bud-weis

As a potential new recruit to PassionBMW.com , i need people's views on the following cars...hopefully from people who have driven them or owned them, all comments welcome

E36 M3 EVO convertible.

Z3 M Roadster.

i will be looking at cars with mileage of between 50 and 80k, i'm presuming these engines are fine at high mileage if serviced properly?

i know about vanos issues too.

only downside so far is insurance, M3 EVO Cab is gonna be £1200 unless i find a better company...M Roadster is £798.

JHS

iTrader: (1)

What happened to the S2000 plans?

bud-weis

insurance again!!! seems loads of them have been driven backwards into trees...hence making them high risk really fancied one too

JHS

iTrader: (1)

Thats what I wrote in your S2000 thread... Pretty much all of the ones here in Norway have been written off at some point, my friend has just bought a written off one. For some reason the insurance isnt that bad on it here. Might be my next car. Shame you cant get one, good luck with the search

gingeRS

Get the M coupe ....far better handling....and very quick

Jim Green

E36 M3 Convertible : One word springs to mind "HAIRDRESSER" and you'll be genuinely dissapointed with the performance after what you've been used too. DON'T DO IT

Z3M Roadster : Three words spring to mind "Another Hairdresser's Car" why not buy the Coupe (The Better Choice)......then you can actually drive it in the winter.

The Sensible & Enthusiasts Choice would be the Z3 M Coupe.The better engineered car of the three, the enthusiasts car of the three, and it'll hold it's money better and is definately the more sought after.

GINGE : Two great minds think alike.....Exactly what I would have said, and they're much rarer and have a real cult following. A damned good car with handling to match. Z3 M Coupe......The One To Go For if your set on one of the two above model range.

Welcome to www.PassionBMW.com

Your going to have to register as a trader soon.......

RS Turbo.....SOLD.
Audi......SOLD
Sapphire.....SOLD.
3Dr.......Sold/Selling.,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and I'm sure I've missed another one out somewhere in this year.....

Chris Honeywell

M8 i had a M Roadster see below
Fantastic drive quick not too bad on the old petrol
TBH the one i had i could not fault
Just make sure u have full history and that the vanos is quiet
most examples are well looked after
there is quite a few around under 50k miles

cfoster

Ive had an M3 Evo convertible and loved it EXCEPT the shitty SMG gearbox, if you do get one DEFFO get a manual one!!!!!

Here was my old one!




Me Ex was gonna get a Z3 but seemed really small and claustrophobic inside!!

XRdodgybird

That's nice... I like the hard tops, they don't look as squashed!

Jim Green

CFoster : Have to agree, looks alot better car with the hardtop.

PT

So over the E36 M3, maybe good power/handling for the money but imo they look dated to fuck.

Mroadster has an aweful rear end.

M coupe for me, even though its not on your list

carlo

iTrader: (4)

My sisters boyfriend has a e36 evo the vanos is knackerd i got him one from my work last monday (work in a bmw dealership) with my staff discount the new vanos was £1,502,13 + vat they have went up in price again& then you need to get it fitted one of the mechanics from my work fitted it took the tools home & repair instructions...So be aware if you buy one thats a bit noisy or the car feels a bit lazy your going to be another 2k...& My sisters boyfriends car is a genuine 57k car with all the history..The car is night & day now he is enjoying but skint

wirralphil

on the z3 a bike plate with a smoothed recess would look alot better.

out the 2 i would say neither. what about a normal coupe?

EIL132

M Coupe everyday of the week. Fantastic little cars.

Maria.

M Coupe's in my opinion are a much better drive. Dont get me wrong, i think you have to really push it to get it to perform, but once you've got those revs up you'll fly!

Try bmw insurance for a quote.....0870 0240 520

XRdodgybird

I am off to test drive a 320cd sport in about half an hour.... fingers crossed, if it drives as well as it looks... we'll get on fine!

carlo

iTrader: (4)

320d sports are great they are very punchy..

