End of an era...for me

[Gene V]

Sold my M3 today after a total of 20 years of ownership...here's a mod/maintenance history of the car which has over 500 autocross runs on it...

1997 BMW M3 – 91xxx miles

Mods:

Conforti cold air intake
Conforti Shark Injector Stage I
Supersprint cat back exhaust
Turner underdrive pulleys
B&M short shifter
UUC DSSR
UUC Transmission mounts
X-Brace
TC Kline Koni SA coilovers
TCK rear shock mounts
Motorforce Engineering (Vorshlag) camber plates
Ireland Engineering strut tower brace
Eibach sway bars with Turner adjustable links
UUC Stage II lightweight flywheel with E34 M5 clutch
Clutch delay valve removed
Wheel stud conversion
Stainless steel brake lines
Apex ARC8 17x9 wheels
LSD 3.46
Oil pump nut secured

Maintenance replacement/repair (thru the years)

Windshield cowl
Headliner
Door panels
Flex disk
LCABs
Motor mounts
RCABs with GC limiters
Radiator, hoses, belts + tensioner
Oil pan gasket
Rear main seal
New clutch (85681 miles)
Oxygen sensors
Power steering reservoir and hoses
Brake rotors/pads front & rear
Radiator expansion tank
ABS wheel speed sensors
Driver's side window motor
Tie rod ends

Recent Maintenance:

Passenger side door actuator
Valve cover + gasket
Replaced idle control valve & related hoses
Fuel level sending unit
Fuel filter
Fuel tank breather valve
Trunk gasket R&R
Front lip spoiler R&R
Spark plugs (895xx miles)
R&R sway bar bushings
Welded hairline cracks in strut towers and added reinforcement plates

Recent preventative maintenance:

Rear sub frame mounts R&R.
Starter, cam position sensor, crank position sensor, cam chain, cam chain tensioners R&R.
Water pump, water pump housing and thermostat R&R.
All coolant/heater hoses and vacuum lines under the manifold R&R.

Recent repairs:

Replaced VANOS with DR VANOS unit
Cam chain guides R&R
Top end rebuild...new valves, valve guides, head gasket, skimmed head, intake/exhaust manifold gaskets, head studs, etc.

Misc.

Oil changed every 5k miles or one year whichever came first with Redline 10w40.

Car purchased in early 2001, sold in 2013 and repurchased in 2015 with less than 2k miles added to the odometer.

Sold for an even $25K...

[MauiM3Mania]

Sorry to see you let it go, Gene. Hopefully, the new owner appreciates what he has.

[Braymond141]

Oh, it was you! Brian bought your car.

He has a Boston Green coupe that I have at my shop pending an S54 swap. The current thought is to maybe use your Estoril instead as it is much nicer.

Sorry to see you sold it. Hope you stick around!

[Gene V]

Oh, so you have his BG coupe, small world. It was sad to see the car go, but it was time as the burden of keeping it nice was weighing heavy on my aging shoulders. I didn't realize how beautiful it was until I saw him driving it away, not perfect but very nice and a great driver...will miss it.

[golgo13]

Gene is your car going to the mainland?

[Braymond141]

Gene is your car going to the mainland?

Just for an S54 swap if Brian chooses to use this car for that. After that it will go back to HI where Brian lives.

[Nova1]

Gene I’ve learned a lot from you on here. Most importantly, “getting old ain’t for wimps”. Congrats on the sale. If I may ask, what happened between 2013-2015 that brought the car back t you?

[golgo13]

Just for an S54 swap if Brian chooses to use this car for that. After that it will go back to HI where Brian lives.

That's neat. Will probably be the first S54 swapped E36 in the state here, AFAIK.

[Gene V]

Gene I’ve learned a lot from you on here. Most importantly, “getting old ain’t for wimps”. Congrats on the sale. If I may ask, what happened between 2013-2015 that brought the car back t you?

I sold the M in 2013 because I was struggling to get my toddler grandson into the backseat car seat owing to my bad back. Bought a new WRX and it was fun for a while, but I hated the turbo lag on our tight autox courses. After a couple of years my grandson could crawl into his car seat by himself I started to look around for an E46 M3. With none to be found I reached out to the guy that bought my car, he had sold it to his uncle to be used as a Sunday driver. Timing was right as the uncle was looking for a P car for his wife and the M was expendable, a deal was made and the car was mine again.

