Knurled wrote: Ugh, and here I was thinking they were $15k cars. If that is the new crazy-cheap, then I'll just go ahead and cross that one off of the list of wants. I rode in one at an autocross. Felt really nice, although the steering looked like it was really slow.
nothing an e36 rack swap can't fix for about $50 and an hour of working time. That's what most of us have.
I'll also note that you can find M42 engines/drivetrains rebuilt in good shape for $500-700 or less. Just get a 325i and swap the engine in if you really want the M42 and aren't concerned with "originality." It's an easy swap.
I got both of my M42 drivetrains for $300/each.
I'd rather get a Z3 Coupe. That way you get E30 M3 like suspension, the nicest four-cylinder, and you can drive a car that looks like a penis.
(I got to drive a M Coupe once. Boy howdy, whatever they was smokin' at BMW when they thought that thing up, they sure could use some more of it. "Let's take a 333hp six cylinder, put it in the nose of a car that feels even smaller than a Miata, and let's make it look more like a wang than the Ambiguously Gay Duo's car." They need more of that kind of outlandishness instead of 8 different types of blaaaaand)
Check the ball joints, tie rod ends, and all of the suspension bushings. Replace them if necessary, along with the brake fluid.
Knurled wrote: I'd rather get a Z3 Coupe. That way you get E30 M3 like suspension, the nicest four-cylinder,
z3 has the regular e30 rear suspension, IIRC. I think it has e36 front suspension (like the 318ti)
I wouldn't call the M44 the "nicest four-cyinder." The M42 from the 318is has forged internals and the M44 has cast internals. M44 has better timing gear, but that's easy enough to retrofit to an M42. They make the same power.
Then again, I may be biased since I have two M42-swapped bmws :)
In reply to irish44j:
M42>m44 all day everyday. Did e30's have the same 30+ lb dual mass flywheel the e36 m42 got? If so, swap a turner 8-9lb fly in there and you'll be amazed at how much it seems to come alive.
Knurled wrote: I'd rather get a Z3 Coupe. That way you get E30 M3 like suspension, the nicest four-cylinder...
If I'm not mistaken, the Z3 Coupe only came with an inline-6.
If you want that particular mix of e36 front suspension, e30 rear suspension and four cylinder power, you can choose from either the early Z3 roadsters or the 318ti.
On topic - I think we mostly agree that the market for the top condition cars is only going up. The newest e30 is well over 20 years old now and the newest e36 is closing in on 16. This is when many cars are used up and go to junkyards. One day you wake up and say 'where did they all go?' Suddenly what was a $3000 car can't be bought for double that. The e30 train has left the station, the e36 train is already starting to board.
I guess I better keep my E36, then. :)
yamaha wrote: In reply to irish44j: M42>m44 all day everyday. Did e30's have the same 30+ lb dual mass flywheel the e36 m42 got? If so, swap a turner 8-9lb fly in there and you'll be amazed at how much it seems to come alive.
M42 and ETA cars had the dual-mass, but the later 325i e30s had single-mass. It's an easy conversion - I have the single-mass on my M42 car. Other OEM option is to get an e21 323i single-mass, which is even lighter.
Or go aftermarket if you want to spend money, lol.
bludroptop wrote:Knurled wrote: I'd rather get a Z3 Coupe. That way you get E30 M3 like suspension, the nicest four-cylinder...If I'm not mistaken, the Z3 Coupe only came with an inline-6.
First two years had the 1.9L M44 4-cyl as the only engine. In '97 they got the M52 six, though the M44 continued until '99 as an optional engine.
I approve of this purchase.
irish44j wrote:bludroptop wrote:First two years had the 1.9L M44 4-cyl as the only engine. In '97 they got the M52 six, though the M44 continued until '99 as an optional engine.Knurled wrote: I'd rather get a Z3 Coupe. That way you get E30 M3 like suspension, the nicest four-cylinder...If I'm not mistaken, the Z3 Coupe only came with an inline-6.
At least in the US, the coupe didn't come out until '99
sorry, wasn't even paying attention to the "coupe" part, I was just talking about Z3s in general.
And yes, I want a Z3 coupe to turn into a stage rally car, because I'm weird like that.
great looking car...
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