BlackOp

I previously owned an E series BMW and was curious what people here thought of the mid-nineties M3s. There are two nice ones for sale in Chicago. I have never driven one but miss my BMW. Dont get me wrong, I love my 944 but to get it where to I want,....I will spend close to the same amount. Opinions? My 944 seems wasted as the streets here are primarily a grid.

MM951

M3>944 N/A


I love them, they look great, seem more reliable then a 944, handle great, sound great, and seem to be good value. Interior is a bit cheap for being a nearly a 50K BMW when it came out, but I can get over it

and it has cup holders@!!

roman944

at this point though, a lot of E36 M3's (hell, any M3) - have been very beat on; so when you buy it - you either have to NOT care at all, or REALLY know who you are buying the car from, otherwise you will be sorry for the day you bought it

/edit: the car is also fairly heavy; but they are very good cars - drive to track and drive back home

they have a lot of aftermarket modifications available, they are forced induction friendly, they have more HP stock then 944; just make sure you are really buying a nice example if you want to Daily Drive it ...

Riff

E36 M3's are sweet and as a street car may be better/more usable than a 944. For the track I would still keep my S2.

Chads996

I have owned both. The '95 M3 can be tuned to 300+hp and is an absolute DREAM to drive. That car makes even the worst look good on the track.

C.

Marcquito

I've also been looking at these... If I ever find the right one, I'll pull the trigger, no doubt.

Potomac-Greg

+1. It's a great track car. But I would keep YOUR S2 over an M3.

You have to keep in mind that they are 10 years newer than the 944, so they SHOULD be a better car.

Riff

Black Op

Are you considering the E36 M3 with the S54 swap? That car looks mean.

V2Rocket

id like to see an M3 4-banger in a 944

Tom R.

i had three S2s, a 951, and a 951S along with an NA. Now i have a 95 M3 with 182k miles.

tight as a drum, just took it over loveland pass and it had plenty of power. much easier for my daughter to get into the back seat, and she likes that the middle seat doesnt have a shoulder strap. easier for me and my bad back to get in and out of.

cant speak of the track because i havent tracked it yet. got the rims in my office, got the tires in my basement, just have to mate them.

power is about the same 230 v 208 and with aerodynamics and weight, and extra cylinders, etc. they are about as peppy. compared to the 951S it is much better in local traffic - but i am at 5280 so the power of the 951S before boost (a NA with a lower compression ration so 150hp became say 130 which becomes about 100) was pathetic.

i bought the M3 to use as my only car, and had the brand new saturn not come along for 11k i would be very content with the stock M3 as my daily driver/DE toy.

now that it is just a DE toy bwahahahahahahah!!..... just dont tell my wife!!!

So as a track car the 951S is the best.
As a street car the M3 is better than a NA or 951, about equal to a S2.
As the only car for street and track I think the M3 is probably better just because it is a little higher and i live in the city of cowboys with big trucks to compensate for their small.... who just dont see you down there in yer lil furrin sports car.

V2Rocket

the e36 has such a phenomenal engine for that little car...

ccaarmerciill

I've owned a 95 M3, and a couple of 944's.

An E36 M3 makes for an excellent track car. Fairly easy to work on, reliable on a track, good handling, decent power, and you can get them for ~$10k in good condition. There is also a big aftermarket for those cars.

Granted the 944 will still feel more like a race car, and have the better steering input/ feel... but it's just a bit dated in comparison.

E36 M3 can make a decent daily driver, but not really it's strong point.

944obscene

I like the E30 and the E36. I could stand to learn a little more about them, but I really want to dive into one. DD'ing a Saturn and having a great condition 951 in the garage gets a little tiring. I'm thinking of upgrading from the Saturn to a bimmer when I can. Always had a little heart for the M3!

To keep more in line with the thread, I considered shoving off the Saturn for an NA 944, but given the ****-poor rear seat room and the lack of a large trunk, I'd be giving up a few practicalities. An E series is going to retain good trunk volume and offer a usable rear seat. Plus, if I got an E36 it would sound absolutely bomb with a nice exhaust.

All in all, I'd take an M3 over an NA 944, but I don't think I could replace my Turbo. I think having one in the garage would COMPLIMENT a 951 or an S2. Would be a general upgrade from an NA, all things considered.

Reimu

I'd take an E36+ M3 over a 944/951

V2Rocket

+1