m3 curious.

[Styles]

well.. i just bought a 95 m3.. w00t.... but i didnt get a manual/book. It's an automatic... I'm curious though... it has an S- E- M.. sport? Economy? Manual? modes? thats what im guessing .while the book is being ordered....how would i use the tronic manual shifting... if that is even what it is... is there anywhere where i can find out exactly what my car does... sounds n00bish and stupid but hey... I have owned a 02 jetta 1.8 t with triptronic and that was pretty much common sense... anyone? website?
Thanks.

[CiscoKid]

sport mode just gves jerkier shifts and worse gas milege, it will make you go a lil faster. as for tiptronic-like driving.... nope!

[snikwad]

dude, are you sure you got a real M3, im almost 100% sure that BMW did do an auto M3 until 97, not even in europe. im no pro but a 95 auto M3.

[Styles]

wow 97.. thats wrong.. they've made auto m3's for a long time... or atleast in the e36 lineup.

[snikwad]

im talking USDM M3s, i dont remember ever hearing or reading about an auto M3 till then, i may very well be wrong but im almost sure that USDM M3 did not have an auto option for the 1st 2 years.

[snikwad]

ok, check it, i took these production #s from http://www.bmwmregistry.com/model_faq.php?id=15

see the NA automatic production dates...

How many of each version were built?
ECE coupe (LHD): 6,117 built from 09/95 thru 12/98
ECE coupe (RHD): 2,845 built from 11/95 thru 12/98
NA coupe (LHD): 11,793 built from 04/96 thru 04/99
ECE convertible (LHD): 1,763 built from 11/95 thru 09/99
ECE convertible (RHD): 2,107 built from 12/95 thru 09/99
NA convertible manual (LHD): 2,252 built from 03/98 thru 08/99
NA convertible automatic (LHD): 4,017 built from 03/98 thru 08/99
ECE sedan (LHD): 1,296 built from 11/95 thru 01/98
ECE sedan (RHD): 694 built from 12/95 thru 01/98
NA sedan manual (LHD): 4,574 built from 09/96 thru 05/98
NA sedan automatic (LHD): 4,036 built from 09/96 thru 05/98
SA sedan (RHD): 168 as Complete Knock Down (CKD) kits from 11/96 thru 04/97, 532 as complete cars from 04/97 thru 10/98

See the earliest dates for the auto was sept. 96. which prolly emans they were made as MY 97 cars.

im not knocking you, im just trying to find out if what i thought all along is wrong or not.

[snikwad]

if you scroll down on that same page under drivetrain, you'll see where it says "What gearboxes did the 3.2 liter M3 engine use?"

so either your car is a european delivery car or its not a factory M3, HOWEVER, they did say BMW "returned to the ZF aut ..., this may be the clue, maybe the 3.0 did have an auto i dont know, im just trying to find the answer dawg.

[snikwad]

ok, i found the answer to my own question on that very site, i guess the auto was just briefly discontinued for 96. cause it was made for the 3.0 then as i said easrlier it returned in sept of 96.

How many versions the 3.0-liter E36 M3 were there?
BMW built the E36 M3 3.0 with the European-spec engine in three body styles: coupe, sedan and convertible. Each body style was also offered in left-hand drive and right-hand drive versions. There was also a limited run of E36 M3 GT coupes built in both left-hand drive and right-hand drive. The U.S.-spec version of the 3.0-liter M3 was offered only as a coupe, with a choice of manual or automatic transmissions. Finally, there was a small number of South African-spec coupes assembled at BMW's Rosslyn, South Africa factory from German-supplied Semi Knocked-Down kits (SKD).

How many of each version were built?
ECE coupe (LHD): 11,284 built from 03/92 thru 07/95
ECE coupe (RHD): 3,152 built from 03/93 thru 07/95
ECE GT coupe (LHD and RHD): 356 built from 05/95 thru 08/95
SA coupe (RHD): 748 built in SKD form from 11/92 thru 01/94
USA coupe manual (LHD): 8,515 built from 02/94 thru 01/96
USA coupe automatic (LHD): 1,705 built from 12/94 thru 01/96
ECE convertible (LHD): 1,403 built from 03/94 thru 08/95
ECE convertible (RHD): 572 built from 09/94 thru 08/95
ECE sedan (LHD): 868 built from 06/94 thru 07/95
ECE sedan (RHD): 415 built from 10/94 thru 07/95

[Styles]

Very interesting...

[snikwad]

it is isnt it.