Help, My brain is burning [e36/e46]

[Bayn46]

I do prefer the 6 speed over the 5 speed. According to the ratios, 1st gear on the 6 is a bit shorter than the 5 but it's really not an issue.

Just general highway driving, I love 6th gear, has enough pull in it and you can comfortably cruise. I don't think a 5 would make you sad but I would wait for a 6. I just had an issue finding a low mileage one in CT when I was looking.

 

[Sankekur]

Sank i know what your are on about the 328i feeling lazy. Mine WAS like that till i did the mods. Felt like it was holding back a lot of power and it was. Its a totally different car now and i feel BMW missed the true potential of the car. Give it that it was their first e46. I think the whole issue surrounding e46 328i vs 330i is in fact just m52 vs M54. Yes the M54 is a better engine but like the e36 328i i still think the engine has a lot more potential. Not in comparison to the M54 but just in general. Thats why i actually thinke36 328i vs e46 328i comes down to personal preference. Nothing wrong with either car. Both great. Depending on which one was available first and decnet ill pic any one of the two

That is very true, I agree 100%, and yes it unfair to compare the 328i to the 330i. The e46 328i's are still frikken awesome cars, in some ways even more so than the 330i's as they rarer and the last of the breed.

@gconry: I would say go for a f/l only because they are newer, but there is nothing wrong with pre-f/l one, saw one the other day with its titanium inserts and it looked just epic.

 

[moranor@axis]

i would rather keep the car you have now... just make sure you save and dont spend all your money on it

then in a few years time i would get a 330i the problem with the e46 328i is it uses the same size maf and throttle as the 2.5l so tuning potential is limited...

if you really want an Manuel box then i would just lookout for a clean e36 328i because it should be quite easy to swap the parts you want from your 325i onto it then sell the 325i

the only reason to do a gearbox conversion on your car would be to put in a six speed gizmo has fitted an e90 box to his e36 so maybe get some prices from him...

 

[gconry18]

the only reason to do a gearbox conversion on your car would be to put in a six speed gizmo has fitted an e90 box to his e36 so maybe get some prices from him...

Giz quoted sclass around 16k. Way too much for just a gearbox change although it is a nice E90 6 speed.

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Just gonna keep my ear to the ground for the E36 because as you said then I can just swap parts over and sell mine.

Although I sort of would want to sell my car before buying another one.

 

[Wick-ed]

Good Idea Gareth. :thumbs: E46 28, slow!!!

 

[gconry18]

Good Idea Gareth. :thumbs: E46 28, slow!!!

The drive I has in Chris's said different. But stock for stock, I agree.

 

[moranor@axis]

im pretty sure the e46 328i is faster than the e36... it may not feel that way thou...

 

[ekseniks]

Clutch is starting to slip but engine and gearbox are in great nick... The only mod is the fan delete one.

If you want a test, you're more than welcome!

PS. Are you coming on the 4th?

 

[gconry18]

Clutch is starting to slip but engine and gearbox are in great nick... The only mod is the fan delete one.

If you want a test, you're more than welcome!

PS. Are you coming on the 4th?

Hoping to. But that weekend is the start of my holiday so I might go visit family up coast.

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im pretty sure the e46 328i is faster than the e36... it may not feel that way thou...

It has more power (2kw) but also more weight so I think they will be a pretty close match.

 

[ekseniks]

Clutch is starting to slip but engine and gearbox are in great nick... The only mod is the fan delete one.

If you want a test, you're more than welcome!

PS. Are you coming on the 4th?

Hoping to. But that weekend is the start of my holiday so I might go visit family up coast.

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Up coast? That sounds like the run will be on the way Haha

 

[gconry18]

Up coast? That sounds like the run will be on the way Haha

Up coast to St. helena bay. The run is down the coast is it not?

 

[sclass]

E36 is a more involved drive, regardless of which engine it has in it. E46 is a very comfortable place to be especially when you've just jumped out of an E36. Guess it all come down too what you're driving style is best suited to. However I've never heard someone say 'I wish my E36 was more comfortable' but I alway hear 'I wish my E46 was more sporty'....

 

[moranor@axis]

i just with my e46 came with a supercharger :rollsmile:

 

[sclass]

i just with my e46 came with a supercharger :rollsmile:

Wish my E36 did too :rollsmile:...and coilovers, and 19" E46 M3 rims, Brembos..and...and...

 

[ekseniks]

Up coast? That sounds like the run will be on the way Haha

Up coast to St. helena bay. The run is down the coast is it not?

I just figured it's up either way but if you have time to kill, come join in the fun..

 

[gconry18]

Up coast? That sounds like the run will be on the way Haha

Up coast to St. helena bay. The run is down the coast is it not?

I just figured it's up either way but if you have time to kill, come join in the fun..

Gonna try shift the visit to the weekend after so I can join the run. There is no way I could join the run If I am up there.

 

[novio]

i bought my e36 328i at k270 for 40k

after remap, exhaust and m50 swap im getting 8.4l per 100....and i drive with a heavy foot everyday from pta to jhb. sitting on about 314,000 now.

Its a great car, I must say. And the engine has proven to be solid even after heavy milleage. The things that bug me about it is the constant issues every e36 goes through....i.e. windows, brake light failures etc...

I was also considering upgrading to the e46 330i within a year.

Glad I found this post tho

might just stick with my car for a bit longer.

 

[Doomsdaya]

I've driven many cars and all of them I tend to feel sleeper behind the wheel or very tired after arriving at my destination (especially merc's) but with my e36 I dont feel none of that.... its much more involving and exciting to drive :excited:

 

[LPM320]

I had a e46 320i that i owned for 11 months, and immediately after that i bought myself a 1996 e36 328i manual.

The differences have already been stated on this thread, but what i can add is that the e46 and e36 are 2 totally different cars. The e36 is more direct, less comfort orientated than the e46 and in general, offers less isolation from the action. Feels like a typical boy racers car. The e46 makes you feel like you sitting in scaled down e39 5 series, and drives similar to a 5 as as well.

So what it boils down to are personal preferences. I could have bought an e46 330i (be it on finance) if i really wanted to, but decided on an e36 because it seemed to match my age and attitude better, it suited the hooligan in me. In my case (i bought a 96 328i) i loved the idea of being able to go sideways at will, without having to deactivate the traction control first. In a few years time when i have more responsibilities, and the hooligan in me gets toned down accordingly, i will look no further than an e46 330i/d. But for now? E36 328i FTW!

 

[moranor@axis]

i must be all growed up then :rollsmile: