M3 lover with a skeptical dad! HELP :(

[bav 325i]

High powered isn't the best choice of words, but you know what they mean. Obviously a chevy Malibu isn't as potentially "dangerous" as an M3. As we all know you can't just compare hp specs to determine a cars performance.

[KevRC4130]

It's funny all the people that think the M3 isn't a performance car... 10-15 years ago it was a complete state-of-the-art piece of machinery. The industry has caught up in terms of power and torque, but also in terms of traction/stability control (which the E36 still doesn't have). The E36 is the same car it was when it left the factory, a raw, unforgiving wannabe-race car. If this 14 year old asked to have an E36 M3 as a first car when it was new, everyone would have said he's nuts. If anything, the car is even sketchier than it was new: likely the bushings and other handling components have worn out, making them even more unpredictable. Forget the power numbers, it's not a car for beginners.

[cky751]

an m3 for your first car!?? lol, even considering this is laughable (for a child this is a very powerful car). the e36 is a death trap in general http://www.euroncap.com/tests/bmw_3_series_1997/15.aspx just get an old heavy diesel or mini van. you're a kid, if you live another 10 years then maybe an m3. patience.

[gbreeE90]

^^^so your saying that you could get in the same trouble in a Chevy Malibu? The e36 m3 makes a novice driver feel like a pro. Period.

No, I'm saying the E36 isn't high powered. However, there are plenty of mom cars that will get you in just as much trouble as an E36 M3. I completely disagree with all of your statements as they have no scientific backing.

It's funny all the people that think the M3 isn't a performance car... 10-15 years ago it was a complete state-of-the-art piece of machinery. The industry has caught up in terms of power and torque, but also in terms of traction/stability control (which the E36 still doesn't have). The E36 is the same car it was when it left the factory, a raw, unforgiving wannabe-race car. If this 14 year old asked to have an E36 M3 as a first car when it was new, everyone would have said he's nuts. If anything, the car is even sketchier than it was new: likely the bushings and other handling components have worn out, making them even more unpredictable. Forget the power numbers, it's not a car for beginners.

Exactly.







Lots of people with janky first cars in this thread. My first born is getting something with a V10.

[Juicy Double]

1. Kids have been getting cars at the same current price point as an e36 M3 for a long time. Many of them safer, many of them faster, many of them in worse condition than any e36.

2. The car is dangerous, but depends on the hands its in. Obviously a 16 yr old, or in this case 14 yr old, common knowledge would indicate ignorance. Still, it's presumptious. I drove a number of cars at around the same performance level as an e36 M3 (inc the m3, modded RSX, 300zx, Mustangs and modded Mr2 turbo) and I treated them with the respect that the reality of life/death/injury/accidents demanded. Most kids are stupid, not all. 12 years later at 28 I still haven't had an accident, despite driving cars with up to 700 bhp. The m3 is a lot of car for a first car, but not if you're wise about it.

3. Despite all that, what's the rush? Nobody is dying tomorrow.

To the OP:

You might not be unreasonable if you're arguing for an M3 based on price, but be prepared for maintenance. I understand you are expecting that, but it's always more than we first though, no matter the car.

Nobody should write you off for desperately wanting an m3, we can all relate to wanting something badly for years, and being excited for our first vehicles. I was hung up on the WRX for a long time, before shifting my attention to an m coupe in my 20s. My first car was to be shared with my siblings, but being the oldest it was all mine. You have no idea how slow a 97 Honda CRV is. Then I bought a 96 Mazda B series pickup, and upgraded to a Tacoma a couple years after. I live in a frosty, wintery place and needed to drive across the country for school a few times, so I had to put a sports car on hold and go for cargo and all terrain.

It seems like forever, but time passes. I was 23 when I bought my m coupe, and looking back I realize how lucky I am to have THAT car that I wanted at this stage in my life. Waiting 7 years for a fun car wasn't so bad in hindsight. Don't worry if you don't end up with an m3, time will fly and before you know it it's possible to get THAT car you want.

And don't date girls that hate your cars. My ex hated my coupe so much. She's gone. My wife loves the coupe, hence why she's wifed, and hence why I still have my wonderful and impractical sports car.

[vegaseric]

^^^so your saying that you could get in the same trouble in a Chevy Malibu? The e36 m3 makes a novice driver feel like a pro. Period.

This.

It's not the HP which make an M3 a bad first car, it is the ease of which a young driver can get in over their head.

[montaillou]

And don't date girls that hate your cars. My ex hated my coupe so much. She's gone. My wife loves the coupe, hence why she's wifed, and hence why I still have my wonderful and impractical sports car.

