VR6 vs. BMW E36 328i Sport Coupe

[gradeAfailure 0]

Whilst idly trawling through Autotrader online, I've been noticing that the BMW 328i Sport Coupes of about N-R reg are selling for about £3.5-5.5k - and these are all with full leather, climate control, all the toys, and around the 90-120k mark on the mileage... Seems to be a bargain price compared to Corrado VR6s with similar mileage and being a few years older, plus the BM has a 24V lump in it...

 

Yes, I know you'd become a BMW-driving numpty, but what's the unbiased (:lol:) opinion...?

 

Not that I'm looking to buy either, just idle speculation...!

[Walesy 0]

My mate sold his stunning g60 a few months back and bought an L plate M3, I've been in it and it certainly goes like fook, but there's just no personality to them like there is with raddo's, and every other VW for that matter.

 

Not my cuppa.

[bristolbaron 10]

IMO both are decent cars, but one loks the same as every other beemer out there.

I see it as paying rado prices for the looks and rarity, not the spec or speed.

[Walesy 0]

IMO both are decent cars, but one loks the same as every other beemer out there.

I see it as paying rado prices for the looks and rarity, not the spec or speed.

 

agreed.

[Claret Badger 0]

seconded

 

motion carried

[conleycrew3 0]

my mate has a 325 l reg, payed far too much if you ask me, 140k no leather, needed a service, no manual and had rear quarter sprayed and you can tell! all for £2100.

iv driven it and like corradowales says it has no personality!

boring to drive apart from the power, which you cant use in the wet full stop!

 

get a VR6, have a giggle, rare, and you wont look like an old man ha ha

oh yeah vr parts are a little cheaper too

[vr6storm 0]

seconded

 

motion carried

 

 

i'll third it too :wink:

[biggerbigneil 0]

The problem with the E36 328 engines (as I'll sure Hugo will confirm) is that they had Nikasil lined engines which regular unleaded or even super seems to eat away. Some engines (usually the ones will full BMWSH) have had steel liners put in so they are okay. Any 328 engine up to 1999 has this problem. If you are considering a 328 from 95-98 I would make sure you have evidence of the steel liners or engine replacement as quite a few have done.

The pre 99 328's without this problem solved have been known to do as little as 20,000 miles before needing a new engine. I personaly think the 328 Sport in Black with sand leather looks very nice indeed! actually better looking than the E36 M3 and I think has dated better

[biggerbigneil 0]

If you can get insurance on an M3 I would get the E30 M3 or E36 M3 - 3.0l not the 3.2 Evo as they are over strained engines. Performance BMW magazine has a good article on a 94 M3 (3.0l) which they picked up for under 5k with 90k miles on the clock and they going to race prepare it for track use. If you can get a service reset tool and service the car yourself they are pretty cheap to run - excluding petrol...

[gradeAfailure 0]

I'm not looking to buy either - can barely afford a 2.0 8V Passat at the mo! - just thought I'd see what peeps opinions were... Not really surprised at the answers tbh! :lol:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yeah the Nikasil liners reacted badly to the sulphur present in most petrol, especially supermarket stuff. Some early 328s were OK if driven strictly on low sulphur fuel, such as Shell Optimax....but it only really bought you time.

 

I looked into the 328 in great detail as it was on my shortlist when choosing a coupe 3 years ago. I tried a few and very nearly bought a Sport with full leather, LSD, BBS splits etc in Boston Green....but the Corrado came up at a good price and had less miles on it.

 

I just didn't like the way it drove. The steering was dull, lifeless and too many turns lock-to-lock...to the point of making the whole car boring in all honesty. The handling was OK, but not spectactular. Then of course after factoring in the common breakages, tyre costs (17s), servicing costs etc etc, the Corrado was more a more attractive buy, and as it happens, more attractive to look at and drive too.

[kerrinmay 0]

My previous car was an E36 318is coupe and I've now got a 2.0 16v Corrado. There is so much more life in a Corrado, everything feels much more sporty and precise. We still have the E36 coupe as it's my partners car now, and when I drive it, it really feels like a bit of an old boat!

 

When the BMW was my car (I owned it for over 5 years) I loved it and felt it drived really well and I thought the M-Tec Sports Suspension was great, but it's nothing compared to a Corrado.

 

I do look at the BMW sometimes thinking how much I loved that car - and it did do us well. I'm just glad that my partner owns it now (plus we need it if we go away anywhere as we find the boot in the Corrado much too small!).

[dr_mat 0]

Mate of mine has a 328i, without nikasil liners. With only 60k miles it's a very solid car, and it's got a much smoother engine, better fuel economy, is sooo much more refined than my VR. But it's not as quick.. I've not actually driven it so can't really give a direct comparison of how it feels on the road.

 

He's obsessed with rear wheel drive though, so his opinion of the VR isn't representative. Not that he's ever driven a decent FWD car (such as my VR), so he's really just comparing with the Seat Marbella he crashed when he was 17 ...

 

They are good buys, but I felt that there's no point - they're too common and too big. I wanted a Corrado for the compact dimensions, the stealth factor, the retro design, the rarity, and the big V6 :) the BMW has some of these, but not others ..

[biggerbigneil 0]

I see more Corrado VR6's around in Guildford than I see E36 328 Sports and E36 M3's combined....

There does however seem to be an unusualy large amount of Corrado's in Guildford? I don't really see any anywhere else I drive.

Given the choice of a 328 Sport and a Corrado VR6 (both mint) - I'd have the VR6 every time!

Over the choice of an E36 M3 (3.0l) and a Corrado VR6, I would still be hard pushed to choose and when these cars were new the M3 was double the price!

 

I'm going to need to get myself a VR6 again....

They are so god dam good looking!

I won't realistically have another one for two years :(

maybe a Storm if I can find one!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I was somewhat under whelmed by a drive in a work colleague's E36 M3 (3.0), it felt to me like a great engine in search of better chassis.

 

It's the only M3 I've driven but I've heard the E30 and E46 ones are miles better. Again, it's that steering.... it's horrid. It's like steering an arcade steering wheel, only the arcade wheel has more weight!

 

That was pretty much my only complaint. Everything else....brakes, omposure, balance, cornering, grip, acceleration were all first rate. The 3.0 is an old car now, so you'd need seriously deep pockets to keep one of those in fine fettle now.....unless you're lucky enough to find a sub 50K minter.

[biggerbigneil 0]

or work at BMW and get 40% off parts.....

[dr_mat 0]

I see more Corrado VR6's around in Guildford than I see E36 328 Sports and E36 M3's combined....

 

Sure, but how many E36 BMWs do you see? The Corrado as a model is rare. The 3-series BMW isn't ..!

Let's face it, the M3 just looks like a standard 3-series that's been touched by the max power wand .. (Let the flames commence..!) ;)

[biggerbigneil 0]

ooooft thats gotta hurt someone