Considering an E36. What should i look for?

325iN2it said:

Or to be more pessimistic, what should i look out for in buying an E36 328i, most likely a 98. There has been no official word on my 01 325i, but the body shop guy is saying there's an 80% chance it's totalled.

Anyway, i'm going with an E36 because (even though i can afford a new 02 325i), i just don't want to spend that kind of money on a car. My price range is low $20k now. Also, i may be going with an automatic instead of 5-spd.

Any thoughts? Thanks...

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Get a 5-spd.

Ripsnort said:

If you do alot of city driving, or rush hour traffic driving, I highly recommend getting an automatic.

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nate328Ci said:

I do all city driving and prefer manual :dunno:

I don't see why people think manauls are hard to drive in traffic :dunno:

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I agree with you, Nate. But I think Rip is just trying to disagree with me. But I honestly find driving a manual to be much easier in traffic than an automatic. Just modulate the clutch, no braking.

TD said:

I agree with you, Nate. But I think Rip is just trying to disagree with me. But I honestly find driving a manual to be much easier in traffic than an automatic. Just modulate the clutch, no braking.

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Autos are just annoying in all situations, they don't downshift when you want, aren't in the right gear :thumbdwn:

nate328Ci said:

Won't insurance pay for another 325?

I know, not full value, but at least close. Take a look at E46 328i's, if you want to stay with E46s

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My (actually the other person who was at fault) insurance will pay off the value of the car, if it's deemed totalled. My credit union will pay off the difference between my loan and what the insurance pays (GAP insurance).

I may get some money through settlement with the other insurance co, but i kinda have a different perspective now. I really don't want to pay $35k for a car even though i could easily do so.

Everyone tells me i could have been seriously hurt since i was hit on the drivers side by someone going at least 40 mph. I'm thanking God every day for side- and head protection airbags.

325iN2it said:

My (actually the other person who was at fault) insurance will pay off the value of the car, if it's deemed totalled. My credit union will pay off the difference between my loan and what the insurance pays (GAP insurance).

I may get some money through settlement with the other insurance co, but i kinda have a different perspective now. I really don't want to pay $35k for a car even though i could easily do so.

Everyone tells me i could have been seriously hurt since i was hit on the drivers side by someone going at least 40 mph. I'm thanking God every day for side- and head protection airbags.

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The head airbags went off? Help a lot? The E36 does not have head airbags and is not as safe as the E46. I was hit in my former 328Ci by someone going 40+, they hit on the front passenger corner, so the airbags didn't go off (they didn't need to).

Look into E46 328i's, 2000 model preferably.

325iN2it said:

My (actually the other person who was at fault) insurance will pay off the value of the car, if it's deemed totalled. My credit union will pay off the difference between my loan and what the insurance pays (GAP insurance).

I may get some money through settlement with the other insurance co, but i kinda have a different perspective now. I really don't want to pay $35k for a car even though i could easily do so.

Everyone tells me i could have been seriously hurt since i was hit on the drivers side by someone going at least 40 mph. I'm thanking God every day for side- and head protection airbags.

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Well, there you go. The E36 does not have HPS airbags; M3s (and I assume 328s) have side bags, but only after late 1997 model year.

I suspect, without having seen any data, that the E46 is going to be better all around in a crash than the E36, just because it's a so much more recent design. Note that I don't think the E36 is *unsafe* (else I wouldn't be driving one), but if crash protection is really what you're after, go with an E46.

Were I you, I would look into 2000 328s. The E46 bodyshell will give you enhanced safety, that was the first year of DSC, and the hybrid DBW on the 323/328 is a lot better than the full DBW on later cars. They can also be had for fairly reasonable prices now.

And get a stick.

JST said:

Were I you, I would look into 2000 328s. The E46 bodyshell will give you enhanced safety, that was the first year of DSC, and the hybrid DBW on the 323/328 is a lot better than the full DBW on later cars. They can also be had for fairly reasonable prices now.

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hybrid DBW?

nate328Ci said:

hybrid DBW?

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I know we've adopted the shorthand of referring to the 328/323 engines as mechanical throttle cars, but that's always bugged me. I remembered during the early run of the 99 and 00 323/328s there was a rash of throttle body failures that were described (at the time) as being failures of the electronic throttle body. I also remembered reading that the throttle hang that bugged people so much on the M52 TU engine was the result of electronic throttle programming, and not (as on certain Ford engines) an actual mechanical device for keeping engine revs up (in the case of Ford, this works through the idle air tube).

I just did a search on bimmer.org, and here's what I found:

http://bimmer.roadfly.org/3series/messages/archive/msgsy2000w26/82641.html

and (in the same thread)

http://bimmer.roadfly.org/3series/messages/archive/msgsy2000w26/82532.html

325iN2it said:

Everyone tells me i could have been seriously hurt since i was hit on the drivers side by someone going at least 40 mph. I'm thanking God every day for side- and head protection airbags.

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My only question is, then why would you not want them on your next car??:dunno:

if you want to save some money, go with what someone above recommended and get a pre-owned (used) e46. You should easily find a very nice example for under $30k.

Josh (PA) said:

My only question is, then why would you not want them on your next car??:dunno:

if you want to save some money, go with what someone above recommended and get a pre-owned (used) e46. You should easily find a very nice example for under $30k.

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I'm sure you could easily find a '99 (E46) 323i for under $20K.

JST said:

Note that I don't think the E36 is *unsafe* (else I wouldn't be driving one), but if crash protection is really what you're after, go with an E46.
.

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I agree with JST here, e36s are safe cars, just not as safe as an e46. I had an e36 (1994 no side airbags), that I slammed driver's side first into a guard rail at about 35mph, and walked away with only a bruise on my side. Thankfully BMW engineers are safety geniouses.

As I recall, the E36 was mediocre safety wise. Almost immediately after my Dad got his '94 325i, there was a recall because the steering column had a tendency to have a meaningful encounter with the driver in a frontal crash.

The E46 is bullet-proof as far as safety goes... It's just not in the same league when it comes to driving feel.

Nick325xiT 5spd said:

It's just not in the same league when it comes to driving feel.

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nate328Ci said:

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Dude, apparently you're one of the few that fails to concede this point.