# E36 M3 Questions



## armaq (Apr 18, 2003)

Hi guys, right now I'm looking at 2 E36 M3s that are for sale locally. 

One is a 99 silver/dove coupe, 26k miles, manual, loaded, one owner, very clean. Sticker is $27.9k. I will try to knock it down to 26k. Is that possible or should I deal harder?

THe other is a 98 red/black sedan, 63k miles, auto, loaded, 2 owners, very clean but some normal wear. Sticker is 19.9k, dealer is willing to do 19.9k drive off. Should I take the offer or should I knock another G down? Seemed like that's the best they could do and they wouldn't deal anymore.

What smells fishy about the sedan is that carfax shows the first owner sold the car in March 2001, then the car had been put up for sale several times at different dealers in 14 months time. From what I can see, it was first sold to Cali from Spring, TX, then sold back to Katy TX, then to Houston TX, then back to Spring TX and finally now here in Houston again. From March 2001 to May 2002 which was when the second owner bougth it, it had been to at least 7 dealers, and 1500 miles were put on. Also days before the second owener bought the car, "service contract issued" has been reported. What does that mean? Does this whole thing sound usual?

Thanks in advance


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## Bavarian (Jun 15, 2002)

armaq said:


> Hi guys, right now I'm looking at 2 E36 M3s that are for sale locally.
> 
> One is a 99 silver/dove coupe, 26k miles, manual, loaded, one owner, very clean. Sticker is $27.9k. I will try to knock it down to 26k. Is that possible or should I deal harder?
> 
> ...


Well despite the unusual circumstances surrounding the sedan, I think that for its age and mileage, it's priced too high. I'd take the coupe, which is a year younger, about 40K miles younger, yet only 6 Gs more. Plus it's one owner - so unless the guy is dishonest, you would pretty much be acquanted with the car's FULL history. Good luck!


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## armaq (Apr 18, 2003)

Bavarian said:


> Well despite the unusual circumstances surrounding the sedan, I think that for its age and mileage, it's priced too high. I'd take the coupe, which is a year younger, about 40K miles younger, yet only 6 Gs more. Plus it's one owner - so unless the guy is dishonest, you would pretty much be acquanted with the car's FULL history. Good luck!


Yea the coupe is my first choice. As for the sedan, it's just that I have a thing for M36 M3 sedans, especially the red ones with black leather. I just can't get enough of them. Always wanted one ever since it came out. But seems like I better stay away from this one. Thank you for your reply


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## Chris330Ci (Jan 23, 2002)

IMO this should be a no-brainer. M3's are not supposed to have 4 doors and/or a slushbox. Is the silver car from a dealer or private party? Either way, concentrate your efforts on the coupe. You might/should be able to get some more off but low mileage on a '99 M3 will fetch a decent price.


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## armaq (Apr 18, 2003)

Chris330Ci said:


> IMO this should be a no-brainer. M3's are not supposed to have 4 doors and/or a slushbox. Is the silver car from a dealer or private party? Either way, concentrate your efforts on the coupe. You might/should be able to get some more off but low mileage on a '99 M3 will fetch a decent price.


Car is from a used car dealer, and I have a trade in


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## Ben Liaw (Nov 24, 2003)

First, sell your car privately. Trading it into a used car dealer is like giving away money.

Second, pass on the automatic tranny M3s. They're DOGS when they come to resale. When I see an automatic E36 M3, it might as well be a '73 Ford Pinto. They're just as desireable in my eyes.

Third, regardless if its a 99, anything OBD2 (1996-99) are solid cars. They've had very few issues.

You can find a bunch of M3s for sale on www.roadfly.org.

Also, one of the sponsors is selling their M3 as well. Less than $17,000 for a really clean looking car. www.m3motorwerks.com


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## rwg (May 10, 2002)

armaq said:


> Hi guys, right now I'm looking at 2 E36 M3s that are for sale locally.
> 
> One is a 99 silver/dove coupe, 26k miles, manual, loaded, one owner, very clean. Sticker is $27.9k. I will try to knock it down to 26k. Is that possible or should I deal harder?
> 
> ...


If used M3s have something "wrong" with them, they can take awhile to sell and bounce around from dealer to dealer. In my case, it was no options, including no sun roof, in socal. It's exactly what I was looking for, but apparently I was the only one. In your case, it's probably the auto, but the passing back and forth in itself is not necessarily a bad thing.


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## armaq (Apr 18, 2003)

Thanks guys for the advices. 

Forget about the sedan. Not only because the car itself. The salesman was being an a--hole. He wouldn't even let me test drive "because it's hard to get it out of the showroom, we have to move the other cars", but I can drive it "if you can agree on the numbers first".

