Hi,
I have a bunch of Volvos(242t, 745t, daughter 240n/a, daughter 940n/a) but i just spotted an interesting BMW e36. Anybody on here have or had one of these? Wondering about reliability, ease of self repair, known weaknesses? Looks like FCP is also a source for parts for these too. Any comments appreciated.



Dan

I own an 83 320i, it is the best car ever. I hear that the 325i blows head gaskets, but the 318i is great, both can be a E36.

Hi Panzer,
Thanks for your input. How many miles on you 320? Do you repair/maintain yourself?




Dan

I have owned several BMW's, 5's and 3's as well as Volvo.

The E36 is a great car. Best in its size. The '92-93 had no Vanos and the interiors were poor quality and fit. After that they were very good.
Superlative handling, fun to drive. I have only had stick shifts in the 3's.
I have found them reliable but I am a DIY so I never take them to the shop.
I have had problems with the a/c and alternator voltage regulator on my 92 325i but on my 97 328i I have changed the steering pump otherwise only routine.
I replaced the clutch at 130k as the throwout bearing became noisy. Removing the starter is a pain unless you remove the inlet manifold which incidently , was quite easy.

Steve

Hi again Steve,
How are the 5 series cars? I seem to recall seeing many for sale with pretty high mileage. I also think I remember posts in the past saying that motor was bulletproof. i'm guessing the 3 series is more of a sports coupe/sedan and the 5 is more of a l cruiser...is that correct?




Thanks again,



Dan

The 5 series is a larger car, fabulous on the highway. Many of them share the same engines with the 3 series, except for the v8s. My wife had a 525i. really nice. Sun messed up the interior (doors). I had to redo the a/c on her 91 model, otherwise very little. You cant ignore them like Toyotas. I find they need tlc like Volvos.
I prefer the nippy character of the 3 series but the 5 series is not to be sneezed at. They are well built! They have gm trannies too, not zf like the 3.

Steve

Hi,
I'm getting an education here. Thanks again for all the info. I'm used to the preventive maintenance and repairs on the fleet of Volvos so that shouldn't(might not) be a problem. i am going to be looking at a 3 sereies this week and may also look at a 5 too.



Thanks again,


Dan

Hi Steve,
Thanks for the great info. Whats a Vanos though, never heard that before? The one i'm looking at is a '94 325is sport with an automatic @131xxxmiles. How do the autos stand up over time?




Dan

vanos is variable valve timing, the camshaft changes wuth rpm. I have heard they can fail after 250,000 whereas the non vanos keep going.
Cant say I know much about the autos though they are zf I think. I have a five speed but they are rare whereas there are lots of e36 on the road.
Check the www.roadfly.com e36 forum and ask their opinion.

The 325is is a 2 door with sportier handling, maybe limit slip diff but not sure.
94 is a good year. The is models were popular amongst the younger crowd so check carefully for abuse. The 318ti is a great car too, especially the later models with the 1.9 engine.

Be careful if you drive the 325 a lot. You might find the Volvo gets left on the driveway;-)

Steve

Yes Vanos is a variable timing that can and will go bad after a while-in the 99 to 01 models and up they are doulbe vanos-one for intake cam and one for exhaust. Seems that the orings in these suckers go bad after a while especially in colder climates-the only fix so far is at the stealerships and it ain't cheap. 6-800 or so-not a DIY'er as of yet-gotta have cam tools to make sure everything is right-BMW is aware of the problem and it happens frequently-about the only thing thats really bad about these 6 bangers. Before 02 years are the ones that this is happening to and it's not limited to the 6 cylinders-some of the 8's have had trouble as well-great cars lotsa power and wants to cruse at 90 on the interstate-be carefull if ya buy one. I love mine but if the 960 Volvo came back I'd buy me another in a heart beat-lot easier to work on-The BMW cooling system need to be overhauled at about 100k mile-rad-water pump theristat and housing belts and hosings-looking at about 5-600 if you do the job yourself.
Poolman

I dont think they put the double vanos in the e36, the e46 has it though I believe.

Steve

get a late e36 if possible, the earlier ones are somewhat plagued with teething problems. ANY lights on the dash need to be checked out. i have replaced a couple of abs ecus and pumps for a speed sensor code. no cheating on oil changes, they don't do well when neglected. the oil pump pickups get clogged with sludge and the oil pan has to come off to clean it. the oil breathers clog, also. have someone who speaks bmw give it a good look before buying. good luck, chuck.

Hi Chuck,
Thanks for the info...it's appreciated.



Dan

You would probably do better posting on a BMW board.

Thanks for the response but what I am looking for is diyers with experience on both marques, not input from dedicated BMW enthusiasts. I have been looking at Roadfly a bit.



Dan

I currently drive an E39 2003 525i wagon-gave the 960 to my son-the weak point of the BMW 6 cylinder cars would be the cooling system-they have pretty much the same problem with their rads as we have with the 960's. The trannies are suposed to be filled with lifetime fluid(heard that before) and the fluid in some of them is damn expensive(I bought the pentosin atf1-10.50 qrt)the Esso fluid they reccomend in mine was 22 bucks a quart.
Check Bimmerfest and also Bimmerforums two good diy spots.
Poolman
Just tought of another Bimmer tips-lots of good diy material
enjoy

Hi Poolman,
Thanks for the reply. This is exactly the type of info I'm seeking. I will check out the forums you suggested. Merry Christmas.


Dan