Looking into buying e36

[AutoXfreak]

Hey guys,

I have been a proud owner of a 1986 325 and love the car. It is reliable, fast (well, fast enough for now) and I have had a tremendusly good time autocrossing the car with my local BMWCCA (came in first in my class for the season!!!)

However its time to upgrade, I am getting older and need to have a more "profesinal" and safer ride. So since I am a pure Bimmer Head and love to autoX, I want to stay with a BMW. I have been looking at 93 to 95 325is'. I have read a few things about the "problem areas" But I want to know your guy's oppinions/ advise and comments about your cars. Is the "is" worth marginaly higher cost or should I stay with the standard 'i'. Please feel free to give me any and all input (Mods, problems, if i am wasting my time, whatever.)

Thanks all

 

[Kirby]

If you're going to run stock class, the is might be marginally better, but a mechanically clean and strong 325i will be a better choice than a hammered 325is. If you plan mods, as you know you'll be running Street Prepared, Touring, etc. and the difference between i / is will mean nothing.

One thing to consider is who is running what car in the class that you are competing in. In one region I run, there are some hot shoes with a lot of experience that have Acura Integra Type Rs. I think an E36 would have a tough time beating the type R in stock class. But in two other regions, I took several 2nd places this year and feel I can get some 1st place finishes this year. So think about your competitive goals, the competition, your class and what they drive before you finalize your decision on an E36.

I'm very pleased with my E36 overall. There are typical water pump failures, radiator cracks, front end steering hardware failures. Nothing totally out of the ordinary for any 10 year old car. A few reports of rear unibody sheet metal failure at the subframe mounts on cars that have been raced extensively or driven hard, but not nearly as bad as some people might try to make you believe. The really good news is that either preventative, or as a repair, you can buy E36 M3 reinforcing plates (weld in) to take care of the problem.

 

[AutoXfreak]

Thanks for the insight on the autox deal. I know that at the scca level in sts of stp class I would be demolished. We run a different classing system with the RMCBMWCCA. I would likly be running in a class with e30 and e36 325i's and "is' " Also 540s and so on. Autocrossing is important but not as much as it used to be. My little e30 eta was an unbeatable little car. I was running faster times than those cars in a class above me.

Thanks for the advice and keep it comming!