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YOUR RESEARCHWhat I replaced my 996 with...
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Check specs
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Leading evidence: 'Check specs' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Check specs' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Suggestion
The conversion is basically them reflashing your ECU and replacing your dash.
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Suggestion
Even though the US dash has km/h and a reflash can enable day time running lights, you need a CDM cluster to make the daytime running lights irreversible.
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Suggestion
Even though the US dash has km/h and a reflash can enable day time running lights, you need a CDM cluster to make the daytime running lights irreversible.
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Suggestion · Original poster
Note that the spec e30 series also uses Bilstein Sports+H&R springs, the former of which have been updated several times through the last decade, this car has the last revision (*internally* inverted struts).
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Suggestion
Even though the US dash has km/h and a reflash can enable day time running lights, you need a CDM cluster to make the daytime running lights irreversible.
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Suggestion
Even though the US dash has km/h and a reflash can enable day time running lights, you need a CDM cluster to make the daytime running lights irreversible.
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Suggestion · Original poster
Note that the spec e30 series also uses Bilstein Sports+H&R springs, the former of which have been updated several times through the last decade, this car has the last revision (*internally* inverted struts).
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I've had more people asking me what I was getting when I decided to take a break from 996 Carreras, well I picked up an e36 M3 sedan:
No it doesn't accelerate as hard as a 996, but it is a fantastic car none the less. I just brought a second set of wheels, and a set of R888 R-comps, AND 4 street tires, inside the car to the shop... Anyway, I've already got H/R race springs, Bilstein inverted sport shocks/struts, euro xenon lights w/glass projectors, wheel studs, etc. Tomorrow I'm deleting traction control... I just can't leave it alone, I love getting a new car!
cool - looks like a fun toy, been around in a hot lap in one of those track prepped - I could not have taken it in anything I have had - pretty fast thru the turns!
i had an e36 m3 for 5 years before I got the 911. Really great cars, although if you are tracking those h&r springs are no good, too much drop and not enough suspension travel
Nice, congratulations. There are three E36s in my past, all great cars. Also the last really bombproof car BMW ever made, IMHO. Mine may as well have been Toyotas, they were such no-brainers to own. All the BMW products that have passed through our house since have enjoyed their share of now-typical cooling system and electronic woes. I think the E36 qualifies as one of the best cars of all time, all things considered.
Got 3 BMWs and 1 Porsche in our fleet, need I say more? :-)
I'm actually considering unloading my E36 M3. I bought it as a project car intending to make it a track car, but I gots different priorities now.
Michael.
I am somewhat of a fan of several BMWs but the e36 M3 sedan has long been my favorite. I disagree about the H/R set up comment somebody made though, I'd say the sport springs are too low for the spring rate, but the race springs work great with the Bilstein sports. I've yet to track this combo but I've done different sets of sway bars, ground control coil overs and different shock/spring combos. I used to time trial an e36 M3 in the early 2000s as well.
As for the picture angle, I'm having my DSIIs bead blasted tomorrow, and will refinish them hopefully this week. Until then, here's a picture of my last e36 M3 sedan:
And as for not being around these boards, I've been here for 10 years now. I like Porsches and I would like to own another at some point, so don't worry about that!
I don't know what that means.
She's throwing up the "rocker horns". You see both her and I were teenage ratbags that grew up listening to Scorpions, Judas Priest, Motley Crue, etc. You can take the girl out of the rock concert, but you can't take the rocker out of the girl.
You don't even want to know....
...and I thought the sexy Hellrot/Modena comment was out of line!
As for Ahmet and his rotating car collection, does anyone want to start pool to see how long before it's up for sale? I spoke with Ahmet when I was shopping for my recent 996. That was only last year but I think I've seen the dude go through three cars since then.
Go Ahmet go!
Hah, no I really should slow down. This is quite time consuming, but how else would one learn so much about a type of car? Being a mechanic pales in comparison, but yeah.
I didn't intend to post another picture of it yet, as I rather dislike the wheels that are currently on it, but the bead blasting of the DSIIs didn't come out quite the way I wanted them, so they're having some more prep work done before I refinish them. I suppose for the time being, here's a picture I just took after monkeying around in the snow/ice:
Did some cooling system refreshments, went over the suspension again, some fluid flushes, door lock actuators, a different fan arrangement, a few other small upgrades, etc. Should be track worthy soon, and the OEM roof rack is on it's way. Once again this will be my only car (well sort of, I did get an 850 T-5 with some tiny modifications), and I do intend to track it, so it's gotta get ready. To be fair though, it's not
really
a replacement for the 911, I don't think much out there compares to a well sorted, stiffly sprung 911, but there's much to appreciate about the e36 M3 Sedan also. I'm happily occupied w/it at the moment
Very nice. Sorry the deal for my blown engine 996 didn't work out, but if it's any consolation the buyer (who did buy it as a parts car) confirmed that the block was indeed cracked wide open, not the head. So you would not have wanted it anyway.
Much as I miss my 911, I do like the big V-8 in my new Infiniti M. It will work for the next 10 years until my kids are out of the house, then I'll be ready for another 911.
Bob
Might want to check your specs:
H&R race springs drop the front 2.2 and 1.3 in the rear
H&R sport springs drop the front 1.4 and 1.0 in the rear
http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html...6&subcat_id=63
And if you're really interested in tracking the car I would not have gone with progressive springs.