M coupe,s are good as maria says they have only got 5 speed tho so you need to rev them more than the e36 evo as they are 6 speed...

xr2i-carl

dont know about the Z

but the e36 is a fatal car to have an accient in, it only got half a star on the Euro-ncap, rekon 40mph + is always fatal

and being a convertible wont help its case

good luck and hope you get a nice example

Magic Numbers

Neither of them!

gingeRS

nonsense

http://www.euroncap.com/tests/bmw_3_series_1997/15.aspx

Jim Green

Sara : I think you'll be impressed with the 320cd Sport.

Keep us informed.

xr2i-carl

fook off

i got it wrong i missed a star, still pretty awful 1.5 stars

cfoster

I thought the 'verts had a better side impact system etc to coupes so wouldnt be any worse would it?

rallycross

have owned M Z 3.2 Coupe 80k miles was lots of fun, handling not very good and steering lacks any feel but still lots of fun and well made, quick especially at higher speeds, currently also have an E36 EVO convertible, typical convertible with quite a lot of scuttle shape. The evo 6 speed box is not very nice to use and has a heavy clutch, not anywhere as quick as the M Coupe was (extra weight).

Good cars

xr2i-carl

doubt it, less structural itegrity? but i dont know?!

the brake pedal comes back 13 inches nearly in frontal impact, not good when your foots heavily wedged against it when your about to crash, prob fuck ya leg hip and pelvis OUCH

cfoster

god knows mate, best thing to do then is probably not crash it then!!!!

bud-weis

thanks for the help people....the majority have chosen a car not on my list , fantastic!!!

the M Coupe is a great car i know, but good ones are dear, and as such are out of my price range, i don't want any finance or anything.

So an M3 EVO SMG is no good then? what's bad about them?

cfoster

EVERYTHING about the SMG was crap, sloppy gearchange, in the cold getting into reverse only happened when it wanted to (common on these). I would have another E36 M3 but manual only!!! (dont mistake it with the SMG2 box as that is about 100000 times better - E46 though!). Also resale is hard on them because of the reputation of them, i sold mine to a disabled chap so SMG was the only one for him.

Chris

carlo

iTrader: (4)

Gearbox its crap...Get a manual one.If you get a smg one you will have it 2 weeks max & be sick of it.

bud-weis

ok cool..manual it is then

Maria ...tried BMW, they want £1800 and must have a tracker fitted

XRdodgybird

Think that's well in the bag...

Doh

out of the 2 i would go with the Z3 i'm amazed there are some people suggesting the M coupe is better looking than the ragtop

TBH i really don't like the steering on the e36, i haven't driven a z3m but have driven a standard z3 2.8 and it was good fun the steering is much better

i would suggest driving both and seeing which you prefer - i've just joined www.passionBMW.com myself

GAZ345

try here for insurance

https://www.directchoice.com/QuotesForms/PCInitial.aspx

bud-weis

thanks, but it was £1980

seems the quotes i thought were awful...are actually not too bad!! (£1200 from elephant and a couple others)

cfoster

Try Swiftcover, the insurance on my e39 530 sport is only £320 fully comp! Next cheapest price was £700!!!!

Matt Baxter

iTrader: (37)

might be selling the m3 soon as the wife should be getting a work car diesel a3 of golf

simonc

Sold my 3dr after 4yrs & then bought a 4x4 Saph but realised shortly after i have had enough of Cossie's after owning one on & off for the last 11yrs, bought this M3 evo a month ago,all i've done is tax it & drive it,checked the oil once but no point really as it doesn't use any,goes very well ,about the same as a stage 3 cos on a T3 & greens, at 5000rpm it really gets going,very pleased with it the steering feel is poor though but it grips like fook.


Simon.

Staffi

iTrader: (1)

Martin, just out of interest, what kind of price range are you in??

It's just that i thought you'd always lusted for a nice Evo6, surely you could save enough on the 6 and spend the rest on the EXPENSIVE Jap insurance..

I know you, you'll be bored of the BMW in a month..

bud-weis

details!!!!

mileage...price, spec etc etc

Staffi

about £10k ish max....ideally i'll spend less and save some for the mega expensive insurance!

Butch.

iTrader: (1)

just put mine up for sale