my vr6 has almost 170k on it. still pulls hard, but burns a bit of oil…
timing chains hardly ever fail, and its not the chains themself its the plastic guides. after time they crack and become brittle, and the chains slip off the guides.
e30 bmws rock face.
i for one can say easily that the above stated e30 gets its ass kicked everytime mike gets in that left seat…
its not a happy car what-so-ever but its gonna last
British cars last along time…
Are you trying to tell him that he asked a silly question?
So it’s the same as most any solid engine. Gotta replace the timing chain components every 100-150k, otherwise you risk (like 94WVWLabcxyz said) the chain could get too loose and slip off or jump teeth? No big deal except that most engines are interference engines so if that happen you wind up with valves hitting pistons and shit like that…
Bah, I’m really looking for a way to justify ditching my Jetta for an E36, mostly because I want to. Plus I don’t want to have to put the money into redoing the timing chain guids and rails somewhere in the next 30k. Although my fiance had a good point: She’ll be graduated and working in a year and we’ll be married so I’ll have someone to split the bills with. So if I wait a year I can get a nicer E36 or an E46…
It’s true, my car lives most of it’s life between 4500-6900rpm, but it is my beater. The only issue I honestly have is the transmission, which the PO didnt put any fluid in and it stripped out second gear. But I can get a new one for under $100.
Some folks need their BMW M30 block edumacation.
Although in the case of this kind sir, he would be purchasing an M20 block or an M40 in the e36 most likely. Those require a little bit more maintenance than the M30 does.
^Care to elaborate? What gen which block is in? What is the extra maintenance? Edumacate me!
damn, I was gonna say I have an extra getrag 260 I wouldn’t mind selling.
I have no idea what you’re talking about.
m30 is not a 3 series motor at all. It’s a 5 series motor.
e30s come with m20s, m20b25 and m20b27. or the 318s have m10 or m42
e36 have dohc m50’s, and later m52’s. (m42 in the 4 cyl).
and I think the m50 is a pretty straight motor. dohc, timing chain rather than timing belt (m20 has belt). and i think it may even have hydraulic lifters (not suer, never owned an m50).
i’d say m50s are pretty darn straight.
but I prefer e30 to e36. e30s are more tossable, more fun to drive. i would like to rock an e36 as a daily and my e30 for fun
Oh I know that…but a gentleman before mentioned the timing chain teeth issue. But I was following up that the m30 block (my car and several others I have owned) does not really or never did have a timing chain teeth issue.
Then I was getting the thread back on topic mentioning the m20 and 40 engines that woud be ‘in the case of the e36 he’d be buying.’ Wouldn’t you say? 
-and to correct you, it’s not only a 5 series block.
lol re-reading it i came off way more cross than intended.
what bimmer do you own? 535i?
and yea, it also came in the 6 and 7 series, and the alpina e30
my m52>*. I dont think i would want anything less then a 2.8 liter unless, i was going to boost it. but even then i would still rather a 2.8 m52.
How’s road/wind noise in the E36’s? I have it in my mind that it would be less than most cars. Do the windows whistle on the highway like most cars? Fewer squeaks and rattles than most cars?
I’m actually shopping for a 5 speed 535i - black on black. If I can’t find that, then I’ll settle for a 528i 6 speed. Fortunately, california is littered with BMWs - that just happen to have slushboxes…
Wow thanks for all the info guys… more questions, I see that the faster model would be the 328is… correct me if Im wrong. Im not looking for anything drastically fast such as an M3 for insurance reasons mainly. How much would insurance run on the basic 3- series like a 325 or a 328? Thanks for all the help again guys…
Also Im lookin to be driving it all year round because Im gonna be commuting to college next year. Hopefully if we keep having winters like this past one then I shouldnt have to be worrying too much but as far as snow driving are they pretty good as long as I stay off the gas and get some nice snows?
It’s no Buick Lucerne.
bah, the m3 isnt fast. atleast the e36m3. The 328is only runs a few tenths slower than the m3. I think car and driver ran the 328is at14.6 or 14.7??.. IDK, to me thats piss slow.lol I pay around 90bucks a month full coverage, and my record is faaar from clean. Thats why im getting married.lol I cant afford to wait until im 25yrs old.lol
Id probably sell mine if the price was right. I have umnitza projectors, and chromiums. also i have some other stuff that i cant disclose at this point in time.:snky:
The ultimate dedication. Getting married to afford his bimmer insurance 
Just kidding. 
Yeah, even a bimmer’s not worth it. :lol:
My judgement, er, lucky day is already scheduled. :bloated: