don't think it's the reliability that's the hard part... it is keeping it running tip top. Jap cars you drive till the wheels come off without any warning. An e36 will bitch and moan way before the wheels come off to get you to fix whatever it is that's broken.

[lysergic9]

ive only had my e36 for a little while now, but its a good car.

that said, i think the E30 is a better car.....

a 325e(s) (get the f'ing s, you regret if you dont with any BMW IMO) has a 5000 red line and is built with the same parts as a 325i that goes to 6500, so its built in to the engine that it will NEVER hit its max red line, gets good gas mileage, low compression, an a LOT of torque(170 stock, 190 with a chip). it WILL feel faster than an e36, and handles as well.

also IMO e30 under the hoods are WAY easier to manuver and get stuff done on your own, mine made it to 275,000 miles before a buddy sent it into a curb and did too much damage.

anyways, i love my e36, loved my e30, and if you go e30 even consider a late model 318, a 4 cyl in an e30 is WAY better than an e36 with the same engine.

[mikese36m]

I have 2 E36's one with 177k on it one with 70k on it. And I also own a Honda....Which will soon be traded in for another BMW. Now before BMW I was a Honda person, I mean they are insanely reliable and can go forever BUT think about the amount of time spent in your car, don't you want something you will enjoy driving. My daily E36 got hit last week and is in the repair shop so i have a Chevy for a Rental even though i am not paying for the rental I still have left it at home to drive my other E36. In the end BMW's are great cars you just need to learn a few unique things about them and you will be fine. Good Luck.

[tjn182]

I've owned my 95' 332i (325is w/ S52) for almost 2 years. It's my daily driver and I have been able to turn the key and get going every single day with zero issues for 2 years.

Yes I've had to fix a few things here and there, nothing so drastic that I haven't had my car ready next morning.

[mijbr90190]

An e36 can be a great car, if your a DIY person. Everything on my car has been done by me. It has been the easiest car to work on so far, that i have owned. Thats alot coming from a sbc. For example, the spark plugs.....just did them yesterday and i cant imagine anything easier.

[ZeitGeist]

the car is reliable as long as you keep up with regular maintenance. Jap cars usually won't flake out on you if you don't change the oil or antifreeze when your supposed but e36s will. and when its time to change a part, its time to change a part...even if it still working fine at the time...I had so many distributor and alternator problems with my 94 hatchback that everytime I start my 97 328 I smile bc that feeling of turning the key and nothing happening sucks. plain and simple.

[coolfishy101]

2 of my friends and myself all bought E36 models. 3 years later my 2 buddys drive different cars and I'm outside every week fixing mine. My 325i has 142,000 miles on it. Reliable?...NO. I love my car though otherwise I would be driving another car. With that said, I haven't owned any other brand. Here is a list of what I have worked on...

Water Pump - Just like everyone else
Rear Shock mounts - Just like everyone else
Replaced Auto Transmission - Just like everyone else
Replaced Shocks and Springs
Cut out my floor and welded in a new one
Replaced rear wheel bearing
Replaced ABS sensor
Air bag idiot light is still on
The interior rattles like crazy
I still have the sagging glove box problem...like eveybody else
I still have a bogging hesitation...like almost everybody else (can't figure this one out)
My passenger window fell out!
My back door have to be locked manually
I check my subframe once a week... It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.
Regular wear items:
Brake pads and rear rotors, Oxygen sensor, All the filters, spark plugs, belts, I always do regular fluid changes, replaced thermostat. These things need to be done on all cars, but are more expensive on a BMW.
I may have gotten a bad car, but my buddies were headed down the same road with almost all the problems I had but 3 bad cars?

Yeah it's a great car!

[whiteknight]

Ive had my e36 for almost 2 years. The only issue that its had was I took it through a car wash and the DME got wet. So I had to wait for it to dry out to be able to drive it. Most of the money Ive spent on the car were all optional upgrades. I bought mine for 6k and its worth every penny. I would consider mine highly reliable and I rod the hell out of it. Oh, wait I did blow the auto trans though....but I dropped it into 1st from reverse and did a mean burnout....then it went into "limp" mode. So I was still able to drive it home. I used to own two Honda's and an RX-7....I would much rather have my bimmer! :D:D:D:D

[amancuso]

I owned a 1997 328iC convertible for a little over 5 years, it was a great car and never left me stranded. I did do a cooling system overhaul, and new shocks and struts. I owned it from about 45K miles till 120K miles. I now have a 1995 318ti as a daily driver. I had to put a lot of work into it when I bought it (new cooling system, belt tensioners, all engine gaskets and suspension) but it was well worth it. The car drives like it is brand new. It's currently at 160,500 miles. Here she is pictured below:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/amancuso/318ti/DSC04409.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/amancuso/318ti/DSC04411.jpg

[E3625i]

1993 (17 years old almost) 325i 5-speed with 205,500 miles, daily driver (traffic, sprit driving, long distance, short distance, anything). I would drive it from NY to Cali this very instant if I needed to with no hesitation. I have owned the car since 140,000.