So, you divorced your wife just because she didn't like your car? Or were there other things wrong and the car was just one more in a long list of problems and maybe just an excuse for arguments?

[Metal Made Fox]

At 14 you are not yet man enough for an M3.

Be patient, your time will come. Until then your dad should just get you a 4 cylinder Civic.

[damonchoy]

My first born is getting something with a V10.

Can I be reborn into your family? I'll take an E60 M5, please.

-

In all seriousness, to the OP, at 15 I bought myself an E36 328iC convertible. Now at 16 and after almost a year of E36 ownership I upgraded to an E46 330ci M-Sport. I've explored the limits of my driving capability and of each of the vehicles' capabilities to some degree, but never more than necessary. I've also been fortunate enough to have had the chance to drive some higher powered vehicles (450+hp) already. I have yet to get into any accidents or get any tickets *knock on wood*.

With that being said, everyone is different. There are some people who have driven higher powered cars than I at this age who haven't gotten into any trouble. However, there are some that have made fatal mistakes in lower powered and less capable vehicles. Which boat are you in? I can't say for sure.

Want an M3 at this age? I say go for it... but with one exception: earn it yourself. Don't let dad buy it for you. You'll learn to respect a machine that you've earned yourself and know how hard you worked to get it a whole lot easier than one that is given to you.

[Brashland]

So, you divorced your wife just because she didn't like your car? Or were there other things wrong and the car was just one more in a long list of problems and maybe just an excuse for arguments?

Pointy elbows.

[3MPowered]

Looks like it's all been said already, but you seem like a smart kid and open to advice so here goes:

Do your research. Seriously. I have friends getting into M3 ownership in their mid 20's that are being blindsided by the costs of ownership. Just because you can BUY an m3 does not mean you can keep it.

[downeaster1]

At 14 you are not yet man enough for an M3.

lol wut. It's a dumb E36...not a supercharged lamborghini.

[MaddmattH]

I wouldn't call an e36 m3 a high powered car. A fun car, yes. High powered..? No.

Sent from my iPhone using BF.com

It may not put out the same raw horsepower as many modern cars but you need to consider the whole package here.

It's RWD, fairly lightweight, has no traction control or ABS. The rear breaks traction quite easily and that can catch out new drivers.
Someone with little driving experience isn't going to catch a slide very well, they wont even see it coming.

The modern cars with similar or more power are generally heavier, mostly front wheel drive, and have more electronic aids to save you.

[IfIHadSomeBacon]

Well... I bought an M3. I was looking for E46 330's or E36 328's but after 8 months of getting a feel of what was a good price in my area, the deal was too good to pass up. $4950 for a 1997 M3 sedan, 127k miles, excellent condition, luxury package, manual, aftermarket wheels, headlights, taillights, exhaust, and it is lowered. Completely rust free. For another $500 I got a fancy DVD player radio, the original M Contours with tires, and original headlights. Compared to the other garbage being sold for $2000 over KBB book value in my area, this seemed like the best deal I had seen.
Here it is, I had to dumb down the quality, it said 300 KB but I accidentally did 190KB:
TheNewBMWM3.png
First, I'll have to learn stick better, then I'll get a dash cam, and possibly restrict the air flow until I get a little older and can handle more power.
Just lettin' you know since you commented on this earlier.

[Chasedrk1]

Can I be reborn into your family? I'll take an E60 M5, please. - In all seriousness, to the OP, at 15 I bought myself an E36 328iC convertible. Now at 16 and after almost a year of E36 ownership I upgraded to an E46 330ci M-Sport. I've explored the limits of my driving capability and of each of the vehicles' capabilities to some degree, but never more than necessary. I've also been fortunate enough to have had the chance to drive some higher powered vehicles (450+hp) already. I have yet to get into any accidents or get any tickets *knock on wood*. With that being said, everyone is different. There are some people who have driven higher powered cars than I at this age who haven't gotten into any trouble. However, there are some that have made fatal mistakes in lower powered and less capable vehicles. Which boat are you in? I can't say for sure. Want an M3 at this age? I say go for it... but with one exception: earn it yourself. Don't let dad buy it for you. You'll learn to respect a machine that you've earned yourself and know how hard you worked to get it a whole lot easier than one that is given to you.

For 16 this is not statement I saw coming.
Wise at a young age sir.
Very good indeed.

[DYL]

Congrats, bacon! That's one hell of a deal.

