The official E36 OT Thread!!

CJ when you are stuck in traffic and need to drive close to 100 miles a day to work and back, you NEED and would want a quiet comfortable car...

Originally Posted by SlimKlim

Whoops, doesn't render that way for me, maybe the phone messes it up. And yeah, a TL. Its an Accord with better suspension and looks. It's just a DD, i live in a metro traffic fustercluck, it'll hardly ever go through a corner in anger in its life. But it will be cheap to buy, cheap to insure, be extremely reliable, and do pretty good on gas, and it has a 260hp V6 so I won't die trying to get on the highway in aforementioned fustercluck.



If I'm really going to take the M3 to the next level and essentially rebuild the motor, I want to put all my eggs into one basket when it comes to turning wrenches. If my daily needs a position sensor here and there, or a hose or two, nbd, but I don't want to get into a 2nd project. I just don't have the time for it.

I can't think of a car that's cheaper, as reliable, and decent looking as the TL. The other stuff that comes to mind is a Saabaru, but they are chintzy as fawk, a VW TDI Jetta, but they are painfully overpriced, or a Scooby Legacy GT, but they are still pretty expensive.

Besides, I have an M3, I don't need my daily to be fun, I need it to get me to work without blowing out my ear drums or rattling me to pieces, and preferably without having to move my left foot.

Yep, I went there.

Agreed. My DD is a hyundai Accent for god sake. It will get you killed in traffic, and you will die in an accident. But its dead reliable, takes 30 to fill the tank, and is actually comfortable to drive. Your daily driver doesnt need to thrill you 24/7 when you have a fun car/project to go home to.

Originally Posted by cj.surr

Everybody around here says beamer.

Oh yeah, they do here too. I don't bother with the general populace, just people on an enthusiast board.

Originally Posted by SlimKlim

And yeah, a TL. Its an Accord with better suspension and looks. It's just a DD, i live in a metro traffic fustercluck, it'll hardly ever go through a corner in anger in its life. But it will be cheap to buy, cheap to insure, be extremely reliable, and do pretty good on gas, and it has a 260hp V6 so I won't die trying to get on the highway in aforementioned fustercluck.

I can't think of a car that's cheaper, as reliable, and decent looking as the TL. The other stuff that comes to mind is a Saabaru, but they are chintzy as fawk, a VW TDI Jetta, but they are painfully overpriced, or a Scooby Legacy GT, but they are still pretty expensive.

So many other choices. Hell for 10-12K you could get an E60, W211 or any number of other things. But a TL?


And a Saabaru?

What the hell is wrong with you?

Originally Posted by cj.surr

I would get a reliable POS civic for 2k then. Who cares about looks with your DD? And you don't need 260hp to merge onto a highway or scoot along in traffic. Use the remaining 7k to make the M3 a ton more fun.

I wouldn't go that far. You don't want to show up to a professional office in a dump, and he wants something comfortable to commute in. I get that.

But a TL?


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Originally Posted by cj.surr

I would get a reliable POS civic for 2k then. Who cares about looks with your DD? And you don't need 260hp to merge onto a highway or scoot along in traffic. Use the remaining 7k to make the M3 a ton more fun.

Still not really what I'm looking for. I don't want to spend an hour and a half in a busted to f*ck civic everyday for the next two years to have a boosted E36 at home in the garage. I want a decently nice, comfy, powerful, reliable car that I actually enjoy sitting in when I point it down the highway towards work, and if all I have to sacrifice to get that is a slightly less cool E36, then sign me up.

Originally Posted by E36 Phantom

So many other choices.

You need help. Lets break this down.

Originally Posted by E36 Phantom

Hell for 10-12K you could get an E60

1. Buttf*ckin' ugly
2. If its a 528i it'll be balls slow. If its a 535i the turbos won't work, if its a 545i it'll cost me $75/wk in gas.
3. Did I mention how ugly it is?

Originally Posted by E36 Phantom

W211

As much as I love them, a W211 is more of a money pit than I even care to explore. If you cheap out on it, a set of rear air springs is $700, a set of fronts is $1k, and the compressor is $300. That doesn't account for a potential issue in the lines running to the suspension, or the epic headache in diagnosing it.

