The U.S. E36 is the M3 to have, even without a real M engine | Jason Cammisa Revelations | Ep. 20
Within BMW circles, it's a commonly held belief that the U.S.-spec M3 wasn't a "real M3" because it didn't have a real M engine.
The 1995 M3 used a 3.0-liter version of the regular 325i's straight-six - whereas European cars used a special 3.0-liter straight-six with a Independent-throttle-body cylinder head taken from the McLaren F1. The horsepower difference was 240 hp (US) versus 286 PS (DIN.)
To make matters worse, the 1996 and later U.S. M3 used a 3.2-liter that also made 240 hp, whereas the Euro car got a 3.2-liter with 321 PS.
The primary reason for the US engine was financial - the E30 M3 was a sales failure in North America, and BMW NA didn't want to risk another one. The E36 M3 was a bargain - unlike the E30 M3, which was a buzzy, four-cylinder homologation-special race car, the six-cylinder M3 did everything better than the 325i. And instead of an $8000 price premium over the base car, the M3 cost just $3000 more.
The US car was a huge sales success, selling three times the number of cars BMW anticipated. And BMW NA then convinced Germany to add a 4-door sedan, and it outsold even the coupe. The reason - it was a handling high watermark for BMW, a perfectly balanced sports car with a real back seat and daily usability.
The Euro M3 engines were fizzier than the US - the S50B30 revved to 7280 rpm; the S50B32 3.2-liter revved to 7600 rpm. They made amazing noises - but also suffer from some big maintenance issues that the lower-stress U.S. engines don't: spun bearings being the biggest.
Most importantly, in a drag race between the U.S. and Euro cars in this video (both 3.2-liters), they were dead even to 60 mph - and stayed that way through third gear, leaving Cammisa to conclude that the more reliable U.S. car, especially in sedan form, is the E36 to own.
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This is genuinely one of the best car shows on KZhead. Jason is a fantastic host.
Very true. Quality production
He's the only reason I'm subscribed.
*roast
I’d argue this is one of the best car shows, period. It’s funny, informative, well written. Jason’s delivery is emmy-worthy and general video production quality is broadcast level. Bravo.
The reason why all the cars are up in price
As someone who has seriously considered a Euro-spec E36 M3, I can confirm that I now have a photo of Jason Cammisa hanging on the cross in my room.
You should erect an altar.
@@ApKieras An altar to 100 hp/liter
S54 swapped e36>euro e36 anyways
In Cammisa we trust
@@thomasxl200 that’s it? My car is 4 cylinder and makes 135hp per liter.
Subtle but major: as an earbuds listener, I HIGHLY appreciate that the sound of each car came thru separately.
What earbuds have to do with that?
@@TheIrek666 Hearing each engine clearly?
@@anthonyferguson7158 I use headphones and also can hear it clearly.
@@TheIrek666 I think that was his point though. Over laptop speakers or a crap system, you wouldn't hear it as clearly. You with headphones and him with buds are getting close to the same experience.
Hey there I run a e36 channel and would appreciate your support for some e36 content🤞🏽🖤
Grew up with American muscle cars and finally got to drive my friend's '95. He gets a new 911 every 3 years but the M3 is a keeper (he's owned it since new). He threw me the keys and I just drove. Nowhere in particular. An hour went by and I was just driving. The hype is real. An absolutely magical car. Couldn't remember the last time I just lost track of time and just drove for fun with no particular place to go. Nicest driving car I've ever been in.
EVERY 3 YEARS. wow
Every 3 years? WTF?
@@Joshua_N-A The joys of being single...
@@sidefx996 I thought owners keep them running for years.
@@Joshua_N-A Oh I'm sure plenty do. He keeps them very nice and they're still perfect when he trades them in he just likes to get a brand new one every few years.
Jason, you are an absolute gem. And Anthony behind the camera too! You guys truly are the best on KZhead!!
Albon you're here too... oh by the way I'm waiting on your vids!
Still salty about not winning that 1000 💪
Have you heard of Chris Harris? Haha
Hear hear! Glad fellow gear heads can compliment each other. Like your stuff too good sir ☺️
@@matthewrobertson2279 Have you heard of Jeremy Clarkson?
Prices for these are already ridiculous. Thank you, Jason.
I know right!!!! These were my favorite cars when I was a kid.
@@ericbishop6861 Same. The E36 M3 and 996 Turbo were my "dream" cars as a little kid. I've always loved the E36 design over the bulbous E46, but obviously I'm in the minority.
Exactly , and were in the teens a couple years ago .
Hated them back then. But everything desirable from that time is pretty much unobtainable now. Sigh...
@@jae9843 I’ve owned 4 E36 cars, (not M3) and they are easily my favourite 3 series. Absolutely reliable, easy to live with, stylish, I would still enjoy driving one in 2022. The only reason I switched to the E39 is threefold: 2 sons an a daughter..🙂
That ending lol. Laughter is contagious. It seems like to me the 90's was the era of pinnacle of car designs. E36, even with bone stock look still looks better yet somehow look timeless to look at. Credit goes to the designer where it dues.
