standard e36 performance

[Jordon 0]

Hey,

Im new here, i had bought a e30 320i a couple of months back unfortunaly it was stolen while i was at the movies. any way insurance has paid out after a lengthy battle. they really dont like giving money to young guys

Im going to buy another bmw in december, saving for an e36 manual coupé and that brings me to my question whats the performance in a e36 320i like compaired to the e30 shape or am i better going for 325i e36 i have around 10k to play with in december(5k from the insurace the rest im saving,half way there)

I am going for the e36 as i want a more modern bmw, want to keep this one for awile.

So your opinions would be aprciated id love something with a bit more omphh than my previous e30 320i

Cheers

Jordon

[E30stz 0]

I thin kthe figures are as follows

E30 320i M20B20 - 129 hp

E36 320i M50B20 - 150 hp

E30 325i M20B25 - 170 hp

E36 325i M50B25 - 192 hp

going by that, I'd go for a E36 325i. The 320's just dont pack the same punch.

Edited September 18, 2006 by E30stz

[speedyg 16]

This is quite a good site for comparing cars.......http://www.carfolio.com/search/results/?terms=bmw

Either scroll through the list or do a more specific search in the quick search box.

[Guest Andrew]

A general rule - the matching e30 model is nearly always faster than the e36.

[Jordon 0]

wow lots to think about just as well i got time to make my decision i really love the shape of the e30's (was just looking at Andrews race car, awsome machine btw, so jelous)

I love the e30 but i kind a want somthing a little more modern if im spending 10k on it ill be keeping it for awile. but then again i would never sell a mint e30 325i manual.

the only e36 i have driven is 328i that went allright but i hav driven my mates 325i coupé and that thing is just so much more fun to drive.

So im stck between modrn car with some go or bmw classic with go and driver fun

[isis 16]

if you can afford the wear and tear cost and regular maintenance of an e36, then go for it...

if not lump it on an e30 and use the excess cash to do it up..

[Jordon 0]

yea thats what im thiking now ay, why spend 10k on stock e36 when i can spend 5-6k on a stock e30 325i and then have 5-4k to spend on mods and then ill have a nice e30 that has the ablilty to walk over e36's

[petone 0]

depends what you want the car for. E36 is much more of a crusier car, I find them a bit boring to drive but they are comfortable and better if you always have people in the car. E30 much more fun to chuck around in the twistys.

[Jordon 0]

Well i hardly ever have people in the car and I love driving the twistys i have the niceest back road where i live ay and its all 100kmh zoned so your not breraking the law by speeding as you can not get to 100kmh untill the straits. E30 it is then.

So any one selling good cond e30 325i manual copué, or if its really nice i wont mind an auto(manual conversion wil be on the cards)

[Gus 5]

stock 325 are not that quick, sounds about right

as for e36 testing your driving skill more, rubbish. spits them out with little drama doesnt sound very challenging? e36 will just understeer at their limit..hardly challenging. try driving an e30 325i with LSD with bald rears in the wet and you will have lots of driving skill tests. they arent a quick car but have enough torque to make it fun.

e30s are much more involving. sure will be a little slower (stock at least) but they are noisy (which is awesome) and you can feel the road i would call them more of a drivers car.

just my opinion...for e30s you also have the benefit of having cheap bits and everything being easy to work on.

as for better car its all subjective. some people like one some people like others...notice how in the cars thread i havent owned one e36? there's a reason for that!

[MADBMA 0]

gotta realise that these guys are a little bit one sided thoe as Gus said hes never owned a e36, most of you on here are e30 owners, the e36 is a great car and a real pleasure to drive, sure i love the e30s, but ya cant deny the comforts of the e36 for everyday driving, e30 for your weekend car

[Gus 5]

Well i hardly ever have people in the car and I love driving the twistys

sounds like an e30 man to me?

ive driven plenty....and still have no desire to own one!

would maybe go a 328i or M3 for a track car once stripped out

[Guest Andrew]

gotta realise that these guys are a little bit one sided thoe as Gus said hes never owned a e36, most of you on here are e30 owners, the e36 is a great car and a real pleasure to drive, sure i love the e30s, but ya cant deny the comforts of the e36 for everyday driving, e30 for your weekend car

I've owned an E36 - didn't take me long to want an E30 again.

