E36 M3 people

[V8Granite]

What kind of price would I need to buy a good 6 cylinder E36 Cabrio ?

The wife wants an older car and it has to be a useable 4 seater when needed. I know about cooking systems but otherwise absolutely nothing else about the E36.

Parts availability, rust, electrical, is the convertible fine to be used and left out all year etc etc

The R107 is out of the running as they are just too expensive.

Dave!

[Matty]

Considered an Audi Cabriolet? My sister had a V6 one and it was a lovely thing - still looked great even by modern standards and was built like a tank.

Final Edition here with the 2.8:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-detail ... 3034850617
(Admittedly Silver isn't the best colour for it...)

[Sundayjumper]

What kind of price would I need to buy a good 6 cylinder E36 Cabrio ?

I’ve just looked on eBay and the cheapest is £12k. So probably £15k for a good one.

I have plenty of history with E36s but I wouldn’t pay that for one.

[DeskJockey]

Obviously the right answer is a Lincoln Continental four door convertible.

[Sundayjumper]

Oh, good point !!

Want a ‘66 Galaxie for cheap ?

[Rich B]

I looked at e36 M3s 15 years ago and they were looking a bit tired and delicate, I imagine they've now gone 2 ways, either fucked and parted out or cherished and expensive.

[V8Granite]

Considered an Audi Cabriolet? My sister had a V6 one and it was a lovely thing - still looked great even by modern standards and was built like a tank.

Final Edition here with the 2.8:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-detail ... 3034850617
(Admittedly Silver isn't the best colour for it...)

Tried this, she really isn’t keen on Audis despite these being lovely.

It’s looking more like a 323/325/328 of some sort then.

Dave!

[Sundayjumper]

A 323i coupé was my first E36 and I had a 323i convertible some years after that, good cars, but with the extra weight of being a convertible it really would have benefitted from being a 328. And I wouldn't say no to an auto in a convertible E36, for a more wafty experience.

[jamcg]

Clk430? 8 cylinders instead of 6

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-detail ... 01&fromsra

[Sundayjumper]

Clk430? 8 cylinders instead of 6

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-detail ... 8180949827

Good point.

Dave! - given your love of Mercedes, wouldn't a CLK be a better choice all round ?

[GG.]

When I was around 12 my dad PX'd a red 928 GT manual for an early CLK 320 with an AMG bodykit and a Sebring dual outlet backbox. I have had an irrational hatred of them ever since

They are very plasticy inside /everywhere is my only real recollection - oh that and the rear headrest folded down from a button on the dash. They still had it when I turned 17 - I got to drive it and realised that the gearbox was essentially in limp home mode and would not kick down / allow the engine to rev out. Presumably it had been like that for a while but it trundled around at such a leisurely pace no-one had noticed

[mik]

When I read the title I thought Heather Small had started a new - very specific - group.

[DeskJockey]

How old is old?

[integrale_evo]

I think I know a fair bit about e36s, but very little about cabrios specifically.

Personally, unless you really want an M3 cabrio, then I really wouldn’t recommend one. Sure the engine is a masterpiece but I’m not really sure the fat tyres and firm suspension tuned to be sharp and agile really suits the heavier wobblier chassis.

In my head the cabrio works best as a less energetic cruiser as a 325 or 328, even as an SE spec auto. Classic bmw straight 6 noises, enough power not to feel dog slow.

You can definitely use an e36 all year round, heating and ventilation are well up to modern standards, aircon works well if it has it. I do around 60 miles a day in my 1998 compact and love it, did 120k miles in the m3 saloon in 10 years or so too.

Parts easy to get, they’re the right age to be mechanically pretty simple and easy to work on. You can get a hardtop which looks decent and is supposed to be pretty easy to fit for the colder wetter months if you wanted.

Rust is the main worry, underside of the sills around the jacking points - the sill itself wraps around the side and joins the floorpan about 6in inboard so you don’t get the usual vertical pinch weld rot, but there’s a jacking structure inside the sills. Oe post style jack goes into holes in the side of the sill, there’s a rubber pad at the same point underneath which pokes through a hole in the sill. Moisture gets in and rots them out. Pretty easy to fix if caught early and done properly. Front corners of the floorpan can go, there are several panels which meet there. Check the seam where the front turret mounts through the inner wing. Any crustiness or dodgy looking seam sealer is a big worry. Rear arches can get scabby so make sure they’ve not been stuffed full of filler to tart it up.

I’d take your time and look out for a well looked after, low owner 6cyl. I’d like to think £7k would get a really nice non-M which you shouldn’t ever lose money on.

[V8Granite]

It’s a no on the CLK, it’s a bit of a grandad car and 80s to mid 90s is what she is looking for. She even liked the idea of an 840 she saw but my spider senses shouted no

Much appreciated Mr Evo, I think I need to have a look at a couple and see what the money gets us but a nice 6cyl car for 7k is very doable. The big bonus of BMWs is the information about but rust is a worry but that’s on me to find so cheers for the tips.

I’m just glad she hasn’t focused on wanting apple car play and parking sensors.

Dave!

[Rich B]

The wife wants an older car and it has to be a useable 4 seater when needed.

[Jobbo]

I think an E46 convertible is going to be a better car than an E36, and I think the earliest convertibles would be 1999. Much better value because they’ve not started the classic price climb yet.

[jamcg]

I think an E46 convertible is going to be a better car than an E36, and I think the earliest convertibles would be 1999. Much better value because they’ve not started the classic price climb yet.

Bug a puma and swap it for beanys?

[mik]

Has to be older? E36 are looking pricey now, whilst (following a brief search) 2007-2009 330i cabs seem to be under £5k (significantly under that for some).

[Sundayjumper]

I think an E46 convertible is going to be a better car than an E36, and I think the earliest convertibles would be 1999. Much better value because they’ve not started the classic price climb yet.

Yep, Beany’s 330i has been faultless.

Also, when people say “nineties” they don’t mean 31st December 1999…