Sons new car - '98 328 e36

[id10t]

Son got back every nickle he had in the '02 Lancer that got totaled last month and then some. Also since he finally got his school stuff squared away, grandma kicked in.

So he's the newest pilot of a '98 e36 328.... euro spec headlights, leather, sunroof, all sorts of cool bits. And some very nice expensive aftermarket cooling stuff, and some extras tossed in the PO had no more use for (a body panel and a few other ends and odds)

Token low quality pic -

[gduke2010]

Great ride for someone in school.

[GH85Carrera]

That will bring in some potential girlfriends.

[IROC]

Awesome car!! My 14-year old would love have one as his first car. I have a lot of seat time in an E36, but zero of it is on public roads. Racing this at Road Atlanta this weekend:

[MBAtarga]

My son's first car was the same. Triple black 5 speed. I purchased it from an driving instructor at the BMW SC plant. Had a stack of receipts about 3 inches thick. It ran fine for about 2 years - then maintenance issues surfaced - like a new clutch. I did it in our garage over a 3 week period. That top bolt mating the trans to the engine is a pain. I think I used 3 socket extensions and 2 elbows to reach it from underneath.

[LWJ]

I had an e36 5spd a while back. What a great car.

[IROC]

I will say that we have absolutely thrashed this poor car for years (endurance racing) where it sees 6k rpms many times a lap for 14 hours straight and it has been VERY robust. I am amazed at the beating this thing takes and never complains. Our last 14 hour race required zero oil added to the car all day long. It just runs.

[Tim Hancock]

My old '92 E36 325 had about 325k on the clock when I sold it. Still ran great even though from about 200k on I did very little maintenance on it. I always ran regular dino oil and last last couple years I only ran 87 octane and it went way over on oil change intervals as it was my daily drive to work beater.

I think I replaced the alternator once, the radiator once, the water pump once and cleaned the ICV a few times. I also replaced the struts and shocks once withhigher performance options.

Engine was never opened up although I had to do a clutch job at about 280k only because the throwout bearing took a crap. Original clutch disk still had life left but I obviously replaced it.

I have owned a bunch of cars over the years.... This E36 was the highest mileage one I held onto the longest.

Still have my '03 E46 330i with about 230k on standby if my current '08 Cayenne base 230k daily driver ever goes tits up.

Those high mileage normally aspirated BMW 6 cylinder engines are really reliable in my experience.

[id10t]

Welp, took it for a spin for the first time today, had to go get title transferred and get a plate, etc.

Drives nice and smooth, son has stuff to fix (door panel, window off track) but to this mechanical-dummy it seems to be rather well sorted as far as engine, trans, etc.

Will admit that I couldn't find reverse but that was easy enough to overcome by selective parking for the quick trip into town.

[Jeff Alton]

How are the suspension bushings and rear subframe mounting areas?

Cheers

[Heel n Toe]

I've posted these before... a '94 racerized E36... show them to your son just for spits and giggles.

Unless you think it could cause him to want to go outlaw with it before you're ready, of course.