[Bavarian13]

I absolutely love my E36. It's been a great car and I've had it for almost 8 years. It's never broken down on me, thanks to preventative maintenance and has been relatively "cheap" to own (depends on your budget).

So my question is to any E90 335 owners, what are you thoughts of moving on? My car isn't worth much anymore since it has 172,000 miles, though it's in good shape mechanically and physically. I know I'll miss this car regardless of what happens. I just can't warrant owning 2 cars at 25 years old while getting my life to the point of getting married.

So give me reasons to move on to the 335. I'm looking for reassurance since every time I drive or look at my E36 I know I'll miss it.

Things have boiled down to trading the E36 in, peanuts but easier than selling it to craigslisters, and getting a 2007 335 BSM on Terra w/ 44k and CPO'd until this December.

Here's a pic, though it has CSL's on it now:

[2011f8ltd]

I had a '98 318i. Racked up over 177k miles. Never let me down. I miss it, but there is no comparison, IMHO, with moving onwards and upwards! While you might incur some additional "issues" due to all the electronic doodads and the more complex drivetrain (turbos, etc.), as long as you can accommodate the potential *extra* expense of a more complex car, go for it!!!

[Bavarian13]

Originally Posted by 2011f8ltd

I had a '98 318i. Racked up over 177k miles. Never let me down. I miss it, but there is no comparison, IMHO, with moving onwards and upwards! While you might incur some additional "issues" due to all the electronic doodads and the more complex drivetrain (turbos, etc.), as long as you can accommodate the potential *extra* expense of a more complex car, go for it!!!

You speak the truth. There's no comparison, I'm just making one since I'm emotionally attached.

Ugh, I guess this is peanuts compared to letting your daughter go to college, get married, etc.

[2011f8ltd]

Yessir - quite a few other things in life which will cause more trouble than getting a new car!

I have two daughters.... One is starting to change. The other is still young.

[MotorenWerkeN52]

Originally Posted by Bavarian13

I absolutely love my E36. It's been a great car and I've had it for almost 8 years. It's never broken down on me, thanks to preventative maintenance and has been relatively "cheap" to own (depends on your budget).

So my question is to any E90 335 owners, what are you thoughts of moving on? My car isn't worth much anymore since it has 172,000 miles, though it's in good shape mechanically and physically. I know I'll miss this car regardless of what happens. I just can't warrant owning 2 cars at 25 years old while getting my life to the point of getting married.

So give me reasons to move on to the 335. I'm looking for reassurance since every time I drive or look at my E36 I know I'll miss it.

Things have boiled down to trading the E36 in, peanuts but easier than selling it to craigslisters, and getting a 2007 335 BSM on Terra w/ 44k and CPO'd until this December.

Here's a pic, though it has CSL's on it now:

Dude dont do it! Trust me I have a E90 328i and I think its the closest feeling you can have to the E36 but still its not the same. Not a big fan of turbo... its just not the same.

[islandbimmer]

yes it is moving forward on a number of fronts......but not all....like you, I drive a 1999 e36 with over 170K miles....changed the thermostat last month cost me 30$ total with anti freeze....my wife's 07 e92 335 's water pump just packed in at 45K miles the thermostst alone is 140$ the water pump is over $600 and it is not an easy DIY job .....haven't got the car back but expecting a 1400$ bill. The water pump for an e36 is under100$ and a relatively easy DIy without getting under the car. I'm keeping my e36 as it runs on regular gas I can fix anything on it and it is fun to drive, sure it doesn't pulll like a 335 or have all the creature comforts , but has few suprises in store

[Bavarian13]

Originally Posted by hydermirza12

Dude dont do it! Trust me I have a E90 328i and I think its the closest feeling you can have to the E36 but still its not the same. Not a big fan of turbo... its just not the same.

Yeah, the pure rawness of the E36 is unreal. No new BMW can touch it, regardless of power or technology. However, I'm not saying a 15 year old car is better, the feel is just unmatched.

Originally Posted by islandbimmer

yes it is moving forward on a number of fronts......but not all....like you, I drive a 1999 e36 with over 170K miles....changed the thermostat last month cost me 30$ total with anti freeze....my wife's 07 e92 335 's water pump just packed in at 45K miles the thermostst alone is 140$ the water pump is over $600 and it is not an easy DIY job .....haven't got the car back but expecting a 1400$ bill. The water pump for an e36 is under100$ and a relatively easy DIy without getting under the car. I'm keeping my e36 as it runs on regular gas I can fix anything on it and it is fun to drive, sure it doesn't pulll like a 335 or have all the creature comforts , but has few suprises in store

I will be under warranty for roughly the year. I can afford to maintain it out of warranty but don't get me wrong the 335 is no E36 M3 in terms of reliability.

