Faults:

Torque converter replaced at 147 000 km.

Transmission serviced several times.

CD changer broken, radio doesn't work.

Headlight motors broken.

Climate control doesn't work.

Driver's seat belt replaced.

Airbag errors.

General Comments:

I think everything that could've gone wrong with this car has gone wrong. Since the day I bought it, the problems began with the torque converter and the transmission.

The transmission was changed in summer 2011 just before I bought it, and it has been serviced 3 times after that. Still the car shifts like it was 50 years old. When changing into drive, the engine stalls, the car barely idles when cold, and it doesn't always start on winter mornings.

The car has a Webasto installed. This is superb for cold Norwegian winters, but it drains the battery and makes some loud strange noises.

The handling is OK. The car has the Comfort package with good sport seats.

The diesel was probably a bad choice for me, since I only use it for driving around town.

The parking brake is rubbish, and can't be fixed.

It has spent more time at the dealer than on the road.

I have taken really good care of it, and have driven it carefully. If I knew that this car would have this many problems, I would have just kept my old Volvo.

Faults:

Water-pump changed at 170000km

Shocks where totally shot at 215000km

Changed differential at 230000km

Changed fuel-pump at 295000km

The car wears bushings out quickly, might be the wide tires I used on it.

Some rust on the doors, not much.

General Comments:

I really enjoyed this car, I owned it for 7 years and not many things went wrong with it.

3 owners, every one was 18-25 year range, so the car is driven in a more sporty manner :)

The engine still purr nicely, it's strong and it has all the original parts except the water-pump.

The seat-fabric it very strong, shows almost no wear after 16 years of good use.

Young people have used this car for 14 years and it still is good-looking.

Faults:

Two weeks after buying the car the mechanism supporting the window broke.

Another week later the windshield wiper motor broke.

Those two things cost $1500 to repair.

The dynamo created a bad sound when idling one month later.

Finally, the fuel pump broke in the middle of a busy road, and the car had to be picked up by a flatbed truck. The car is now sold.

General Comments:

Fantastic car when it works, which is rare. Should have had a little more low end power.

Faults:

No problems except the engine that operates the electric window on the front left side disconnected itself from the thing that holds the window... love it! Gives me a couple of days of work. I highly recommend a Haynes repair manual if you own a e36.

General Comments:

Beautifully looking, good performance, not excellent on gas, but not bad either, holds together very well after 12 years.