Should I?

[MuricanCarBoi]

Hello,

My name is David, I am 17, and drive a 2011 Chevy WT (4.3 V6). I have had the truck for over a year now, and it was my first vehicle, but this isn't a Chevy forum.
I am wanting to upgrade to something more, and I have been looking at some of my dream cars, and I found one of my more affordable options is am e36 M3 which I find priced very well ($6-$8, and no... Mommy and Daddy aren't paying for it.).
I looked at a post before this and people were commenting about power, and I have experience with power. For example, I drove a very quick mom car called the Focus ST (which is far from stock), and I also have driven a Challenger R/T and Scatpack (both 6-spd). I was in the market for a Challenger R/T with a manual trans (I only drove the scat pack because I could, I can't afford that), but am deciding to wait and get a higher trim level in the future and with a better job that won't require me to pay for it for 6 years (That's just the R/T including insurance, and I would have money for only gas and some food but no mod money...).

So the true question of this post that I was trying to get to(and kept trailing off of), should I get a manual e36 m3 (I am looking at one that was made in '96 right now)?

Even if your answers may seem brutal, please let me know, because I need all the info I can to build a case that'll determine the outcome.
If you have any questions for me, please ask, and I'll try to respond.

[MauiM3Mania]

Moved from General BMW Discussion sub-forum.

[MauiM3Mania]

I'd suggest that you research heavily, including reading much of the stickies at top of this sub-forum's listing. Lots of content up there.

Also, realize that these cars are no younger than 18+ years, some came off the line almost 24 years ago making cost of maintenance is a factor. If you can't do most of the work yourself, the shop bills will be burdensome. Great examples are in the mid-teen$. The $5k variety are cheap for a reason.

Don't even think about buying a 20+ year old BMW without having a qualified euro shop familiar with the issues of this car do a PPI (pre purchase inspection).

Good luck, the E36 M3 is an amazing car.

[pbonsalb]

I agree. If you are young and in an American car family, the family might not be supportive when your 20 year old foreign car breaks down. Great cars for DIYers but the learning curve and parts and mods costs will be higher than for a 5 year old Challenger RT.

[marvinstockman]

If you're good with a wrench, go for it. Otherwise, not. PPI from a BMW shop is very important. My '98 M3 automatic is a fairly simple car, and not overpowered. But it pulls like a freight train. Again, if you don't like the car, and the car you bought has been inspected, you can always sell it for whatever you can get for it.

[MuricanCarBoi]

Thank you for your input, luckily I know how to work on cars, and there is a guy in my area who has his four favorites and has his own shop working on VW, Porsche, BMW, and Audi. I also have a great amount of connections in the car community, and won't stop doing research. I am aware that they are older vehicles, and that's where I need to be most careful.

I know I can't just jump right in to the first one I see (even though it's tempting), and blow my money on it. Also, a good mention, they do sell for how much they're bought.

Luckily, I don't have to always go to far due to the locality of everything where I live, if there is anymore ideas, please share.

[blckstrm]

Thank you for your input, luckily I know how to work on cars, and there is a guy in my area who has his four favorites and has his own shop working on VW, Porsche, BMW, and Audi. I also have a great amount of connections in the car community, and won't stop doing research. I am aware that they are older vehicles, and that's where I need to be most careful.

I know I can't just jump right in to the first one I see (even though it's tempting), and blow my money on it. Also, a good mention, they do sell for how much they're bought.

Luckily, I don't have to always go to far due to the locality of everything where I live, if there is anymore ideas, please share.

You've left out a key item - are you keeping the truck?

Because the $6-8k ones you're looking at will need work, and even if you CAN do it yourself, you'll need something else to drive while the M3 is up on jack stands.

Most of us are older and at the very least have a spouse with a new, reliable car. In fact, I think I'm one of very few who daily drives my car. For most people here, their M3 is a second (or third) car that only comes out on weekends or track days.

They're not finicky, but they're all old and have been used as intended, which means some decent amount of hard driving. Daily driving one of these is a commitment.

I'd also think twice given that your other (and preferred) choice is on the complete opposite end of the performance car spectrum. Short of being a FWD Camry, it couldn't be more different. An E36 M3 is like a P-51 or a P-38 (or more appropriately a Focke-Wulf 190), while your Challenger is more like an F-14 or even a B1. I could elaborate on that comparison all day, but the point is that while the newer machine is a perfectly reasonable choice for its intended use, you're buying the old machine for the experience, not because it's anything remotely like the actual right tool for the job.

If you appreciate everything an E36 M3 has to offer, it's easier to put up with the problems associated with its age. If something like a Challenger is your ideal, what the M3 offers is likely not worth the headache of ownership.

[notMpowered]

While these cars are great at being an only car, in terms of the fact they do everything well, they aren't great at being an only car for reasons mentioned above. They WILL need some downtime for maintenance and you will probably want some downtime for picking away at the little issues as a project.
As muricancarboi, you may not appreciate what the m3 has to offer. Its a scalpel, not a hatchet. But that said you may love it. Drive one.

[scooper]

I would also add the time factor. Do you have time to work on repairing vehicles all the time? You're still in high school no doubt. Assume you are going to college or at least trade school and those things will eat up your time (should be main focus). If you have another DD then go for it. Older BMWs are such great driving vehicles. Just be aware that stuff will need replacing all the time.

[SlowJoe]

I think I'm one of very few who daily drives my car.

Mark me down as one who daily drives a 99 M3. I've been DD'ing it for years. Even in the winter - when there isn't any snow on the roads. This car doesn't do well in snow...
I am lucky though in that I am able to have a good BMW mechanic keep it in good reliable shape for me. To be honest, my upkeep dollars are less than my wife's 2012 Subaru Forester.

Not sure I would recommend this car to a teenager though. But then again, some are much more mature than their age.
Good luck OP in whatever direction you decide.

[SamGrant951]

I think they are pretty reliable when well cared for and very simple to work on. Sure parts are going to be more expensive than the standard american car and not always available at NAPA but I say go for it.

[jprottas]

Grand-fatherly Advice: Hoping you wont think I'm elitist or inappropriate by suggesting that the m3 is a sophisticated, finesse type car. Smaller breasted, thoughtful women who are good in bed will be attracted to it. If you're after the big bazookas go for the muscle car.



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[Moron95M3]

Go for it. You're in a similar spot as me when I got my car 10 years ago at 19.

Keep the W/T for winter and DD (edit, you're in TX...keep the truck just to have a truck). Drive the M3 in the summer (edit **sunny days**), learn with it, enjoy it. You can push the limits and it's not too powerful to really kill you unless you're an idiot. If it's busted, you can take your time working on it and drive the truck.

These cars are quite easy to fix and learn, and parts are pretty cheap nowadays.