[Bene36m3]

My first car was an e36 m3. I learned how to drive stick on it and I respected the car from the beginning. I've owned it now for 7 years and to this day I've never done a burnout in it. The first time I "drifted" it was about 2 years ago. My friends would always get on me when I was young because I had an m3 and drove it like a grandma. As long as you an respect others on the road and yourself, then definitely go for it. If you feel you couldn't control yourself then don't. It's all up to the person not the car.

[BimmerBreaker]

The industry has caught up in terms of power and torque, but also in terms of traction/stability control (which the E36 still doesn't have).

E36 had traction control/stability control, whats this guy talking about!?@

Well... I bought an M3. I was looking for E46 330's or E36 328's but after 8 months of getting a feel of what was a good price in my area, the deal was too good to pass up. $4950 for a 1997 M3 sedan, 127k miles, excellent condition, luxury package, manual, aftermarket wheels, headlights, taillights, exhaust, and it is lowered. Completely rust free. For another $500 I got a fancy DVD player radio, the original M Contours with tires, and original headlights. Compared to the other garbage being sold for $2000 over KBB book value in my area, this seemed like the best deal I had seen.
Here it is, I had to dumb down the quality, it said 300 KB but I accidentally did 190KB:
TheNewBMWM3.png
First, I'll have to learn stick better, then I'll get a dash cam, and possibly restrict the air flow until I get a little older and can handle more power.
Just lettin' you know since you commented on this earlier.

Car looks nice, I like the idea here you seem responsible but FWIW you cant just throw restrictor plates on a stock car. This aint NASCAR

Throw those stock wheels on it and start making that car your car!

[montaillou]

Grats on the car.

[MIMI1]

Post better pics.

[IfIHadSomeBacon]

I was making a toaster strudel the other day, and I thought to myself, "what if the toaster exploded?" So I stood four feet away behind my refrigerator door just in case. So I'm not what you would call, the "risky" type.

Anyways, I bought an M3. I was looking for E46 330's or E36 328's but after 8 months of getting a feel of what was a good price in my area, the deal was too good to pass up. $4950 for a 1997 M3 sedan, 127k miles, excellent condition, luxury package, manual, aftermarket wheels, headlights, taillights, exhaust, and it is lowered. Rust free. For another $500 I got a fancy DVD player radio, the original M Contours with tires, original headlights, yadda yadda yadda. I love it!

My dad saw that I put so many hours and so much thought into this car before I even bought it, whatever it would be, so I probably wouldn't go around not caring what happened to it. That, mixed with the fact that he realized that when you have to research, inquire about, and drive to go see a car, you're learning to do a lot of "real-world" things that a lot of kids my age wouldn't do, comforted him a lot about the M3 business. Besides, even if I didn't spend a year and almost every weekend from then to last weekend (When I bought it) calling about the cars that were put up, and about 24 hours total on the road to find one, and 10 hours for the one I bought alone, I still would want to take great care of it. In my opinion, it's just a really great car!

My dad is not getting collision on it, so that I will have to fund myself.

Do BMW's get keyed frequently? Some guy at my dad's job bought a 335i and it has already been keyed. An E36 isn't necessarily subtle, so I'm a little worried.

I had a way longer answer before filled with lots of artsy quotes but it got deleted somehow... I rewrote it and shortened it up a lot.

Oh, and here she is!
TheNewBMWM3.png
Stock under the hood, I hope to get some goodies under there!

- - - Updated - - -

I don't really have any better pictures right now, but maybe I can get a few artsy rain ones tomorrow.

[DYL]

Don't bother with restricting airflow. Just drive it gently and keep the revs around 3k or below if you want to keep the power down.

[Bene36m3]

Do they get keyed a lot? Depends really where you live. I had people chuck full water bottles at my car but I live close to detroit where people hate foreign cars and hate people who don't buy American. One of my neighbors refuses to talk to us just because we have all foreign cars. It's pretty stupid. My buddy had someone spit on his e34 m5 at a red light because it was foreign.

[SmokemhontaS]

It's refreshing to see a more responsible side of the younger generation.
Some advice:
-Learn shifting techniques that will help you not miss gears, 1st and 3rd are close together, be careful of the $MONEY SHIFT$

-Don't race, it's not worth the possible outcomes

-be aware that cops will be on you just because it's an M3.
-Don't let your friends drive it, chances are they aren't as mature as you seem to be

That's all i can think of, but have fun with the car, and mod it tastefully

[DYL]

THIS. Backhand 4th gear. I found this guide to shifting precisely with a short shifter. Even though I have a stock shifter, I am very precise now.