OT: WTB E36 M3
03-28-2013 | 12:57 AM
#46
GT3 player par excellence
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 43,564
Likes: 5,897
From: san francisco
Lindsey, I have had mine since I ordered it new from the factory (in order to get no sun roof) in 1997. I started tracking it in 2002. I still have it and beat the **** out of it at every opportunity. Ask Jenk or someone else how hard I drive it. It has 102,000 miles on the original, stock motor that runs pump gas. Only mods to motor are better intake & no catalyst/better exhaust. Of those 102,000 miles, probably 50,000 are on track... Maybe more. Who knows?
You tell me whether that sounds like a money pit. HINT: it's not.
You tell me whether that sounds like a money pit. HINT: it's not.
Buy new
Trk
Drive it hard
Maintain it well
One day I will learn t b smart like u
03-28-2013 | 01:03 AM
#47
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 792
Likes: 4
From: Metairie, LA
Lindsey, I have had mine since I ordered it new from the factory (in order to get no sun roof) in 1997. I started tracking it in 2002. I still have it and beat the **** out of it at every opportunity. Ask Jenk or someone else how hard I drive it. It has 102,000 miles on the original, stock motor that runs pump gas. Only mods to motor are better intake & no catalyst/better exhaust. Of those 102,000 miles, probably 50,000 are on track... Maybe more. Who knows?
You tell me whether that sounds like a money pit. HINT: it's not.
You tell me whether that sounds like a money pit. HINT: it's not.
03-28-2013 | 01:56 AM
#48
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,795
Likes: 202
From: CHI / ATL
03-28-2013 | 09:22 AM
#50
Rennlist Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 41,906
Likes: 1,752
From: All Ate Up With Motor
I replaced a head gasket about 3 years ago, that's it. Frequent oil changes and a gentle warm up cycle every time I track it, and it seems to do quite well.
03-28-2013 | 10:42 AM
#51
Nordschleife Master
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 7,342
Likes: 294
From: Florida
03-28-2013 | 10:58 AM
#53
Rennlist Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,432
Likes: 39
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada
This was my E36 328IS in track prep. It was built to a specific autocross class that limited its modifications to basically suspension, bolt ons, flared fenders and some other goodies and even in this limited prep, it was a FANTASTIC track car. In terms of reliability, I bought my car with 160,000 miles on it and it had been already tracked for around the previous 10,000 miles. I ran it for another 12,000 miles before I ripped it apart and put the V8 in. I can absolutely attest that my car was superbly reliable, cheap to run, and most importantly, a great tool for learning - it is a chassis that is capable of being very quick in the right hands while still being forgiving and communicating what it is doing. The drivetrains are absolutely bulletproof, mine was still dynoing almost 195rwhp for a never opened 170,000 mile motor with only bolt-ons when stock was around 165rwhp.
This was some footage from the car at a hillclimb in Canada:
I am looking to buy another E36 to replace my old one. My car was a 328 not an M3 but in the E36, the differences are absolutely miniscule.
Mark
Last edited by lowside67; 03-28-2013 at 11:18 AM.
03-28-2013 | 11:37 AM
#54
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 792
Likes: 4
From: Metairie, LA
OK, I thought you had an e46/S54. A good friend of mine just bought an e30 M3 with an S52 from an e36. It's a great looking car, and he's already turning good lap times with it on our local track. I've heard the S52's pop head gaskets periodically, but it's not a big deal to fix them when they do.
03-28-2013 | 12:44 PM
#56
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 947
Likes: 203
OK, I thought you had an e46/S54. A good friend of mine just bought an e30 M3 with an S52 from an e36. It's a great looking car, and he's already turning good lap times with it on our local track. I've heard the S52's pop head gaskets periodically, but it's not a big deal to fix them when they do.
03-28-2013 | 12:58 PM
#57
Race Car
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,511
Likes: 48
From: Columbus OH
I'll point my brother in the direction of this thread. He has a '95 he's been thinking about finally getting rid of.
It's mainly back to street duty these days so no safety stuff done on the interior but it's got the basics for suspension setup for a track car. TCK coilovers, camber plates, camber arms in the rear, upgraded control arm bushings and trailing arm bushings.
Performanace wise it's got larger high flow air meter, chip (OBD I car), stromung exhaust.
Head gasket was done less than 10k miles ago
It's mainly back to street duty these days so no safety stuff done on the interior but it's got the basics for suspension setup for a track car. TCK coilovers, camber plates, camber arms in the rear, upgraded control arm bushings and trailing arm bushings.
Performanace wise it's got larger high flow air meter, chip (OBD I car), stromung exhaust.
Head gasket was done less than 10k miles ago
03-28-2013 | 08:02 PM
#58
Racer
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 303
Likes: 4
From: Peninsula,Bay Area
03-28-2013 | 09:02 PM
#59
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,007
Likes: 48
From: Alpharetta, GA
03-28-2013 | 09:05 PM
#60
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 29,449
Likes: 1,692
From: S. Florida
Or is it?