So I just thought I'd start a discussion on this because I have been thinking about it lately. In my opinion a tan interior on an e36 just ruins the car.
![Image]()
I don't know why I feel so strongly about this but I could never imagine owning an e36 with a tan interior. In fact when browsing craigslist if I ever come across one with a tan interior regardless of how nice the rest of the car is I hit the back button. Now I didn't start this thread just to bash on tan and I hope I haven't caused an offense to anyone owning a tan interior.
What I absolutely love above all else is the saddle brown that is available on the e9Xs.
![Image]()
So i've been thinking about e36s and how to get a similar interior to that. The thing about the saddle brown is that it's only the seats and door cards and not the carpets or dash. So I wondered how it would look to take a black interior and but in tan seats.
here's an e36 with half tan half black
![Image]()
Already I like this waaaay better then a tan interior. but I still don't like it enough. It's interesting (and this is why I brought up the whole tan interior thing in the biggining) that I can hate tan so much but as soon as you take away the tan headliner, dash, carpet, and most of the doors I actually like it. Maybe tan in moderation is okay? or as more of a accent?
then I found out that there was actually some similar trim option available for the e36 M3. One is the Magma interior and also the Modena interior both have black dashes and door cards except for the little insert but they still don't have black carpet.
Magma interior available on M3s
![Image]()
and Modena also available on M3s
![Image]()
![Image]()
Modena seems like the closest match to me especially that bottom pic. I still don't like it as much as saddle brown though.
Anyways just my ramblings. If I had unlimited money I would probably paint an e36 euro m3 space grey and reupholster it in saddle brown with aluminum trim.
What do you guys think?
I don't know why I feel so strongly about this but I could never imagine owning an e36 with a tan interior. In fact when browsing craigslist if I ever come across one with a tan interior regardless of how nice the rest of the car is I hit the back button. Now I didn't start this thread just to bash on tan and I hope I haven't caused an offense to anyone owning a tan interior.
What I absolutely love above all else is the saddle brown that is available on the e9Xs.
So i've been thinking about e36s and how to get a similar interior to that. The thing about the saddle brown is that it's only the seats and door cards and not the carpets or dash. So I wondered how it would look to take a black interior and but in tan seats.
here's an e36 with half tan half black
Already I like this waaaay better then a tan interior. but I still don't like it enough. It's interesting (and this is why I brought up the whole tan interior thing in the biggining) that I can hate tan so much but as soon as you take away the tan headliner, dash, carpet, and most of the doors I actually like it. Maybe tan in moderation is okay? or as more of a accent?
then I found out that there was actually some similar trim option available for the e36 M3. One is the Magma interior and also the Modena interior both have black dashes and door cards except for the little insert but they still don't have black carpet.
Magma interior available on M3s
and Modena also available on M3s
Modena seems like the closest match to me especially that bottom pic. I still don't like it as much as saddle brown though.
Anyways just my ramblings. If I had unlimited money I would probably paint an e36 euro m3 space grey and reupholster it in saddle brown with aluminum trim.
What do you guys think?
