Thinking about getting this as a project and turning it into

Nothing about that story sounds good or adds up entirely, would almost surely be a disaster

that poor thing.
really expensive for a car with that bs going on

Who the fuck buys a car from a dealer and never registers it.

If these cars are easy for you to work on, I would still try to get it for less than 5k. I mean, it kind of sounds like you might end up with just the shell of an m3, you know? Besides that worst case scenario
>dat rust bubble

>i say partial because ive gotta get some cash out of the trade
boy you deserve a boot in the ass for fucking up a prime sports car this badly

>>15412560
What kind of dealer sells a car that doesn't run? Sounds like he bought it from a buy here pay here, still hasn't paid it off, and needs partial cash to pay it off to get the title to send to you after you buy it. More likely he'll spend it on child support or beer instead and the car will get repo'd out of your driveway.

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>>15412541
>>15412546
>>15412560
>>15412566
hm.

So would I be better off with this 1997 S52 swapped BMW 328i.

"I have an e36 that I'm thinking about selling. It originally had an m52 but was swapped with an s52. The body has 200,400 miles on it and the engine has less. I forgot the motors mileage but I will find it later. Car is on bilstein struts and eibach springs. Has power flex rear subframe bushings. Clutch is very strong and put in when the motor was installed. Engine has been in the car for 25k miles. 3.23 lsd and some other things I'm forgetting. Car is very clean overall though. Text me any time"

>>15412566
It's not like these bmw's are hard to fuck up.

>>15412572
its better, imo also high price though for a car that old

>>15412572
Travel or up your budget if you want a E36 M3, everything you've linked so far looks like ass.

and come to terms it'll be a likely project car and a terrible daily driver

>>15412572
You would be better off not getting anywhere near cars like either of these that people who obviously couldn't take care of them tried to fix/modify themselves and are trying to pass the buck off to a poor chump. Both are complete disasters.

>>15412582
the guy was lazy enough to not even register it, what makes you think he'll perform any kind of maintenance?

>>15412595
agree.

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>>15412590
How about this

http://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/cto/5636585649.html

or this?

http://newhaven.craigslist.org/cto/5626976154.html

>>15412611
see
>>15412595

Here's a great general rule of auto buying: do not buy boy racer owned E36s

here you go op

http://newhaven.craigslist.org/cto/5672337739.html

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OK How about these

'85 Rx7
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/5663088895.html

'89 535i
http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/cto/5651120394.html

'97 240sx
http://newlondon.craigslist.org/cto/5668967618.html

'97 240sx (with a rebuilt title)
http://newhaven.craigslist.org/cto/5653569639.html

>>15412622
ok So Ill stay away from E36 M3s in general.


>>15412626
Yeah I saw that

>21k.

no thanks jeff

>>15412642
You realize that an $8k M3 like the ones you linked would end up costing you more in the end than just buying a pristine example right? That's why cheap ones are cheap and expensive ones are expensive. From your list

>RX7
maybe, ask about maintenance records and talk to the last shop to work on it

>535
No. If you see "lowered on" or the person brings up the cost of the wheels just close the ad

>first 240
Welded diff, great DD. Complete garbage car

Don't need to even open the second link after the first. DO NOT BUY MODIFIED CARS FROM 16-25 YEAR OLDS.

>>15412642
http://newyork.craigslist.org/stn/cto/5634186266.html

This one's in good shape. I spoke to the guy selling it and it looks well taken care of aside from the fucked up seats.

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/cto/5658763112.html

Doesn't look terrible either. Low miles.

http://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/cto/5661946401.html

http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/cto/5639881313.html

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/5655170698.html

This one has working A/C

>>15412709
>http://newyork.craigslist.org/stn/cto/5634186266.html

ill contact him and maybe check it out in person.

>http://newjersey.craigslist.org/cto/5658763112.html

fuck no

>http://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/cto/5661946401.html

I will never own another early model E30, dont care what it has swapped in.

>http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/cto/5639881313.html

>http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/5655170698.html

I dont like the bodystyle of the 318ti

>>15412611
>FA coilovers
>"one of the best you can buy"

Yeah no.

The track car one looks pretty good, but unless you want a track car you aren't going to enjoy it.

>>15412626
Looks very nice but that is a dealer price. 15-16k for private would be reasonable.

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To add, daily driving a E36:

Everything is made out of plastic/rubber/glue. The shittiest possible biodegradable plastic/rubber/glue BMW could spec so it lasts 100,000 miles or 15 years. These cars are already 17-22 years old with a average of 120-200,000 miles. Do the math.

A lot of people kept them barely maintained at this point further thinning numbers out. Expect to see original suspension parts with worn out/shot bushings and joints, vibrations from bad guibos/center bearings, potentially about to fail or leaking cooling systems, original clutches and clutch hydraulics, etc.

They DO rust out. Very easily, like any 1990s car. Rear strut towers, rockers, quarter panels, hoods/trunks/doors. I'm dealing with rusty strut towers.

