[fiveightandten]

Originally Posted by onepremiere

Thats not a buyers guide. Thats a biblical masterpiece. As a perfectionist, I would have wanted to know the answers to most of those questions. I just messed myself. Given the information available I can be more confident going into this.

I don't want this car, I need it... Haha. I need something that needs some love, I am fresh out of projects.

THANK YOU.

It's slightly out of date, but covers most of it. If you search youtube under my user name, i did up a video as well. I've been thinking about re-doing that though, as it could be a lot more comprehensive in the same amount of time. Just search "E36 M3 pre purchase", start with part 1.

[jkoppo]

Originally Posted by fiveightandten

It's slightly out of date, but covers most of it. If you search youtube under my user name, i did up a video as well. I've been thinking about re-doing that though, as it could be a lot more comprehensive in the same amount of time. Just search "E36 M3 pre purchase", start with part 1.

^this. His videos are so helpful, its not even funny.

[white-hot]

Originally Posted by onepremiere

Thats not a buyers guide. Thats a biblical masterpiece. As a perfectionist, I would have wanted to know the answers to most of those questions. I just messed myself. Given the information available I can be more confident going into this.

I don't want this car, I need it... Haha. I need something that needs some love, I am fresh out of projects.

THANK YOU.

OP, Nick is one of a kind, and his posts are legendary. When you get done reading that one there are a couple more you should check out. Just do a search under his username on this forum, DTM and BF.c and you will see what I mean. He also has a number of very good videos on a variety of topics that can be found on youtube.

Hey Nick, think you can restore some of your older posts on here now? Think it would be a big help to all. Thanks for all you do!

Originally Posted by jkoppo

^this. His videos are so helpful, its not even funny.

Sorry OP for the OT, but

Gratz on your 600th post, jkoppo. And you have still not purchased an M3? Clearly Nicks videos were not helpful enough for you. Go. Buy. M3. Now.

/threadjack

[jkoppo]

Originally Posted by white-hot

Sorry OP for the OT, but

Gratz on your 600th post, jkoppo. And you have still not purchased an M3? Clearly Nicks videos were not helpful enough for you. Go. Buy. M3. Now.

/threadjack

damnnn, you're right. Didn't even notice 600. Thanks, pal
And yes.. I. Will. Try.

If the planets align, I may just pull through with the sickest e36 on the forum
stay tuned

p.s: call me justin

//threadjack

[onepremiere]

I appreciate all the input guys. The forum is unique in the sense that there are people that actually share their knowledge, and want to help. As opposed to being a monkey on the intrawebz machine.

I watched all the videos last night, which was helping me rationalize the purchase with the fiance and justifing a car that will sit taking up space in the garage.

[enderw88]

Originally Posted by onepremiere

... rationalize the purchase with the fiance ...

She got a ring, you get a car. Totally fair...

[fiveightandten]

Originally Posted by white-hot

OP, Nick is one of a kind, and his posts are legendary. When you get done reading that one there are a couple more you should check out. Just do a search under his username on this forum, DTM and BF.c and you will see what I mean. He also has a number of very good videos on a variety of topics that can be found on youtube.

Hey Nick, think you can restore some of your older posts on here now? Think it would be a big help to all. Thanks for all you do!

/threadjack

I'll likely revamp some of that stuff to streamline it and update it.

Originally Posted by onepremiere

I appreciate all the input guys. The forum is unique in the sense that there are people that actually share their knowledge, and want to help. As opposed to being a monkey on the intrawebz machine.

I watched all the videos last night, which was helping me rationalize the purchase with the fiance and justifing a car that will sit taking up space in the garage.

There's nothing all that rational about buying a 14 year old German sports car. You also can't easily rationalize having fun, or wanting to have fun.

But they built a hell of a machine. If you enjoy driving, don't mind getting your hands a little dirty, and you want something that will get you and her from point A to point B in relative comfort and style, is more unique than most cars on the road today, is as practical as most people really need, and will leave you grinning from ear to ear every time you drive it...it's tough to do better for around $10K.

