I have owned the M3 from new and if you consider the small number of issues over the long period of ownership i consider it to be an excellent vehicle.
Even though i have owned this car for a very long time i still enjoy driving it more than any other car i have ever owned.
An excellent vehicle always exciting to drive.
Hope this saves someone many hours of guessing or changing expensive parts trying to fix a problem.
Or as happened to me! Paying BMW lots of money and not getting the problem fixed.
Noisy Vanos (around 75,000 km)
Vanos rattles as engine revs drop under 2,000 and when just above idling.
Not the Vanos pump or chain tensioner but the Diaphragm Spring plates that maintain the tension on the Vanos gears
They are inside the Cup part of the Vanos Chain drive and the Vanos spiral gear assy.Click Here to See Part Number
Always replace the Fibre or Fiber spacer that is under the Large circlip that retains the Vanos high pressure pump Assy
E36 Parts breakdown does not include the Diaphragm Springs use the E46 Part.. Click Here For E36 Vanos Parts
Rattle in the rear suspension (50,000 km)
This is caused by Top Shock absorber mounts, common failure every 50,000 Km
Access from boot on the top of the shock absorber humps. Part#
Clutch very low to floor when car is hot! No problem when cold. (75,000 - 100,000km)
Replace the flexible clutch hose to the slave Cylinder on gearbox, BMW hose expands when hot.
Use a good stainless braided hose and you will never have a problem again.
Do not remove the pressure switch on the hose or the engine will continually stall when you take it out of gear after idling down a hill.
Water Pump bearings (just under 100,000 km)
Rubber Hose from Idle control valve to Crankcase breather (Failed at 75,000 km)
Causes car to stall when you take it out of gear when at the bottom of a run down a hill.
Idle starts to get rough.
Lots of fun changing this part as it is under the Air intake manifold, yes you have to remove the air intake manifold!
Engine Pinging Problem(130,000 km)
Looked everywhere for air leaks, did find air leaks on the plastic O rings where the individual air intakes connect to the manifold.
Eventually found it was caused by the TPS sensor/switch at the front of the throttle body. Part# 13 637 840 383
The faulty TPS also intermittently caused the engine to rev high when first started some mornings(Approx 2,000 RPM)
Steering starting to wander, not direct, too much backlash(135,000 km)
Rubber joint in Steering coupling worn, has 2 universal joints with rubber bush and runs from end of steering column to steering rack.