At the 10-12k price point its going to have higher mileage, and I'm not messing around with a 100k, newish Benz as a daily driver. I also can't get financing on anything older than a 2006 or with more than 70k miles.

I was really into this idea for a little while, but that was when I was under the impression that my M3 only needed a few bushings and hoses replaced to go another 40k miles. Now that she is imminently due for a rebuild, priorities are shifting around and my daily doesn't need to be a totally awesome pimp barge. It just needs to be pretty nice and most of all, reliable.

Originally Posted by E36 Phantom

But a TL?

Yes.

Originally Posted by E36 Phantom

And a Saabaru?

What the hell is wrong with you?

Its a WRX hatch with a better looking body that, if anything, costs less than the Subaru. Why not?

Ok you goons, apparently I suck at car shopping, so find me cars that can be had for say... 8-12k (but I'll probably shoot for something sub-10k), are newer than 2006, and have less than 70k on them (so my CU will finance it).

Reliability comes first, comfort comes second, power third (if it has less than 200 at the crank, go home). Preferably automatic but I've been driving stick this long, I ain't scared of it.

EDIT: The age and mileage thing *might* be flexible. I'm trying to see how I can join Navy Federal, which doesn't have age or mileage restrictions on their auto loans. My GF is a member and we live together, which apparently counts, and my step-grandfather was in the navy, which also apparently counts, but it seems like a stretch to me... Apparently they also do open enrollments sometimes.

Mazda 6?

Dudes i just cleaned out my macbook pro cause i was overheating like 5 minutes into playing WoW. and HOLY SHET! it was dirty as hell inside. take 10 to vaccum out your computers everyone!!

Originally Posted by Njohc

Mazda 6?

Good idea! The styling on them is ok, but I've always been impressed with the fit and finish of the 06ish Mazda 3 interiors, so its definitely worth giving the 6 a test drive.

Originally Posted by Eight Thirty

Dudes i just cleaned out my macbook pro cause i was overheating like 5 minutes into playing WoW. and HOLY SHET! it was dirty as hell inside. take 10 to vaccum out your computers everyone!!

It definitely helps.

Pretty sure my old apartment in Brooklyn is underwater...

Joey,

I have to agree with you. I'm driving 60+ miles a day. 1/2 the time in traffic, 1/2 the time not, but I want a reliable, good mpg, and comfortable car that I can feel confident in (read: not ashamed to pull up in), especially if I am meeting clients for lunch or need to drive/show up somewhere.

Joey, I get it, believe me I do, but a TL just sounds awful, although it is better than a Saabaru.

Franklyn, how was taking apart the MacBook? Wonder if they're any easier now, I took apart an old 12" Powerbook G4 and damn near didn't get it back together. It was like an awful 3D puzzle.

Edit - Joey, if you're intent on a tarted up Honda, what about the TSX? I've always thought they looked sharp and should be fun to drive.

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Originally Posted by E36 Phantom

Joey, I get it, believe me I do, but a TL just sounds awful, although it is better than a Saabaru.

Franklyn, how was taking apart the MacBook? Wonder if they're any easier now, I took apart an old 12" Powerbook G4 and damn near didn't get it back together. It was like an awful 3D puzzle.

Edit - Joey, if you're intent on a tarted up Honda, what about the TSX? I've always thought they looked sharp and should be fun to drive.

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What don't you like about the TL? Aside from the FailWD obviously.

I guess I'm just a closet Honda fanboi, they make a pretty good V6 engine that doesn't sound like its being slowly murdered when you give it the beans. We test drove a TL in that body style brand new when my mom was shopping for a car, and aside from the slightly cramped rear doorways, I really liked the car.

I like the TSX, but I like the size of the TL, sharper styling and more powerful engine. I've heard the little 4 banger in the TSX is a peach to drive with the Honda-magical 6 speed manual, but its completely and utterly torque-less, doesn't sounds so great in stop and go traffic.

