Should I buy a Euro E36 M?

[MorningCruiser]

Alright, well there's one of the ultra-rare 45 1994 Euro Spec M3s (45 were released in canada in 94) for sale in Edmonton, for only $23,000...

Now, the bad news is it has 160,000km on it (100K mi), checked the vin and everything...

Most M3s go for $23,000ish as a "bottom dollar price" with most averaging around $25-26,000... but with half the kms or so...

I've heard that they're notorious for huge amounts of engine work being required (especially the six individual tbs)...

Any comments? Suggestions? It's a very rare car, very cheap, but the problem is the KMs on it and question of the maintanence... Otherwise I might just look at picking up an 88 M3 that I found :D Or just get a plain jane M3.

[FlyingOct]

If I had the chance to buy one, I'd try to find someone in the area who knows how to work on the vehicle first, especially if it was a rare car.

[MorningCruiser]

I know how to work on it, and would do the majority of the work myself....

I've heard a lot of questionability of the ability to tune the engine and have it survive however...

And even still, I'd likely take it to the stealership for any maintanence that i didn't wish to do (which wouldn't be very much...)

Any other comments?

[ckyskater733]

i say get it. you never really know how long your car will last. mine has 292k miles on it and still runs decent.

[MorningCruiser]

E36 Euro engines are known to be maintanence nightmares because of their stock power etc...

I wonder if Dado can tell me why he didn't go with one? Dado, come here and reply :D

I'm strongly considering it, I went and looked at it, and sat in it, no testdrive though (won't let it be winter driven, said he could hold onto it until the spring for me so I could test it then)... Interior was in amazing shape, everything was stock still, nothing done to the car, starts up and purrs like it should... Sounded like a very good breather to me, it's an authentic euro car, even has the limited edition plate in it...

[BimmiN]

There is one for sale here in Victoria with only 45,000 Kms. It is also only one of two that came in Giallo Yellow.... But its twice the price:

https://www.dlsaccelerator.com/uploads/carimages/20242.JPG

[Tonk]

You should post this question on some of the bmw forums.

www.bimmerforums.com is a good one

[Pablo54]

Actualy, u should wait till the $ is more worth again. 25.000$ is not much for a Beamer. Carz r more expensive in Germany even if its a Beamer.

[Grathen]

Morning I say go for it....if he is willing to hold it for you till spring to give it a good test drive....if a Euro is what you want and you don't mind the level of maintenance then I say do it.

[keeptheeuroalive]

definetly get it. my dad has a bmw and im about to get one to replace my jetta. the work on them isnt really hard,but a lot of times you may need special tools from bmw (lots of factory spec tools from vw also). just remember that aftermarket parts are fuckin expensive

[MorningCruiser]

I decided against it...

I've seen and done the M3 thing too much, so I decided that a skyline is cheaper, performs better and is more durable in worse weather (AWD is your friend, especially selective awd).

[Joel]

I'd probably get it if I were you.

[MorningCruiser]

Why? They're not exactly hard to find.

There weren't a lot made, but they come up for sale all the time, and it's just as easy to import a euro E36.

[BimmiN]

Why? They're not exactly hard to find.

There weren't a lot made, but they come up for sale all the time, and it's just as easy to import a euro E36.


Actually to import a car from Europe into Canada it has to be a minimum of 15 years old.

[MorningCruiser]

Actually to import a car from Europe into Canada it has to be a minimum of 15 years old.

Correction:

Only if it wasn't released to the canadian market.

I think I'd know, I just bought a Skyline. It's an R32 for that exact reason.

AKA: I can bring over any car that was made anywhere else, so long as it was also made here. I can bring over a 1998 Jeep Cherokee Diesel from europe just so I can have a diesel jeep here. It's fully legal.

[sleestack]

serious i want to import a euro m3 someday ill have to get advice from you how to bring it over.

[MorningCruiser]

I have no idea on US importation laws.

Looking into it right now, cause if my Skyline is a bitch to make legal there, even with a valid vin, I will end up selling it here.

[sleestack]

i see euro audis all the time over here so i hope its not too much to bring it over. theres a guy with an r32 at the acura dealer ofer here he brought his in from Canada.

[BimmiN]

Correction:

Only if it wasn't released to the canadian market.

I think I'd know, I just bought a Skyline. It's an R32 for that exact reason.

AKA: I can bring over any car that was made anywhere else, so long as it was also made here. I can bring over a 1998 Jeep Cherokee Diesel from europe just so I can have a diesel jeep here. It's fully legal.

You might want to check into that again. I have looked into this fairly extensively as I bought my car in Germany and it had to be 15 years old even though the M5's were released in North America.

[MorningCruiser]

You might want to check into that again. I have looked into this fairly extensively as I bought my car in Germany and it had to be 15 years old even though the M5's were released in North America.

I was told by a TC Import Representative (there's three, I believe) that any car produced and released with a canadian model could be imported into Canada.

I used a 1997 Euro M3 as an example, and he said "Should come in no problem, we sold them here, so long as it has an airbag when ours did, and it's somewhat emissions legal, it's fine basically".

But that's spending five months trying to find out about importing assorted vehicles.

[BimmiN]

That would be sweet if you could... I wanted to bring a newer M5 Touring over here but according to everyone I spoke with at CCRA it had to be 15 years old.

Here are a couple links I have from when I was importing my car...

According to CCRA:
http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/E/pub/cp/rc4140/rc4140-e.html

"You cannot import a vehicle that was manufactured to meet the safety standards of a country other than the United States or Canada, unless the vehicle is:

fifteen years or older (excludes buses);
a bus manufactured before January 1, 1971; or
entering Canada temporarily. "

According to Canadian Driver:
http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/mj/import.htm

"Residents of Canada cannot normally import a car from overseas countries unless it is at least 15 years old. The relatively few exceptions to this rule can be found in CCRA publications."

So there are exceptions... not sure where you would find that information. Hope this helps.

[MorningCruiser]

Ah, I don't think a touring would qualify because we didn't have them here. (M5 Touring).

I don't trust the CCRA crap, last time I read anything off there, half the imported cars here couldn't be imported. According to them the Scion tC is the only one that isn't legal here and it had the highest safety rating in the states.

They also have a LIST of vehicles that can/cannot be imported.

[MorningCruiser]

Reading over the site just briefly, but as far as I know, you could likely get a document from BMW stating that the M5 touring is compliant with our crash testing due to the fact that the regular touring is compliant. It shouldn't be too much work. But that's speculation.

[BMW_Aproved]

its not worth is go for a 96 cus then they have got the VANOS and are a 3.2 so it worth wating for one

[MorningCruiser]

its not worth is go for a 96 cus then they have got the VANOS and are a 3.2 so it worth wating for one

It was a Euro car. It's not the same engine as used in north america.

[///M cubed]

That's true, Euro M3's only started in 1994 with the 3.2, as did the 328i. Before that the best E36 euro car was the 325i released in 1990 with the 2.5 M50 engine. The 328i took the place of the 325i, which was phased out in 1994.

[keeptheeuroalive]

correction the 325 was discontinued after the 95 production year bc i have one and they use a 2.5. the m3 used a 3.0 until 96 when obd 2 made it possible to go to a 3.2 m engine a 2.8 328.

[///M cubed]

According to BMW there weren't any 325's built for europe after 94. Also according to BMW the only right hand drive M3s made were between 94-98 for europe.
US spec is probably different, or maybe they're wrong.

[frenchmen]

You just did the right thing buying a Skyline cus German cars suck, especially these "fake-pint's", I know what I'm talking about, I see them all day long....and they stink!!! :fawkdance

[keeptheeuroalive]

I think that i might remind u that the car that won the touring championship was a BMW!!!!!!!!! and i guarantee my german car would woop the shit out of ur fuckin renault. :asshole:

[///M cubed]

LOL at DTM war.