I totally agree. There’s something so sexy about the body look of this car and even the early 90s Mercedes were similar. Seems like everyone loves the e46 but I’ve always thought the 36 looks better
Yep! Clean and slick. My gf at the time said it looked kind of boxy. I dumped her. My 1998 coupe felt like an extension of my body, "fit like a glove" and drove like a go-kart on methamphetamine at the race track, and yet perfectly civil commuting to work daily.
They can make modern Beamers as aesthetically complex and full of edges but that design language will never compare to these. I miss the old models...
yeaaaa i had to laugh, my euro e36 M3 is currently parked with self opening glovebox removed mid attempt to fix it hahaha
90s cars are without a doubt where it’s at! Modern mechanical processes meant reliability, but without more modern, complex electronics that are less durable by nature
I remember sitting in a marketing class in college in the mid 90s and flipping open a car magazine. The silhouette of a silver E36 M3 was featured in a tire ad. It was so powerful, I remember that moment almost 30 years later. I’ve been in love with that car ever since. I still hope to have one some day.
BFGoodrich, right?
Same thing for me, it was the Car & Driver "Best handling car over $30k" article in the mid 90's. Luckily within 5 yrs I owned a cherry 1998 coupe in Arctic Silver! Almost cried the day it drove away 14 years later...
@@LordToxygene That E36 M3 BF Goodrich poster was so iconic!
Yep. 1997 E36 M3 in Arctic Silver with the classic 18" BBS Hockenheim spoked wheels. Loved that ad. Remember it like yesterday. ❤
@ToddGlasier I had a new Arctic Grey 94' 325is coupe I adored but decided to trade it in, in 97 for a new Estoril Blue Metallic M3 coupe. I loved that car. Unfortunately had to sell it in 2002. Best car I've ever owned including the shitty plastic adhesives they used. 😊
He's absolutely right, had one and only did routine, simple maintenance. Dead reliable and bulletproof, drove it like I stole it for years.
Mine currently has 230k miles on the original motor, still going strong!
Fix failure points and they are freat cars.
He also right about the plastic interior falling apart and cooling but I still love my e36 :)
I changed my cooling system. And it runs fine.
3 days down in 12 years. And it was my fault.
The E36 design has aged surprisingly well. Never liked how they looked until recently but they look great now, especially with those gorgeous wheels
Because they're objectively well designed. They'll always look great because they're not a victim of contemporary trends or over-designing that we see today.
I hope you're joking, this was one of the best designs of the 90ies, the likes of which BMW themselves only ever bettered with the E39 and nothing ever since.
@@jafu745 E39 M3 design is awful and forgettable. E36 was the pinnacle.
@@jafu745 E46 M3 ?
@@jafu745 I absolutely agree, always liked the E36 a lot, especially with an M package and a nice set of 17” wheels.
As a E36 Owner and E36 Enthusiast, this is the best video ever produced about the car, hands down!
How’s the maintenance on it?
Hey there I run a e36 channel and would appreciate your support for some e36 content🤞🏽🖤
I bought my e36 coupe new in '97 and it now has 356000 miles on it. Finally replaced the factory clutch about 20000 miles ago. On the 3rd radiator. And just replaced the factory fuel pump last week. 356k on the original fuel pump. One thing is, this engine always used oil and now it uses more. Kind of annoying. The newest issue is the secondary air ducts inside the head are partially clogged with carbon build up so that triggers the check engine light. Most of the secondary air system can be cleaned out the ducts inside the head are very hard to clean out due to a right angle turn inside the head. So not a big deal for driving at all, just passing smog. Anyway it's a great car still even after 25 years and 356k miles. I just keep maintaining it and driving it.
Legendary.
How much oil did it use and how much does it use now? I have a 99' with 173k and it needs a quart every 1000-1500 miles. I was wondering if that seemed high to you. My E39 M5 I had used a similar amount of oil when it had less than 100k miles. I hope to drive my E36 M3 until I can't. I'm also wondering if it has the original clutch as well.
Spoken like a true BMW enthusiast! Love how you continue to drive it so many years! Good stuff :)
Hey there I run a e36 channel and would appreciate your support for some e36 content🤞🏽🖤
Every single episode has me opening new craigslist tabs. That's good writing. Great work Cammisa and Hagerty.
Also each episode just makes each car that much more expensive lol 😆
Oof buying a 25 year old BMW on craigslist is like raw dogging a hooker. Risky!
The self opening glovebox is an Entertainment Feature, come on now Cammisa you know this.
who says the Germans have no humor!
I just keep mine locked, problem solved
There's a reason why the glovebox has a lock on it lol.
🤣🤣
The krauts knew the owners would put glovebox gauges in it.
i'm 67, after years and hundreds of cars,of lots of hp and dollars, i'm riding ebikes now, but, i got a $600 1992 325is and i am in love and awe of BMW again, this car is crazy fun to drive and great to work on. thanks for the right on video i smile in mine too!! someone else modded the glovebox already for me!!
