The E36 M3 sedan is the first fast car I drove, and, like a first love, has stuck with me ever since. Unleashing a couple of 16-year-olds in a Dinan M3 was perhaps a foolhardy move by my best friend’s dad, but luckily we kept it in good shape other than a few check-engine lights due to impatience with the M warm-up sequence. It was a dream to drive; every pebble in the road gently communicated to the hands, every gearchange a satisfying snick, and every corner was our own railed rollercoaster. E36s in general are fine, but the 4-door M3 has always struck me as markedly sexier than any of its generational brethren. I tried to buy that Dinan a few years ago at $14k, but couldn’t make the finances work (luckily it’s being saved for my friend). These days its not difficult to find them for under $10k, and this nicely modified 1997 sedan demonstrates the accessibility of clean examples.
1997 M3 Sedan for sale on Craigslist SF
I could do without the Supersprint DTM exhaust (Dinan’s looks almost stock but sounds perfect) and I’d raise the adjustable rear suspension just a little, but this is a very clean example with some nice, simple modification choices (I don’t know of a car that looks bad with BBS CHs). 157k miles is on the higher end, but at $9k it’s still a great value, and if the engine goes bad, spend some money swapping in a Euro S52 or S54 and you’ll still have a performance bargain.
Final Note: Thank god it’s a manual. In my mind, automatic E36 M3s might as well be junked.
-NR
I agree with the manual versus auotomatic assessment, Nate. I’ve driven both versions of the E36 M3. Why anyone would have had the auto was beyond me.
Word. Having a slushbox mitigating the power would be a bummer, and also that gearbox is just so damn good! If it has an automatic, it’s no longer an M3 to me.
I am an M3 owner with a 1998 Sedan. That car is nice, but overpriced for the mileage. The market for M3’s is not very good really. A clean sub 80K car seems to be going in the 13-15 range, so a 157K car should be less than 9K.
After the original E30 M3 the next gen was nothing more than a marketing tool. They were no longer hand built and they made so many they have little value.
Bob-
The rims could be sold for at least $1500, not to mention the suspension bits and exhaust. Yes, it’s high mileage, but with $2-3k of additional pieces it’s more like a $6-7k M3, which is just fine in my book.
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Try an automatic with the 391 rear end and then re-post. Keep up with or leave any manual with similar mods.
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