Electrical issues are usually from frayed trunk harness wiring or shitty radio/alarm installs. Sometimes from a bad DME (from water intrusion, IIRC its located in the cowl) or frayed door harness wiring.

If you track it, expect to spend a good $200 in reinforcing structural chassis points (E36 weak points: trailing arm pockets*, rear strut towers, front subframe gussets*, rear swaybar attachment at subframe*)

Additional to Non-M3s: Rear subframe attachment points* + front strut towers

* = Requires Welding.

>>15412727
If I was in the market for a E36 M3 I'd get that black 4dr in Staten Island. Otherwise I'd just travel to Texas/California/Florida and drive it back, man. Vintage BMWs are in a bubble in the Northeast, and seem to be cheaper in SoCal and Northern VA/MD/DC Metro Areas. Look on the forums.

They're getting rare. But they're very fun cars. My main regrets with mine is not buying one in nicer shape, and not buying one earlier. I don't daily drive mine. I keep it in a garage fixing it up piece by piece daily driving a 1998 Civic. If you want a daily driver, look for a E46 330i/330ci. Its newer. But it won't drive like a M3.

>>15412727
Forgot to add, as a person whose had his eye on the E36 market in a while? That sedan's been up for sale since June 17. Wonder what's wrong with it. Look it over for any accidents (VIN stickers on panels) or rust.

>>15412813
Good advice. You can apply this to any European performance car. Buy a bone stock one in the best possible shape that has only ever been repaired with OEM parts by a competent shop. You'll always be better off. Nearly every car that has been linked has a list of "upgrades" yet none of them are addressing actual issues. Switching from a plastic to aluminum water pump, getting a heavier clutch, and other things like that addressing common issues is one thing. If you see a list that starts with "lowered on coil overs, quick release steering wheel," etc. the car is fucked. You can buy it for 6k, put 6k into it, and it will be worth 5k in 3 years if it doesn't blow up or fall apart. Or buy a 15k perfect car, put 2k into it, take care of it, it very well may go up in value if it's an M car. For cars that have issues like the first one a good rule is if you have to ask, it's not a good deal. People in the BMW thread thought I was a moron for walking away from an 850 for $1800, but it's always wishful thinking, it's never just the issues the seller lists or you see with a quick inspection, the fact the car has ended up with major issues or been modified to hell and back is an indicator of how the car has been treated and what else is wrong with it you can't see.

>>15412870
Yep. After this car I wouldn't bother with ANYTHING from Germoney unless its a 911 or M3/M5. Only because those are the benchmark for sports cars/sports sedans, IMO.

I bought my E36 for $6500 w/133k miles from a normie who barely maintained the fucking thing aside from oil changes and a clutch. But it had decently low miles, manual, and had no accident history. Being a 20 y/o M3 it's quit depreciating and will likely AT LEAST hold some value. If I give up I could sell it to someone like OP for $8000.

I've spent $2200 already fixing it up (clutch hydraulics/bushing/SS line ($220), driveshaft guibo/center bearing ($120 + $180), short shifter/linkage ($180) and bushings ($120), OCV/PCV valve and hoses ($80) + valve cover gaskets ($20), all new fluids and filters ($100), coilovers ($800) and new front control arm balljoints/bushings + tierods ($350), new radio ($80), etc).

I'm still not done. Like I said, I wish I spent more money and bought one in nicer shape. I still have to address rusty strut towers ($500), RTA bushings and pocket reinforcement ($300-400), wheels/tires ($800-1200), motor mounts, headliner ($150), and a eventual cooling system refresh (PO said new pump/rad installed 3-4 years ago, but I'd rather do it again anyways). I'm gonna spend the same as a $10k car when I'm done, except the time I spent working on my car I'll spend enjoying the more expensive one.

>>15412928
Forgot to add, that's all with OEM parts avoiding anything made in China/India, and done by the book. I'm the type of person that uses a torque wrench for most shit. You really need some degree of autism to be a proper BMW fanboy.

do it faggot

If you do want to mod the shit out of an E36 M a nice option is theft salvage. It already has virtually no value so you aren't pissing your purchase money away on mods.

It is what I did. On one hand it is somewhat depressing that my car isn't going to appreciate like a non salvage one would. But on the other hand it is a glorious rationale for having maximum fun with the car.

The E36 M3 is one of those cars that is good at everything when kept in good shape. Sure regular new sporty cars may eclipse it, but there is always something enjoyable about driving a car that was special in its day.

>>15412532

Hey OP, had the same problem with my E46 316i.

Sounds very much like a MAF problem.

Make sure your MAF isn't broken or dirty, and if the connector is alright, same for the cables ofcourse.

I had a 'too lean' or 'too rich' code (cant remember lol) and I had a broken MAF apparently.

The broken MAF caused a huge loss in power, so what I did was I unplugged the MAF. I got all my power back when I did, but I couldn't come to a stop because it wouldn't idle right and the engine would stop. I heel/toe'd every time I had to come to a stop untill my new MAF came in the mail haha.


Also take off your ICV (idle control valve), take it apart and clean it. Might help. Easy to do aswell.

>>15412532
Swap a Japanese engine into it.