What a cool take on the US spec e36 M3. I've owned a few and currently have a 3/4/5. Super fun cars to drive and that glovebox skit at the end had me rolling. Yes e36 drivers have an 'extra step' between shifting gears.
Hey there I run a e36 channel and would appreciate your support for some e36 content🤞🏽🖤
Jason is an incredible host, and anyone who writes off the E36 M3 solely because of the S52 is missing out. Such a great and accessible driving experience - there's a reason you see so many at track days and other motorsports events
Absolutely, if the Euro version never existed, or the world wide version was the US model, everyone would still absolutely love it. The US M3 is a seriously fun car with the perfect amount of power and smooth smooth torque for the chassis. I've been daily driving one for the past 3 years, and I can't think of a single vehicle I'd want to replace it with, at any cost.
@@kjh4112 You are probably right. Though I've driven e46 M3s, they just felt like a smaller version of the e39 M5 I had. Not as raw or as exciting as the e36.
@John Pearson I've been dailying one for ten years. It doesn't get old. I could replace it with a new M3 - or 911 for that matter. Not interested. I did put a GS6-37 6 speed in it, but no S54 for me. The E46's 333hp isn't much by today's standards, so what are you chasing? I've known several friends who have chased power until they've ruined their cars - and still never been satisfied. Like I said - this car never gets old.
@@jkmason88 Couldn´t agree more! 👍
@@johnpearson492 in 2022, no one in their right mind would buy US SPEC E36 M3 over 328i. Just get 328i, the car literally dynoes 220hp 310Nm stock. Slap some good suspension and you are good to go.
The longer driving segment is highly approved, especially without music.
Throw a nice set of headphones on for it too and you can hear the subtle engine differences as they are side specific! Neat!
I love every Jason Cammisa video. The entertainment. The knowledge. The sophistication. And then, after watching him drive the car at the end of the videos, I usually can't resist jumping in my car just to go for a drive.
Hey there I run a e36 channel and would appreciate your support for some e36 content🤞🏽🖤
I've been saying the US spec M3 is superior for years now... the engine is more reliable, it's almost as quick, and there's a ton of em available which meant they were affordable for a long time. So many people got their start in performance driving with used E36 M3's and E36 328i's, they were the best cheap track car for a long time.
Something about the looks makes this gen look timeless ro look at. Also lighter than current models.
Wrong, wrong, wrong. The US M3 is in no way superior. You've been told lies. The Euro M3 is NOT unreliable. Not at all. I think people are confusing it with the E46 M3. That was a bit fragile, yes.
@@geraldbuys9853 Yes got an euro 3.0 with around 120k miles and never got any issue with the engine. The problem is everything around it. We call it the e36 life... A friend has a 3.2 with 180k miles on the clock on stock rod bearings and same story. Everything was crap except the engine XD
Its worse in every aspect
As a S50 3.2 owner for the last 6 years, I can assure you, it's not nearly as quick and the euro engine is just as reliable.
As an owner of an E36 M3, I'm so happy my red headed step child is getting some love from somebody that I respect.
Same
I have never driven the us spec e36 M3, only the original 286ps cable throttle one but that was an experience not easily forgotten, even over 20 years later......
The US spec m3 still has cable throttle, but it only has one throttle body
Despite all the hand-wringing about the motor, a LOT of E36 M3s in the US today have the "normal" bolt-ons, which is enough to be within 10-15 hp of the original 286 hp euro car (243 hp at the wheels is 286 at the crank. Look at the dynos posted on bimmerforums and you'll see a LOT with simple bolt-ons and tunes that are on par). And without all the maintenance / reliability headaches that go along with it.
@@jkmason88 maintenance / reliability issues on Euro S50's are overblown (usually by S50US owners). The bearings are not much of an issue generally (nothing like the S65/85 or even S54) and the cooling system is actually far better than the US version (water pump doesn't grenade, t-stat housing is metal, no auxiliary tanks to split). The VANOS solenoid seal issue is super-easy and inexpensive to fix.
@@jsquared1013 completely overblown by people who’ve never owned a euro spec. The S50B30 is the best engine to ever leave a BMW factory.
Then you're not missing out on anything since you have driven the actual M3.
1000x yes! I've spent a good deal of time with the E30, E36, E46 and E90 M3s, and without a doubt the E36 is the best driver's car of the bunch (and no doubt is vastly better than the twin turbo German muscle cars of the most recent generations). The most connected, most well balanced and just one of the best driver's cars ever made. The E46 gets all the love now, but that car has the typical German syrup in the controls and has neither the balance or feel of an E36. Motor was amazing, as is the V8 in the E90 of course, but otherwise, meh. I don't much care that it saved the M brand, as no new M cars are remotely special other than on a stat sheet, but the E36 M3 was the definition of a sport sedan and definition of a driver's car and still would be today if they had kept making it as-is. Thanks for reminding us that BMW used to care.
