First 15 North America M3's

[TYMl3S]

All,
My '95 E36 is #15, as such the previous owner had documents and a "story" about the first 15 cars which were both rather vague.

Is there any truth to the fact that the first 15 cars sold in North America has a special customer pickup program which included a trip to Munich and track time before being shipped? Additionally, I have heard the build quality of the early models could have been heightened due to this unique track program.

I should mention that this car is NOT for sale, and I am just curious about any unique programs BMW NA offered to the very early E36 models.

With regard to better build quality(very unlikely), I can safely say after 120,000 miles this car will not touch my than a 1/4 Qt of synthetic 5-30 in 3000 miles. Mechanically, it's as tight as a tank. The car has been fanatically maintained over the past 10 years.

So, if anyone knows if a program existed I would like some education. Based on the small marketing clip from the previous owner and no concrete evidence, I am declaring this a myth.

Thanks,
T

[FierySphere]

I don't want to burst your bubble, but did you know:
- that Canada got 45 Euro-spec E36 M3s in 94
- the US got 150 M spec 325is's in 1994 as a precursor/stop-gap to the M3 in US spec arriving (http://members.aol.com/cookg1/)
- that the E36 chassis started production in late 1991?

I don't think the first 15 M3's in the US were special.

There *are* some early production US spec M3's that were purchased thru European Delivery, which did require picking them up in Munich. And many purchasures did take them to the near-by Nurburgring (and why wouldn't you).

[TYMl3S]

I don't think the first 15 M3's in the US were special.
There *are* some early production US spec M3's that were purchased thru European Delivery, which did require picking them up in Munich. And many purchasures did take them to the near-by Nurburgring (and why wouldn't you).[/QUOTE]

Any suggestions on how I could verify if this car was offered the European pickup?

No worries, not bursting my bubble. I am a realist, I was just curious about this "story" the previous owner told me.

This car is great, but my '89 was special.

Thanks,
T

[DeeM3]

All,
My '95 E36 is #15, as such the previous owner had documents and a "story" about the first 15 cars which were both rather vague.
Is there any truth to the fact that the first 15 cars sold in North America has a special customer pickup program which included a trip to Munich and track time before being shipped? Additionally, I have heard the build quality of the early models could have been heightened due to this unique track program.
I should mention that this car is NOT for sale, and I am just curious about any unique programs BMW NA offered to the very early E36 models.
With regard to better build quality(very unlikely), I can safely say after 120,000 miles this car will not touch my than a 1/4 Qt of synthetic 5-30 in 3000 miles. Mechanically, it's as tight as a tank. The car has been fanatically maintained over the past 10 years.
So, if anyone knows if a program existed I would like some education. Based on the small marketing clip from the previous owner and no concrete evidence, I am declaring this a myth.
Thanks,
T

What color is your car? Does it actually have a #15 on it?

[TYMl3S]

What color is your car? Does it actually have a #15 on it?

Cosmos exterior, black interior. My vin# ends in 00015, but I hear where you are going with this...

T

[jgerry2002]

E36 started in late '89 early '90 in Europe.

Never heard of any story about the "first 15".

I would have thought that one of the BMW mags would have picked up on it.

I'd suspect that the "heightened build quality" is hearsay along with most of the the various other rumors like hand built motors/cars etc.

-Justin

[SpeedLi///Mit]

this has me curious what # my car is... :D

[SpeedLi///Mit]

boooo.... #5071... how unspecial is that? :shifty

[Don Nguyen]

How do you know what number it is?

[SpeedLi///Mit]

edit: the last 5 #s of the vin.

[Don Nguyen]

edit: the last 5 #s of the vin.

Sweet, lets see how special I am...

Not special at all hahaha , I am number 42840

[SpeedLi///Mit]

Sweet, lets see how special I am...
Not special at all hahaha , I am number 42840


lol... well I feel better now.. :D

I was hoping to be #69 :69 :naughty

[EricP]

Lucky ol 74185... almost my zipcode.

[BimmerFreak]

Heres some interesting history for you;

The very first US delivered M3 (which was Avus Blue) was sold to Dr. Dave Farnsworth (a past pres. of BMW CCA)
The sales person was Barbara Neuerman (also a BMW CCA member) of Fields BMW in Winnetka, IL.

[Serious]

Heres some interesting history for you;

The very first US delivered M3 (which was Avus Blue) was sold to Dr. Dave Farnsworth (a past pres. of BMW CCA)
The sales person was Barbara Neuerman (also a BMW CCA member) of Fields BMW in Winnetka, IL.

i have a picture of the first US spec e36 m3 with the vin to prove it and its dakar.

it was wrecked and stripped.

[SpeedLi///Mit]

i have a picture of the first US spec e36 m3 with the vin to prove it and its dakar.
it was wrecked and stripped.


WEAK!

too bad it wasn't still out there somewhere.. man how cool would it be to have #1

[BimmerFreak]

i have a picture of the first US spec e36 m3 with the vin to prove it and its dakar.
it was wrecked and stripped.

Yes, car # 00001 was wrecked and stripped.
Pictures of it were posted on here several years ago when it was for sale on ebay.

Car # 00001 was NOT the first to be delivered in the US.
It was the first car built for the US, but was not the first one to enter service.

[Volf]

My 95 is only one out of 1300 or so S50's ever built. Because its an auto :D

[ScotcH]

I have #00098 ... one if the first 100. Now I'm beating the hell out of it on the track :cool

[TYMl3S]

ANYONE ON THIS FORUM HAVE 0000-14?
:rolleyes

[CarbonBlkE36]

the guy told u that fabricated story to make the sale. odn't trip ur car is like any other 3 series

[teasley]

boooo.... #5071... how unspecial is that? :shifty

hah i got you by 18 mine is 5053

[SpeedLi///Mit]

hah i got you by 18 mine is 5053


BASTARD!! :vffani




J/K :worship:

[BOX HEAD]

I'm 1158 and I'm Auto...didn't think autos were that rare....go cosmo with the lux.....plus I don't have the same door cards as everyone else....I really doubt they got changed.....anything special about that??????
I think his story could be acurate...he's not saying it was the first 15 ever built, but the first 15 m3's ever built for specifically the U.S. market......not m-tec 325's or what ever......just m3 for the U.S.

[BOX HEAD]

second thought....do a vin scan on it....Mine was built in 1995/ 07
http://www.bmw-z1.com/VIN/VINdecode-e.cgi something is not adding up here...........

[TYMl3S]

the guy told u that fabricated story to make the sale. odn't trip ur car is like any other 3 series

CarbonBlkE36,
That was eloquently stated, thank you for the meaningful contribution to this thread. I would also like to address your concerns for me "tripping". You can rest assured, I have owned many cars over the years and the "story" was not an influencing factor on this recent acquisition. I still have only one objective to this thread, to determine if BMW NA did anything unique for the first allocation of cars to North America.

So, unless anyone else has some final feedback, we will close this thread out as a myth.

Best,
T

[BOX HEAD]

just wanted to say...that your last post was 69..:69 ...just made me laugh a little...not to much though as it is only mildly funny....:ninja

lol... well I feel better now.. :D

I was hoping to be #69 :69 :naughty

[SpeedLi///Mit]

just wanted to say...that your last post was 69..:69 ...just made me laugh a little...not to much though as it is only mildly funny....:ninja


:stickoutt haha... I didn't even notice that.. good looking out man! :D

[tkasser]

VIN EH00015 was built in March of 1994. It was delivered to the customer on April 30th 1994.

And for the record, mine is one of the LAST '95. Built in November of 1995 it is # 8352.