Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 51k-Mile 1999 BMW M3 Convertible.
In 1992, BMW advertising claimed “The new M3 isn’t just built for car fanatics. It’s built by them.” When the E36 chassis 3 Series launched, it carried forward BMW’s commitment to building the “Ultimate Driving Machine.” That tagline, which took root as far back as the 1970s, became the guiding principle behind the engineering of every vehicle in the brand’s lineup. But in particular, the M-badged cars got even more “special sauce” than other trims.
Now is your chance to see if the driving experience is as “ultimate” as BMW promised. This M3 is being offered by a dealer in Gladstone, Oregon, and the auction will end on Tuesday.
There’s a lot to love about the car. For being 25 years old, it has only accrued 51,491 miles on the odometer – and its entire CARFAX history shows California ownership, which means the car has spent life in climates that are “friendly” to vehicle exteriors, interiors, and underbodies. The report also shows 20 service records – a testament to the care it received throughout life.
Beyond its paper trail, the most compelling selling factor for this car is its brilliant paint job, identified by code number 335. BMW called this shade “Estoril Blue,” and the color was named after a motorsport racing circuit on the Portuguese coastline. The Estoril Circuit was inaugurated in 1972 and was later home to the Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix from 1984 to 1996. The color thus pays homage to BMW’s race-bred performance mindset.
Motivation for this ragtop comes from an “S52” 3.2-liter inline-six that was rated at 240 horsepower and 225 lb-ft of torque when new. A five-speed automatic transmission sends the power to the rear wheels. Maintenance history is thorough, and the documentation shows that the car received some heavy-duty work in 2022 comprised of replacing the drive belt tensioner, cooling fan clutch, power steering fluid, idler pulley, fuel filter, air filter, spark plugs, coolant, and more. In 2023, it received a new valve cover gasket.
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better summer ride for top-down cruising than a low-mileage, rare color, recently-maintained E36 M3. As BMW said in some of its marketing materials: “Very few of your dreams will come true. Relish those that do.” Is this your next Ultimate Driving Machine? Make it happen.
The auction for this 51k-Mile 1999 BMW M3 Convertible ends Tuesday, July 2, 2024 at 12:30 p.m. (PDT)
Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery
