E36 supply and depreciation curve

The newest E36 cars are 15 years old now and the earlier ones are 20+.

When I first started messing around with them, well cared for E36 cars were common and beaters were hard to find. The pick-n-pull was full of E30s but I hardly ever saw an E36. That seems to have changed. Now the J/Y is full of E36 cars and the nice E30s that survive are worth more than the newer model.

I still see M3 and ragtop cars in good condition, but plain old sedans and coupes don't pop up much anymore, unless they are thrashed.

Conversely, there has never been a better time to buy an E36 parts car or project.

I'm sure there are still deals to be found, but I wouldn't wait much longer. Before long, we'll be saying "where did they all go?"

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E36 M3s are hard to find with low miles, if they can become collectors cars in another 20 or so years.

From everything I have read, the two models of E36 that holding their own or even edging back up. the M3 and 318ti. The former because it is awesome and the last M car you can easily work on.. the latter because it is in short supply and a cult car

I would like a nice E36 instead of the junky one I own. One of my friends offered me an M3 chassis for $600, then I checked the insurance cost.

I'm not sure whether I should be kicking myself for selling my 63k '95 M3 two years ago... I made a tidy little profit, but man, was that car clean.

I would buy another clean E36 M3 as a street car in a heartbeat - aside from a 964C2 (for different reasons) it's the best car I've ever owned - but I still wouldn't pay much for one. The E46 M3 is a better road car in almost every single way and hasn't hit bottom yet... but they are in range now. So pretty too.

For a track car... give your tired, poor, ugly. Cheap. I'm going to throw half of it in the garbage before I'm done and whats left is getting a complete overhaul anyway.

I agree with it being hard to find a clean E36. Being in the northeast, all the low priced E36's I find are rusted out. The decent examples are asking way too much, and I'm not even considering an M3 anymore.

I like my 318ti and will probably like it more once I get it running 100%. I do wish it had a little more oomph as 1/2 throttle and full throttle doesn't do much compared to my old E39 M5.

For my next project, I would love to find a sub-$1500 E36 that isn't rusty with a LSD. Would make for a fun STX project that would be more competitive than my 318ti.

Searching for a m50 swap as we type, seems to be plenty of them with bad autos, head gaskets, rust buckets or totaled for $500-1200

I sold a super clean 944 turbo because it was too nice to turn into a track car. Bought a '95 M3 (the year I wanted for the OBD1) and put the $7000 I had left over into the build fund. The M3 is rougher than what I would buy for a street car, but perfect for my intended purpose, a dedicated track day car. It has 110,000 miles and really ran well. We've been working on it for about 6 weeks and the end is in sight.

that is just it.. with a BMW you get at least 90% of what a Porsche gives you (sometimes more) for a fraction of the cost and at least twice the reliability..

Loved my '92 325i! Some day I'd like another one... maybe a newer convertible version with the removable hard top.

That chassis was full of WIN. Most of the older cars around me are totally rusting out.

Let us know when the E46 cars are in their wsweet spot. I just can't quite get excited about E36 cars. I know they're good, but.........eh.

Getting an LSD for any E36 is cheap and easy--even the 328s. Getting an LSD for the non-M E46 is expensive.

The E36 is mostly galvanized. Definitely better than E30s. Mine is rusting where it has been damaged. I wouldn't worry too much about rust with a clean one.

I don't think any of the plastic or rubber parts were intended to last this long. I replaced the speakers in my Sienna recently and thought, "Wow, an inner door panel that comes off and goes back on without issue." The E36 interior is basically junk--especially the cheap "real" leather. The carpet is nice.

Around here (CT), the E36 and early E46s are priced similarly. E36 prices for a good example are sometimes higher than the equivalent E46. Honestly, I think the E46 is the better value right now. If you can find a decent E36, people seem to have priced them through the roof. I love E36s, but I'm not willing to pay a premium for one.

I can find a lot of cheap E36 cars in the NE and MW, but they are rust buckets and for what ever reason they are always missing interior pieces...

The interiors (door panels- headliner) fall apart because BMW used a bio-degradable glue to hold them on. Over time it degrades, and they come apart. It's a PITA, but fixable.

The leather in my 97 M3 has held up extremely well. The front seats show very little wear after 160K+ miles and the rears look brand new. Not sure what the perceived problem is there....

There are a lot of abused / neglected cars out there. As long as you stay on top of them, the interiors of the E36 cars can hold up well--- it just takes maintenance. It's still a very comfortable, and pleasant place to spend time. Hell, even my stock radio and trip computer still work. (dammit.....just jinxed myself!)

The key (for a street car) is to find one that's been well loved. They are out there, but you'll pay a premium.

I've always wanted an E36. To me, a BMW needs 4 headlights. Are M3 convertibles any good? I've always wanted one, but a sedan would be more practical. The coupes are either still overpriced or have salvage titles. I keep my eyes open for a decent 328is and my neighbor has an abused 328i, auto, unfortunately.

I just picked up a 96 328i about a week ago. The interior is falling apart but otherwise it seems to have been well cared for. I love it already.

Joe Gearin wrote: The interiors (door panels- headliner) fall apart because BMW used a bio-degradable glue to hold them on. Over time it degrades, and they come apart. It's a PITA, but fixable. The leather in my 97 M3 has held up extremely well. The front seats show very little wear after 160K+ miles and the rears look brand new. Not sure what the perceived problem is there.... There are a lot of abused / neglected cars out there. As long as you stay on top of them, the interiors of the E36 cars can hold up well--- it just takes maintenance. It's still a very comfortable, and pleasant place to spend time. Hell, even my stock radio and trip computer still work. (dammit.....just jinxed myself!) The key (for a street car) is to find one that's been well loved. They are out there, but you'll pay a premium.

Define premium? Whats an expected price for a well loved, super clean, mostly stock street car? I have my eye on a gorgeous estoril blue '99 coupe...

I have a '99 M3 convertible. No mods, manual, and under 54k miles. I have been torn about whether to sell it. But I can certainly see the appreciation starting to take hold...

Damn. Are there NO easy decisions anymore?