OK, so my wife is pretty understanding of my car/motorcycle obsession. Mostly because I find stuff really cheap, pay cash, make them nice and keep the good stuff forever. But still, she is very patient and supportive, and this is over the top.

Last night we are over a buddy's house and he has a BEAUTIFUL 97 M3 Coupe, with all the right mods. Less than 100K, chipped, halo headlights, ordered it new, blaa blaa all the good stuff, Black paint, Saddle brown leather, etc. He mentioned to me last year he wanted to sell it, but 1. I have a huge project in rebuilding my Porsche, 2. Wasnt a $50 garage find I could rationalize. So I just vaugly mourned the loss knowing this was the last of the simple BMW's and maybe one of the best M3's from a purist perspective. I'm not a BMW guy, but this was a special car....

Last night, I ask in front of my wife if he ever sold it. He says NO I want it to go to the right person. My wife says 'what are you selling' He tells her. Now she has always loved BMW's drove 3 series wagons for 15+ years and when she totalled her 323i backabout 5 years ago, she went to a Subaru Outback 3.0R. A great experience and 100K trouble free miles.

Anyhow, she wants to see it. She asks what he get for fuel mileage. He tells her, she says hmmm. Goes in the house. We chat for a bit, pop the hood, guy stuff.... We walk in the house, she asks me what I think. I tell her its a 97, nice car but may not be the best for a daily driver for her, downplay it (inside drooling and screaming). She says, "I want it" go sell my car at carmax......... After a year or so I will probably want another newer BMW and you can have it...... Of course I still think this isnt the best for a dialy driver, but NOT passing this up.... I will likely sell the 442 in the Spring and just buy it from her......

I'm going to have to remember this strategy. So, this is what just got added to my paddock. The only question is how quickly I can convince her to get something newer and more reliable ;-)Click to view attachment

Sweet.

As guys, we have to figure out how this happened so we can do it again for other stuff.

Of course then, when she wants something, we buy it.

Well played my friend; well played!!

My sis has a 1995 M3 she wants to sell, what are they worth? Low comp. In one cylinder
$2500

When you put the "M" in front of a 3 series BMW, it just means three times the maintenance cost. When you put the "M" in front of a five series...

You have learned well, my friend!! You do know who the boss is and she does know quality for an excellent car. You played the BMW card well and now she will be getting a new one later.

You get credit for 10%; not one 100%. Balance of credit belongs to your wife! Yet, you proved to be one smooth "dude" and very smart in letting your wife take the lead. Ah! The blessings of "married life".

How do I "not" know? Married for 45 years and still getting into trouble on what I buy. Have I learned my "lessons well" as you have? No!

Congratulations!!! Sorry for the sardonic humor but I could not resist!

SteveLOL

Maintenance costs on the e36 M3 are no different from the regular e36, i.e. basically zero.

Get the RTA mounts checked and reinforced, change the belt, idler, oil, swap the plastic thermostat housing and water pump for metal ones, do the radiator if it hasn't been done already, and then put another 100k on it.

The car is a great DD; I did ~100mi/day for nearly four years in one, it's totally civilised just tooling around, and there for you anytime you feel like beating on it.

Congrats on a nice score.

Thanks guys, cant take any credit for brilliance, just situation awareness and immediately committing infront of her. Maybe the only brilliance was the navigating how I will secure this as part of the long term fleet, replacing my loved 86 442 Salon which I like, but is not a desireable car like this..... Plan is sell the CUtlass next year (after paint) then pay her what she bought the M3 for and secure it in my collection.....

The car really is sweet, immaculate in & out, only 100K one owner who babied it.... Still is a BMW, will be $$ to keep right, but is a rare car and in MHO, the best of the M-3's still has mechanical throttle, not so much BMW electronic wizardy, If I remember was called one of the best handeling cars of all time. This has been on my Want but NEVER have list...... You know, like the 911SC that Steve McQueen drove in teh opening scene of Lemans, or the Challenger in the Vanishing point??? SO I am happy and thankful for a great wife.

Incidentally, I DONT ever get in trouble for my car addiction, for 1 simple reason.... I have a separate bank account JUST for my cars/motorcycles. An agreed to monthly deposit goes in it, and whatever extrea I get/generate from selling parts or flipped cars/cycles funds this. It NEVER effects the family budget, so she can say nothing about it ;-) I also treat her to something now & then out of it so she stays pretty happy.....

Anyhow, here are some specs & pics.
Specs:
•Manual transmission
•Cosmos black with "modena natural" Napa leather seats
•Luxury package, rear spoiler, sunroof (still works),
•H&K sound system with rear 6-CD changer
•BMW alarm

Add-ons:
•Michelin PS2 (15K mi) on BBS 10-spoke rims and Dunlop Winter Sport (10K mi) on OEM rims,
•Conforti Shark Injector software upgrade -
•Peake Research code reader-
•Racing Dynamics cold air intake,
•Bavarian Autosport "Angel Eyes" headlights
•Turner Motorsport front, side & rear clear turn signals,
•BMW car bra and car cover,
•Bentley Repair Manual.


Caveats: original shocks and control arm bushings.


Click to view attachmentClick to view attachmentClick to view attachment

Absolutely not. Parts for the e36 are cheap, all of the preventative maintenance items are easy DIYs, the support community is *enormous*, and the car itself is about as bulletproof as you're going to get.

Unless you're worrying about Zaino and Lexol, I guess... 8)

Looks like a POS. You should sell it to me.

Basically zero maintenance costs? So, it never breaks down? I'll start searching for one of these immediately!

I don't quite agree - coming from the standpoint of owning non-m models. The differential comes in with bigger softer rubber, softer pads and rotors, worse gas mileage, among other things... The M is a high PO model with a little more engineering and precision on parts than their non m counterparts, they'll cost more in the long run, but for good reason. I do agree that the components that need maintenance are typically the same.

Regardless, to the OP, nice find!

Sweet. Welcome to the Bimmer world! My wife drives an '04 330ci sport with a 6 speed. She loves it on the road and the track.

As for costs, I can't speak for an E-36 M but the E-46 M is pricier for suspension and many engine parts. However, day-to-day maintenance should be low.

Besides if it were all about costs none of us could justify our 914s and other toys. Go enjoy and good job keeping the wife happy.

Perfect for this swap...

E36 LS1 Swap Kit

Been drooling over this for years.

Nice buy Steve!

I know a guy that has done that swap. Its pretty nutzo!

Aw man don't get me started...these guys finally got some stuff for E46 too but not sure they ever got a full "kit" together yet.

The E36 M3 with better brakes and suspension combined with a fairly stock LS1 would be such a nice "sleeper" daily driver...

OK sorry this is Steve's thread about his new car... I'll SHUT UUUP.

if you do the work, they are dirt cheap to own and maintain. suspension parts from partsgeek, rock auto or fcp Groton are very cheap and if installed correctly have long service lives. if you go to dealer or specialist, it can get costly in a hurry. they are great cars, my wife barely shuts hers off, does 50k a year on hers for thelast 4 years, routine maintenance, one suspension rebuilt. dead reliable. fwiw.