Originally Posted by SlimKlim

Eh. I could buy a 'beater' in the true sense of the word, but I've been considering a "newer" car to drive to work for ages. I think if I did buy an el cheapo beater, I would just end up itching to do something with it the second the M3 was back together.

Considering that the external seep doesn't seem like it needs immediate attention, I'm thinking of really buckling down on my saving for the daily driver, and maybe trying to make a little extra money on the weekends or something, and hopefully be able to do something pretty soon after getting a salary job offer. I'm hesitant to do anything at all while I'm sill a contractor.

But anyway, a 2006-2007 Acura TL with <70k miles is being listed for about $10.5-12k. So maybe I could dig up a good deal on one for $9-10k. If I theoretically borrowed $9k for 48 months at 4.5% interest, it would be a "minimum" payment of $205/mo, which I would most likely double down on to pay the car off quickly, but the flexibility for the lower payment would be nice.

If I could buy something like that around February, I could switch over to using that every day, and slowly collect ~$1500 in an M3 savings account. Then when I was ready to tackle it once and for all, the M3 will go up on jack stands and come back down with essentially a brand new motor, motor/trans bushings, driveshaft bushings, subframe bushings, steering bushing, a bearing here and there and a properly welded up exhaust, ready for a whole new life as a weekend car show/autocross buttercup.

Then I can keep drive the TL or whatever until the wheels fall off, and hopefully that'll take so long I can replace it with a cheap pre-owned 2014 BMW 328d.

Honestly dude, that's a lot of money for a DD IMO. And if I had my way (you guys won't agree) I would lease a new Cruze for a DD. Less than $200 a month (cheaper than your auto loan) never have to worry about fixing anything, good looks in and out, Mylink touchscreen and such, best in class gas mileage.

Originally Posted by E36 Phantom

+1

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I will continue to call it guibo regardless of what you fools say.

Originally Posted by cj.surr

I would get a reliable POS civic for 2k then. Who cares about looks with your DD? And you don't need 260hp to merge onto a highway or scoot along in traffic. Use the remaining 7k to make the M3 a ton more fun.

I like this idea, but I also see where Joey is coming from. Obviously I don't care what I look like when I drive, I'm driving an 84 318 with no interior, one seat, and a missfire.

I think something along the lines of 5k will get you a very reliable car that isn't beat with good gas mileage. Why get a V6 for DD status?

Originally Posted by SlimKlim

What don't you like about the TL? Aside from the FailWD obviously.

I guess I'm just a closet Honda fanboi, they make a pretty good V6 engine that doesn't sound like its being slowly murdered when you give it the beans. We test drove a TL in that body style brand new when my mom was shopping for a car, and aside from the slightly cramped rear doorways, I really liked the car.

I like the TSX, but I like the size of the TL, sharper styling and more powerful engine. I've heard the little 4 banger in the TSX is a peach to drive with the Honda-magical 6 speed manual, but its completely and utterly torque-less, doesn't sounds so great in stop and go traffic.

I wouldn't say that there's any one thing that I don't like, it's just that as a whole it strikes me as vanilla. For me, a car has to tug at my sprit a little in some way or another for me to be interested. I get nothing from the TL. It's just another bland, boring, near-luxury sedan. It ranks up there right about with the Lexus ES on the excitement meter for me.

At least the TSX is supposed to be fun to drive and looks more taut and chiseled.

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Originally Posted by FenderBender

Honestly dude, that's a lot of money for a DD IMO. And if I had my way (you guys won't agree) I would lease a new Cruze for a DD. Less than $200 a month (cheaper than your auto loan) never have to worry about fixing anything, good looks in and out, Mylink touchscreen and such, best in class gas mileage.





I will continue to call it guibo regardless of what you fools say.




I like this idea, but I also see where Joey is coming from. Obviously I don't care what I look like when I drive, I'm driving an 84 318 with no interior, one seat, and a missfire.

I think something along the lines of 5k will get you a very reliable car that isn't beat with good gas mileage. Why get a V6 for DD status?

I actually kind of like the Cruze, but when you buy a car you pay it off and keep it forever, I don't want to make a monthly payment for two years and have nothing at the end of it. Just personal preference.

