1999 BMW M Coupe

I love the E36/8 aka M Coupe aka Clownshoe, and clown shoes are best in red, right? This beautiful Imola example has just 73k miles and has been well cared for by 3 owners. The previous owner addressed the well-documented potential rear subframe weld issues, and the only updates are light enough to not even be called modifications – air filter, headlights, stainless steel clutch cable, etc. It’s not quite perfect but pretty close, with a few minor scuffs and dings. It’s a 1999 model, meaning it has the 240hp S52 instead of the later S54 monster, but that’s mattering less and less these days and the prices of both head north.

Click for details: 1999 BMW M Coupe on eBay

Year: 1999
Model: M Coupe
Engine: 3.2 liter inline-6
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 73,128 mi
Price: $24,800 OBO

1999 BMW M Coupe (1076 made)
73,1xx miles
Imola over Imola/Black (1 of 201 over 4 years)
Clean title
VIN: WBSCM9330XLC60687
Located: San Diego, CA

This is one of the nicest, stock, driver M Coupes you will find.

I’m the 3rd owner, bought it from an old couple who had the car for 12 years and religiously maintained it. It was the old lady’s summer car. I have a file full of records from the previous owner and the original window sticker.

The M Coupe was taken in by the previous owner and BMW reinforced the rear frame. There is a letter from BMW verifying the work. I spoke with the service manager of the dealer, who said that after the reinforcement, they have never seen a failure.

The M Coupe is stock with the exception of the following parts: K&N drop in air filter, Silverstar headlight bulbs, Bosch Icon wiper blades, Rouge Engineering stainless steel clutch line/CDV delete and replaced the driver seat bushings with derlin units. Otherwise the car is 100% BMW.
* I have the engine bay rubber seals out for better engine bay cooling, but will re-install them or include them with the car.

It had a recent inspection at a BMW dealer and performed BMW’s suggested maintenance and more. I recently did the following maintenance to the car:
oil change (Rotella T6 with genuine BMW filter); front wipers; genuine BMW seat belts; high and low beam headlight bulbs; all new exterior genuine BMW ///M badges; stainless steel clutch line, clutch and brake fluid flush. Mechanically, the car is great, I wouldn’t hesitate to drive this car cross-country.

The exterior has rock chips on the front bumper & front of hood; underside of the front bumper has scrapes; there is a door ding on the passenger door and a ding on the rear fender (both minor). The wheels are in good shape, but there is scraping in the paint, on the lip of a couple wheels, I think it’s from an automated pull-through style car wash.

The interior is perfect, with the exception of a tiny pen mark next to the e-brake handle and the driver seat inner-left bolster. The bolster is a slightly different color than the rest of the seat. The location of it makes the slight variance in color hard to see.

The interiors of these cars unfortunately come off as much more garish than their classic exteriors, as polarizing as the latter is. I love the Imola paint, but the leather would make my head spin every time I got in. That’s my own problem, however, and is less of a problem than the fact that I desperately want to own one of these cars and yet they are gaining value with each passing day. S54s used to be eye-opening in the mid-$20ks, but now that’s S52 land while the 315hp versions chase the E30 M3. With low mileage, no major issues, and a gorgeous color, this would be a great M Coupe to grab while you still can.

-NR