To buy or not to buy: 328i E36

[moranor@axis]

when i was looking for my car i could not find an e36 that was not raped by the previous owner... i gave up and got an e46... if you can find a good e36 i dont think you can go wrong, but also look at the e46...

 

[sidewayz]

I own 2, you wont go wrong if u find a nice clean one

 

[328ii]

I own 2x e36's : a 1998 328iM and a 1997 M3.2

328iM is more suitable for daily driving, M3 is not as comfortable but performs better.

Probably will not buy any other car(s) in my life as long as i can find parts for these...

8?>

 

[Doomsdaya]

The 328i I bought was very well looked after by the previous owner with full service history from the agents but not matter how clean it is, problems are going to arise :banghead: thankfully he sorted most of the common major problems before i bought it but theres still 1 or 2 things that needs to be fixed :mmm:

In addition as the guys mentioned above things to look out for, try and find a pre 97 model with cast iron and not alloy engine block.

Another common problem with these cars is the shock towers or mounting domes. My mech discovered the domes had lumps which is caused by potholes. Agents cant fix this because its a panel beating man's job so look out for this.

Other than that take your time finding a clean example and i suggest rather pay 50K or more for a clean 1 rather then buying 1 for say 35K which requires lots of work.

Apart from the steep prices 1 pays for parts, I would say its worth every cent spent

good luck finding your dream car dude :thumb:

 

[Raybimmer]

My question - if my recently bought e36 328i rides like this , how did it feel when new 15 years ago ? The best R33K I ever spent - replaced leaking radiator , will do clutch soon and drivers seat needs a panel or two attended to .

 

[StreetTalker]

ST, you seem to be in a similar situation to the one I found myself in a few months ago. Since the days of watching Deon Joubert guide the "Envirocar" around Killarney Racetrack, I was convinced that I would own an E36 someday. The car's tone also had to vaguely resemble the sound of Tony Vianna's Winfield 325iS (so the 4 pots were eliminated from the equation, unfortunately).

The 328i seemed to be the perfect combination of power, comfort, practicality and insanity for someone wanting to live the dream on a shoestring budget.

I went to look at a few and quickly grew despondent as the condition of the examples that I looked at were not what I was hoping for. I then shifted my focus to the E46 328i and 330i. The condition of the newer models were much better and the ride was extremely comfortable and refined. That was the problem...it was almost too refined!! I wanted the feedback and neutrality of the E36.

I kept looking and eventually found a decent example of '96 model with 170K on the clock. The suspension needed a bit of attention (I think about 90% of them will!) and the driver's seat needs a panel or two replaced. I took the plunge and parted with my hard-earned cash and I haven't had a minutes regret since!

Hang in there...your dream car is out there waiting for you to find her.

Oh...sorry about the long post... It is my first and I have been browsing for about a year so... It grew interest!

Great post i say. Lol

 

[may-b-1-day]

ST, you seem to be in a similar situation to the one I found myself in a few months ago. Since the days of watching Deon Joubert guide the "Envirocar" around Killarney Racetrack, I was convinced that I would own an E36 someday. The car's tone also had to vaguely resemble the sound of Tony Vianna's Winfield 325iS (so the 4 pots were eliminated from the equation, unfortunately).

The 328i seemed to be the perfect combination of power, comfort, practicality and insanity for someone wanting to live the dream on a shoestring budget.

I went to look at a few and quickly grew despondent as the condition of the examples that I looked at were not what I was hoping for. I then shifted my focus to the E46 328i and 330i. The condition of the newer models were much better and the ride was extremely comfortable and refined. That was the problem...it was almost too refined!! I wanted the feedback and neutrality of the E36.

I kept looking and eventually found a decent example of '96 model with 170K on the clock. The suspension needed a bit of attention (I think about 90% of them will!) and the driver's seat needs a panel or two replaced. I took the plunge and parted with my hard-earned cash and I haven't had a minutes regret since!

Hang in there...your dream car is out there waiting for you to find her.

Oh...sorry about the long post... It is my first and I have been browsing for about a year so... It grew interest!

Great post i say. Lol

:thumb:

Something to look forward to for WHEN you do find her... Picture a German female bodybuilder who used to be a prima-ballerina in her younger years ...who is now preparing for her come-back recital of swan-lake... This (in my mind) is the best way to describe what a 328i feels like on wet roads!

Good luck with the search!

 

[Raybimmer]

Was raining today in East London , got home from work and we went out , get home and wife asks " what smell like tyres ? " e36 328i ...tyre griller :thumbsup:

 

[freerider]

Yeah, my tyre consumption has also gone up since I got the 328i

But hey, 245/40/17 x 2 is still the same price as one 17" runflat

 

[ETTIENNE]

Something to look forward to for WHEN you do find her... Picture a German female bodybuilder who used to be a prima-ballerina in her younger years ...who is now preparing for her come-back recital of swan-lake... This (in my mind) is the best way to describe what a 328i feels like on wet roads!

:clap::clap::clap: