Do Want: 1996 318ti with '98 M3 motor

"JEM" (jem)
11/12/2013 at 16:59 • Filed to: None

I know it's a bad idea to buy someone else's project, but I've always loved the 318ti hatch and with an M3 six... mmm.... Also, the mods are fairly impressive and good stuff, so at least it seems like the person spending the $$ knew to get good stuff or just liked spending a lot of money. Either way. I like. Asking $12K buy it now but I think it would be a very NP for say, $9K.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-3-Seri…

DISCUSSION (39)

exizeo - still loving fourza > JEM
11/12/2013 at 17:01

Kinja'd!!!

Poseur M badge?

ddavidn > JEM
11/12/2013 at 17:03

Change the wheels, the badge... Nope, still can't do it.

Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > JEM
11/12/2013 at 17:03

Kinja'd!!!

Dat negative camber. Seriously, though, I doubt anyone will pay $12k for this thing, maybe 8 or 9. Mods don't do much for resale, especially ones of questionable taste (those rims don't look too great either).

Sn210 > JEM
11/12/2013 at 17:08

For $12k, I'd rather have a legit m3
http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/cto/417616…

Montalvo > Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him
11/12/2013 at 17:10

Even for 8-9k that is still m3 money albeit probably higher mileage but at least you get the real deal and not just a motor swap. Yeah the rims are burning my retinas.

It's a "Porch-uh" > JEM
11/12/2013 at 17:11

Considering you can get a '98 M3 with similar miles for $6K, this is, at best, a $4K car.

vdub_nut: scooter snob > Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him
11/12/2013 at 17:13

With less camber and wider tires (aka not stretched), I bet this would look a lot nicer.

I just want a 318ti :(

Textured Soy Protein > JEM
11/12/2013 at 17:14

Not sure I would trust a car from someone who decided to stance it out like that.

Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > Montalvo
11/12/2013 at 17:15

Huh. I didn't know E36 M3's were that cheap, I always thought they were in the $10-12k range. Regardless, I just now noticed the above car has 140,000 miles on it o_0 CP all day long.

Montalvo > Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him
11/12/2013 at 17:17

I am eying a fairly clean 1998 M3 with about 126,000 miles for 8k. The cars are out there you just need to know where to look or have some skill with haggling.

Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > vdub_nut: scooter snob
11/12/2013 at 17:17

Don't we all, my friend :)

JJJenningsIII > It's a "Porch-uh"
11/12/2013 at 17:20

Maybe an m3 with 200k miles.

No need to jump on the hate wagon so quickly my friend. I do agree 12k is a bit much, but I would happily plop down 9-10 if I were in the market for such a car

Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > Montalvo
11/12/2013 at 17:21

Where do you live, if I may ask? For some reason central Indiana is a bit of an dead zone for performance cars, what with its climate and relatively blue-collar demographics, so those kinds of cars are never available here.

JEM > Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him
11/12/2013 at 17:24

Yeah, not a fan of the stancein this pic, on this car. In other pics, there seems to be a set of white BMW rims that are much better, those are the ones I'd rather have.

JEM > Sn210
11/12/2013 at 17:25

You got my hopes up REALLY BAD with that one.

Then I saw the dreaded 4 letters.... AUTO.

JEM > exizeo - still loving fourza
11/12/2013 at 17:27

Yeah, on the front, rear, and steering wheel too. Though honestly, if you do a full motor/trans swap and a bunch of suspension work.... I'm totally ok with that. I think you pretty much "earned" the M badges. Also, there was never a 318ti M-anything as far as I know(?) so it's basically sort of what the factory would have done.

If you're a poseur slapping them on a 318i 4 door with a cold air intake and fart can? Yep, you suck.

Sn210 > JEM
11/12/2013 at 17:28

Oh crap, sorry I didn't even get that far into the ad. I stopped at convertible. But anyway, my point was real e36 m3's can be had for that price. Low mileage ones too apparently

JEM > Textured Soy Protein
11/12/2013 at 17:28

That and all the stereo stuff in the back is really the only thing that makes me question it. Most pics of it have better/non-stanced rims on it though.

Milky > JEM
11/12/2013 at 17:29

I like it, esp. on these wheels. But it is a bit much.

Kinja'd!!!

JEM > Sn210
11/12/2013 at 17:31

True, but this is neat to me because BMW never made an M edition 318ti body style and I really always liked that one best ... look my favorite Porsche is a 914, I dig chicks with big noses, I have odd taste, I know it, it's ok.

