Are those guys on crack?

I have seen a few high milage ones down into the high $12's into the $13's

When I was giving serious thought to getting one myself, before the wife put her foot down - 4 F-bodies in 5 years , I found a '95 that had 54K on it, VERY well kept, all the autocross options for a potentially National winning car in SM for $23K......I got him down to 18K when the wife found out that I was serious

That entire article seemed sketchy. Three very different cars when new. All at different stages in life now. It seemed more like the writer wanted an excuse to buy the bimmer. He had a hard on for it from the start.

It seems that converting a low cost E36 to LS1 Specs could become a real winner. I know its been posted before but here's the link. They haven't finished yet, but when completed it'll scream.

The engine fits, actually weighs less than the BMW and seems to be a go.

Regards
Steve

http://www.vorshlag.com/E36ProjectBook.asp

I was just over at Fair's place last weekend...he's been swamped with work for the past few months (and still is), however the mock up is in (oilpan/block/heads/intake/waterpump/manifolds) and it looks good!!!

OTOH, I don't see where you're going to find an E36 M3 for $10k thats not a theft recovery, salvage title, or 'questionably procured'... I did some looking before I bought my LS1 and the *nice* cars seem to be in the 17-22k range, with decent mile (~75k) '95 cars going for $14-$16k.

honestly guys, I don't see what the big deal is about the E36 M. a buddy of mine used to have one that he had put a couple of aftermarket parts onto and we used to go to autoX days together. The one time that I drove it I was a little unimpressed. The way people talked about these cars ou would think it was gods chariot (but we all know its an Fbody, right). It did seem to sit tight and didnt have the body roll I was expecting but when it really came down to it. It just didnt do anything for me. And it felt WAY underpowered.

Now don't get me wrong I am not bashing the car, it was nice and had all the little creature comforts..........I dunno, it just get me all wound up like the way everyone said it would.

I wasn't considering it for a race car, rather a nice driver car.

oh, ok sorry, thought you were looking for another track ride.

....yeah.....the one....AND ONLY....BigMoneyWaste I ever owned.....was WAY, WAY underpowered.....my Nissan Maxima had more power....

I agree with people having a SEVERE bent for BMW......big name mistique.....

sorry....don't get it...

[shrug] I've always liked the E36 M3's because they still seemed to be a bit of a sleeper -- didn't look that much different than a regular E36 BMW. Certainly not worthy of supercar status, but they're about in the price range (now) of a fun, multi-purpose sedan that can be driven daily in obscurity and then you can throw a set of R compounds in the back for the weekend.

I've only driven one, which was setup close to the limits of BSP. I did two fun runs on an autox course and spun it each time because the steering response was too good. I had taken four runs in my Firebird on street tires and hopped in the M3 on Hoosiers. Expecting to muscle it around, and turned hard for the first left-hander and was looking out the side windows immediately. This is the same M3 our own Sam Strano was going to drive last year, but this car was (is?) such an unreliable POS that it makes my crusty 3rd gen look reliable.

Remember, these cars were in the same Street Prepared class in Solo II as F Bodies for one year before they were booted to a faster class. And watch how many F Stockers squawk at the rumor of the M3's moving to their class!

But as far as power, I ran door-to-door with a stock convertible E36 M3 with my lightly modded Sentra SE-R "back in the day" ... 'nuff said!

Pat

The E36 has a lot of potential. My T/A is faster than most I have crossed paths with on a road course, and has destroyed every one I have tangled with on the street, but they handle really well and clearly have a lot of autox potential. I would like to have one, but $10K is way low for one.

... at this past VIR event, the Region Director had just picked up a real nice M3 for 16K. (I think it was a '96) Everything from paint to interior was in great shape.

Not like the one in that magazine article. Just under 10K and the brakes, tires and suspension were shot. Not to mention it had hit something up front.

Cheap E36 M3s are out there, but I agree with the notion that any that cheap are probably salvage title or high mileage thrashers.

Until recently we had a '98 LS1 and a '97 M3. (The Camaro got sold) The Camaro had that put-your-foot-in-it fun factor going on. I probably won't make a lot of friends here by saying this, but, in my opinion, that was about it. F-bodies feel heavy and sluggish to me. The M3 is light and nimble in comparison (although in BMW circles it is seen as heavy and sluggish compared to the E30 M3, so it is all relative). On the track, it is very forgiving. I know that if I were to try to get the Camaro to do some of the things that I ask of the M3 (lifting when the rear end came out, over correcting when going too hot into a turn) I would have gone off track a number of times. Maybe Christine will chime in - she loves driving the M3 and has a lot more Camaro seat time than I do. Simply put, they are a pleasure to drive.

Jason

http://autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=1...lor=&cardist=16

Well...Now I guess Mitch will be driving an BMW.

hmmmmm, even better
http://tinyurl.com/3gftj

who says they can't be had for sub $10K?

hmmmmmm ....

Hey, thats just down the street from me.

From the ad:

"Car has salvage title but runs and looks excellent. Had new front clip replaced. Europeen performance at a Domestic price!! "

Salvage title...and ya gotta love that 'Eurpoeen performance' Why is it that BMWs can attract such moronic/scumball sellers?

I think that has to do with the previous owners.

Last year I sold my 98 M3 coupe for $28,500. Sold in a week at my asking price.