The E36/7 M Roadster S50 an S54 is a delight to drive, I would rather drive it than the M3 as it is slightly lighter, looks better in my opinion (the M3 still looks great) and is a more visceral driving experience
Hey there I run a e36 channel and would appreciate your support for some e36 content🤞🏽🖤
Loved this episode. The production quality seems so high in these videos too! Amazing crew all of you! This is as close as it gets for me to have a regularly scheduled program on KZhead that I look forward to watching.
When you see a well kept E36 M3 Coupe in the wild, they are stunning. Have aged really really well. it doesn't end there, because they drive as well as they look (:
Every I take out my Dakar II I get thumbs ups and queries on whether I am interested in selling it. Such a blast to drive every time.
THANK YOU! Thank you for doing deep dives into cars from the 80s-2010s. 99% of people will never own the cars that 99% of videos are made about. Your videos allow us to explore used cars from a new car buyer standpoint and that is FUC*ING cool
Totally agreed. I’ve no experience driven the US spec E36 M3. But I’ve experience with both Euro and US spec Z3 M Roadsters, and I liked the US spec more.
Hey there I run a e36 channel and would appreciate your support for some e36 content🤞🏽🖤
As a bmw tech for a decade , these motors had no head gasket or cooling issue ... The problem was they used a plastic impeller on the water pump and the fack that no body watches the gauges .. these are one of the best all around cars ever made. A 4dr manual is perfect .
While it would have been nice to have the Euro engine, but the US E36 M3 was a terrific car - fun, balanced, lots of forgiveness-factor and worked great as a daily. I miss mine a lot.
I heard from the forums the US M3 is easier to turbo and can take more boost
I'm glad I kept mine! 😁
@@MIKEK3NT yeah the compression ratio is lower so you can run higher psi on your turbo.
@@MIKEK3NT I've heard that only idiots tune M cars.
@@mrki412 🤣🤣🤣🤣
I'd say I'm in agreement. I almost bought one. Quite a few of my track friends had one, we had a ton of fun battling it out in Time Trials. Great platform / pretty light / well balanced. No Nonsense approach. Boy, how far has BMW strayed...
….cue 3800+ lb TWO SERIES
5700lb X ///M has entered the chat
BMW has never made light cars. Everything is heavy today.
@@nightdriver7216 E36 M3 weighed 3,131 lbs was fairly light for size and class. Current model just a hair under 4,000 lbs. Definitely portly.
Great job making this fun to watch Jason! The side by side driving comparison is really cool, and.. nice driving!
Living in Europe I have owned the Euro 3.2 e36 for 4.5 years, sold it rather recently... Such an amazing car, it felt brutal and so pure... The sound of the engine just going on and on and when you think you should shift, nope, it has 2.000 more and has just started pulling skin from your face... Then you shift and it starts pulling even more... Well balanced, handled pretty well on D2 Drift coilovers even with 25 or so years of age and far from perfect maintanence... The adrenaline would start pumping when I heard it starting up, with its ear-piercing cold start and an engine tone rougher than sandpaper yet it kept perfectly stable idle... It gave me goosebumps from open road corners, through drift events all the way to stop-and-go traffic... Where it lacked the most was, obviously, interior; so I just stripped it out and sent it... Now, saying how good of a car it really is, yes, the S50B32 had me sweating multiple times, I found myself often being scared to drive it because the engine could just blow up at any moment... But then again, I did a lot of drift events, lots of "spirited" (full throttle, mostly sideways) driving on roads, quite a few road trips (never towed it to events, always drove it), lots of city/daily driving just because I could or my daily would be down for maintanence, and only issues I ever really had were concerning lines from the engine to the oil cooler, they gave out twice and both times engine lost all oil but I shut it off immediately... Of course, it had its own fair share of not running right, rough idle, hickups, backfires and none of those were ever diagnosed; fuel pump gave out and it's a 5bar one exclusive to Euro 3.2 so that was a nightmare to fix, etc. etc. Thinking of it, would I prefer owning the US 3.2? Yes and no, I'd prefer the part of "owning" and maintaining it, but I wouldn't enjoy the driving nearly as much, because the S50B32 is basically a racecar engine in a street car, where the S52B32 wouldn't be able to give me that feeling... All that said, I loved the video, learned a few things myself and it did give me a different perspective on my age old question of "what was BMW even thinking of with the US M3 e36?"
Well said 👍🏽
Hey there I run a e36 channel and would appreciate your support for some e36 content🤞🏽🖤
Among it's accolades as best handling car, this car won the "quarter" test, where magazine editors drove over stacks of glued quarters with various sports cars to see what was the smallest stack you could feel at the wheel. The e36m3 won because they could feel precisely when they drove over a stack 2 quarters high. I wonder what cars, if any, could match or do that now. Electric steering racks tend to filter that level of road feel out.
Maybe an Alfa 4c (because no power steering), but those are already out of production. The last M3 with great steering was the E92. Everything after that was mediocrity personified.
