Are E36 M3 surpassing the E46 values?

[nyc951]

People pay boat loads of cash for air cooled 911s, and some of those drive like total garbage.

When cars get old enough, it becomes more about the vibe, and less about the actual drive.

Agreed. And agreed.

[Epoustouflant]

Might be a combination of both however just two days ago a 99 yellow with 131k miles sold for $29K and a white 96 with 99k miles sold for $24,500. Similar E46 M3’s with those miles are the same if not less than what these E36’s are getting. I understand if they were low mileage examples however most I see completed aren’t.

There are very few mint condition E36s - the limited supply might be playing a part in the prices you're seeing.

Personally, if I had to get into an E36, I'd want it mint over a clapper project. Unlike an E46, it would be very difficult to recuperate the cost required to bring it up to mint condition.

[Nate047]

If we're doing an E36 M3 appreciation thread, I'm definitely on board. I love mine, and unlike my E46, I haven't spent my entire ownership time trying to un-fuck the car from previous owners' neglect.

I don't know if I'd call it a $30K+ drive experience, but maybe it is. People pay boat loads of cash for air cooled 911s, and some of those drive like total garbage. When cars get old enough, it becomes more about the vibe, and less about the actual drive.

[EthanolTurbo]

E36 M3 really is an amazing car, and I went from hating the US motor to loving it. I think there are so very few clean ones left despite the high production numbers (think NA Miata) that there will always be demand and scarcity for those true gems.

[maw1124]

Might be a combination of both however just two days ago a 99 yellow with 131k miles sold for $29K and a white 96 with 99k miles sold for $24,500. Similar E46 M3’s with those miles are the same if not less than what these E36’s are getting. I understand if they were low mileage examples however most I see completed aren’t.

It also probably has to do with the financial outlay for the "Big Three". Exhibit A... https://carsandbids.com/auctions/92D...m_medium=email ... car probably went $10k light because the Big Three weren't done.

When I was looking at E36M (my original choice), I couldn't get my head around the science project that would have been adding power to it, knowing that the factory had already added the 100hp I was looking for, in a newer car with an updated chassis and a warranty, maxing out the inline 6 engine that made their name, with a "real M" motor. So buying the Dakar over Black E36M and dumping $10k into it for science project power mods didn't make a whole lot of sense when I could just buy an E46M and be done. So that's what I did. If one needed the Big Three and the other didn't, that would have certainly factored into my analysis.

The E36M certainly has its fan base, some who have argued to me it was better than the E46M. They may be the ones buying the cited examples (Dakar being one of the best colors IMO). But most just move to the E46M (of which there are tons, so loop back to the supply and demand story).

maw

EDIT... full transparency, I wanted Dakar over Red in the E36M which didn't exist, or an Estoril over Red which also didn't exist, so timeless TiAG over Red in the E46M is where I settled.

[Casa de Mesa]

I had a '97. There is definitely some magic in that chassis.

[R1pilot]

10 years ago you could pick them up for dirt cheap, which is good and bad as I wish I would have kept mine stock

[cobra]

Makes me regret not buying this E36 M3 LTW for $30k 10 years ago. Super low mileage and mint condition. I thought it was too expensive.

[Nate047]

They are not. Aside from maybe LTWs and GTs. While it’s true that it’s hard to find a properly “nice” (let alone uniquely optioned) E36 for a good price these days, the same can be said for popular colors and well maintained E46s.

[Casa de Mesa]

April '21

So not quite peak of the frenzy but getting there.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1995-bmw-m3-coupe-40/

This just hit my inbox. It will be interesting to see if this has the same strike price as it did a year and change ago. It's BaT but...

[9kracing]

When did you buy yours 9kracing?

April '21

[Obioban]

Hagerty also values LCI M3s much higher than 01-03




That being said, it has come down, because when I bought my car excellent condition was 72K, which is what my policy is for.

That probably would have been a more like for like comparison, since I did select a post facelift e36.

[Casa de Mesa]

When did you buy yours 9kracing?

[9kracing]

Hagerty also values LCI M3s much higher than 01-03




That being said, it has come down, because when I bought my car excellent condition was 72K, which is what my policy is for.

[Obioban]

An actually nice e36 M3 barely exists anymore.

Supply and demand.

That said, per Haggerty the e36 has dropped more recently than the e46, and is worth less in absolutely terms, so... not sure if the underlying thesis is even sound.