So for me, this is theoretically sort of more valuable than a run of the mill M3.

I would never, ever, ever tell the seller that of course.

Manuél Ferrari > JEM
11/12/2013 at 17:32

Doesn't the hatch have the E30's rear suspension? If so I wonder how this car will handle with the extra weight and power of the M3's straight six. Will it be awesome like the Z3-based M Coupe, or kind of bad?

JEM > Milky
11/12/2013 at 17:32

Yes, exactly!! I should have used that pic instead. I dig the white painted BMW non-stanced wheels a lot. Slightest of retro looks but very clean overall.

It's a "Porch-uh" > JJJenningsIII
11/12/2013 at 17:33

http://www.cargurus.com/Cars/l-Used-19…

$5-6K all day long, with 100-120K. Not saying I don't want one, just saying it's way overpriced unless the motor is brand new and the car has been completely refreshed.

If that's where you want to spend your $9K, that's your business. Just warning you that you'll be overpaying.

Sn210 > JEM
11/12/2013 at 17:34

If you like it, then that's all that matters!

JEM > Manuél Ferrari
11/12/2013 at 17:35

Ohh... that's a good point. Not sure. Would be willing to find out. I'm sure there's some way to upgrade/stiffen it if need be. Especially if all the other work is done on the car.

JEM > It's a "Porch-uh"
11/12/2013 at 17:41

Most of those are automatics though, and all of the cheaper ones are, I have no interest in buying auto. All the manual ones I see are usually like $8-12K

JEM > It's a "Porch-uh"
11/12/2013 at 17:45

FUUUU.... ok I take all that back:

http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/ctd/418489…

'98 M3 convertible with 97,000 miles and a 5 speed for $9500

gngaaghh....

Montalvo > Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him
11/12/2013 at 17:45

I'm from New York. It also depends on what is a reasonable distance for you to travel and look at cars. The one I was talking about isn't far from me at all but if there was a cleaner one across the country I wouldn't hesitate to inquire about it. It isn't always easy to find exactly what you want but if you are patient and do enough digging you will find what you are looking for regardless where you are at.

Manuél Ferrari > JEM
11/12/2013 at 17:47

Then again maybe it's better the way it is. I have an E46 M3 and every day I'm worried the rear subframe will crack, as happens with many of them :-O

It's a "Porch-uh" > JEM
11/12/2013 at 17:54

Why you gotta be hatin' on automatic M3s?

I kid. Hate away.

JEM > Manuél Ferrari
11/12/2013 at 17:56

Well, we could always ask this guy:

http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/cto/413934…

Selling an E30 with a later M3 motor swap. Talk about a sleeper!!

Manuél Ferrari > JEM
11/12/2013 at 17:58

There are soooo many cool E30 sleepers with engine swaps. Did you know you can swap the V8 from a 90s 540i without messing up handling? The engine is short so the weight is behind the front axle.

There have even been V12 swaps, lol.

Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > Montalvo
11/12/2013 at 18:03

"It also depends on what is a reasonable distance for you to travel and look at cars."

Maybe that's my problem. When I bought my car I had been looking specifically for an SVT Focus for about eight months prior, but wasn't able to look outside of Indiana to look for one since I was in high school and my parents made the rules. Found one in the next town over in a bit of serendipity (the next closest one was in Missouri), but if I had the option I would be as willing to travel as you are. Good cars are hard to find and they're definitely worth looking for, especially cars like an M3. Good luck with your search, man, sounds like you know what you're looking for and how to find it.

JEM > Manuél Ferrari
11/12/2013 at 18:04

That's cool! I'd much rather have a straight six than an early BMW v8 though.

JEM > It's a "Porch-uh"
11/12/2013 at 18:05

Lol, not M3 automatics.

*ALL* automatics.

I honestly just can't stand driving an auto. Annoys me.

It's a "Porch-uh" > JEM
11/12/2013 at 18:06

For me, very happy driving my wife's E46 wagon with an automatic. I leave the manual for my E39 M5.

Manuél Ferrari > JEM
11/12/2013 at 18:06

True the early V8s probably break every 5th Sunday

Montalvo > Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him
11/12/2013 at 18:37

Thanks, luckily there are still plenty of E36s to go around and prices are still going down so it's only a matter of time until I post something along the lines of hey guys I got some new wheels.

@rbalch1 > JEM
11/12/2013 at 19:13

Kinja'd!!!