[ChipB]

I was in your situation - sold my '97 E36 328i convertible that I had owned for 13 years and replaced it with an '11 E93 335i convertible last year. Some observations:

1. The E36 was easy to work on, relatively cheap to repair, and great fun to drive. But it was under-powered by today's standards.

2. The E93 has a lot more whiz bang gadgets not available last century - retractable hard top roof, Nav, blue tooth, remote key, automatic wipers, heated steering wheel etc.

3. But the E36 also had some key features no longer offered on the E93 - such as a oil dipstick under the hood and a spare tire in the trunk. So not all change is for the better.

4. Driving impressions: unfortunately I don't have an apples-to-apples comparison because the E36 was a manual whereas the E93 is auto (albeit with paddle shifters) - it was a consession to my wife so she could drive it on nice days. I miss the mannual tranny a lot - the auto slushbox really disconnects you from the driving experience and turns you more into a pilot than a driver. That being said:
- The E93 is seriously quick. You hit 80 MPH on the freeway before you know it, whereas in the E36 I sensed how fast I was going from the noises emanating through the soft top and that damn plastic rear window.
- The E93 run flats are noisy and harsh, especially the winter tires I'm using.
- The E93 corners much better than the E36. The old car pushed like crazy, even after I did an upgrade of the anti roll bars and shocks. The new car also pushes, but it feels much more neutral - it seems to rotate around corners much quicker.
- The E36 convertible suffered from "cowl shake" much much worse than the E93. The engineers have done a great job stiffening the chassis for the E93 convertible.

5. On a different topic - not to ruffle too many feathers around here but one thing I miss about the E36 is that the internet forums are much better for the E36 than the E90/92/93. Much less sniping, people generally post only if they have something to say, and there's much more sharing of useful technical info. Just sayin'.

[krayzie089]

Had a 93 318is up to 194k before i let it go. Sold it to a co-worker for 400 dollars. I had damn near replaced every working part on the car minus the engine and major suspension components. Was my first bimmer and i loved it to death. I miss how slow the car was....it kept me out of trouble.

[Majikthese42]

Originally Posted by Bavarian13

and getting a 2007 335 BSM on Terra w/ 44k and CPO'd until this December.

And after December???

I'd keep the E36 & shoot for 239K -- the distance to the moon!

[Bavarian13]

Originally Posted by ChipB

I was in your situation - sold my '97 E36 328i convertible that I had owned for 13 years and replaced it with an '11 E93 335i convertible last year. Some observations:

1. The E36 was easy to work on, relatively cheap to repair, and great fun to drive. But it was under-powered by today's standards.

2. The E93 has a lot more whiz bang gadgets not available last century - retractable hard top roof, Nav, blue tooth, remote key, automatic wipers, heated steering wheel etc.

3. But the E36 also had some key features no longer offered on the E93 - such as a oil dipstick under the hood and a spare tire in the trunk. So not all change is for the better.

4. Driving impressions: unfortunately I don't have an apples-to-apples comparison because the E36 was a manual whereas the E93 is auto (albeit with paddle shifters) - it was a consession to my wife so she could drive it on nice days. I miss the mannual tranny a lot - the auto slushbox really disconnects you from the driving experience and turns you more into a pilot than a driver. That being said:
- The E93 is seriously quick. You hit 80 MPH on the freeway before you know it, whereas in the E36 I sensed how fast I was going from the noises emanating through the soft top and that damn plastic rear window.
- The E93 run flats are noisy and harsh, especially the winter tires I'm using.
- The E93 corners much better than the E36. The old car pushed like crazy, even after I did an upgrade of the anti roll bars and shocks. The new car also pushes, but it feels much more neutral - it seems to rotate around corners much quicker.
- The E36 convertible suffered from "cowl shake" much much worse than the E93. The engineers have done a great job stiffening the chassis for the E93 convertible.

5. On a different topic - not to ruffle too many feathers around here but one thing I miss about the E36 is that the internet forums are much better for the E36 than the E90/92/93. Much less sniping, people generally post only if they have something to say, and there's much more sharing of useful technical info. Just sayin'.

Love the analysis and comparison between owning both cars. I totally agree when it comes to the forums. I joined here years ago, but didn't get an E9X. I'm far more active on M3forum and BF.c.

Originally Posted by krayzie089

Had a 93 318is up to 194k before i let it go. Sold it to a co-worker for 400 dollars. I had damn near replaced every working part on the car minus the engine and major suspension components. Was my first bimmer and i loved it to death. I miss how slow the car was....it kept me out of trouble.

My car is by no means slow, but I will miss what its provided me over the years. It's been one heck of a car!