I feel like the car is going to run another 70,000 without any problems. It is running extremely well and I push it to the redline often. Everything also works on the car.

HOWEVER, Do not ignore MAINTENANCE.

[justaddwada]

Reliable? no.

Worth it anyways? yes.

Remember those girls in high school that were labeled "high maintenance"
that you had to take out every Friday night if you wanted them to stick around?
The ones who demand religious oil changes and routine suspension overhauls to
stay hot and sexy?

Welcome to e36 town.

Remember the girls who would let you slide and go hang out with your buddies
on a Friday night? The chill ones? The ones who won't complain if you don't
change the oil for 9K miles and push to redline without warming up the engine?

you get what I mean.

[Jholden]

I just picked up my E36's but with my car dealership have seen almost every car, and problem from blown heads on audi's, bad motors in subaru's, and fords well i wont go there and yet every day i start the 325 and roll out the garage it still impress's me. My friends have even offered to buy it off me for close to double what i payed and this car isnt leaving my hands. I dont think i will switch from the bmw for a long time. Even changing my whole race team platform from toyota to BMW.

[RebelScum]

Most of you will say go with something Japanese

Dude, not me :) Japanese covers reliability, but that's about it. If you want something that covers all bases, the only Japs I can think of are the Celica, the Supra, the Prelude (ish), and maybe the Integra. But none of the above will be free of the problems you'll run into with a BMW, or with any poorly maintained car.

Beemers are expensive to maintain, but if you do so regularly, you should have a car that will bring you several years of shit-eating-grin-causing joy. My father had one for 10 years (735i) and he drove it into the ground, and even when he got rid of it I would STILL call it a semi-reliable daily driver. And he is TERRIBLE when it comes to maintenance.

If you really really want a car that is truly reliable and easy to maintain, then get this:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Dodge-Aries-sedan.jpg

They're fun to drive, in a "Look how anti-establishment I am" sorta way.

[justaddwada]

driving one of those is like russian roulette.
NHSA crash test rating of -2. Don't risk your
future!

[RebelScum]

driving one of those is like russian roulette.
NHSA crash test rating of -2. Don't risk your
future!

Yeah but think of the cred. /sar

[digitalsolo]

My E36 has had many, many more issues than my old Pontiac Grand Prix of the same age/mileage.

That said, not a single issue I've had with the car has stopped it from bring able to be driven across the country if I wanted. Mostly just wear items, as the E36 has (very well documented) high wear on suspension components and a few other maintenance type issues. Now that I've fixed the wear items (all suspension, including arms, bushings, bearings, etc.) it's a great car. :) I'd buy one again, though I'd check the suspension better first. ;)

[iverson03tj]

I think it depends on the amount of money you have to spend on a maintaining a car. Like i have this Civic, and before i got it, i hated them, the look, the cheap plastic, the interior, even the look is disgusting.

BUT after i was forced to get one, i loved it, it never broke down on me, it's cheap on insurance then a BMW would be, it certainly is useless when it comes to picking up girls :P

but all in all the maintenance is dirt cheap, like i bought mine with 114,000 km on it, and now it has 159,000 km, and it really doesn't matter if u use synthetic or normal or blended, just do all your oil change at 5000km (not sure how many miles that is, google it) and duct tape a powerful magnet to the oil filter everytime, u can re-use the magnet.
And you should never have a problem.

[DeanEK]

just do all your oil change at 5000km (not sure how many miles that is, google it) and duct tape a powerful magnet to the oil filter everytime, u can re-use the magnet.
And you should never have a problem.

What is the use of that and are you talking about the civic?

[myblackcar]

Reliable is not the right word for a bimmer. Predicable is more like it. Follow the scheduled maintenance to the letter and you will rarely get stranded. If you treat a bimmer like a Honda and do not change your water pump on time, be ready to call a tow truck. Barring that, I have never been stranded on my car and it has 213K. Round trip from San Francisco to Santa Barbara with no issues. As others have commented, DIY is preferred. The configuration of the E36 makes repairs a snap in most cases. If you are not inclined to do self repairs, budget $120/hr labor for labor.

Reliable? no.

Worth it anyways? yes.

"Remember those girls in high school that were labeled "high maintenance"
that you had to take out every Friday night if you wanted them to stick around?
The ones who demand religious oil changes and routine suspension overhauls to
stay hot and sexy?

Welcome to e36 town."

Own a Porsche and you will eat those words. A Porsche is a high maintenance woman that is a lot of fun, but will suck you dry in the wallet. With this as a baseline, a 318i/is is the average looking woman you want to marry and to have your kids.

[RebelScum]

Own a Porsche and you will eat those words. A Porsche is a high maintenance woman that is a lot of fun, but will suck you dry in the wallet. With this as a baseline, a 318i/is is the average looking woman you want to marry and to have your kids.

How bout this: BEEMER is a smart chick with the body of a slut, but a PORSCHE is a whore through and through.

At the end of the day OP, if you don;t want a beemer that badly, don't get one. If you DO want one that badly, you'll make the necessary concessions for it. I personally have wanted an E36 since the day they came out, and an E30 before that. They're my 2 favourite models. (I generally don;t like any car made within 10-15 years...AUDI A5 being the notable exception.) When it came time for me to start looking at cars about a month ago, I looked at Hondas and Toyotas, the occasional Acura, and I just couldn't see myself in any of them. When I found the right car for me I pulled the trigger on it same day.

[lysergic9]

How bout this: BEEMER is a smart chick with the body of a slut, but a PORSCHE is a whore through and through.

At the end of the day OP, if you don;t want a beemer that badly, don't get one. If you DO want one that badly, you'll make the necessary concessions for it. I personally have wanted an E36 since the day they came out, and an E30 before that. They're my 2 favourite models. (I generally don;t like any car made within 10-15 years...AUDI A5 being the notable exception.) When it came time for me to start looking at cars about a month ago, I looked at Hondas and Toyotas, the occasional Acura, and I just couldn't see myself in any of them. When I found the right car for me I pulled the trigger on it same day.


^this.

E30 and E36 are great cars.. as long as you are willing to deal with the personalities.

these cars have something in them thats alive, they want to be cared for and coddled, but the repayment is great.

i drove my e30 from maine to dallas, spent a summer in dallas, drove to nebraska and back to texas, then from texas back to maine at the end of the summer, all with over 240,000 miles, and i never felt once that the car would leave me alone anywhere, with constant trips from NY to Maine all year round, and feel the same about the E36, more so after i re-do the cooling though.

just make sure you take care of the things that are known to go wrong, on the e30 its the timing belt, on the e36 it seems to be the cooling, do it right, do it once, maybe twice, and you should be good.

then again my dad has a 83 toyota 4x4 pickup with 550,000 miles that he drives all around the country, over and over, but with a spare transmission and half an engine in the back....

[Vroomman]

I dropped around 3000 dollars in sensors to chase and cure running rich problems, wheel bearing, front suspension rebuilding. I've only had the car a year and some change. The things I've replaced all looked original, so I say with this huge inital investment dropped in maintenance, I'll have 17 years trouble free unless the subframe gets ripped. I'd say this thing is pretty reliable.

[RNeil]

I am happy with my car after 2 years and 20,000 miles. I have had more trouble than I would expect from a new car, but I am happy.

[iXguy]

It's pretty simple in my mind.

If you can do your own work (most of it at least), can plug into the community for sage advice, and are clever about sourcing parts, you can drive a E36 for less than most other cars on the road.

If you're missing one of those ingredients, you can drive it for similar money to somewhat more than other options on the road.

If you're missing them all, you better have deep pockets.

In any of those cases, the driving, makes it worth it!

My wife's new Chrysler minivan (base base base model, about 30% off list, 4 year lease at 5% rate) is boring as shit to drive. It's never required a single service item whatsoever but oil and filters in 2 years.

That van costs me significantly more per year to run than my old BMW -- including its depreciation of around $1500 per year lets say. Which is a stretch, at that rate, in 2 years it's worth zero dollars. And that's including my dang self destructing radiator problem I finally permanently resolved with an electric fan swap -- that cost me 3 radiators in 2 years.

So, which would you rather drive?

Yeah, you can get some old civic and drive it cheap. The K-car too.

