[Lukkon]

Okay so im getting ready to buy my first car. Nothing can change my mind about buying a BMW e36 ! I am currently looking at a 95' BMW 325is with 118K on the speedo. The asking price is $4295 it seems to be in very nice condition and it's also a 5spd manual! What do you guys think.. good idea as my first car?

P.S. - I have A LOT of plans for this car in the future as i am a young BMW enthusiast! I basically want to make this BMW what i have always seen as the European Style of Modding Cars!

First Things to be done to the car will be a regular tune up and flushing and renewing the engine/transmission oil.
- After that the fun begins ... M3 Front bumper
- Angel Eye Headlights and a nice set of fog lights
- Lowering Springs to give the car a nice stance
- I'll be on a hunt for OEM M3 E36 Rims once i get the car.
- When i have the money ill want to get a nice exhaust system and also buy myself a decent air intake for the bimmer.
- etc...

Keep in mind i am a Sophmore in Highschool and i major in Automotive i have my mind set to have this car my way by senior year!

Any Thoughts or Comments about my Future Plans?

 

[witeshark]

Have a look in the E36 section about cooling system issues. Have you seen a history report like Carfax? Does the seller have service records you can review?

 

[Torque]

Welcome. Plans sound alright to me. Give us some pics along the way.

 

[CanadianWraith]

good luck with your search!
1. don't cheap out on your headlights and angel eyes. i did and am regretting it.
2. oem m3 rims are staggered and won't fit a regular e36 look for same width rims.

 

[Torque]

good luck with your search!
1. don't cheap out on your headlights and angel eyes. i did and am regretting it.
2. oem m3 rims are staggered and won't fit a regular e36 look for same width rims.

???

 

[Lukkon]

Hey Guys thanks for the comments , and yes i have read something about these staggered wheels not fitting properly but those arent the M3 rims i had in mind i was thinking more along the lines of the OEM M3 rims used on the E36

And Torque once i get a BMW ill be sure too keep everybody updated with how my plans and work is coming along!

 

[carguy13]

hey man, be sure you check for rust!

you don't want that to get out of hand. it will. in a heart beat.

 

[CanadianWraith]

???

bought a set of m3 rims didn't know they were 18 x8 in the front and 18x9 in the rear. the rims i have now are 18x8 all around

 

[Torque]

bought a set of m3 rims didn't know they were 18 x8 in the front and 18x9 in the rear. the rims i have now are 18x8 all around

e46 m3 wheels?

Either way, fitting an 9 inch shouldnt be a problem with the correct offset.

 

[CanadianWraith]

the ad said they were e36 rims but they stuck out from the wheel well by about 1/2". when i accelerated my car squatted on the tires and stopped me dead. i felt like an idiot but ended up selling them to a guy with an e46 m3.
what offset would work with a 9" rim?:conf

 

[Torque]

The one you had, you just have to run massively stretched tires.

 

[Lukkon]

Hey Guys im still on a hunt for a BMW the 325is i looked at today and the body looked very nice but if you looked under the car you would want to cry somebody damaged the undercarriage and the paint on the fenders hood and bumper was not identical to the rest ( the shade was diffrent ).

Well anyway one question is your opinion whats better 328i or a 325i ?

 

[Dr1ve4fun]

As far as a 328i or a 325i it just depends on you. Any BMW is a nice car. Just get what you like.

 

[dannyb]

does the car have LSD? if not i would put that on top of the list.

 

[k.sidlosky]

LSD is very nice, I went to buy my mom new tires one day and figured Id melt them the rest of the way and only one tire spun as with the bimmer both do better grip in the corners also!

 

[BrianXE36]

Welcome to the forum and I'm really glad to see you are interested in the E36. I bought mine about a week ago and I'm in the same boat you are. Take it home, give a good wax and think about what the car needs first. I'd take it to a mechanic before thinking about the cosmetics. I ended up having to replace some gaskets, purge valve, and a cat. Oh, and give her a name.

 

[johnnyBgood]

Welcome to the Werkz .......there are plenty of links out there on the web, to help you with your E36!

BMW E36 DIY (Do It Yourself)

DDM Tuning - HID Kits, HID Bulbs, DEPO Lighting, BMW and Porsche Performance Accessories

BMW Parts and BMW Accessories | Bavarian Autosport

jb

 

[Lukkon]

Hey guys thanks for all the welcomes! and hey Brianx36 congrats on the new bimmer! i hope you enjoy the car as much as i will enjoy mine once i purchase one lol and yes first thing first is having a mechanic ( my dad ) check out the car that will be done the first couple days of ownership then i can think about what i want to do first and oh yes a name will sooooo be needed ill be thinking about a great name to call it just like a lot of people name their cars

BTW johnnybayonne , thank you for the links greatly appriciated!

 

[Lukkon]

Wow Harder then expected!

Well im still looking for a bimmer i didnt think it would be this difficult. I have looked at a couple but its a shame how some people treat their cars! :/ Im still on a hunt for a nice E36 if anyone has one for sale in New Jersey ( i live in Bergen County btw ) or close by in New York/ Pennsylvania i would LOVE to see what you have for sale. I am also looking at E30's they have caught my attention and i REALLY like them as well!

 

[dannyb]

if you start looking at e30s heres a list of things to look after
Buying an E 30 (Checklist) - maXbimmer Forums