The cars themselves are easy to work on, and nice rides, but I have never heard anything good about BMW automatic transmissions.

 

I sold my 951 and bought a 330ci with the step trans and 3 years later I am back surfing rennlist looking for another 951.

 

944T epic, challenged, nice, fast, pain in the ***... BMW another boring beemer. ok, whatever.

 

I built some parts for a guy that stabbed an LS1 in his e36 non M3..... If he ever sells it, I get first dibs.

 

I am not to concerned about the fact that the 325 is slow. I am considering trading only because I am tired of the low-ball offers I am getting for my car. Honestly I have had at least 40 people want to trade straight across for a $2000 motorcycle or atv. The value on the 325 is a bit closer to the 951 than any offer I have received. I did have an offer to trade for a 99 Boxster, but the owner thought it was gold and wanted $17000 for it when most 99's I have seen sell for around $10000.

 

In that case you're not really comparing cars, you're looking to make a good financial transaction.

Figure the 325 is worth between 8-11 K depending on condition but much easier to sell than the 951.

On purely financial/business terms it's a no-brainer.

 

That is how I should have phrased my concern. Thank you for making sense out of it.

 

Yes

 

I made the trade. I think I will be happy in the long run.

This group has helped a bunch over the last year. Thanks for the help. I will be back in a P-car someday.

 

first off - bmw cooling systems are the achillies heel. be proactive with that. check out bimmerforums and cmuzzy's shock thread. Probably the best prices you will find for shocks. the original ones are shot by now. check the rear shock mounts in the trunk- another achillies heel. the rest of the car is nothing unusual. the cabin air filter on the e46 is much easier to replace than on the e36. bavauto.com has a lot of stuff and relatively decent prices. realoem.com has all the part numbers you will need.

my brother had a 325 E36 auto sedan that he sold to his ex wife in 01 to buy an 84 944 with 32k miles. He was driving about 100 highway miles a day and wanted a little more sport. i had a lot of seat time in that car and liked it.

When I moved to CO i bought an 01 or 02 330Ci Convertible 5sp as a DD. I also had the 944S2. For a while I had the 330, S2, and 89 951. As a DD the 330 won hands down. at altitude in traffic until the boost kicked in it was torture.

When i sold the 951 i bought a 95 M3. While the 951 is a track car for the street, the M3 was a street car for the track. both had their virtues and faults. Flipping the seat forward to a "cavernous" rear seat where we put three kids with room was great.

If for whatever reason you cant DD a manual, I think you made the right choice. There are plenty of mods you can do. If you want some 16" wheels that fit a 3 series with R compounds on them - I have em in my garage.

 

car: .............. average mileage after purchase *(used @ 90 k mile) before thowing in the towel.

944T............. 36 k miles.

beemer......... 337 k miles.


dunno. i'd still get the Porsche.

1. it's a better automotive design overall.

2. the car can be hot-rodded in the afterworld which, as you all know, comes sooner rather than later.....