Price a civic brake job against an E36 brake job if you hunt carefully for parts. You'll be surprised.

[6appeal]

One thing I've learned about my E36 is that the car works and drives amazing *when everything is working, and so the trick is to have everything on the car up to standards all the time, at the same time. Another lesson I've learned time and time again is that preventative maintenance is worth it. Many times I've prolonged repairing something and it ends up getting worse and taking another part with it costing me more in the long run. Another thing that is a must is not cheaping out on parts. Get quality OEM parts and quality aftermarket parts. For instance, I've been though 3 pairs of foglights because I wanted the ones with the clear lense rather than the OEM ones. The glass in the OEM ones is tempered and aftermarket ones are not and therefore crack when exposed to temperature change. If you're not proactive and preventative, you'll learn a lot of lessons the hard way. As for reliability, if you're proactive and preventative, it's very reliable.

[maxmanta]

My e36 is my first BMW and I have nothing but praise for it. I prefer the older, more angular style over the more rounded modern designs.

[TempCK318is]

My e36 has been the most reliable car I have ever driven. At 17x,xxx miles I drove it from Oregon to Michigan, the car didn't have a single problem. I have since driven it from coast to coast twice and the only repair it has needed was a new clutch and new front brakes. I would swear by these cars, though mine has been a money pit it has been by choice, upgrades and style. Buy one and you will understand (bought the car with 149,000 miles she is now bumping 200,000 and still turns heads).

[TITE3NBIGD]

E36's are not only fun but the body style is also cool. I get lots of compliments on mine after I have put a lot of exterior and mechanical upgrades on it. I have a 94 with 248,000 miles on it(all by me) and it is sooo much fun, especially with all the extras on it. Unfortunately it got rear ended and is in the shop right now. I am going to have it completely repainted after repairs.
Upgrades:
Computer chip
Front stress bar
X-brace
Eibach sway bars(front and rear)
Bilstein sport shocks(M3 96-99)
H&R Sport springs
M5 cluth with light weight flywheel with UUC EVO3 short shift kit
Vader seats
M3 side skirts and front bumper
Rear diffuse
K&N air filter
M3 exhaust
CD43 business radio
17" Double spoke II wheels
and the list goes on,,,,,,,

fun, fun, fun

[Mad Machine]

honestly, out of all the cars I have owned (And I have owned quite a few) my Ti is the most reliable and while not the cheapest to work on, is about average.

My saab takes the cake for being the least reliable and most expensive to fix.

[crazeetowntatto]

id say the m50 is the most reliable motor ive ever driven. i also had 2 6cyl fords a 6cyl s-10 and a 8cyl f150. i think the 353,000 miles i have say the most about reliability. its the same motor and gearbox as originaly sold in 1993. ive had alot of fun in this car. its been through the swiss alps and the colorado rockies, from the cali coast to the edges of europe, commuted on the autobahn for about 75,000 of those miles and finally it will still outrun those 4.6 interceptors the police drive. id say the funnest, most reliable, and easiest to work on ive ever driven look at the pics they speak well for it. prices are high if you dont have the "hook-ups". as with any car there are ways to beat the expenses of driving an awesome handling ass kicking coupe............................................. ............................................
http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/19/l_8a6314ccd4bc40989a02edecec3b20fc.jpg
http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/2/l_c6e35b653de54b71bfd36cd0838da901.jpg
http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/38/l_50b14f8808a3458cae6f0655930d706a.jpg
http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/84/l_f84bf891ffee4bb9a03c721bee4d6a08.jpg
......so i guess all them jap cars look like this when theyre over 350,000miles on the original equipment. my car runs better than it looks ive done a head gasket and some mill work, ive overhauled my suspension, interior and cosmetics, i had to do an oil pan r+r due to avoiding an accident. i always find a way to come out ahead when tragidy occurs.

[kaineb]

Im going to keep it simple.... HELL NO!

[groovemoose]

The E36 has its list of problems which have been listed pretty well here. If you're interested in working on the vehicle yourself, it can be a great car to learn such things on due to the huge number of passionate drivers out there that have documented so many of the common repair tasks. After owning 2 E36s over the past 5 years, I can definitely say that I've had quite the learning experience. Go for it!

[DNK]

140K/15yr-old E36 here.

Engine/drivetrain = bulletproof
Suspension = fml
Fuel economy = 20-25MPG city; 25-30 HWY (wish you all had an I4 right about now, huh?)

