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But I didn't... i was on an extensive car search for probably about a year, before I snagged my '98 SET. Candidate cars were Audi A4s, BMW 3-series, etc... So it wasn't like I was looking for a POS, I was looking for a fantastic car that I could buy now and love for a good long time. My price range was around $15-20k...
I was having a bitch of a time finding an E36 325/328iS with a five speed, sport pkg, traction control, and decent miles in my area (washington DC). In DC, BMWs are like Hondas, much like the west coast.
I did manage to find some good A4 options, but I was really intimidated by their repair costs and I didn't want to be saddled with critically expensive repairs in a couple years when I'm in med school and living off of student loans again...
Canvassing the Washington Post auto section, I found a the '98 900 SET. For the price, it was a steal... A third the price of the A4 2.8 I almost bought, half the price of the '95 E36 I declined cuz of the color. And the SET has pretty much the same balls as either... Well, the A4 2.8 still makes me swoon, but I couldn't justify the price tag.
About the E36... I'm a bimmer fanatic... A close friend of mine has a 325iS that only does track duty. My brother has a '95 325i, my roommate has a '96 328i. They're fantastic to drive. Fit and finish and build quality in the E36 is great. I've known people who sold their E46 to buy an E36 because they didn't like the E46 as much... The E36 is basically the standard for a luxury sport sedan/coupe. Driveability is awesome, the 50/50 balance with a rwd and limited slip diff makes it phenomenal to drive. The engine is torquey and smooth and can very readily hold down prolonged high speed runs, unlike say a crappy pushrod V8 mustang. Fun factor is real high, especially with an m3. Although, truth be told, with the E36 you can get a lot of that fun factor for less price by going with a 325 or 328 and doing minor tuning. Sway bars, a short shift kit, rear subframe brace, chip, intake and exhaust and you'll be in heaven. And if you really want a big set of balls, get an Active Autowerke turbo and go out and dust some porsches.
Other upsides... Great community. BMW car clubs are great to be involved with, particularly if you enjoy taking your car to the track or autocross. Strong aftermarket support... lots of tuning options.... An E36 is a really good car for someone who wants both a great hobby and a great daily driver.
Downside... Value is *good*, but comes at a high entry point. They do hold onto their resale value really well, and in fact, my brother's 325i has a higher bluebook *now* than when he bought it. Nevertheless, compared to the price of a Saab SET, it's really high. You can get a lot less miles and a newer model year and still be 30-50% less expensive. At least for hardtops, I don't know about convertibles. If you're getting into an E36, you're getting into a car which is about to need a good amount of expensive maintenance. Compared to nagging issues many saabs face, an E36 will show up at the shop with something expensive like a new radiator. You will probably have fewer problems, but they'll have a hefty price. Instead of being nickled-and-dimed with a saab, you'll be dropping thousand dollar repairs when something gives.
Basically, the E36 is great, but its greatness comes at a premium... you'll face expensive repairs when the inevitable happens. And it comes with a much higher entry price. Case in point, you might pay 15-17k at a dealer for a '95 325i with 70k miles, you'll pay 8k at a dealer for a '98 900 SET. If the difference in price is something you're comfortable with, then by all means get the BMW. Me, I'd rather pocket the difference and get a second project car like an E30 325iX (the first AWD 3 series, made from 1988 to I think 91), those are real fun. You can get a decent 325iX for 4-5k, put a few k more into fixing it up and tuning, and then for the price diff between the '98 SET and the '95 E36, you have a great AWD bmw with lighter weight and higher performance than the E36.
One last thing, an E36 is a great car, but I hafta say that my saab has a lot more personality... i like that ;)
-modi
posted by 156.40.114...
, Fri, 14 Feb 2003 12:05:27
, Wed, 12 Feb 2003 23:37:16, Wed, 12 Feb 2003 23:43:03
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