Originally Posted by Majikthese42

And after December???

I'd keep the E36 & shoot for 239K -- the distance to the moon!

That is always an option. However, I doubt I'd want to pour the money necessary to get it there.

After December I'll have my Independent mechanic (Reggiemotorworks.com) work on it. I know it will cost $$$ but he's worth it.

[PSEE]

One year ago I went from a 1998 M3 sedan with TMS sway bars, H&R spring Bilstein sports, X-brace and other improvements to a 2009 335d - that's right a
diesel. I haven't looked back. Since it was winter, I decided not to try and
sell the M3 til spring. As a result, I drove it a few times just to keep the battery charged, etc. Each time I drove it underscored how much more evolved the E90 is over the E36. There's no comparison.

The HP numbers are close and the torque numbers differ greatly.

The most important thing about the E90 is the stiffness inherent in the chassis.
While my d does have the sport package, its handling surpasses the built-up
M3 I was driving. It's simply a better car.

As the owner of a nearby BMW independent shop put it, "An E90 328 would run circles around your M3 on a track.".


If you're getting the 335i, that outperforms the 328i. Consider the diesel - it
has almost the same performance as the 335i and gets 35+ MPG.

Woo-hoo!!!

[kstone]

I went from a 97 M3 sedan to an 2009 E90 328 6MT. Prior to the M3 I had a 93 318is. Loved both the E36 cars but the E90 is better. I originally started looking for a 335i but the mechanical issues discussed on this forum every day eventually scared me off. The 328 feels just as fast as my M3 and certainly handles better. I say go for it and dont look back. Just make sure you are comfortable with a high mile forced induction car if you plan on keeping it as long as your M3. Good luck!

[JDane07]

I thought I would miss my old '04 325ci, especially since it was the car that I first learned to drive in back when I was 15. Moved up to my current '06 330i and have never looked back. You will miss your old e36, no doubt, but the fun and excitement of getting a new bimmer can not be matched. Your car's been great to you, but don't let that get in the way of a 335, which would be a HUGE upgrade. You will not regret it.

[Majikthese42]

Originally Posted by Bavarian13

That is always an option. However, I doubt I'd want to pour the money necessary to get it there.

That was why I added my "after December?" comment. You may own one on the last BMWs that is shade-tree mechanic/indy service friendly. I am not at all certain that it will be cheaper to maintain an E9x with 50k than an E36 with 200k.

When many of the electrical components are replaced, the E9x needs to be reprogrammed so that the component will be recognized by the car's computer. My E91 has required frequent communications with the mothership's computer in Munich. While the BMW dealers have access to the software, I am unsure of what indy shops can do about it.

My car remains lots of fun to drive, but I bought the BMW extended warranty because the electronics scare the willies out of me. This puts my "moment of decision" off until late 2014, and I'll see what happens then. Last I heard, BMW is unlikely to import any wagons in the US after the E91 and stick shift SUVs look like they're gone, too. So I may be gone from BMW, too, by that time.

Good luck whatever you decide!

[e90n52b30]

If you had a coupe I would buy that off you in an instant!

If you maintain the N54/5 like you did the E36, then I think you'll be happy. It's nowhere near as reliable as the NA engines, but if you do your own work, source used parts, even upgrades, I think you'll be a happy camper.

[Bavarian13]

Since it's not worth very much, I'm going to keep it for the time being.

Thanks for the input. I have a friend who wants it so it's better than trading it into the dealer, only maybe helps with flexibility on price but it ultimately renders my car worthless.

Might as well keep it since it's not going to cost much to own. A 335 and an E36 M3 seem like a fun pair to own, especially when I've put most of the miles and maintenance into the older M3.

[Eric335]

Originally Posted by Bavarian13

Since it's not worth very much, I'm going to keep it for the time being.

Thanks for the input. I have a friend who wants it so it's better than trading it into the dealer, only maybe helps with flexibility on price but it ultimately renders my car worthless.

Might as well keep it since it's not going to cost much to own. A 335 and an E36 M3 seem like a fun pair to own, especially when I've put most of the miles and maintenance into the older M3.

Both

Id love to have an M like yours... Looks really nice.

Also, i just bought my 335i and haven't looked back. No problems yet, and if there is, ill just have to do the work myself or hope my dealer (nice guys) will help me out. who knows.

Gl with your choices

[chromisdesigns]

Closest car they make to your E36 is the 1 series. Go drive a 135i and see if you don't fall in love all over again. Even a 128 will seem familiar. We drove a '97 E36 M3 for 150K miles before getting the 335. Only reason we didn't get the 1 is they were just out and we didn't want to pay list, no low-mile program cars available at the time. We've got almost 50K on the 335 now and are seriously considering a 1.