Most the E30s you see are POS cars that will never be as nice as your average E36.

[Docile 64]

i own a coupe e36 320i.. needs more grunt or lose more wieght i reckon...

my previous honda felt more agile and powerful hehe

Edited September 18, 2006 by Docile

[E30stz 0]

Get yourself a touring ... for 5k at hte moment you can get a 325i manual touring, check trademe, looks absolutely hawt .

Edited September 18, 2006 by E30stz

[Jordon 0]

Yea i think im gonna stay true to my roots and go for an e30 i loved my 320(wasnt quik but it had some suspention mods and was a blast to drive).

I catch the train to work every day, 60kms a day in car ya gas bills go up and i hate trafic so it would be more of a weekend car. im just gonna get myself an e30 and spend a bit of cash on it. Just want to buy one that has been looked after and is in good cond after all im planning on keeping it for 5+years

the e36 is nice and im sure it has it merits but after ready your replys and having a bit of time to think im gonna go with what the e30

Edited September 19, 2006 by E30Kid

[MADBMA 0]

you guys are making me wanna sell my e36 and buy an e30!! ha ha

[Jordon 0]

well depends sliding at 70kms and holding that slide may take some skill but any fool who knows what the accelerator peddal is can stick a car sidways its keeping it there and bringing it back tht requires the skill

[petone 0]

Keeping a more sophisticated higher performance car close to, or slightly over the edge; takes much more skill because transitions happen much quicker and are MUCH sharper.

Fully agree with you on that but you have to agree an E30 is more involving than an E36

[Yuen 16]

I have an E36 320i, and I wouldn't get it if I were you, it's just underpowered for what it is. At least a 325 if you are getting an E36, try a 328 if possible if you're not going for the M. The 320 is just too sluggish, and in terms of fuel consumption it's similar to 325/328 (compared with Dnz and another friend of mine) and perhaps M3. So I suppose it's not as efficient.

[danutt 4]

got an e36 and an e30

both are great cars but if you have 10k to play with i reckon go for the e30 and spend the left over on suspension some engine mods(cam etc) and good tyres hell why not lower it and put some nice wheels on it depending how much you have left over they defintely are more involving i agree there but the e36 is very comfortable but the e30 is way more fun

go get an e30 and spend whats left on it wisely!!

Edited September 20, 2006 by danutt

[westy 614]

I have an E36 320i, and I wouldn't get it if I were you, it's just underpowered for what it is. At least a 325 if you are getting an E36, try a 328 if possible if you're not going for the M. The 320 is just too sluggish, and in terms of fuel consumption it's similar to 325/328 (compared with Dnz and another friend of mine)

Couldnt agree more with this.Have owned a 320 e36 ,was underpowered and over gased.

Sounds like you need an e30.

Ps. nothin wrong with a 328

[westy 614]

I know what you guys are saying,feel the same way about the e36-e46.

the e46 is an excellent car but not as much fun as the e36.

[petone 0]

Is the E 30 more involving ? - No. A well set up standard E36 is far more dynamic and rewarding - even more so in M3 form.

Is it easy to have a bit of fun in an E 30 yes Would I have an E30 as a track thrash car Yes

oops, never finished that post.

What I was going to say was that espically in my e30 with no PS you can really feel everything happening much better. Yeah so its not as fast as an E36. I know my driving skills aren't up there to drive a well setup E36 on the limit, probably a good thing I get understeer. My E30 has enough grip with decent 195's on 14" rims, and thats one of the reasons I'm only upgrading to 205's instead of 225's.

[petone 0]

na the 205's are already slightly streched. Besides, I don't think they make a 195 in 16".