Overwhelming amount of BMW's for sale

[Driftit 1945]

Was just contemplating selling my 180SX and buying another BMW as my daily car. The E30 race series car i am building sort of made me want more.

But just having a browse on Tard Me I couldn't believe how many are on there for sale. Over 2000. Mainly E36 of course. And the prices go all over the place. And its hard to tell if your paying to much or your getting a deal.

But I am however addicted to power which 99% of BMW's in my price and age range lack. I got bored of the endless amount of E36 318's. Had anybody seen anything that has grabbed your attention for under $18K? Going no lower than 96 and something with decent power.

[Guest Denny Crane]

Get an early E36 M3 for less than 18K - the plus being the early cars are unrestricted.

[westy 614]

Does it have to be manual?

[Driftit 1945]

Would prefer it to be. But if it is nice enough I could go towards an Auto. But can imagine myself getting bored with an Auto pretty damn quick.

Every early M3 I have seen has very high KM's. But that is the sort of thing I would love but I am pushing it to get one for the amount of cash I have.

Edited April 23, 2007 by DRFT IT

[Gus 5]

i know of a nice 730i...no rocketship but its pimp

special BS price!

[tintop 10]

You will be lucky to get a decent e36 m3 for $18k. Possibly look for a 328i coupe? Usually a few manual ones on TM, but since they are usually nz new, the kms are usually over 100,000

[OLLIE 26]

You will be lucky to get a decent e36 m3 for $18k. Possibly look for a 328i coupe? Usually a few manual ones on TM, but since they are usually nz new, the kms are usually over 100,000

i'd have 100,000 nz k's over 50,000 stop start japanese k's

[Driftit 1945]

Yeah I think I will just keep looking and if something pops up I may sell up. But I prefer performance to comfort so I will stick with the 180 for now.

[Jazzbass 1]

Many people expect the wrong sort of performance from BMW, IMO. They are not (as a rule) blazingly fast off the mark, like most Japanese cars, but to me, the performance comes from sustained effortless high-speed motoring, cornering and general ride, which I have never found to be as acceptable in a std Japanese car.

To me, the difference seems to be:

Equivalent common Jap cars are very quick off the mark, making a lot of noise in the process. This noise and general harsher ride I find very very tiresome. Couple this with a more 'lightweight' feel (in the sense of them not being so durable in feel) and I find them less attractive for my driving. ymmv.

BMW's OTOH are firmer on the road, soak up bumps better and just 'feel' more solid, thus making driving a BMW more satisfying. I also prefer quiet over noise any day of the week.

We all pays out money and makes our choice. No such thing as the 'best' car.

[Driftit 1945]

I see your point. What I am trying to do it get a bit of both. Power and comfort. But it is difficult to find something in my price range with both. But I would rather keep my 180 over buying a 318 or 320.

[hybrid 1039]

grab a e36 328 coupe manual ... m3 kitted, lsd it etc etc

[Driftit 1945]

Yeah I have been looking for one. But they are all really old and have huge km's. Then the ones that are 96+ and have good km's are auto. Or low specd.

[Gus 5]

my womans one has done around 190k now...really really good as far as reliability goes...nz new

[will 169]

my womans one has done around 190k now...really really good as far as reliability goes...nz new

.. and flown by one careful owner...

[hybrid 1039]

Someone I know picked up a '99 leather e46 328i auto for 18k with 109k on the clock ... not bad really

My flatmate is in the same position .. wants to go m3 .. but its just out of his reach at the mo. We reckon they will get down to maybe 15k then start to go back up as the boy racers buy them and f**k them and they become more rare for good ones.

good thing is .. there will be an influx of s50's around for e30 conversions

[entscheidend 0]

Many people expect the wrong sort of performance from BMW, IMO. They are not (as a rule) blazingly fast off the mark, like most Japanese cars, but to me, the performance comes from sustained effortless high-speed motoring, cornering and general ride, which I have never found to be as acceptable in a std Japanese car.

