[JRF]

I've owned an OG M2, and E36, E46, and e92. The E36 was by far my favorite of the bunch from a pure "fun to drive" standpoint, but, it would be the last one that I'd ever own again. It's one of the few cars that i've owned that I lost a decent amount of money on because of the cost of upkeep and maintenance. My impression of the E36 is that while the drivetrain itself might be relatively bulletproof, the rest of the car is the complete opposite (suspension, cooling, electronics, plastics, seals, interior, etc. etc. etc.).

[John in VA]

Originally Posted by JRF

My impression of the E36 is that while the drivetrain itself might be relatively bulletproof, the rest of the car is the complete opposite (suspension, cooling, electronics, plastics, seals, interior, etc. etc. etc.).

This was the era when the bean counters really affected BMW quality. E34 experienced the same issues.