New car incoming…

[integrale_evo]

Well, it’s been over a year since I bought anything so…

Rwd, 48k miles, 1 owner, petrol, 4 cyl, no turbot.

[McSwede]

Compact??

[JonMad]

Italian?

[DeskJockey]

MX5?

[mik]

Beast of Turin.


HARRY HAS BOUGHT THE BEAST OF TURIN.

[integrale_evo]

Compact??

Fucksake.

Too predictable aren’t I?

[mik]

So dissapoint.

[Sundayjumper]

Well that was a short thread

I will reply to your PM tomorrow….

[DeskJockey]

Is there a plan for your third (fourth?) of these? Parts car to fix the others?

[integrale_evo]

Compact no 3 although technically I owned no1 twice

I had got my last one, the silver one, which started out as an Se, to pretty much exactly where I wanted it. Refurbed and rebushed suspension, coilovers, full sport spec interior and bodywork. Then decided I needed to grow up, sold it and bought the mito off my mum as a sensible daily driver.

As much as I enjoy the mito, and as reliable as it has been, I do have concerns about the miles I’m piling on it, it just doesn’t feel like it’s got the underlying engineering solidity of a 90s bmw, and does the modern car thing of always feeling perched on top of it. I love how low and hunkered down you sit in an e36.

I’ve regretted selling the last one pretty much ever since.

With a timeframe for work to start on the barn where the remains of compact 1 have been sat, my source of potential free spares could soon vanish, I decided to start looking for another. A potential forever car which could eventually get a 6cyl motor.

So the search started. Turns out they’re getting hard to find, to the point where I would have considered an se or an auto if the rest of the car was good enough. The only MUST haves were aircon, the 16v engine and black dash / plastics. Lots of the low mileage survivors have an absolutely vile sand beige dash, and tracking down the bits and swapping them over would be a right pain.

Eventually found this one, genuine sport, individual sienarot, unusual interior in amazing condition.

It has some mods which aren’t really to my liking, and some which are nice, genuine ac schnitzer quick shift, proper carbon strut brace ( which I might swap with the m3 ) It has a couple of issues, slight exhaust blow, small knock to one corner of the nose cone under the passenger headlight, and worst of all some lacquer peel. But, for what I paid compared to what else is out there I’m pretty pleased.

Even if the Mrs thinks I’m mental

[DeskJockey]

You clearly know what you like. Pictures?

[integrale_evo]

I like rwd, simple solid engineering, cheap parts, and sitting low in a car.

I like how they feel like a more liveable and practical e30.

I quite like their quirky looks and that a lot of people don’t like them

[integrale_evo]

[Mito Man]

Those seats are quite something!

[ZedLeg]

The seats are amazing. I love a weird fabric interior.

[Broccers]

Nice

[Jobbo]

Love the colour scheme. And spec generally.

[Beany]

Any particular reason why E36 over E46 Compact (other than looks - the E46 can be a bit 'challenging' with that front end...)?

[Matty]

Those seats are quite something!

That's exactly the words I was thinking.

Exterior colour is great, and those wheels are spot on. I've not a seen a Compact on the road in ages - used to see them everywhere.

[McSwede]

Any particular reason why E36 over E46 Compact (other than looks - the E46 can be a bit 'challenging' with that front end...)?

This was the very question I was about to ask.