@@flyingphoenix113 accurate. The difference in steering between e60 to f10 made me die inside.. truly shocking
That's interesting. Got a link to the test?
I suspect the BRZ/86 could match or beat that. The E36 steering has a rubber bushing/connector in the steering column that mutes road feel significantly, while the good electric power steering systems are functionally much more similar to manual racks, with an electric motor that only kicks in when needed. Having owned both an E36 and an FRS, I can vouch firsthand that the 86 platform not only has much faster steering, but communicates more road feel as well, at least until you upgrade the e36 with stiffer bushings.
@@verdict1163 No, but I'm pretty sure it was a sidebar to the test "Best Handling car over $30k" Jason references in the video where the car beat the NSX, Viper, etc. If I recall (it was 25yrs ago), the test was born from talking about "stopping on dime" and they literally tested to see if/when they could feel the car hit the coins.
Damn you, Camisa! Now these E36's will become unobtainable, and I've always wanted one.
They already have haha
Too late, 10 years ago an e36M or 328i was under $10000, now they are $30000
@@TheTuulos where the hell are you looking that theyre 30 grand
@@sycclical broken ones in Canada that are all rust. You want mint, $60-80 thousand
@@TheTuulos 10 years ago 328i was more than its now. Now these rust buckets go for 2-4k
These are student some of my favorite car talk videos! Jason refuses to take himself seriously, he's hysterical but deeply knowledgeable about his cars and he's choosing ACCESSIBLE vehicles normal people have a snowball's chance of finding and perhaps even affording! Brilliant! Keep them coming!
Hello Jason, the work and research you put into these videos is amazing, unique, and exceptionally informative ! Kudos to you, your crew, and Hagerty !
Owned a 96 US spec M3 for a couple years and I never ONCE thought the engine wasn't special enough. If there was one place I wish BMW had spent more money it would be the interior, not the engine.
You'll notice when he was talking about the interior he mentioned they DIDN'T put metal inside the interior panels. On balance, I'll take the lighter weight and deal with addressing interior issues as they crop up (which incidentally, are a much worse problem on coupes than sedans, so maybe I won't deal with them...)
@@jkmason88 I did see that. Makes sense that the interiors don’t hold up well. I had a coupe with pretty high miles and it was a rattle can over anything other than brand new asphalt.
@@jkmason88 it wasn't about lighter weight, it was for recyclability. Most of the weight gain for the E46 M3 was structural improvements to the chassis (although ironically the rear subframe mounting points somehow seem WORSE on the E46 😆)
@jsquared1013 I'm well aware. Intention only has so much to do with outcome. Unintended consequences aren't always bad. The e36 is the lightest RWD sedan you can purchase in the US going back 30+ years - and it ALL adds up. So intended or not, it mattered. The rear subframe is worse in the e46 because they deleted the reinforcements they added to the e36 M3. Early e36 M3s and non-Ms also had similar problems. The only difference is they fixed it in 96+ M3s, but they never fixed it for the e46s.
@@jkmason88 Add to that BMW just added about 300 more pounds for those weak E46 mounts to hang on for dear life while drifting or slamming pot holes in town. Lol
Impressive to find one with the optional performance glovebox, that is a super limited spec.
Idc e36 always been my favorite 3 series /m3 , the s50 and s52 sound awesome , doesnt look over the too and fun to drive especially the ones with the zf tranny
God this channel rocks. Excellent storytelling in optimal length. Succinct, substantive, educational. Great stuff.
That car in the studio is an absolute beauty. The other day I traded my beloved E46 325i M sport for a stage 1 E90 330d with a manual 'box and its a bit of a sleeper.
Most people don't read and research outside the box . Bmw made amazing D engines that are reliable, good mpg , tunable and is best kept secret in the world lol
I recently moved to an e90 335i from having multiple e36’s. It’s an absolute unit of a car especially have upgraded turbos, kw V2 coilovers, m3 control arms etc, but my heart longs for an e36 m3 more and more as time goes by. It’s like a piercing pain lol I think they’re the best looking 90s German car.
A manual glovebox? Awesome!
This guy reminds me when I met Chris Harris years ago with this kind of videos. He is now a reference in this field. Great video about an iconic car. Even the regular versions like my 1997 320i coupe are fun to drive.
same-ish narration style...even sort of looks like him if you squint just right…both great. Now if only they’d jettison the back up singers and hand Top Gear to Harris...
I had one back in 97. A 95 cosmos black vader seats. My young low income ass couldnt afford the payments at the time so I only had it for 2 years… not long enough to watch it dry rot thankfully. Loved it.
So well filmed, written and presented. And great content! Keep them coming!
14:45 classic e36 glovebox feature 😂 Owned a E36 M3 for many years. Great car and glad it’s getting time in the spotlight.