A little info from bimmerforums
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...ply&p=21050708
but wait there is more referring the bilstein/h&r race set up
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...26amp%3Br+race
need more evidence? check out bimmerforums.com
Thanks again for the compliments, I love these cars and how straight forward/elegant their design is. I also think they're very handsome and have aged very well. A few years ago I saw 2 white e36 M3 sedans at BMW's Motorsports display @ the Nurburgring.
As for the suspension, I don't mind if some people prefer a different set up. The car doesn't ride well at all, a trait that I think it shares w/the GC set up, but I like how it
feels
quite a bit. Note that the spec e30 series also uses Bilstein Sports+H&R springs, the former of which have been updated several times through the last decade, this car has the last revision (*internally* inverted struts).
Hope all of you can help with my 'problem'. Love my '02 Boxster S and my E36 M3 that is set up for the track but still a useable daily driver. Just bought an '07 Cayman S for my wife; giving us a newer car for road trips. Dilemma is what to do with the other cars? Considering selling the Boxster for an'86 Carrera to give me a 'classic' and keeping the M3 for the track. But also considering selling both the Boxster and the M3 and buying a 996 - upgraded for the track but still a useful DD.
If I move to a 996 what can I expect to upgrade for the track - about 10-12 days per year, but still drive it to work? Remember the Cayman is there for longer trips. By the way, the CS is awesome.....
Great looking car, naturally I am a bit biased.
If you are planning on tracking the car, there are two things that MUST be done to not want to poke your eyes out.
#1) Camber - stock camber is simply not going to get the car to work well. There are a huge variety of aftermarket camber plates that will allow you to quickly go from a neutral street setup to a track setup and back.
#2) Square wheels/tires - I hope those DSIIs you bought are 4x rear wheels. One of the keys to making these cars work is a square wheel and tire setup. Preferably 17x9 all around with a 245 or 255 race tire, but even rear DSIIs at 17x8.5" can suffice all around (although they are true boat anchors), but the 7.5" front on the staggered is simply a serious limitation.
For suspension that will perform AND handle nicely on the street, there is a clear consensus that the new AST products available from a variety of vendors are simply the cream of the crop, though they are not cheap. I bought mine from Vorshlag Motorsports at
www.vorshlag.com
they also happen to make what is easily and widely accepted to be the best camber plates available for the E36, though they too are not cheap.
Good luck
Mark
Very nice car I have a soft spot for the alpine white e36 m3's I bought mine first M3 on my 17th birthday as a present to myself, I moved onto the e46 m3 a year later and it was one of my biggest regret. the e36 was such a blast to drive an I have missed it everyday since selling it. I wish I could find a white on black low milage sedan in Edmonton here and I would be on it in a heart beat, but they are soooo hard to find in Canada and BWM Canada is trying hard to stop importing from the US with a bunch of stupid mods required to certify them for Canadian roads. If I am not mistaken the sedans came with a really nice diff in them.
Here is a pic of my first
Try getting a recall letter from a dealership in Canada... To get the recall letter you must do their canadian conversion which ranges from $1500 to $2500 when accompanied with the other costs of importing a vehicle makes it the same price or more expensive to bring an e36 M3 into canada.
The conversion is basically them reflashing your ECU and replacing your dash. Even though the US dash has km/h and a reflash can enable day time running lights, you need a CDM cluster to make the daytime running lights irreversible. there are a few other things but basically it is BMW Canada bending you over and shoving their big black meat in your bum. I would say it is almost as bad a doing time in an Alabama prison with Bubba as your cell mate.
Ah - they get you with the recall letter.
When I brought my Porsches and my Audi in from the USA my letters came from the USA divisions of said car companies, and they were very accomodating. All I had to do to comply with the CDN rules was jumper the headlight fuses to make them come on with the ignition so I could get through the inspection. Net cost $0.
I do note that our local Porsche dealer tried to "stick their meat in my bum" when I tried to get them to honour the CPO warranty on a differential whine, so I just went over the border and had the very nice people at Roger Jobs Bellingham take care of the job.
On the other hand, when a recall came down the pipe for the Audi the local BC dealership honoured it with no issue at all.
But I digress...sorry for the hijack.
I'm not sure how far I'll take this particular e36 but yes I have some experience tracking them (I think 3 or 4 TT class 1st/2nd finishes). And yes the DSIIs are 4 8.5 inch rear wheels, w/spacers in the front to clear wider tires -6 Toyo R888 track tires are sitting at the shop waiting for a set of wheels to free up. I'm picking them up from the machine shop tomorrow. I've also done other things like getting this key to work (w/the proper transponder for the ESW system, as well as the keyless entry to work properly):
and the roof/bike racks (BMW cross braces with Porsche/Thule carriers):
Excuse the wheels, like I said I'm working on it!
Finally the result of some interior restoration:
This car has... 224k miles on it, and as such I'm going over it and there's been plenty to fix, but it's getting there. I've been working on it nearly full time for almost two weeks now, doing lots of refreshing, most of it optional -see the key above!- but I like these cars, and this color combo.
Anyway, here's a few other M3s I've played w/over the years. Summit point raceway skidpad w/a student:
Watkins Glen (awesome track -that's my good friend Rex w/the GT3 directly behind):
Finally a nostalgic picture from Road Atlanta (circa 2006):
Picture taken by my Jordan, of MPowered Automotive fame.
OK, I'll stop littering you guys with pictures now.
Cheers.
Ya Unfortunately a quick hop over the border isn't an option for me. Being in Edmonton the nearest american BMW dealer is over 6 hours away. That is why I keep buying Canadian cars.
I have brought a few across the border, but those were to flip, within a couple months not to keep.
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