[frenchmen]

I think that i might remind u that the car that won the touring championship was a BMW!!!!!!!!! and i guarantee my german car would woop the shit out of ur fuckin renault. :asshole:


I agree with u, but that aint a prob with double or triple the hp.....

[keeptheeuroalive]

well dont be talkin shit if ur car couldnt keep up to me when im wearin my nikes. u get my drift. so while ur dreamin of toppin out at 60 mph ill be doin that in 2nd gear

[E36bimmer2582]

You just did the right thing buying a Skyline cus German cars suck, especially these "fake-pint's", I know what I'm talking about, I see them all day long....and they stink!!! :fawkdance
A skyline is a wannabee car. Everybody wants them :fu:

[///M cubed]

Yer, everyone wants a skyline...











:thumbsdow

[LokisGTI]

yeah, a skyline may be a wanna be car and everyone wants them for a reason, they are rare, fast as fuck, and handle like crazy

[///M cubed]

Really?
Where I come from skylines are as common as dirt, get beaten by 80's model commodores and are outhandled by mini's.
-You can tell I live in Australia.

[frenchmen]

Dont know if the sumo-power R34 is beatable by any street-performance E36 or E46. But if u think so - go on!

[keeptheeuroalive]

well i doubt that u have eurotuner over there but if u do get it check out the article 2 months ago that had a 1000 hp skyline beat the turner 325 by under 1 second!! :whip:
and also check out savspeed (http://savspeed.co.za) they have a e36 that would put a whoppin on any skyline :bier:

[E36bimmer2582]

A skyline would never keep up with a euro on a autocross track.

[E36bimmer2582]

Dont know if the sumo-power R34 is beatable by any street-performance E36 or E46. But if u think so - go on!
You sound like a fag. You cant talk sh*t about a car unless you drive it....thats how i live my life dont judge it ubtill you drive it. I bet you never drove a ///M

[frenchmen]

Till now I just drove an black Z3-M-Convertible performed by AC Schnitzer.
Is that enough "M"???
For the one that likes to know it: 379 RWHP @ 6800 rpm
Well, u r right they run like hell, but in Germany u see them suckers driving all the day and posing close to my 60 hp Twingo with an 300 or more BMW...maybe a small weeny?
When the BMW Guys in the states r otherwise I appologise but the german ones suck!

[///M cubed]

:spellmuch

[frenchmen]

Are you able to speak a grammatically correct german?
hater

[keeptheeuroalive]

i dont know what type of bimmer was gettin beaten, or posing???, to a twingo??? :english: i would seriously love to see ur twingo even get near my bimmer in a 1/4 :kissass:. and if u were in the us driving a renault u would definately get an ass woopin [plzdie]

[E36bimmer2582]

hahahahha ill give yo a woopin in my dads 98 2.0 jetta. Is your car the Euro version of a Ford Festiva? :icon_lol: You need to lay off the 2Gay2Hideous movies or just lay off the dope. :icon_lol:

[MorningCruiser]

Dear Lord, this is the most retarded argument ever.

[///M cubed]

"hater"

That's so far from being true and I resent that.
I just can't understand you. That's all.
Sorry if you got insulted.

[frenchmen]

In germany every E36 looks the same and thats fuckin boring! Thats why I dislike 'em. They're faster than me - Ok, but thats everything.
If u like 'em: Go on! - I just dont do that....

[sleestack]

what is the point your getting at? that you would rather be beaten by stylish cars and have a minivan? or that you cant win to stylish cars but drive a minivan?

[///M cubed]

In germany every E36 looks the same and thats fuckin boring! Thats why I dislike 'em. They're faster than me - Ok, but thats everything.
If u like 'em: Go on! - I just dont do that....
We know they're faster, and you know that we like them, so what's your case?
I don't understand why you'd argue when you agree.
Just a thought....

[Notor1usHoez]

id say stfu newbz and line em up

[keeptheeuroalive]

In germany every E36 looks the same and thats fuckin boring! Thats why I dislike 'em. They're faster than me - Ok, but thats everything.
If u like 'em: Go on! - I just dont do that....
dont worry i will keep on racing them and woopin minivans at every turn