And I want a V6 for DD status so I can nudge at the accelerator and torque my way into traffic, not get a running start at the back of the on ramp in a little 4 banger, only to be thwarted by the 25mph line of traffic sitting at the end of it trying to poke their way into traffic. Power isn't that important for a DD, I'd just prefer whatever it is has a decent amount of torque because of how agressive the stop and go traffic is around here. I used to feel like a dandelion seed in the miata.

EDIT:

Originally Posted by E36 Phantom

At least the TSX... ...looks more taut and chiseled.

I'd say exactly the opposite thing. The TSX looks slab sided and plain to me, and anemic, but the TL looks pretty sharp and nicely styled. I guess it's just personal preference. Like I said, I've always liked them.

Joey, I think this is where I recommend 10 e30s...

For my Bay Area friends. And anyone else who wants to go to BMW CCA Oktoberfest next year.




I'm the guy in blue at 0:59 staring at the old 328.

I understand the lease part owning part, it depends in the scheme of things. I would rather own as well in most situations.

You could get a 5 year loan on a 14k vehicle for around 270 a month. 2 years down the line you could need a Tranny, then an engine, ball joints, exhaust etc. not likely I know.

You add 6k into fixing things, interest, etc and now your loan is 20k and closing. at best you'll sell for what you paid for it, now you're 6k in the whole.

Now take a 200 a month lease for 3 years with no maintenance required. Around 7200 bucks in the hole.

Similar cost of ownership.


Granted I would always rather own Vehicle, but if I wanted a dead reliable car to drive to school or work for a short term I would really consider it.

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Originally Posted by Ryan...

Joey, I think this is where I recommend 10 e30s...

Lol yes

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Originally Posted by SlimKlim

I actually kind of like the Cruze, but when you buy a car you pay it off and keep it forever, I don't want to make a monthly payment for two years and have nothing at the end of it. Just personal preference.

And I want a V6 for DD status so I can nudge at the accelerator and torque my way into traffic, not get a running start at the back of the on ramp in a little 4 banger, only to be thwarted by the 25mph line of traffic sitting at the end of it trying to poke their way into traffic. Power isn't that important for a DD, I'd just prefer whatever it is has a decent amount of torque because of how agressive the stop and go traffic is around here. I used to feel like a dandelion seed in the miata.

EDIT:

I'd say exactly the opposite thing. The TSX looks slab sided and plain to me, and anemic, but the TL looks pretty sharp and nicely styled. I guess it's just personal preference. Like I said, I've always liked them.

Heh.....Dandelion seed. Is that because of how gay it was or how slow it was?

Actually that's a great analogy, I felt that way in the 1.8 A4. Hard to jump into a gap when you're waiting on the turbo to report for duty.

I like the Cruze a lot, especially in that metallic red. GM really hit a homer with them. But I agree on the lease, makes sense as a business write off, or if you always trade in your vehicle every few years no matter what, and that's about it IMHO.


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Joey...what about a Protege5? 2003s with 100k can be had for $4k. Not super powerful, but reliable as hell...and they don't look terrible.

And why the heck is Oktoberfest in August? That makes NO sense. However, it does look like fun..perhaps that can be the coming out party for the frankenmobile....(aka the rebuilt snowmobile)....

Who the heck knows....

Guys i have an announcement: I HAVE SUSPENSION!!!!! raised the back like 1 inch and it rides SO much better. just doesnt look good

Originally Posted by TechieTechie

Joey...what about a Protege5? 2003s with 100k can be had for $4k. Not super powerful, but reliable as hell...and they don't look terrible.

And why the heck is Oktoberfest in August? That makes NO sense. However, it does look like fun..perhaps that can be the coming out party for the frankenmobile....(aka the rebuilt snowmobile)....

Who the heck knows....

It's to make a full week of Car Stuff (TM) out of that part of August in Monterey. Real Octoberfest is in September anyway...

I had no idea they made anything like these....... Work just handed these candy apples out to all associates for Halloween, this one is caramel covered in toffee pieces and chocolate. Amazing, but I think I'll be diabetic after this.....



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Careful. I mixed in a batch of onions with the apples to trick people.