BMW has given us some amazing vehicles over the past couple of decades, and nothing compares to the pedigree of the 3-series. Monikered the Ultimate Driving Machine due to the perfect size and power; this puts the 3-Series in a sweet spot where it is an absolute charm to drive. It was the E36 that first came with bolder lines, a wider stance, bold sports coupe type A and C pillars with a BMW engine that gave the 3-series a unique identity. With the variants like, coupe, convertible, wagon, four-door sedan, and the performance M, there is a 3-Series that fits everyone.
In the year 1990, BMW updated the 3-Series, which came out with the E36 platform. The 3-Series revolutionized entry-level touring vehicles in the industry. Some fear the current 3-Series is not the ultimate driving machine like the older models, which is why the pre-2006 models are so popular. Also, the old European Luxury-Sports cars are available at dirt-cheap prices today as they depreciate like a rock sinking in the ocean. Models like the E30 (‘82-’94) and the E46 (‘97-’06) are among the greatest BMWs ever made, but the E36, even though an amazing platform, remains somewhat underappreciated.
Let us see the impact it made on its arrival and how much the BMW E36 3-Series cost today.
Why Is The E36 So Popular?
BMW changed the game with the 3-Series back in ‘75. It was a well-built car with rear-wheel drive and handled better than most other cars then. A superb drive and a premium brand image lured heaps of people into buying the 3-Series. It had a high-revving engine that was zippy and fun to drive on city roads and freeways with plenty of power at the tap. Upon introducing the E36 platform, BMW brought all the heat to its competition. They modernized the design style of the E36, which looks radical to date. It also had a near-perfect 50/50 weight distribution, a trait generally adopted in sports cars for better handling.
With the E36 platform, all BMW engines that were deployed shared the same construction with a dual camshaft overhead with four valves on each cylinder. This setup gave the E36 more power and efficiency while reducing the overall engine weight when compared to the previous generation E30 3-Series. The power that the E36 platform produced ranged from 84HP from the Inline-4 engine all the way to 316HP in the M3. Driving a slow car fast is always more fun than driving a fast car slow, and this gave the E36 a drive like few other cars could offer. Even today, modern passenger cars cannot match the zesty appeal of the 36s Inline engines.
So How Much Does The E36 Cost?
As BMW sold this generation of 3-Series all over the world, the sheer volume of production was very high. Being a mass-produced entry-level luxury vehicle, the depreciation level of the E36 has now reached its peak. The E36 modified Bimmers are so cool that they still have a status in the community. Being a BMW that's over two decades old now, the E36 has some problems that you should know. With a list of issues and knacks in it, the upkeep is not as easy as it once used to be. Like a common grandfather watch, the E36 has now depreciated to only ten percent the original value when it was released. The depreciation graph of the E36 hit a low point around 2018 when its M version didn't cost more than $7,000, but with the growth in demand, the E36 is on the verge to appreciate.
With easy fixes and aftermarket popularity, the E36 attracts attention and buyers all the same. It is a staple car for most enthusiasts that are looking for a pocket-friendly project with an easy market for parts and equally easy to work on. Most high school and college students prefer this cool little car as it is something cooler than the hand me down Toyota Camry or Honda Accord that doesn't have street cred. In today's market, the BMW E36 starts as low as $1,500 for the base 318i model and goes into high four-digit or low five-digit figures for the M version. At such an affordable price point, who wouldn’t want to own a piece of history which is still so relevant in the present time!
Source: oppositelock.kinja.com, maxbimmer.com, youtube.com