$10-15k on a 3 series. What would you buy?

[Grover]

I'm looking at getting a second car so my '02 can be more of my weekend toy. My commute has recently changed, with a lot more highway driving, and I'm feeling ready for something a bit more modern and with airbags, ABS, etc, especially when I have my son in the car.

I'm thinking $10-15k could get me a pretty decent E36, or possibly an E46. While E30s are nice, they just don't seem like a big enough leap forward from my 02 to bother. Any recommendations? E36 M3? 325i? Things to look out for with each model and/or generation?

[bent]

$10-15K should buy you any E36 you desire with change left over, or a very nice E46. Given that choice, I'd go for an E46. If you're just looking for a nice commuter, a 325i would work nicely. A 330i would be faster and if you find an '04 or '05, you can get the 6 speed manual. If you want something a little out of the ordinary and sportier, a ZHP 330i is a decent improvement over a regular 330i and you might be able to find a good one within your budget.

Part of the beauty of an E30 is that it is, in some ways, not that much different from an '02. Still fairly simple, easy to see out of, compact size, and has a lot of the '02s personality in the way it drives. Fun without being tiring and yet not quite so bloated and filtered like the later cars. They are getting old, however, and finding a nice one is getting tougher. And if you have lots of highway commuting, the better aero and extra sound deadening of an E46 is not such a bad thing.

[thaddeussmith]

my boss drives a zhp 330i ..it's a fun little car

[02Nut]

I own an E46 330i with a 5 speed manual. I really like the car - great on the freeway & plenty fast for commuting.

E46's available for $10 - 14k (at least in SoCal)

Parts and servicing are readily available for E46's.

Reasonably reliable with known maintenance items:

- Window regulators - known to fail (all four on my 330i have failed)

- Cooling system - 80 - 100k, expect to change hoses, expansion tank, etc or risk overheating

- Thermostat - mine has failed twice (luckily it fails "open")

- Brakes - pads and rotors are typically replaced at the same time (not really a problem - more of a FYI)

- Fuel Pump - mine died around 90k

HTH

[RIMSPOKE]

WE GOT A E36 318ti A FEW MONTHS AGO .

FOR $3500 OUR CAR IS SUPER STRAIGHT & CLEAN .

IT WAS GARAGE KEPT FROM DAY ONE .

IT IS A BLAST TO DRIVE & THE HATCHBACK IS VERY CONVENIENT .

BECAUSE IT IS A '95 , IT ONLY NEEDS A SIMPLE INSPECTION HERE

AND IT CAN GET NEARLY 40 mpg ON THE HIGHWAY .

AS FAR AS COMMUTING GOES , IT's PRETTY HARD TO BEAT .

[oldbimmers]

check this out

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=170635

[Grover]

Thanks so much for the info guys, great advice and insight as always. As for the link on Rv3, I appreciate it, but for this car I'm going to go pretty much stock as otherwise it will just spiral into a money pit (I'll want to keep making changes to it, I know myself.) One money pit (my 02) is enough for me. Thanks again, and keep the input coming.

[Richard]

A very nice E30 convertible for 6-7K????

[SteveJ]

I've wrenched on a few E36's, and have a '99 E46 that needs some wrenching (again). My wife really liked her E46 (328ia). However, she says she loves her Mini Clubman.

I'd go back and buy an E30 any day of the week.

You can make it a cushy family car, a total track rat, or anything inbetween. Probably repair anything on it with the tools you already own and never need to take it to the dealer to have a headlight switch reprogrammed.

All the newer BMWs E36, E46, etc... are great driving cars. Lots of luxury and performance. They have become increasingly more complex and heavier. To me, an E30 is more comfortable/modern, still able to be worked on, and a tossable drive (not too heavy).

Get a 90 or so 325i 4 door, spend the money and go through the entire car. Have a great car and cash left over.

[roadhog0]

E30 318is or a E31 850i (850 is just for fun, not very practical) but the 318is i hear is a real good car!

[89e30]

Get a nice e30. The nice ones even have heated seats!

[Hammer03]

Any recommendations? E36 M3?

bingo.

fun, reliable (especially in that price range, find a good one with maintenance records) and might even leave you room in the budget for the maintenance a 10+ year old bmw will invariably need. Do the bushings and the cooling system with the leftover money, and call it a win!

[TTyMiller]

e36 M34 as in 4 doors. They actually handle better than the coupe!

[Hammer03]

e36 M34 as in 4 doors. They actually handle better than the coupe!

Internet legend, but I still agree with the sentiment. (Buy one!)

[tjones02]

I like what Bent and SteveJ both say.... A really sweet E30 325i or 318i will have money left over even after you go through the entire car with a fine tooth comb. You can buy a really nice late E36 328i or M3 for that money. A clean E46 330i ZHP would max the cash while a "regular" E46 330i might have a bit left over. You need to ask yourself one question. How much do you want to rely on taking this new 3er to a shop for repair vs. doing all or most of the work yourself.

With each newer generation of these there's less and less that you can easily work on yourself. If you want a happy medium then get a nice E36, if you need to save money by doing most of the work yourself get the E30, if you feel like having a shop do most work get the E46. Next, how long you feel like keeping this 3er directly determines the level of repair and maintenance you do/have done. Say it's an E46 and you feel like keeping the car for 10+ years in near perfect reliability. The Service Adviser needs to know that so they can tell the technicians to look for preventive maintenance. Even if it's an E30 you might have a trusted shop do a check over every 6 months.

When you find a car you're interested in I'd be happy to go with you to look it over. I know many many shops in the Bay and would be happy to recommend one near the car for a pre-purchase inspection (PPI). I seriously recommend having a PPI done for any used car you're interested in. If the seller is in the North Bay and wiling to take it by Casey Motorsports we'd do the pre-purchase inspection in Petaluma. The newer the car the harder it is to look it over properly without getting it on a lift and hooking it to a computer.

HTH

$10-15K should buy you any E36 you desire with change left over, or a very nice E46. Given that choice, I'd go for an E46. If you're just looking for a nice commuter, a 325i would work nicely. A 330i would be faster and if you find an '04 or '05, you can get the 6 speed manual. If you want something a little out of the ordinary and sportier, a ZHP 330i is a decent improvement over a regular 330i and you might be able to find a good one within your budget.

Part of the beauty of an E30 is that it is, in some ways, not that much different from an '02. Still fairly simple, easy to see out of, compact size, and has a lot of the '02s personality in the way it drives. Fun without being tiring and yet not quite so bloated and filtered like the later cars. They are getting old, however, and finding a nice one is getting tougher. And if you have lots of highway commuting, the better aero and extra sound deadening of an E46 is not such a bad thing.

I've wrenched on a few E36's, and have a '99 E46 that needs some wrenching (again). My wife really liked her E46 (328ia). However, she says she loves her Mini Clubman.

I'd go back and buy an E30 any day of the week.

You can make it a cushy family car, a total track rat, or anything inbetween. Probably repair anything on it with the tools you already own and never need to take it to the dealer to have a headlight switch reprogrammed.

All the newer BMWs E36, E46, etc... are great driving cars. Lots of luxury and performance. They have become increasingly more complex and heavier. To me, an E30 is more comfortable/modern, still able to be worked on, and a tossable drive (not too heavy).

Get a 90 or so 325i 4 door, spend the money and go through the entire car. Have a great car and cash left over.