I keep the lock closed so mine doesn't fall off. Last time it fell open it broke the retainer tab and was hanging like the piece of junk that it is XD
The level of detail and research going into this video is simply impressive. I now miss my 97 Boston Green Metallic M3 more than ever and in thankful for this video. Jason you and your team rock!!!!
Jason & team: These videos are the highlight of my KZhead subscription feed. Always makes my day when I see a new one! Best automotive content on the internet.
The editing and story telling here is in a class of its own! Really enjoyed this.
Original owner of ‘99 here! Still have it and love it!
This is a truly interesting story. As a European, I never heard of this before. Thanks!
Moved to Miami in 1996 and was amazed at the amount of M3s driving around. Coming from Europe I mostly saw 318ds. In Miami in rich areas 90% were m3s or cabrios.
@@salovila5328 because cheap fuel in america
@@aadi8568 I would say in the EU, most of the cars sold 5 years ago that cost over 80k Euros are running on diesel. Its mentality, not cost.
@@aadi8568 fuel wasn't expensive in Deutschland in the 90s, second hand cars were fairly cheap. I think lack of parking space had influence on sale of larger cars. Mannheim was and still is pretty crowded.
@Mike pay was good, cars were cheaper. 1500 DEM would get you an ex Taxi Mercedes in decent condition if you were smart with your money.
The quality of this video is remarkable! Been obsessing over the E36 the past few days and this is came at just the right time
Hey there I run a e36 channel and would appreciate your support for some e36 content🤞🏽🖤
This show keeps getting better and better, and everything is so well explained...man, I can't hit the like button enough
Hey there I run a e36 channel and would appreciate your support for some e36 content🤞🏽🖤
this has quickly become my favorite series on KZhead, and Hagerty my favorite channel. What you guys have done here is incredible, keep it up! For people my age(23) youtube is our car magazine, and this is the best one imo.
My "attainable car of my dreams". The E36 is to me the best looking BMW ever, its like it never ever gets old! Aaaand it has the best sound of all the I6 engines they made. 😍 Great vid, as always...
Same here till I saw the E46.. 🤦♂️🤣😅
@@Nirotceh1 I really like the E46 too!
I had a really hard time choosing between the E36 and E46 M3 when I was in the market for one last year. The E36 is CLEARLY the best looking (imo) and probably my favorite M3 overall, but I ended up going with the slightly more modern, absolutely timeless E46 because it's a bit more practical nowadays. I genuinely dig the raspy sound of the E46 though. To some people, it sounds like a riced out Honda (which I can't really refute) but to me it's peak racecar and I love it. M cars aren't supposed to sound pretty. I'll own both one day...
@@SongXiii Congrats on that beauty then! The E46 exhaust sounds a bit flat, but the induction noise makes up for it... 😏 Hope the E36 can join its younger brother!
Cars and humor just kind of go together. Content, knowledge, humor and delivery take this show over the top. Every time I watch one I realize I just watched two and want to go back and watch them again. I also realize I miss something every time I watch it again. Thanks and keep making content Jason.
Hey there I run a e36 channel and would appreciate your support for some e36 content🤞🏽🖤
I own and drive a 128i 2008 everyday and what you are saying is really reflecting to me. Thank you for your great videos.
If you ask me, there are no bad E36, especially if you compare them with the current gen. I for one won´t get rid of mine anymore, but my glovebox stays shut at least. Very nice video as always, i´ll keep looking forward to them. As long as i´m allowed to stay as CLASSIC-BMW fanboy. 😉👍
Glove box! Never stop closing it. Love it. Thank you Jason and team. You guys are awesome
Amazing video, as always! One of the best cars I've had the pleasure of driving. Even got to race a friend's at an autox when my car busted a CV boot on the way to the track. Having never driven the car, my friend was insistent that I race it. So I did and got first in class in I forget which stock class. Even beat another E36 M3 with sticky tires. I was AMAZED at how well balanced it was and communicative. Got me thinking about getting another one to join my E92 M3 and turn it into a track toy.
I've oned a E36 M3 years ago, such a beautiful machine
Absolutely love this series. Learn something new all the time while being entertained. Can’t ask for more. 👍🏻
So… I love E36 M3! I finally bought one a few years ago. The car had 100,000 miles on it, it was in good condition and it already had suspension modifications and a full exhaust on it. I went ahead and had the head ported, Shrick cams shaft installed, swapped the transmission for a 6 speed out of an E 46 M3 and finally, and almost most importantly, had the steering rack swapped out for the one out of a Z3. I finished the project by swapping out the headlights for euro e36 m3 ones and re-doing the interior. My 1999 M3 is just awesome! It is now 275 hp at the crank, it sounds amazing and it handles beautifully. I am in my late 40s and I am most definitely gravitating to almost any cool car produced between 1995 and 2015. I have a few really cool, some of them high dollar cars from that vintage. This one definitely stands out even next to some of my cars that are worth 8-12 times more $$$. As a huge BMW fan, and someone that owns a few of them, I can tell you that the only two BMWs that I have ever owned and driven I better than my E36 M3: my 2007 Z4M Coupe and 2020 M2CS 6MT.
