E36 m3 reliability and dependability and cost of maintainence

[AbsoluteGTR]

Alright, well first off I am 18 yrs old and saving up to purchase an e36 m3. What i need some info on is how expensive repairs on this car is. I am saving up all of my money to by this car and dont want to be debt just to make repairs on this car.

I am mechanically inclined and i am just worrying about the actual price of parts in general.

Any and all info will be much appreciated!

THANKS!

[DinanM3_S2]

Generally they are pretty reliable, especially the engine and transmission. They are not quite at a Honda or Toyota's level but they tend to be pretty good.

When buying one, pay close attention to the owner of the car. In general there are 2 kinds of E36 M3 owners; rich kids that race them everywhere and put their engines through hell, and older guys that baby them and use them as a weekend car. Ideally you'll want one with a more mature owner that doesn't feel the need to redline every shift. A well maintained M3 can last 200,000+ miles and still drive like it is brand new, while a beaten up M3 can be hell. By buying from a better driver, you can save yourself the trouble of wear and tear repairs on the engine and tranny.

Something you might not be able to avoid is small electrical problems. Power windows, indicators, light switches and the like can go bad.

The general rule about BMW reliability and repairs is that they won't break down very often, but when they do it can be expensive. If you can avoid mechanics and do repairs yourself you will soak up alot of the cost of ownership.

The E36 M3 is a great car, have fun once you get one.

[AbsoluteGTR]

Originally Posted by DinanM3_S2

Something you might not be able to avoid is small electrical problems. Power windows, indicators, light switches and the like can go bad.

I have actually heard this many times. This tends to happen to Bimmers and Mercedes alot, right? Why is this?

Also, other than the "minor" problems that you stated above, is there any major mechanical issue that i should look at when purchasing, and what part(s) tend to break the most.

Thanks again!

[01L2Cobra]

RTABs are an issue with the E36 if you let them go too long then it can do serious damage. Like DinanM3_S2 said the drivetrain on the E36 is stout about the only issues you will have related to that would be the cooling system and pullies.

Just get a good shop to look it over before you do anything. Also dont over look one just because it has been to the track. These cars are ment to be driven like that.