To me, the difference seems to be:

Equivalent common Jap cars are very quick off the mark, making a lot of noise in the process. This noise and general harsher ride I find very very tiresome. Couple this with a more 'lightweight' feel (in the sense of them not being so durable in feel) and I find them less attractive for my driving. ymmv.

BMW's OTOH are firmer on the road, soak up bumps better and just 'feel' more solid, thus making driving a BMW more satisfying. I also prefer quiet over noise any day of the week.

We all pays out money and makes our choice. No such thing as the 'best' car.

agree 100% with Rog, Japanese cars are great 0-100 because they are light little cars with their blow off sounds.

But legally you cant drive around town trying to drag everyone at the lights trying to get within 200m first.

I live on a corner and get f**ked off with those Silvias, Nissan's etc thinking its Bathurst when its a 50k zone in a residential area with children ... wheres the f**king brains in that??? I will lay tacks out on the road shortly ....

Woops im off topic

On the open road, a BMW feels more comfortable, safer and have that stick to the road feeling and have the power long distance compared to a Jappa.

We had dragged a RX7 against a stock 330i going 0 - 200.

The 330i won off course at the end but not off the mark

[hybrid 1039]

I had a go with an evo9 the other night ... he pulled away till about 150 .. then I gained on him at the 180 - 200 mark .. he didnt have speed cut either. Up around the higher speeds BMWs really have their place. (PS did this in totally safe conditions late at night on a deserted road, and the frist sign of traffic .. we both backed off )

[entscheidend 0]

I had a go with an evo9 the other night ... he pulled away till about 150 .. then I gained on him at the 180 - 200 mark .. he didnt have speed cut either. Up around the higher speeds BMWs really have their place. (PS did this in totally safe conditions late at night on a deserted road, and the frist sign of traffic .. we both backed off )

We use common sense when it comes to racing in public areas, I do the same also

[Driftit 1945]

agree 100% with Rog, Japanese cars are great 0-100 because they are light little cars with their blow off sounds.

But legally you cant drive around town trying to drag everyone at the lights trying to get within 200m first.

I live on a corner and get f**ked off with those Silvias, Nissan's etc thinking its Bathurst when its a 50k zone in a residential area with children ... wheres the f**king brains in that??? I will lay tacks out on the road shortly ....

Ah yes, you see where you have silvias and nissans thinking its bathurst I have E36's in mine area. There is hundreds of them out this way. All with there chrome oversized wheels and disgusting clear lights racing around like idiots. Any car make has its idiots. But I have no intention of racing on the road anyway. I am building my little E30 for racing.

Well I hope I find a nice one at some stage. I may even look into importing one. As private importing is what I use to do for a job.

[hybrid 1039]

be quick man ... I think soon e36's maybe subject to the to old to import rule

[m325i 705]

Yeah e36 m3's are just out of reach at the moment for a lot of people.

Hybrid your prediction sounds valid, re boyracers pushing price up a bit.

I would ask you guys this though. Why would you want the strength of your car to be in the 150km+ area?

Isn't it more fun/usable to have the strength 0-150km?

[hybrid 1039]

yeap your right. I guess for some peoples ways of driving.

But for me, I'm more about open road / twisty out in the whops driving.. I dont do much flooring it on the road around town (getting to old for that sort of thing and it really is quite irresponsible)... For me BMW covers my driving style perfectly this way .... /off topic

[cainchapman 0]

You can make me an offer and see the best of both worlds in the 540LE.

Great to see the little cars blink as you fly passed them on the open road.

True, not great off the line, but never stops accelerating.

[entscheidend 0]

yeap your right. I guess for some peoples ways of driving.

But for me, I'm more about open road / twisty out in the whops driving.. I dont do much flooring it on the road around town (getting to old for that sort of thing and it really is quite irresponsible)... For me BMW covers my driving style perfectly this way .... /off topic

IMO - I enjoy driving around the Brynderwyns, Mungamukas (spelling error I know) and country driving where you can speed and use what a BMW is there to do (with a radar and laser jammer) and there is no people/children/pets around that will get hurt etc.

I dont find flooring it from bottom off queen street to K road fun, or drifting around a round about ... but every one has different driving styles