Having owned fast and slow cars, I've come to the conclusion that hp and tq are all relative. There's always going to be faster and better cars. It boils down to what strikes your fancy and how well the inputs make you feel. The emotion of driving. That's why I don't really care if the US E36 isn't the real M
Hey there I run a e36 channel and would appreciate your support for some e36 content🤞🏽🖤
Best driving portion of the video series yet! Tons of mini slides in there.
this has always been my favorite M3, I think is the prettier, even when I see anyone talking about it. Even Jason Cammisa did as it doesn't exists in the Hagerty M video I even think this is the prettiest sedan ever.
Cool story bro
It has electronic port injection and normal syncromesh gears.
I own 2 E36 sedans- a '97 track car and a '98 sunny day daily. I went from thinking this was the worst chassis to selling my F80 because I kept finding myself choosing the keys to my first E36. Both are just 2.8s because I always seem to be just behind the value curve on M cars, but man do they provide that pure driving experience.
"98 Sunny day Daily" ,,? sounds like a "Full Auto Convertible" that has NOT been upgraded to a FULLY Manual Top,,, I have that same issue,,, but MY Top is up,, lol
A friend of mine has owned a 36 M3 sedan since the late 90's(back when we were in our early 20's). It had and still such a special feel to it. I feel it was even bigger deal back then to have an M car than it is now. That being said, I truly enjoyed driving it Really felt like a sense of occasion. I currently own a very low mileage e92 M3 and absolutely love it but the the E36 had a more special feel to it. Perhaps my memories are based on my limited experience with other cars at the time. What I can attest to is that it definitely was and still remains to be dead nuts reliable. He's maintained it to the T over the years and it shows. Had never suffered any major failures other than the odd sensor etc.
This guy is absolutely amazing. One of the BEST shows on youtube, makes me proud to be a Hagerty policy holder for my BMWs! Keep this guys show going, no matter what, keep it going!
As a US E36 owner for nearly 6 years, I would have to agree with all the points you made! The cooling issue gave me a good chuckle. The interior pieces falling apart is a definite e36 issue as well. Thank you for taking the time to document everything through this video. Excellent work!
Hey there I run a e36 channel and would appreciate your support for some e36 content🤞🏽🖤
I love Hagerty, your production value, actual material is great, and the presentation is awesome. Jason Cammisa is the most entertaining car tuber I've ever seen.
Great video Jason! On point too. Had my e36 for little under 2 years and everyday I remember that car.
I purchased a 1997 M3 Sedan for $42k brand new in '97 and I still drive it today. After installing a lifetime water pump from FCP Euro and Mishimoto full aluminum radiator I've had no cooling issues for over a decade.
"Never stop closing the glovebox" 😂😂😂
That was perfect. And unexpected.
@@biznatcho7 100% expected if you've owned an E36 🤣
The E36 came out, when I was 13 and most enthusiastic about things let alone cars. My dad owned an European-spec E36 M3 3.0 sedan, which was an incredible sleeper car in black. In the 90s people on the Autobahn would move over at 110 kph for a car on the acceleration lane, that just seconds later would enter the Autobahn at 150 kph hundreds of meters ahead of them. To me the E46 wasn´t the great leap that most people thought, although with the E46 M3 BMW introduced more changes between standard car and M version. But as a model line overall the E36 was the greater achievement. And yes, the Paul Rosche M engine was very special.
The e46m3 was basically an e36 m3 v1.3 underneath.
@@Euphorica Not quite. Yes, the engine was very similar, but with body structure, suspension and differential BMW introduced extensive changes that went for beyond what distinguished the E46 base model from the E36. Check out how much wider the E46 M3 track was than in the regular car and how much bigger the wheels were (not just the rims, but the actual tire diameter). The E46 M3 shared less than 40 percent of its parts with the E46 coupé.
I was one of those who begged for the M3 sedan. My first was a '98 M3/4, one of the last off the production line (the last batch in Dec '97 were white), bought new in 1997. Amazing car on the track, tremendous grip. Added Euro headlights and the European 3-spoke steering wheel and it was as good as the M52 version. My second was a black '97 that I bought a few years ago that, while still nice, came with a Dinan (Bilstein) suspension that I had to toss (too harsh), a Dinan "cold" air intake (I installed the Euro-spec airbox which flows enough for 320 hp while using the same filter as the US car) and a A/C evaporator leak that took 25 hours of labor to change out. BTW the Euro brakes were 2-piece rotors, superior to the US parts. Once at Watkins Glen I strapped the child seats into the rear and drove with the misses & two small kids during the lunch break (max 50 mph)--people went CRAZY!. The best part of BMWs: The blue/red knob near the HVAC vent that allows cold air on the face and hot air on the feet in cool weather. Very Bavarian. Today, M stands only for "marketing", so that was the last BMW I'll ever own.
honestly, i saw this video when it first came out and at the time just sold my base RSX. so then, I bought a clean title cammed s52 98 sedan, and im in love all because of being convinced by this video
As an E36 M3 Evo owner .. I approve this message 👍🏼
I had a couple of '95 US M3's and that interior was a symphony of squeaking. Amazing handling and fun factor though. I do miss them!
