Anyone need the last N/A straight-six 3 series with a manual?

"E90M3" (e90m3)
02/19/2019 at 11:08 • Filed to: unnecessary car shopping with E90M3

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! is the final year you were able to get a naturally aspirated inline-six, manual transmission, and hydraulic steering in a BMW. Another plus about this particular example is that it’s covered under 19k miles. It is also fitted with a wonderful red interior:

It’s not fitted with iDrive, but it is fitted with a six speed manual:

This car was also speced with the M-sport pack, which really only gave you the body kit and a slew of M badges over the normal sport pack, but I believe it improves the looks tremendously.

So, anyone got $18k lying around and an E92 shaped hole in your heart?

DISCUSSION (45)

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > E90M3
02/19/2019 at 11:11

Find me an E91 MT that doesn't cost as much as a new Corolla, thank you God bless.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > E90M3
02/19/2019 at 11:14

Nah the M3 look-a-like stuff bothers me

E90M3 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
02/19/2019 at 11:14

Over the time I’ve been unnecessarily shopping for cars, there have been a few, but you have to be ready to pull the trigger as they’re seldom on the market for more than two days.

I don’t see anything on the market, at the moment.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > E90M3
02/19/2019 at 11:15

The timeline is not going to work well with my various existential crises

E90M3 > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
02/19/2019 at 11:16

Personally, I think the differences are very noticeable .

Gerry197 > E90M3
02/19/2019 at 11:20

I like the car, but that’s way too much for any E90 that isn’t an M3.

Textured Soy Protein > E90M3
02/19/2019 at 11:21

Brown w ood trim with the read leather though?

Kinja'd!!!

Needs ash wood or aluminum .

E90M3 > Textured Soy Protein
02/19/2019 at 11:22

I don’t know why they didn’t just stick with the aluminum that comes as standard with the M-Sport pack.

E90M3 > Gerry197
02/19/2019 at 11:23

Any M3 at that price is probably a really poor decision.

Dru > E90M3
02/19/2019 at 11:27

At this point, poor decisions are just part of who I am as a person.

E90M3 > Dru
02/19/2019 at 11:28

Admitting the problem is the first step.

Dru > E90M3
02/19/2019 at 11:28

You bill it as unnecessary, but that is a beautiful car. These would be immensely more reliable than a 335i, correct?

E90M3 > Dru
02/19/2019 at 11:35

I’m not sure immensely more, but it should be more. The turbo adds complexity, and I know the early 335i’s had fuel system problems. The weak parts on the 328i are the coils and gaskets. Might want to replace the water pump and it should be alright.

wbizarre - OEM fetishist > E90M3
02/19/2019 at 11:42

You can get into a decent E46 M3 for 18k, and into a super minty E36 M3. I don’t know how I feel about the price of this E92. The mileage is almost collector-low, but it’s not quite a collectible car. The late-model E30 325is is a sweet, sweet driving experience, and they are starting to climb in value, but .they’re generally about 1/4 to 1/10 of the value of an E30 M3, justifiably or not.

Gerry197 > E90M3
02/19/2019 at 11:49

I’ve seen some decent E90 M3s in the price range here in Socal at that price range.

E90M3 > wbizarre - OEM fetishist
02/19/2019 at 11:51

It’s hard to price this, since there aren’t too many like this one. Maybe knock a grand or two off the price and then I’d say it’d be a nice price.

E90M3 > Gerry197
02/19/2019 at 11:52

How many miles? DCT?

Gerry197 > E90M3
02/19/2019 at 11:56

Last one I looked it had 75,000 miles and a 6-speed manual. Came close to buying it, I think he sold it for $19,000. Front windshield needed to be replaced and the tires were at 30%, but otherwise mint.

E90M3 > Gerry197
02/19/2019 at 11:58

2008?

Gerry197 > E90M3
02/19/2019 at 12:02

Yup, I think one of the first ones delivered to the West Coast based on his paperwork.

Spamfeller Loves Nazi Clicks > E90M3
02/19/2019 at 12:03

Step 1. Buy at $18k
Step 2. List on BaT
Step 3. Net $40k profit

Saracen > E90M3
02/19/2019 at 13:53

It’s a shame the E92 and E93 front end was not used on the E90/E91. The angel eyes look so much better

CompactLuxuryFan > E90M3
02/19/2019 at 13:54

I would answer yes to your question but o ddly enough this enthusiast-favorite is a horrible spec E9X for me.

I don’t like:

that it’s a coupe (wagon > sedan > coupe)

t he black exterior

the black kidneys

the lack of iDrive

that it’s a slick top (didn’t actually look but assuming)

the red interior

the red interior especially with the wood (works fine with Saddle Brown)

indifferent about the wheels but definitely not my favorite

So far my N54 has been just fine, so I’m not even that caught up on NA . That said, I would not mind anything (even an X5) with the N52. An xDrive automatic E91 would be a great replacement for my A4, but I’m not looking until at least the 335 is paid off.

