Found an E36 M3 with an overheating problem. Seller states that the head gasket is still good, per his mechanic. I'm guessing the tstat and water pump is bad. Negotiable price is a good sign though.
http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/4450161768.html
Or do I want 8k RPM redline goodness in the form of a Pontiac? How well does the Matrix fare in his respective stock (G-street?) or street touring (STF?) class?
The M3 but the price scares me. Get the car checked out first by an independent mechanic before buying.
Even at that price I was all M3 until I saw the missing pedal. While I am not part of the anti two pedal mafia, that's not the best use of an auto. That little Toyota in drag could be a fun car.
Other than being located in the middle of a lake the vibe looks good.
Yep, I'm a little split myself.
The M3 could be an awesome daily driver and spare car for my parents as they can't drive manuals. If the head gasket is good, I could get that thing fixed up for $500 easily. I've always wanted a 6-cylinder E36 to complement my 318ti.
However, I've always wanted a sky-high revving motor and a funky Toyota hatchback would be awesome. It would be harder to convince my parents to add another manual transmission car to their insurance plan though. Price seems nice for a running car, as most of the Toyota models go for at least $5k+ around my area.
Lol, pretty hard to go wrong with a $2500 M3 no matter what the problem is. ;)
BMW thermostats typically fail safe - they stay open, not closed - so chronic overheating is not caused by something as simple as a stat.
In reply to Duke: Agreed. Ask him if the fan and shroud has ever collided. I had this happen as Beemers are notorious for it. Parts went flying under the hood and when everything else under there is plastic other things tend to break. This happened to my wife's Z3 and after I repaired it it started over heating. Come to find out the upper radiator neck got chipped by the malay and was leaking under pressure and starting to overheat.
Good point, guys. Either this guy doesn't know anything about his car, or may just be hiding things from me. I'll keep asking about key points of failure. I'm thinking it is a water pump that is bad, but all the others are plausible.
I really wish college finals would be over by now. I'm afraid that by next week, this thing will be sold and I will have missed another nice car. This happens every time when the semester beings/ends too. I always find a nice vehicle a week into school, but I won't be able to see it. Same thing for the end of school... WHY?!?
Vibe GT is a cool little car, go with that
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