The "I bought a cheap E36 M3, whats the worst that can happen?" thread

[trev 1515]

Looks dead on. All fixable stuff. My brother had one almost identical to this about 20 years ago. Good luck with getting it back in shape. My e34 had all grey interior including dash, I could live with it but it definitely would have been nicer in black.

 

[pablo]

If it was a daily I wouldnt be happy but its a toy so the grey is ok. I could replace with black but the trim bits are all a frotune now (if you can get them).

 

[pablo]

Looks like a good base.

In case you didn't know BMW Classic are very good for parts, shipped from Germany from BMW.

got a link for them mate?

 

[Ben]

Subbed.

 

[cauld1]

got a link for them mate?

BMW Group Classic - Your official Online Parts Shop

 

[Rob]

I’m in the same boat with the M5 pablo, the problem with “tinkering” is the more you fix the further you end up going. Mines currently in for a bare metal respray, lol

Cool M3 though, I always really regretted selling mine. Such an enjoyable car to drive

 

[Woodcutter]

I’m in the same boat with the M5 pablo, the problem with “tinkering” is the more you fix the further you end up going. Mines currently in for a bare metal respray, lol

Cool M3 though, I always really regretted selling mine. Such an enjoyable car to drive

I kinda guessed that was your M5 I saw in the bodyshop recently, cool big yoke.

I know of an Imola GT2 up this way that might be for sale soon if you want a nostalgia trip too!

 

[pablo]

probably $1,000,000 lol

my favourite e36 tbh

 

[Lyons]

I was actually looking for 1 the other day, they are super cool.

 

[pablo]

been waiting for parts so got the headliner refitted and started cleaning the seats. Done the drivers first as it was properly manky.

some leather cleaner and a soft brush got me here (hard to tell from the pics but its a LOT more silver):

 

[Woodcutter]

Great job, such a classic dear style, love them.

Guy called The Leather Doctor in ballymoney did the seats on our Turbo, bolster was a lot worse than yours and it's literally like new now. Not hard to pay either, just in case you want the bolster wear sorted at some stage.

 

[Rob]

Great job, such a classic dear style, love them.

Guy called The Leather Doctor in ballymoney did the seats on our Turbo, bolster was a lot worse than yours and it's literally like new now. Not hard to pay either, just in case you want the bolster wear sorted at some stage.

The M5 seats are about 90% good, do you think the leather doctor would be worth a trip though to leave them like new?

Yeah that’s my thing up at AG, I can’t wait to get it back. In to the neck now though lol, Dinatrol the works!

 

[mayweather]

I seen a geoff steel carbon airbox sell recently for a good price on ebay.

 

[pablo]

@MiniMad done me a great deal on a windscreen so thats fitted now and freshens the car up nicely (will grab some pics later). Also got a new seal rather than reuse the old one. Scuttle panel is f**ked so ordered a new one of those and with some new wiper blades that will be all that sorted.

Postie brought my new bonnet badge which was cool. mankin underneath of course so cleaned and fitted:

 

[Woodcutter]

The M5 seats are about 90% good, do you think the leather doctor would be worth a trip though to leave them like new?

Yeah that’s my thing up at AG, I can’t wait to get it back. In to the neck now though lol, Dinatrol the works!

Yeah definitely worth it Rob, he did E39 M5 seats for someone else on here IIRC, possibly @JTDi .

@MiniMad done me a great deal on a windscreen so thats fitted now and freshens the car up nicely (will grab some pics later). Also got a new seal rather than reuse the old one. Scuttle panel is f**ked so ordered a new one of those and with some new wiper blades that will be all that sorted.

Postie brought my new bonnet badge which was cool. mankin underneath of course so cleaned and fitted:

View attachment 189249

New badges always make a huge difference to a car, good job. Your pads & wear indicator leads arrived today btw.

 

[Gibbo]

I kinda guessed that was your M5 I saw in the bodyshop recently, cool big yoke.

I know of an Imola GT2 up this way that might be for sale soon if you want a nostalgia trip too!

Going to have to look the other way when that comes up for sale

 

[mayweather]

Going to have to look the other way when that comes up for sale

Fella of cutters owns this. If I wasn't already spunking money on one I'd be looking at this.

1995 BMW M3 3.0 e36 Track Car | in Grangemouth, Falkirk | Gumtree

 

[pablo]

Bargain!!!

 

[pablo]

I seen a geoff steel carbon airbox sell recently for a good price on ebay.

feck that sounds epic, Id do one of those ok. I wonder what exhaust it is too?

 

[mayweather]

feck that sounds epic, Id do one of those ok. I wonder what exhaust it is too?

Not sure on exhaust but that note is from the carbon plenum.

All in all I don't think e36's m3'ssound that nice ( without a carbon airbox) even with a stainless, compared to an e30 6 cylinder.

 

[Rob]

Take your airbox off and it sounds the business - might have done it briefly for a quick blurt in my old car lol! Bap bap bap

 

[JTDi]

Yeah definitely worth it Rob, he did E39 M5 seats for someone else on here IIRC, possibly @JTDi .



New badges always make a huge difference to a car, good job. Your pads & wear indicator leads arrived today btw.

He did yes - amazing job @Woodcutter !!

 

[Modmedia]

I don't understand the hate for the silver interior on Cutters and other places... I think it looks much fresher and usually tends to wear better than the black. Especially on a blue car it looks awesome.

 

[pablo]

I had intended to dye the interior cinamon or a nice brown like that but since its in a lot better nick than I expected Im just going to leave it alone

 

[Gaz86]

wouldnt bother with an induction kit but Id be all over a backbox, needs to free the rasp!

Ordinarily I wouldn't either but it did seem to make a considerable difference (and a heck of a sound ). Mine had a DTM style powerflow on it when I bought it, which was removed after a few months and a standard backbox re-fitted (Powerflow was too loud for my liking), instantly the car felt sluggish compared to before, like it was being restricted. Then I read about the Dave F kit on one of the M3 forums, various people seeing gains of around 15bhp on the dyno. After a bit more investigation I discovered BMW use the same airbox on all the 6 cylinder engines so obviously a restrictive point, and the backboxes were another very restricive piece, probably all to do with keeping emissions down. Anyway, after fitting the kit it felt just as it had done before I swapped exhausts (and still raspy)