Best e36??

[hankthetank94]

Hey guys, my 540i is drinking my wallet. that 93 gets swallowed up quicker than my mom's homemade cheesecake. Not to mention I don't need the 'size' of the e39 as well. I'm the only person ever really in my car so an e36 i think would be fine for me. I bought the 540i and granted I love it, but the enjoyment simply does not outweigh the expenses I deal with.

So basically I'm looking at either a 328 or m3 e36. which one? I bought the 540i since I loved the speed and sound of the 4.4L but again, it's just too much to handle wallet wise. I'm probably more interested in the M3 since I like to have the speed and hp there - but I would still like to get your guys opinions on the 328. Also, the only other reason I would consider the 328 is because nowadays (at least I feel like) it is extremely difficult to find an E36 M3 that has not been beaten, modded, or the like. I like my cars stock with maybe a tiny bit of modification. But anyway, I'm willing to spend up to 12k.

regards,
hankthetank94

[jmo69]

A 328 is a nice all around car, it has a lot of the M3 parts, just not the power or elaborate suspension. Good fuel mileage and runs on mid grade 91.

[attrack]

Any e36 that's in good shape is the best one. Also depending on the commute. Is it highway or city driving? The more highway the bigger displacement you can get away with

[Nizzle508]

328i, m3 gets expensive, but 318 if you want to save on gas. I'm super happy with my 328 even with high miles and some things to fix up, the fixing up part is the fun part to enjoy an E36...

[UnderCoverGuy11]

325, it's OBD1

[r33p04s]

the lowest mileage, least number of owners, lastest model year 328 you can find... that's what I did and you can find a good example and get it in tip-top shape for about half of your budget

the acceleration is not much behind a stock m3 and that gap closes with a shorter rear diff...not to mention close to 30mpg cruising at ~70

and you avoid the //m tax for parts and you miss out on the electrical gremlins since it's an end of the line model... like mine

[slocar]

Any e36 that's in good shape is the best one. Also depending on the commute. Is it highway or city driving? The more highway the bigger displacement you can get away with

This. You're talking cars that are at the very minimum 13 years old ... how it was maintained and driven is a lot more important than what sort of motor it left the factory with.

I recently test drove a 96 328is 5 speed and it was slower than both my e46 323ci and my e36 323is I just bought. :lol

[1Sik150]

You can Deff find a nice M3 for that price... There are a ton in Florida.. Hears a few examples.

http://orlando.craigslist.org/ctd/3268955245.html

http://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/3305219201.html

http://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/3294211754.html

http://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/3291837185.html

http://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/3291335990.html

And My Favorite!!
http://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/3301907305.html

[Jmana]

I think there's a better chance of finding an M3 that's been better taken care of, but you are going to pay a premium for it! As for me, I'm happy with my 328i with nearly 300,000 miles on the odometer! Seriously I can't complain, the AC, cruise, Power seats, etc... still work, it's got decent power, decent fuel mileage, rides good, looks good, relatively easy and cheap to fix, and hasn't given me any major headaches except for usual things like the alternator went out and I have to replace the shift rod because the plastic parts are worn to crap. The problem with the 328i's is finding a good one that doesn't have a ton of deferred maintenance issues (unless you want to get one cheap and do a lot of work to it). Plus people selling these cars think that just because it's a BMW and it's very well reviewed that it's worth a ton of money, despite the fact that the seats are beat up, the panels are rusty, and it needs 4 new tires.

[casperlynn]

Real happy with my 328is, even with the Steptronic auto trans with sport gearing and manual mode when needed.

Mine is unique with a few cosmetic M3 mods without labeling as such, Umnitza ZKW's with D2S projectors, all interior lighting is white led, M50 mani for top end torque, adjustable rear camber arms, H&K rear lowering springs, bilsteins all around, M3 front brakes and true duals (resonators with dual in/out Magnaflow muffler). Plenty of power and superb handling for a DD. Mine has been pretty much trouble free allowing me to perform just preventative maintenance replacements.

[sjpgoalie]

What are you averaging right now for fuel mileage in the 540?

[Spyke]

Might as well spring for the e36 M3. Prices are reasonable, finding one in good shape may take some patience, but it will be worth it.

[coolpizzadude]

The 328 is going to be better on gas. But the m3 looks cooler and goes a bit faster. It's up to you to see which you prefer. Test drive both and go from there.

[por911]

You might want to decide if better mpg and lower costs are a significant priority. E36's , never mind an M3 are getting older and will need some serious care put into it. We went the route of a 318ia, due to the fact of high mpg, low insurance, and low part costs.
It might be worth checking out a 2000 323i with the sport option box checked. I had a friend that bought one new. The car had reasonable performance and got fantastic mpg. The 328i is a great car, but don't expect great mpg. Clean , well maintained E36's are also getting harder to find. Ours was a low mile example, and I had do to a lot to get it up to snuff.
regards

[Worstenemy453]

I love my 1996 328i. 95K miles and bought 1 owner all original. Couldnt have asked for a better car other than being stuck with an auto.