Have an e36 sedan, but looking to buy a convertible

[meade18]

Hey guys. I am currently looking to upgrade to a 6-cyl e36 convertible from my 1992 325i Sedan. I am wondering if you can help me come up with a quick summary with the differences between the convertible years 1994-1997. I say through 1997 because I won't be spending enough to afford something newer than that.

So for instance, something like:
1994 sucked cause it was the first year and they needed to work out the bugs (don't know if this is true or not but I found out the hard way it was w/ my 1992)
1994-1995 they had 2.5 litre engines
1996-1997 they had 2.8 litre
they started including the digital auto climate control as an option is 199x
it became standard in 199x

you know, that sort of stuff. I just want to make sure I'm well informed when making a decision on how much i think i should pay for the cars i see out there.

[amancuso]

Don't really know anything about the earlier ones, except that the fully automatic top was available on 97+ models and only 96+ models recieved the digital CC standard.

[nordique14]

Lots of posts on the differences between 325 (ODBI) and 328 (ODBII) cars. Personally, I think the 96 is the best model. I like the semi-auto top over the auto top. The 97+ models have the newer nose panel/grill. Sometime in 98, the 328 got the M-tech body treatment and 3-spoke steering wheel (which looks wicked cool).

[SouthernBoy]

I currently own a '94 325i convertible and a 1998 M3 convertible, so I can give a perspective on both. Putting aside the obvious ///M vs. non-///M and ODB-I vs. ODB-II differences, I don't think they're that much different.

My '94 (which is for sale: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=697089 ) came with the grey side-skirts and lower bumper covers. I painted them to match, so visually, it looks like the later cars (except the grill on the 98-99 years).

Engine on the '94 has been bulletproof. I did the usual cooling system upgrades and keep fresh fluids everywhere, and haven't had a problem.

Big thing you'll find on the older cars is interior quality. The door panels are known for de-laminating, and my experience is that it is worse on pre-'96 cars than earlier. Worse in general on the convertibles due to sun and moisture exposure.

The '94 has the semi-auto top which I actually prefer over the fully-auto top in the M3.

Finally, rollover protection and ASC... Rollover protection was an option through '95 (I think), and became standard after that. ASC wasn't available in until '96 (I think - someone will surely correct me on my dates if I'm wrong.) Personally, I like the rollover protection and couldn't care less about the ASC.

All I can think of at the moment, but feel free to ask questions.

[nordique14]

Finally, rollover protection and ASC... Rollover protection was an option through '95 (I think), and became standard after that. ASC wasn't available in until '96 (I think - someone will surely correct me on my dates if I'm wrong.) Personally, I like the rollover protection and couldn't care less about the ASC.

I prefer to call it "clarification". :stickoutt
ASC was an option on non-M '96 models and became standard 97+.
ASC was standard on 96+ M3.

I agree that the rollover protection should manditory. I think a 96 328 with rollover and no ASC would be the best bang for the buck.

[BaronS]

I'm pretty sure rollover protection wasn't standard untill at least 98. I've seen some 97 328's with no rollover protection, and all the 98's I've seen including mine seem to have it.

[meade18]

thanks for the input guys,

southernboy, i'd be super interested in yours if only it wasn't red, good luck with the sale though, looks like a nice car

everyone,
i didn't realize that there were automatic and semi automatic tops. what exactly is the difference? i remember my unlce used to have a 325 convertible and i thought that was fully automatic, so was that an option for the earlier models?

how about digital climate control vs. manual - i'm not a huge fan of my manual controls. do the digital ones work well?

[nordique14]

thanks for the input guys,

southernboy, i'd be super interested in yours if only it wasn't red, good luck with the sale though, looks like a nice car

everyone,
i didn't realize that there were automatic and semi automatic tops. what exactly is the difference? i remember my unlce used to have a 325 convertible and i thought that was fully automatic, so was that an option for the earlier models?

how about digital climate control vs. manual - i'm not a huge fan of my manual controls. do the digital ones work well?

On semi-auto tops you have to unlatch the top and give it a shove up when opening and give it a pull down and lock it when closing. That is what your uncle's 325 had. The full-auto top attches to the windshield frame all by itself without any help fron the driver. You hold the top up/downbutton and do not touch the top at all. IMO, it adds complexity will little benefit. Just another microswitch that might fail. And if you do have to manually release the convertible top motors, then you have to pull out an extra tool to get the top to join to the windshield frame.

The digital climate control unit looks cool, but is prone to failure. Good news is that I seem to recall paying about $50-100 to get it fixed up (mail it to a shop and they fix up the connections and mail it back).

[MParallel]

I prefer to call it "clarification". :stickoutt
ASC was an option on non-M '96 models and became standard 97+.
ASC was standard on 96+ M3.

I agree that the rollover protection should manditory. I think a 96 328 with rollover and no ASC would be the best bang for the buck.

Nordic, unless Euro vs. US, but I reckon US M3's also have a limited slip diff.
All cars with LSD's do not have ASC as the two don't work together (ASC detects different wheel speeds, so every time the LSD has one wheel spinning more than the other....)

[MParallel]

....

The digital climate control unit looks cool, but is prone to failure. Good news is that I seem to recall paying about $50-100 to get it fixed up (mail it to a shop and they fix up the connections and mail it back).

