Owners' Stories

I love this car. This is my second BMW. My first was a 1974 Bavaria. That is where my love affair with the inline six started. I have an e36 with a manual trans that I purchased in January of 2010 I have put 10k on it since then. I bought the car when it was in need of a wiper control module, on board computer, drive shaft and flex disc, front brakes, tires and a wheel alignment. Knowing where to buy parts really helped keep my total bill including purchase under 4500. I have a few interior problems that are all cosmetic and just two days ago one of the seat motors in the driver's seat went out. I also had some very broken wires in the trunk lid harness that took me a couple of months to finally fix (me being lazy...whole repair process took less than 1 hour). All in all my car is in very good shape for a teenager. I am a mother with one of my children in a car seat... no tether system and the rear center belt is a PAIN to tighten. That would be the one draw back. Fuel economy is hovering at 29 mpg, power is there to be had, drives like she is on rails. I have a couple of minor problems like the oil pan is seeping (no drips) and the front strut mounts are still cracked, but those will get done in time. One piece of advice if you are considering this car. Keep up on the inspections and maintenance. They are pricey. You can save some money if you are mechanicly inclined, but do not attempt anything other than minor repairs with a Haynes manual. They do not share some of the nuances and tricks that are required to succesfully repair your bimmer. I hope you enjoy driving yours as much as I LOVE driving mine!!

my passenger seat motor when out and i think my front axe is bent but its still handles nice and the acceration is UNBELIEVEABLE

Overall a great vehicle but like most others once it has even the slightest bit of damage, either body or engine, it is never the same even after extensive repairs. It also develops a very annoying issue with the heating and coolin system