I was thinking of getting a used 92/93 BMW E36 316/318/320. I've heard of the auto gearboxes giving owners nightmares on repair and maintenance costs. Anything i should look out for (engine, chassis, transmission) before making a purchase?
2006-08-09 01:11:42 · 4 answers · asked by san_pellegrino 4 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Car Makes ➔ BMW
More reliable than E46 transmissions. All depends on how long you want to drive the car. I've seen many E36 auto transmissions fail around 120K - 180K.
The common rust spot for these cars is the bottom edge of the trunk. Early model of E36 car is known to have fuel filter located right below the intake manifold. It is pain in the butt to replace. Also ALL E36 BMWS comes with plastic water pump impeller + thermostat housing. Replace them with metal one as soon as possible.
2006-08-10 17:00:43 · answer #1 · answered by Sang K 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
my friend has a e36 and been using it from 93 till now... i guess like all second hand cars you really have to check the inside more than the outside of the car. look out for things like any white smoke emissions.. the chasis should not be dented rusted etc.. a good tip is to open up the bonnet and focus side walls of the engine bay. if there is welding works or the paint looks very new, it tends to tell you that the car was in a head on collision before. transmissions (auto) should stil have a firm feel to it when changing gears... best advice is to bring down a mechanic or a expert to view the car with you.
2006-08-09 01:20:45 · answer #2 · answered by jaz o 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not to many problems with the E36 3 series. The transmission is nothing to worry about. I have rarely heard of any transmission problems regarding the E36, less so than the E46's to be honest. Wat you might want to watch out for is malfunctioning Fuel Pressure Regulators and the iginition coils. Chances are if the car won't start it's one of those 2 problems. BMW had an issue with that inthe mid 90's.
2006-08-09 03:15:35 · answer #3 · answered by Ryan Sng 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I wouldn't worry about it....i have an E30....ive had it for 4 years now never had a problem...as long as you keep up with all the maintanence....transmission fluids, oil changes....etc....it will last you for a long time...
2006-08-10 00:17:43 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