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Thread: Complete Restoration

  1. #1
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    Exclamation Complete Restoration

    Has anyone ever considered doing a complete restoration of an E36 M3? I saw in one tuner magazine about a year ago that was taken all the way down to the frame. I was NOT being built for any racing application(or so he said). The owner said he was building it for car show purposes.(inside and out). I see show car quality M3’s in magazines all the time. The question is… how much money does it realistically take to build a BMW show car? (ballpark figure)

    I ask this question because I’m at a crossroads as what to do next. Most of the top M3 show cars are COUPES. Should I sell my ‘97 M3 sedan and buy a high mileage ’95 coupe and work on it a little at a time (best solution for my budget) or, buy a new 2004 330i and forget about all this “M” stuff and move on. (a new E46 M3 is out of the question). I am also not interested in any pre-owned 2001 or 2002 M3’s for obvious reasons.(boom!):k:

    I researched the E36 M3 before I bought my car, but I made the mistake of not joining one of the BMW message boards FIRST!

    I have since realized that I could have bought a car with more of the equipment I prefer if I had done that instead of regretting it later. Don’t misunderstand me here, I’m happy that I got a M3. I really do love the way it performs. I just can’t help thinking about what I could have bought with more information than I had at the time. (if I knew then what I know now!)

    I’m open to suggestions. I’ve been stuck for about 6 months on this now, and I can’t seem to make up my mind which path I should take. So, I’m opening up to the M3 brotherhood to ask their opinion on the subject. I think it will be easier if everyone told me what YOU would do in a similar situation, than try to speculate on what I’m thinking.

    Please give reasons for any suggestions you post.

    Thanks for reading this and for all who respond.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
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    Sean-

    So, basically you are wanting to build a show car, correct? I personally don't see anything wrong with using your sedan as the basis for it. I would tend to think being a bit different in your choice of show car would get you that much more interest. Now I am by no means a restoration expert, but you know that restoration=money-and lots of it. I have only seen on picture of your sedan, and from what I can tell it is in very nice condition. No use in buying something else (such as a high mileage '95 coupe) that will cost you a ton of money in the long run in the restoration process.

    Hopefully this will make some sense, but honestly I really couldn't figure out exactly what you were trying to ask!
    Eric Giles
    '04 330i ZHP

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    Hey Eric,

    Thanks for your input. I read my post and I realize that I should have been clearer about what I'm trying to decide.

    O.K. Here’s the breakdown:

    1. Should I bear the expense to rebuild a E36 M3 to show car status or purchase a “new” E46 330i coupe.
    2. Whatever decision I make will be very expensive.
    3. I cannot do BOTH.
    4. I need the pros and cons of both paths.
    5. I have never driven a regular 3-series BMW on a regular basis.(test drives can’t tell you what you’d miss out on long term.)
    6. The “draw” of owning a brand new BMW is very hard to ignore.
    7. I know I will have to make the final decision either way.
    8. I just want some feedback to help make a more informed decision from people who drive BMW’s.
    9. I know some useful information can be attained by this process.
    10. I need all the help I can get.


    Eric, keeping the sedan is not an option. If I buy any BMW in the future, it will be a coupe. I like the bodylines and overall flow to a coupe much better. I unfortunately made that decision a few years after I bought my sedan.(oh well)

    I hope I can get a lot of you to chime in with your opinions, the more the better.

    Thanks guys.
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  4. #4
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    OK, now I have a little better idea of what you want to do. I really don't know what to tell you. If you bought an E36 M3 coupe (a high mileage '95 as per your first post) and did a full restoration, you will probably have spent as much on the car and restoration as you would have purchasing a new E46 330Ci. Plus, with the E46 you would have the new car warranty should anything go wrong. With the E36 you would be paying out of pocket once again.

    As far as driving dynamics, the E36 M3 will be more fun to drive overall. However, the E46 is not a slouch-but it is heavier and you will feel it. The E46 is a good bit more refined and quieter, and the quality of the interior materials is so much better than what the E36 uses. I have owned two E46's ('00 323Ci and an '02 330i) and enjoyed both of them. I do find the E36 M3 more fun to drive, but its overall build quality is not up to E46 levels. Also, the E46 (from my experience) does not have all of the electrical gremlins that the E36 does, and is more reliable overall.

    Now, I am the kind of person that likes the thought of taking an old car and making it new again. So, restoring a car does have a certain appeal to me. But I think that in your situation, The E46 coupe might be your best bet in the long run. BMW has just made the ZHP Performance Package available for the 330Ci coupe. This is the closest you will get to an M car without actually buying one. A number of people have said the 330i with the Performance Package is actually very close to the E36 M3 power and handling wise. Go drive one for yourself and see.

    BTW-what part of Louisiana are you located?
    Eric Giles
    '04 330i ZHP

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    Louisiana
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    Lightbulb I need input please!

    Thanks again for your input Eric, much appreciated.

    I also have a strong urge to bring an E36 M3 back to its former glory. Actually I was thinking about building it to "better than new condition". I was toying around with the idea of fixing some of the weak points of the car by replacing them with technology not originally available at the time the car was built. I wonder what type of car I could create using better or stronger parts and software that can improve ride,peformance,and appearance. In short, could I build the REAL Ultimate Driving Machine? Maybe I'm just dreaming.

    These three things I know are true:

    1. This will cost me more than I can afford.

    2. The return on my investment will be non-existent.

    3. I have no idea if I will even finish the project once I start.


    But,


    If I did finish it, what do you think I would have? An ultra expensive dream project, or a ridiculously expensive nightmare?

    I say all this as the devil's advocate.

    I am 90% sure buying a new E46 330i coupe is what's going to happen.

    I know it's the smart, rational, responsible & safe move to make.
    That's also my problem. Same old, same old.

    I just get so damn tired doing what I'm supposed to do.

    Every once in a while you need to exercise some "risky behavior".

    But is this it? All of a sudden, sky diving out of a perfectly good plane doesn't sound so bad after all.

    Hell, all I'm risking is financial ruin right?



    There's a fine line between genius and insanity.

    I have erased this line.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
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    1999 M3 Coupe
    If I were in your situation, I'd keep my M3 sedan. There are soooo many e46 330s out on the road but how many M3s do you see a day? a week? a month? There are many nice body kits out there for sedans that will push your car status a little more to the "show car" side. Also, when you're upgrading your car, you can swap them for aftermarket parts that are in your price range and that you like to be in your "show car". You can always sell your OEM parts here or on ebay and get back SOME money. I never thought of selling my car so I don't care if I get my money back on mods or not. Hope this helps you a little more with your decision!

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