My friend made me lose the idea of buying one literally because he said it is a rattlebox
Did the 95s smell like crayons as well lol
The glove box at the end has me cracking up! Great channel, haven't seen a bad episode yet.
99 M3 was my first car, drove the balls out of it as a 17 y/o. Drove it until I was a senior in college then swapped the drivetrain into a 325i when the body was ruined in an accident. Just sold the swapped car last year with 170k on the s52. Still had perfect compression on every cylinder, awesome motor. Blessed to have something like that as a first car, with the way the market is today few others will get that experience
Hey there I run a e36 channel and would appreciate your support for some e36 content🤞🏽🖤
Damn you Jason, now these are going to skyrocket in price! I've owned many awesome cars at this point in my life and the E36 is by far my favorite! I unfortunately had to part with the last one during grad-school and now they're just soo expensive.... I will have another one someday... soon.
Wanna buy mine in Arizona its a 97 coupe manual with a full mishimoto cooling system, short shift, slightly lowered, stage 2 clutch, black on black, carbon fiber hood l, and much more
I would never buy one of these cars for the insane prices they command now, maybe when they were still cheap. A regular e36 is the same thing anyways, you just don't get the M badge bragging rights.
@@herbienbrian2 thats incorrect you do get different trim, rear end, gearing, horsepower, and a few other things
I miss my U.S. spec E36 M3/4/5. It was fantastic, except for the glues coming undone in Georgian heat and the coolant system eventually giving way while I ran it while I popped into a store, only to come out to it overheated which lead to a fine crack in the head. Still, loved it.
Popped? Or pooped?
I don’t have a driver’s license yet (shot 2 at the exam in a few weeks!) but even without having real driving experience, I connect to the romance of owning a classic car like an M3 by watching Jason’s video’s. Keep up the good work!
Hey there I run a e36 channel and would appreciate your support for some e36 content🤞🏽🖤
Had a 1997 BMW M3 3.2L 321HP Estoril Blue back in 2004, so many good memories, raced it a lot too.
Hey there I run a e36 channel and would appreciate your support for some e36 content🤞🏽🖤
My hats off to you Jason Cammisa. Sir, your extensive knowledge of sports cars is beyond impressive. You're simply on another level! Keep em coming
Hey there I run a e36 channel and would appreciate your support for some e36 content🤞🏽🖤
Fantastic story telling as usual
The styling for these and the e46 are timeless, such smooth body lines and styling. They just look fast by the styling alone, love it !!
I’ve owned my 95 e36 m3 for more than 10 years and it’s been thru a lot. It’s gone thru the s50 and s52 and they were both really great engines. They are really underrated. I currently have an s54 and let me tell you this for me it’s the ultimate driving machine. Will own this beauty till my last breath
I am nearly 40. this was the first M3 I ever learned about or saw in real life, I loved the 4 doors dearly. This is the only M3 I care about.
oh man.. i had an e36, manual... vividly remember a car that was easy as a daily and just got better the faster it was drove. The issues are well known : the obligatory bmw oil leaks and plastic thermostat housing, cooling system, rear subframe... and that glovebox.. oh man that glovebox
I owned a 1995 M3 for years and that car was one of the most awesome cars I ever owned. Loads of fun very well balanced and enough power to get you into trouble. One of BMWs best platforms.
I bought a 1997 m3 3 weeks after this and I love the car other than needing new steering rack, tie rods, and worn shifter bushings the car feels great and sounds great. Also it has 210,000 miles on it but has no issues running.
You were HUSTLING down that back road at the end!
I miss my 95 e36 M3. Still my favorite car I've ever owned. :)
OMG, the glove box door at the end. So true! But I find if you lock the glove box it won't open while driving. I own a '97 e36 Sedan and it always makes me smile. Great car.
OH! OMG!! Incredible ending sequence comparison. That has to be the hardest pull on that road so far LOVED IT!
Drove/owned an e36 4dr for 20+ years. Beautiful. Still ran like a top at 215k. One cooling system replacement :) Really just a radiator neck, but I did all plastic under the hood. Redid the suspension components once. Otherwise, trouble free and amazing car. Chose the same motor in the z3 m coupe. There are no current BMW's that I even want honestly.
Looks wise, the E46 just can't be beat. It's only beaten by the E39 M5, but the E9X came very close.
Thanks for the history and facts to motivate and inspire me to legendary fix and restore my vehicle i own the 1993 bmw 325i e36 m3 automatic 4 door i bought for $900 i didn't know it had that much value until the first time i drove one THANKS King 👑
Wow, I've learn so much from this channel. I once have a 1996 E36 M3 M/T black on black with vader seats and love it. It was better then my E46 M3 SMG. Wish I still have it..