[bmwstephen]

so what's next car you are going to get (if at all)?

[Gene V]

Don't need another car, son has an E30M3 and an E92 M3 that he'll share (though the E30 is retired)...maybe a new Ducati V2 Streetfighter to go along with my Speed Triple...

[bmwstephen]

Don't need another car, son has an E30M3 and an E92 M3 that he'll share (though the E30 is retired)...maybe a new Ducati V2 Streetfighter to go along with my Speed Triple...

I thought you have a bad back =p. Awesome to hear about your son's collection

[Gene V]

I thought you have a bad back =p. Awesome to hear about your son's collection

I do have a bad back, hence the interest in motorcycles with a more upright riding position...

[Gene V]

Just for an S54 swap if Brian chooses to use this car for that. After that it will go back to HI where Brian lives.

Friend sent me a picture of my old car on a pallet at the airport...looks like it's on the way.

[Braymond141]

Friend sent me a picture of my old car on a pallet at the airport...looks like it's on the way.

Brian said he'd be here Saturday with it. Looking forward to getting this car done right for him.

[SIIDEWAYS]

Oh, so you have his BG coupe, small world. It was sad to see the car go, but it was time as the burden of keeping it nice was weighing heavy on my aging shoulders. I didn't realize how beautiful it was until I saw him driving it away, not perfect but very nice and a great driver...will miss it.

Sorry to hear you sold it, but to be completely honest (with myself especially), I've contemplated many times selling my hooptie as well. I just don't drive it enough, especially because it's set up more for track duty now with the R-compounds/track wheels on it and the removed passenger seat. My old ass just doesn't have the energy anymore to keep switching wheels around in my garage between street and track driving. I may either eventually sell it or possibly give it to my son once he's of driving age (only a couple years away!). If I end up selling it, that will certainly be a very sad day for me...

[Gene V]

Brian said he'd be here Saturday with it. Looking forward to getting this car done right for him.

S54 swap I presume...

[Braymond141]

S54 swap I presume...

Yep.

[Yahweh]

You yellow chromate zinc plated new damper bolts before install? Add 10k to the price, minus 10k if reused :p

I think we need more photos, even though it sold.

[golgo13]

Cleanest S54 I've ever seen

[Gene V]

Hope the car is worthy...

[blckstrm]

Sorry to hear you sold it, but to be completely honest (with myself especially), I've contemplated many times selling my hooptie as well. I just don't drive it enough, especially because it's set up more for track duty now with the R-compounds/track wheels on it and the removed passenger seat. My old ass just doesn't have the energy anymore to keep switching wheels around in my garage between street and track driving. I may either eventually sell it or possibly give it to my son once he's of driving age (only a couple years away!). If I end up selling it, that will certainly be a very sad day for me...

Not that I have a dog in the fight, but I'd think the value of keeping it in the family would outweigh whatever you could sell it for.

[Gene V]

I agree with that except in my case my son has one each E30 and E92 M3, so he wasn't interested in the E36. His son is 11 and though we've tried to interest him, it doesn't appear that he's gonna be a car guy...he wants to be an astrophysicist My three year old great grandson loves cars, but at his age they are of the hot wheels type...and I have the E36, E46 models, in addition to other BMWs/P-cars) for when he can appreciate them.

[RND1]

Sounds like 20 years of smiles to me. As someone just getting into Autocross with my 98 Estoril, what would you recommend for tires and mods that made the most difference?

[RRSperry]

Just this morning, I sold my last electric guitar. Why? Because I don't play it. So there I was with this young guy in the garage, and he's test playing it like it should be played, (and I really have no musical talent), and I was looking at the M3 sitting there next to the Corvette. I just don't drive it. It's time to go.. How to go about selling it? Bring a Trailer? Facebook ad? Just thinking about selling makes me dizzy... 27 years, and a lot of bloody knuckles... Maybe a package deal? The M3, all the BMW specific tools, the GT1, all the stock parts, the 5 speed transmission that's still wrapped up in plastic from when I put in the 6 speed? How do I value that? Ok, it's too hard, I'll stop now.

Gene, sorry to hear you sold yours, but I know EXACTLY what you were thinking.