Does/Has any one here own/owned an E36 M3 How does it Compare?

[NYZ93]

What do/did you like about it compared to the E39?
What don't/didn't you like about it compared to the E39?

Was/Is it much quicker than your 525/28/30/40?
If so how much?

How about reliability/maintenance?
Was/Is it better or worse than the E39?

Thanks

[sfgearhead]

I had an e36 coupe, but not an M3. It's much smaller, but don't take that as a negative. I personally prefer smaller, lighter cars.

I remember the e36 had better steering feel, but it had a R&P vs our current recirc ball.

[rf900rkw]

The S52 is rock solid up to about 12psi. Other than that, it's a lighter smaller car with less fancy crap to break.

[NYZ93]

How does it compare performance wise? to a 528 particularly

[bmwe46e39]

I currently own a 98 M3 and 03 540i6 (M Sport). My M3 is a convertible thus the road and chassis noise is evident. The M3 is sluggish on the bottom end but is very smooth and more responsive at the top end. The s52 motor for M3 is 240hp vs 193?hp 528i. My 528i was a great car, but I wanted more power.
The M3 steering is responsive and more maneuverable as a smaller car should be. I also own a 328i (e46) and Z3 (e36) and I find the I6 motor very easy to maintain vs the V8. I do all of my own maintenance work. I have all the records on the M3 since new and thus far it has been a very enjoyable car. I was in the market for a e39 M5 and choose the 03 540i/6. The M3 satisfied my want for a "M" car.

[OldSkoolBMW]

I regularly lap 1-2 sec faster than a e36 m3 convertable at our local short roadcourse track.. I pwn him on anything straight.. he brakes slightly better.. at the end of day.. brakes only slow you down..

[NYZ93]

I currently own a 98 M3 and 03 540i6 (M Sport). My M3 is a convertible thus the road and chassis noise is evident. The M3 is sluggish on the bottom end but is very smooth and more responsive at the top end. The s52 motor for M3 is 240hp vs 193?hp 528i. My 528i was a great car, but I wanted more power.
The M3 steering is responsive and more maneuverable as a smaller car should be. I also own a 328i (e46) and Z3 (e36) and I find the I6 motor very easy to maintain vs the V8. I do all of my own maintenance work. I have all the records on the M3 since new and thus far it has been a very enjoyable car. I was in the market for a e39 M5 and choose the 03 540i/6. The M3 satisfied my want for a "M" car.

Ok thanks but i was unsure by what you were saying was it sluggish compared to the 528?!? or to the 540?
How was it compared to the 528? is it much faster or just a bit

I regularly lap 1-2 sec faster than a e36 m3 convertable at our local short roadcourse track.. I pwn him on anything straight.. he brakes slightly better.. at the end of day.. brakes only slow you down..

Lol i know the 540 will win in the straight and at the top end but the E36 isn't a V8
thats why i wanted to know how they compared to the E39 I6's mostly
but thanks for the response

[Cyrix2k]

to a 528i? The m3's feel is excellent and power delivery is a LOT more raw. The interior quality of the e39 is hard to beat, but e39s do not deliver a driving experience anywhere near as rewarding as an M3. An M3 with the lux package seems to help with the interior issues - I believe the one I drove did have the lux package and it felt significantly nicer than my 318iC.

[NYZ93]

^Thanks this helps, not sure if you would know but why do some of the M's have the 3 spoke (pre-facelift E39 Sport) steering wheel and others have an uglier 4 spoke

[Cyrix2k]

Older M3s came with the 4 spoke wheel, but a lot have been swapped.

[BaltimoreBimmer]

I really miss my E36 M3. I had it for a very long time and it served us well. Sure, it was a lot more fun to drive but in the end just not practical enough. I found the motor to be bullet proof and the same goes for the trans and electrical system

[Kevin Da Clean1]

I had a 98 M3 4-door for over a year before it was totaled. It was seriously & easily one of the best handling cars I have ever had the pleasure of owning. The steering feel was dead accurate & the dynamic cornering abilities were almost unreal. The car was much more nimble to toss around on the street & it was much easier to work on. The interior felt a bit plasticky but I didn't expect it to be as warm, quiet & comfy as the cabin in my M5. At the end of the day, I really miss the car & I will jump at the opportunity to buy another.

It's a well built machine & many will argue it's a downright modern day classic.

[nikch86]

All e36s have very poor interior quality compared to E39. Seats and armrests suffer especially a lot. I would prefer e30 over e36.
Also, M3 engine in US is not a true M engine. I was very disappointed with it.
They changed the gear ratios to keep acceleration up and lowered the top speed, so any e39 will beat e36 m3 there.
If you can get a true S52 from Europe, go for it.

[NYZ93]

Yea well I kinda expect the interior to be lacking... So that's no surprise

[BimmerM3inGA]

I own an E36 M3 sedan (5-speed) and am on my third E39. This one is a 528 Touring with the Sport package, but I also had a Sport sedan (both automatics). I like them both, but for different reasons.

What kind of comparison are you looking for? The M3 is definitely quicker - it's smaller, lighter, and has more power. But the E39 is roomier, quieter, and more comfortable. Gas mileage is actually about the same for either.

If I'm going on a longer trip, the E39 is my first choice. But for more spirited driving, the M3 wins out.

They both have their maintenance and repair issues - both cars have common trouble areas. They have similar cooling systems with the same deficiencies. My M3 is a '98 with 130K miles and the E39 is a '99 with 138K miles and they both need constant attention. I honestly couldn't say that one is more reliable/less maintenance than the other. But if I had to decide, I would say the E36 is easier/cheaper to maintain simply because it has fewer moving parts and bits with wires sticking out of them.

If I had to choose only one vehicle, my choice might actually be surprising. I've owned my M3 for 11 years and know it very well, but if I had to replace it, my perfect car would be an E39 Touring with the Sport package and a 5-Speed. Preferably bright red with a black interior.

[EaglEye]

They're fun cars, very connected and engaging. They're a lot more similar to they're non-M brethren than any other M car I've driven, but e36s in general drive very well.
Faster than a 528? Sure, they "feel" faster than even a 540 despite the fact they usually aren't.
I don't see anymore e36s in my future simply because I can't stand the interiors and general crap(for a BMW) build and materials quality. It's a shame, because I haven't driven an e36 that disappointed dynamically.