Digital Climates work excellent, but they are prone to fail. (unit goes crazy).

HOWEVER.

This is a known problem and all that is needed is to replace a 50 cent capacitor.

I love the climate control and with a full OBC and OEM headunit this just looks so nice.

http://www.idon-industries.com/bimmer/dash_stack_02.jpg

My climate control unit also has the UAC option (auto recirc)

In the end...just make sure it has air con. Really handy in a moisture vert.

[nordique14]

Nordic, unless Euro vs. US, but I reckon US M3's also have a limited slip diff.
All cars with LSD's do not have ASC as the two don't work together (ASC detects different wheel speeds, so every time the LSD has one wheel spinning more than the other....)

All 96+ US E36 M3 have ASC and a LSD. The non-M 96+ E36 cars do not have LSD.

[nordique14]

My climate control unit also has the UAC option (auto recirc)

In the end...just make sure it has air con. Really handy in a moisture vert.

All US digital climate controls have AC and recirc. :alright

We also all have leather interiors. I wish we had the option of cloth. :(

[MParallel]

All US digital climate controls have AC and recirc. :alright

We also all have leather interiors. I wish we had the option of cloth. :(

Of course they do!

Climate Control = (of course) Aircon +extra controls.

BUT

I said the additional AUTO recirc (AUC). Not Recirc.

Check my picture and you'll see my module has 2 symbols and LED's on the recirc button, which I know was an option in US too.

And I'm not confinced about M3's having LSD and ASC as the 2 are simply mutually exclusive.
But well US specs M3 are weird so who knows?!

[SouthernBoy]

thanks for the input guys,

southernboy, i'd be super interested in yours if only it wasn't red, good luck with the sale though, looks like a nice car...

Don't you know that it's a scientific fact that red cars are faster? :stickoutt

[nordique14]

Of course they do!

Climate Control = (of course) Aircon +extra controls.

BUT

I said the additional AUTO recirc (AUC). Not Recirc.

Check my picture and you'll see my module has 2 symbols and LED's on the recirc button, which I know was an option in US too.

I learned something new today. My car has the auto recirc :cool, so I assumed all have it. Not something I normally notice.


And I'm not confinced about M3's having LSD and ASC as the 2 are simply mutually exclusive.
But well US specs M3 are weird so who knows?!

100% that all 96+ E36 US M3 have ASC and LSD. I am also unsure of how LSD is supposed to work with ASC. :confused

[kingfish]

All US digital climate controls have AC and recirc. :alright

We also all have leather interiors. I wish we had the option of cloth. :(

my car doesn't come with leather interior. it's not cloth either :) (synthetic leather of the lower kind)

[fun2drive]

I have owned both versions and I have noticed little difference in engine performance and transmissions (5sp). I don't think the tops make much difference either as a semi auto and auto top function the same except for the way the auto top automatically latches and unlatches, climate control is different and I think the convertible top module is fully diagnostic on the 96 on cars.

Here is the real thing to look for. Does the top function as it should? Does it open and close correctly? What is the condition of the rear plastic window? What shape is the leather in especially the drivers side bolster and the top of the rear seat back right where the rear defroster is located (after a while the thread pulls away because the leather shrinks and gets hard).

I have had hard tops on both and I would never buy one without the hardtop or obtain it after you bought the car. They are incredibly useful and give the car a lot of stiffness and a great deal more security.

Both were good cars (97 and 95) and also don't be locked in to everything you read here because my 95 is a9/95 build and I have many 96 plus changes in this car such as location of the fuel pressure regulator, etc. BMW has a habit of doing this when close to model change over.

I am selling my current vert because I am finally getting the new vert with a folding hardtop....
Good luck with your search and nothing like a drive with the top down...

[MParallel]

I have owned both versions and I have noticed little difference in engine performance and transmissions (5sp). I don't think the tops make much difference either as a semi auto and auto top function the same except for the way the auto top automatically latches and unlatches, climate control is different and I think the convertible top module is fully diagnostic on the 96 on cars.

Here is the real thing to look for. Does the top function as it should? Does it open and close correctly? What is the condition of the rear plastic window? What shape is the leather in especially the drivers side bolster and the top of the rear seat back right where the rear defroster is located (after a while the thread pulls away because the leather shrinks and gets hard).

I have had hard tops on both and I would never buy one without the hardtop or obtain it after you bought the car. They are incredibly useful and give the car a lot of stiffness and a great deal more security.

Both were good cars (97 and 95) and also don't be locked in to everything you read here because my 95 is a9/95 build and I have many 96 plus changes in this car such as location of the fuel pressure regulator, etc. BMW has a habit of doing this when close to model change over.

I am selling my current vert because I am finally getting the new vert with a folding hardtop....
Good luck with your search and nothing like a drive with the top down...

Good post. Yes, the rood module is fully diagnostic. I believe on all models.

rear defroster bolster: when you clean/treat the seats, just make sure you get under the defroster where it goes over the rear seat and apply leather care there too.
Or better yet, remove it so you can get to all places you normally don't get too.
I always pull out the rear seat to also do the seams on the bottem, which never get treated otherwise.
You could also remove the panels on the back of the front seats to get to the leather behind it.

True about model years. My car is from 8/96 (German car) official facelift date was 9/96 but my car is designated a 1997 model.