I've owned a Camry, and the family has owned a few American cars and a couple Audis. Hands down, this has been the most reliable. The engine still performs and sounds like it did when I got it at 70K. The suspension is in horrid condition, but that's my fault for not keeping up with it.

The car has been hit by a tornado, two trees (yes, they hit it), and five people, and if I actually fixed all the suspension issues and exterior dents, it would look and drive almost like new. That's partly thanks to insurance payouts and new exterior pieces, though (makes parting out all the more fun).

That completely amazes me, especially given the age/mileage.

That said, there will be plenty of repairs for any E36, and you will probably have a lot of things to replace/reinforce upfront when you buy one. But all those constant, little repairs are the price you pay for a car that has great longevity and can drive/look young even after 15 years.

Major things to look out for: rear subframe (replace the bushings ASAP); RTABs; shock mounts (reinforce ASAP).

Definitely, get some tools and DIY for as much as you can. As said, labor costs are high. I'm not sure parts are overly expensive, so long as you buy cheap aftermarket stuff. I feel like a lot of the expense comes from the tendency to upgrade :)

Let me put it this way: the next car I buy will be a BMW (or a MINI... okay, probably a MINI... it will be a MINI, but otherwise it would be a BMW).

[joey79]

I'll keep it short, YES.

I've owned Hondas, Toyotas, Mazdas of similar age/mileage, my e36 has required less than them.

I think that might be because the average bmw owner takes a little more pride/interest in their car than the average toyota/honda owner. I know I do.

[restricted]

I recommend you hold off on the mini at least till they stop using the dodge neon motor LOL

[coza]

i got my first bmw bout a month ago. has it's good and bad points but i would definitly get another one . much eisier to work on than a jap car ,handles exellent
and i find its pretty economical.it wont out drive an R34 GTR skyline but hey for the price of those you can get an m3

[DNK]

I recommend you hold off on the mini at least till they stop using the dodge neon motor LOLIt's a PT Cruiser engine, not a Neon engine.

Is there something actually wrong with it, other than that it's connected to the PT Cruiser in some way?

Anyway, M42 swap :stickoutt

[aivars]

I would say- go for it! It's my second E36 and I never been so happy for a car. It's my best friend :) It's a good car which is reliable- in 4 years I had only 1 problem- it was the starter who couldn't anymore. Otherwise it's a great car and lots of fun :)

[Travis C]

Have had my e36 for 2 1/2 years and haven't had any problems at all for the most part. at 165k.

[ryandc]

I've got a 97 318i. So far, it's been surprisingly reliable. I've had to replace consumables (including oil changes and a brake pad change), but I was surprised at the low cost. An oil change cost me $33 for 5 quarts of synthetic oil and a filter. Brake pad change was $45 ($25 for the front, $20 for the rear). Heckuva lot cheaper than I was expecting.
As far as non-consumable parts, I've had to replace the CCV hose and the check engine light bulb. The CCV hose was $40 and required enlisting my wife (who has small hands) to fit it; the bulb was $1.50. I had to replace the front-end suspension, but I can chalk that one up to the abusive pothole-filled roads in the area I live.
I've got 237,000 miles on my car. I was looking for something easy to work on, fun, reliable, and that got decent gas mileage. I can still get 37-40MPG if I drive carefully.
Every time I put the key in, it starts, and it's been to sub-zero weather in Idaho and 115-degree weather in California.
If you're even mildly intelligent around tools, it's a deal you won't regret.

[kurtf114]

My E36 is the most reliable car I have ever owned. The only downside about the E36 is the interior. Mechanically thought mine has been bulletproof.

[z25is]

I took a leap from a 2000 civic to my 95 e36, no regrets at all! However I got mine as a cheap rescue job for $1100 and turned it completely around within a week. I have however spent more on parts/fun upgrades than the car its self. But I feel its well worth it for me personally. Although I am a total gearhead so thats why I was able to take on this major task that I got my self into, but its all working out very well. All it needs left is a new o2 (sitting right here ready to go in), and the front control arm bushings, then alignment, and thats the total end of the needed work, then i'm down to just cosmetics and fixing the climate control.

My M50 is a beast, still has a huge ammount of power and its decent on gas, i'll bet it will be even better once I get the o2 changed out.

If you're looking for an E36 that is fully prepped and ready to go with no work needed, check online there are a few out there that are indeed in excellent shape, or check for any BMW specific independent dealers that specialize in selling fully reconditioned cars. Will cost more, but its like buying a car that is in perfect shape.