A BMW 3-series is the best BMW for first-time car owners. The 3-series can reach 240,000 miles, which means a used model has plenty of life left. Furthermore, compared to other BMWs, 3-series have relatively low annual maintenance cost ($780) and reasonable annual insurance cost ($2,400). However, that certainly doesn’t answer the question CliffNotes: Should I get an E36 as my first car. In about a year I will get my license and my parents have told me that they will spend $8,000 on a car for me. So far I have knocked my choices down to an E36 or E46 328i and if I were to add $2K then an E36 M3/4/5 maybe :D. My question to you Maintenance heavy? Wouldn't say so, they're pretty easy to work on, so a good first car for enthusiasts who want to learn. Also, unlike many newer BMW, there weren't many major reliability complaints other than the plastic heavy cooling system, which gets brittle with age. As long as it's not eaten by rust, I believe it's a wonderful first car. This subreddit is dedicated to a car that should still be, and the goal of preserving what was. The Celica is a great starter car for someone willing to put the work in, and if you need help in that regard you've come to the right place. The 2011 BMW 328i hails from a long line of amazing 3 Series cars. This model line got its start in 1975 with the release of the E21 coupe. Within just a couple years, this car went from a basic four-cylinder automobile to a six-cylinder marvel. The iconic E30 came on the scene next in 1982, immediately wowing the crowds and setting the stage Nico DeMattia January 31, 2020 / 3 minutes read 2 comments As many of you may already know, my first car was an BMW E36 3 Series, a 328i sedan to be more exact, and I loved it. In fact, I built an ls1 swapped e36 as my first real "project car" without much prior experience working on cars. I had a Mazdaspeed3 before that I did stuff like swap exhaust on and other bolt ons. The e36 is a great project car and it felt great to work on during the build process. Nothing is overly complicated. ive been thinking lately of getting a bmw e36, it would be my first car idk i wana know how efficient it is. not for a project just a daily driver The E36 M3 was never going to have an easy ride. It followed the first-generation E30 M3, which was bred for racing, with all the purity of purpose but compromise that entails. The E36 had a far broader remit, with a stronger focus on luxury and refinement as well as increased performance, and an eye on selling tens of thousands – not just The Z3 is that car, and the version we’re considering here – the Z3 2.8 – is arguably the most appealing of the range. You will all, of course, have heard of the Z3 M and the somewhat gawky Z3 M Coupé E36/8, both of which are now fetching £25,000+ in showrooms up and down the land. So, the value of these two has taken them beyond the MeWIeB.