Now the coupe. It's very, very, very clean. Absolutely flawless. It also has a UUC exhaust. Bad news is someone has already put down a deposit on it. But the salesmanager said if the guy wouldn't show up by deadline, it's mine for $28k drive off. I haven't negotitated with him yet. But I think it'd be hard to get it lower than 27k drive off. Is that fair enough? Or should I just move on and keep looking? I know I shouldn't waste my money, but it's hard to pass such a clean one with such low milage. So convince me guys...


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## tamum3 (Feb 27, 2004)

27k is on the high end....the main thing is dont get locked in on one car and pay more then you want to. Make sure you get pretty much everything you want or you will wish you had waited. I almost got a Fern Green/Magma coupe, but didnt have the money together in time...2 weeks later I ended up purchasing an Estoril Blue/Dove coupe with the exact same miles for $1k less and this was the color I really wanted! There are plenty of nice ones out there...

Is this the car your looking at? Silver '99 M3 coupe

Looks very nice! :thumbup:


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## armaq (Apr 18, 2003)

tamum3 said:


> 27k is on the high end....the main thing is dont get locked in on one car and pay more then you want to. Make sure you get pretty much everything you want or you will wish you had waited. I almost got a Fern Green/Magma coupe, but didnt have the money together in time...2 weeks later I ended up purchasing an Estoril Blue/Dove coupe with the exact same miles for $1k less and this was the color I really wanted! There are plenty of nice ones out there...
> 
> Is this the car your looking at? Silver '99 M3 coupe
> 
> Looks very nice! :thumbup:


Thank you!! I was willing to do anything the dealer said when I wrote my last post. Now after a night's thinking I realised how crazy I was. I will see if the dealer would offer me a better deal, if not then I will keep waiting.

And yes, that's the car I'm looking at. Not as nice as Estoril/Dove! That's my favorite combo too!


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## TD330ci (Dec 29, 2001)

tamum3 said:


> I almost got a Fern Green/Magma coupe,


Magma is SOOOOO nice. :thumbup:

Mullberry is really cool to. I hardly EVER see it.


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## tamum3 (Feb 27, 2004)

I think 26k or so would be a fair deal (not great). Try to talk him down if this is the car you really want. Paying 28k and still needing another 500-800 bucks worth of tires would really suck!

Figure out how much you are really willing/wanting to spend and how much the car is worth to YOU! Pricing on these cars are all over the map so it can be very frustrating..


TD330ci:

Magma is ok, IMO modena is the one that really looks sharp with green. Nice combo on your vert btw got any pics? I'm starting to wish I had black interior in mine cause dove shows absolutely everything :madrazz: 
That will all be solved when I get some wetokole seat covers though.


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## LmtdSlip (May 28, 2003)

I would never buy an M with an auto....


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## TD330ci (Dec 29, 2001)

tamum3 said:


> TD330ci:
> 
> Magma is ok, IMO modena is the one that really looks sharp with green. Nice combo on your vert btw got any pics? I'm starting to wish I had black interior in mine cause dove shows absolutely everything :madrazz:
> That will all be solved when I get some wetokole seat covers though.


My leather is actually in really good shape for 43K.

I just had the entire thing touched up by a pro interior shop last weekend and it turned out great. I will take some better pics this weekend and post them in the gallery.

I was not sure about the combo, but when I saw it I really liked it. Yeah gray is hard to keep clean, but I am a freak about it. Bought new floor mats too. Here are the only two pics I have from the day I got home.

As for the price of the car, if its in excellent shape and if you plan on keeping it for a few years, I say go for it!! REALLY nice ones are getting harder to come by. :thumbup:


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## rwg (May 10, 2002)

TD330ci said:


> My leather is actually in really good shape for 43K.
> 
> I just had the entire thing touched up by a pro interior shop last weekend and it turned out great. I will take some better pics this weekend and post them in the gallery.
> 
> ...


The wheels and the paint look to be in great shape too. Most important part? That lsd sitting underneath all hidden.


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## SARAFIL (Feb 19, 2003)

Chris330Ci said:


> IMO this should be a no-brainer. M3's are not supposed to have 4 doors and/or a slushbox.


Like this?

:bawling:

Or how about our twin Silver '99 M3 Convertibles with Auto (identical down to the options, 19k and 22k miles on them), which one customer appropriately called the "Miami Vice Edition".

It hurts me to see these cars referred to as "M3"s. They're just so uninspiring.


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## Chris90 (Apr 7, 2003)

I thought the days of $28k E36 M3s had passed, though I guess if you're looking for a pristine one (and if this is pristine) it could get pricey. Myself I'd pick up a good '97 or 98 for $20k and just install the '99 steering wheel myself.  

The forged Motorsport rims on that silver one are really expensive right?


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