Okay E30 vs. E36 M3

SuperWheel · 10-12-2002, 10:33 AM

There are a lot of E30 M3 fans. Personally, I like the E36 look a lot better. Question though - what advantages do an E30 have over an E36? The E30 M3s are reall affordable now, but it's tough to find cream-puff cars.

racea911 · 10-12-2002, 07:40 PM

I own a 1999 e36 M3, but I love the e30 M3 also. You will probably see a hundred e36 M3's on the road for every one e30 M3 you see. They are both great looking cars IMHO. The e36 is supposed to be a much more civilized performance car while the e30 is much more of a purpose-built race car for the street. Once I sell my 1969 911S project, I am going to make some room for an e30 M3 in the garage. Then it will be two 911's and two M3's, sounds like I should be satisfied after that right?!!!! Man, I hope so.... no more projects!

DJF1 · 10-12-2002, 09:38 PM

I agree with 911 on his comments. I really like the old M3, it is lighter more "race tuned" but it is a bit more difficult with the on the limit handling. Much like a 993 and a 911. The old M3 uses the older suspension, I think BMW did a fantastic job on the E36 and the car handles like a dream and makes drivers look like heroes on the twistes if you catch my drift!
My personal choise would be to buy an E36 M3 and slowly lighten up the car for track use as well. Plus the song of the inline 6 is music to my ears where the four banger on the old M3 failed to stir my emotions... Just like my old 968 versus my 993. While the 968 a fanstastic car by all accounts nothing can compare to the symphony played behind my back every time I drive my 993...

RDW DEV · 10-13-2002, 11:37 PM

Wait a sec, the E30 M3s only had four-cylinder engines? Weren't there ones that had six cylinders?

What about that E36 M3 engine transplant into the early M3. Does that solve the problem. Isn't there a CD (project Orca) out on that?

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

Right - I have the project Orca CD - haven't looked at it yet, maybe I'll pull it out tonite. Doing some research for the new book!

-Wayne

SuperWheel · 10-13-2002, 11:40 PM

Very good thoughts. I suppose that the E36 would be more refined then for the street, versus the E30 for the track? People seem to have strong feelings about the E30/E36 debate, and I'm not sure which favors the track?

Jared at Pelican Parts · 10-14-2002, 09:15 AM

E30 M3's are awesome. I've driven a couple and they are so much fun. Light, really flickable, and powerful. Plus you gotta love that individual throttle body assembly, it's a work of art.

JasonBMW · 10-14-2002, 12:18 PM

True, that reminds you of the Porsche throttle bodies on the MFI cars.

But the look of the E36 M3 is so much sleeker, in my opinion. To me the E30 M3 and the plain vanilla E30 look very similar.

racea911 · 10-14-2002, 01:33 PM

It is much tougher to tell an e36 M3 from a regular e36 than it is to tell an e30 M3 from a regular e30. The only difference on the e36 is the front bumper and the rear bumper skirt and maybe the side skirts. On the e30 M3, the only panel it shares with the regular e30 is the hood!!! Every other panel (doors, fenders, bumpers, trunk) is specific ONLY to the e30 M3.

If you put an e30 M3 next to a regular e30 and an e36 M3 next to a regular e36 you will see what I mean. That is one of the biggest complaints about the e36 M3, that is almost identical looking to the regular e36. There is no such confusion with the e30's.

JasonBMW · 10-14-2002, 01:41 PM

Hmm, I guess you're right from a technical standpoint. Still, (maybe because I'm looking at them) the E36 M3s seem to jump out at me on the road.

racea911 · 10-14-2002, 01:45 PM

The e30 M3 came with a 4-cylinder. Even the higher performance euro versions had 4-cylinders. Someone asked if transplanting the 6-cylinder e36 M3 motor into the e30 M3 solved the "problem". Problem? What problem? The 4 cylinder e30 was lightweight, revved like crazy, and had a high redline. It is fantastic to drive. There was no problem whatsoever as these 4 bangers dominated all the race series they competed in throughout Europe.

Would transplanting a nice Chevy small block v8 into a 1973 Porsche Carrera RS solve the "problem" of that little 2.7L 6-cylinder? Yikes! NO! If you want a 6-cylinder M3 get the e36, there are TONS of them! The e30 M3 is definately an enthusiasts car very much like the 69-73 911 is an enthusiasts car. Lightweight, more tossable, more involving to drive, less luxurious but more to the point that it was created for. There is nothing wrong with newer M3's or 911's (I drive an e36 M3) but they have both softened up and gotten fat over the years... I guess that happens to the best of us

Jared at Pelican Parts · 10-14-2002, 01:49 PM

The M3 4 Cylinder put out close to 400bhp in race trim. It's still a pretty incredible design. I dont understand when you say there was a problem. The later M3's IMO were way too heavy, the E30 M3 is more like a race car than the later models.

racea911 · 10-14-2002, 02:13 PM

I hope you don't think I was saying there was a problem. I was referring to the guy a few posts above mine. IMHO there was no problem with that "little " 4-cylinder. I think it was awesome and I want one!!!!!!!!!!!

DJF1 · 10-14-2002, 07:34 PM

Since we are talking about M3's on the track.... On the last DE event I participated in my class ( advanced) there were two E36 M3's which were lightened considerably from what I could see and were running a modified suspension setup. Front /rear 245's on 17's ( Hoosiers) and these two guys were close friends. There was an E30 M3 with similar mods running on Victoracers. With my 993 on Pzeros I was barely able to play with the E30. The two E36's were really untouchable! They were running on formation, really playing with each other and would leave me in the dust very easy...It was very impressive and frustrating at the same time watching them go...

Later I approached one of the guys and asked him about the mods he had in his engine and the only thing he had was a Dinan "K&N" type system and a Dinan exhaust.

I feel that preparing a bit an E36 M3 makes for a very impressive track machine with the sweet inline 6 music...
Dont get me wrong I like the E30 M3 but I think the E36 is a better machine as a package with a lot of potential!