When you see it in the flesh, it's a thing of beauty. The lines are timeless. The car is smaller in every dimension than a current Honda Civic. But it's no Civic. They stuffed a big, growly, torquey motor into a little car. They stuffed big wide tires under the wheel wells. Countless hours of design and engineering went into making it something that's more involved, and a step above your average commuter vehicle. It comes from a time when technology was advanced enough to make a machine with modern appointments and features, but before safety regs, EPA laws, and consumer drive started really forcing cars into how homogeneous, and disconnected they're becoming. The end of an era. Get one while you still can.

It's not just a car. It's the ideas of some bad *** engineers put into reality. They, themselves, loved driving. And they built a machine for others who did as well. It was head and shoulders above the competition at the time. A real driver's car. But, unlike your pure typical drivers cars...they built something you could live with every day. They built something you could work on in your garage on jack stands. Every person that has every loaded the trunk in their M3 with beach chairs and towels and taken a ride to the shore for the weekend, or driven it through a snow storm, or had a complete stranger approach them at a gas station asking questions about it, or changed the oil on it in their garage, or loaded it up with groceries at the supermarket, or taken it to an autoX or a track day, or even just ripped it through an empty winding back road all by themselves...they're picking up where those designers left off, and they get what they set out to achieve.

After you've driven one and get the bug, the question isn't how to you justify buying one. The question is, how you can justify NOT buying one?

Oh, and you can show her this:

BMW 3-Series 2007 - YouTube

BMW 3-Series 2007 - YouTube

That always gets the womenz a little teary eyed.

[MMMGP]

Originally Posted by onepremiere

Side note, I am noticing the condition of the seats in all the cars I've seen defiantey show there age....I'd like them looking the best that they can.

There is always the AutoBerry option.

http://www.autoberry.com/details.php...categories_id=

Eric recently replaced the covers on his sand beige vaders. See here.

[onepremiere]

Originally Posted by fiveightandten

After you've driven one and get the bug, the question isn't how to you justify buying one. The question is, how you can justify NOT buying one?

Exactly. Spot on.

And to comment on the rest of your post, I laid down a summary of what you wrote.

I've got the bug. I've admired the M3 is I really knew what it was.

I came out of a Evo 9 and into a E46, and a RWD car that divdes into corners like that is a force to be reconed with.

I rode in a E36 on a little road in Glendora. If you are from So Cal, you probably know what I am talking about. I was stocked. The owner focused on the suspension, engine was stock. Bushing Upgrades, Quality Shocks, Springs, Fat Sway Bars and Struts, the car was on rails. Thats when I really knew what the car was all about.

I love to drive. I mean I LOVE to drive. I put a lot of miles on my cars. Example, my 2011 Tundra I bought in May has 29K. It had 2500 when I bought it.

Having a project like this, something I can work on each weekend is a dream come true. Taking something that is 13 Years old and bring it back to life sounds like a lot of fun, not to mention the smile on my face when I am in the drivers seat. I've restored a handful of 70's Honda Motorcycles, and a 1956 Chevy 210, so I am ready to take on a project like this.

[onepremiere]

Originally Posted by enderw88

She got a ring, you get a car. Totally fair...

and a house...

We are renting the extra room to a friend of hers and both my fiance and her friend park in the garage because I drive a tank for a truck. She is worried about kicking her friend of the garage for a car thats just going to "sit".

Well... I explained how much time I spend in the garage, what a horrible parker our roommate is, and the extreme lack of regard to maintaining her car.

Bottom line is, my money, my hard work, my descision, just being respectful to her and our roommate by explaining and rationalizing my descision.

I mean I upgraded the closet, and the bathroom so she could have her "dream". Only time I am allowed in there is to take my monthly shower and grab some fresh clothes from my 2x2 portion of the closet.

Also brought her 2005 90K RSX up to speed.