//M_Power > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
02/19/2019 at 14:42

Amen..

GuerrillaWheels > E90M3
02/19/2019 at 15:00

Actually... The last manual, na, hydrolic steering equipped BMW coupe would be the 2015 128i coupe... And it’s even basically a 3-er underneath!

The actual last of the na bmw engines in North America was actually in the X1!

E90M3 > CompactLuxuryFan
02/19/2019 at 15:04

That’s fair enough. I am with you on the black kidneys on the black car. I did put some on my car, but I think it looks a lot better that way.

It seems some N54s are completely fine, I had planned on putting a lot more miles on my car than I currently do, so I went NA.

CompactLuxuryFan > E90M3
02/19/2019 at 15:13

I generally prefer the not-black kidneys . Luckily they’re an easy swap even on F30s. G20s could be even easier now that the hood goes all the way down to the kidney, but I dunno about all that active stuff. Knowing BMW, you’ll have to re-flash your active grill computer after a swap.

All N54s need new turbos not-so- eventually, so the N52 is way cheaper to run any way you slice it. Since you have an M3 anyway, I wouldn’t bother. But the extra power is very nice.

E90M3 > Saracen
02/19/2019 at 15:34

I believe just the shape of the lights was different, interestingly enough, the front faca de is the same on all E9X M3s.

icyhot > CompactLuxuryFan
02/19/2019 at 15:44

I did 87k on stock turbos with stage 1 tune on my e92 335. Never had issues with boost leak, especially at the turbo which is the common failure. Only major issues I had were mandatory walnut carbon blasting, and failing coils causing misfire. Also had a leaking valve cover. I was getting to the point where I may have had failing injectors, but never confirmed through diagnosis or codes thrown. Ended up trading it in for e9x m3 instead just because I got bored of zero comfort luxuries in the 335( no heated seats, Bluetooth, or I drive)

GuerrillaWheels > E90M3
02/19/2019 at 15:54

Just going to nit pick here for a second. The last BMW with hydrolic steering and the NA engine was the X1 in the states. The last coupe (and basically 3 series) to have the analog package with the NA 6 is the 2015 128i. And the 128i is gonna be much cheaper than this car.

Saracen > E90M3
02/19/2019 at 16:05

Yeah, the shape of the lights are different, but that affects the shape of the bumpers and the hood. Overall, the E92/E93 front end just looks so much better.

E90M3 > GuerrillaWheels
02/19/2019 at 16:12

128i production ended in 2013

X1 never got an NA I6

X1 never got a stick

DrLxus > E90M3
02/19/2019 at 16:31

Headlights, bumper, hood, and fenders are all different. I attempted a conversion in the past.

GuerrillaWheels > E90M3
02/19/2019 at 16:34

My bad Looks like they had already phased out the X1's NA six by that time. It did initially come with one.

seoultrain > Saracen
02/19/2019 at 16:37

I'm not a fan of the LCI E92/93, either. The pre-refresh coupe is the best looking car BMW has ever made.

SlickRick135 > GuerrillaWheels
02/19/2019 at 17:08

Damn bro wrong on all three. Might want to sit back and not post anything.

Yeahsurewhynot > Saracen
02/19/2019 at 17:28

Is it possible to swap the hood and fenders? In my opinion it'd be worth it

Saracen > Yeahsurewhynot
02/19/2019 at 17:44

It is! There is an E91 M3 swap in the UK with an M3 front end on it.

CompactLuxuryFan > GuerrillaWheels
02/19/2019 at 19:16

Never in the US. The X1 was sold worldwide (except North America) for like 4 years before coming here . It actually started out being offered with the 255 hp N52 B30 from the E90 330i. I would kill for one of those in the US, automatic or not.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Yeahsurewhynot
02/19/2019 at 20:14

It has been done. If my e90 ever has an accident I plan on doing a e92 swap. I think the coupe front end is much sexier

Yeahsurewhynot > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
02/19/2019 at 21:31

It's night and day. I'm not sure why BMW thought the sedan should have ugly headlights

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > E90M3
02/19/2019 at 21:39

DEAR GOD! Where were you half a year ago???

Spasoje > E90M3
02/19/2019 at 23:42

I actually like the lack of iDrive... The fact that it’s in a manual 328i M - S p o r t coupe makes it even better. Not the exact color choice I’d go for, but you don’t exactly get to choose that when buying used. Nice find!

E90M3 > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC
02/20/2019 at 07:53

Rolling around in this.

E90M3 > Spasoje
02/20/2019 at 07:55

I’m not sure how I feel about the lack of idrive. I’ve got it in both my E92 and E90 and I like it. Then again, I didn’t have it in my 128i and I didn’t really miss it.

I’m not a fan of the black exterior or the wood trim, but, as you said, you can’t be picky buying used. This is why both my cars have black interiors, despite me not really like a black interior. Sadly, I was still in school when E90 M3 production ended, otherwise I would’ve bought one new.