1998 BMW E36 M3 Review - Does Manual Steering Make It Better?

The E36 M3's hydraulic steering was never the weak point of the car in my opinion, but does depowering the rack make it even more fun to drive?
Mod List:
Schrick cams
Active Autowerke titanium headers and mid pipe
K&N intake
KW coilovers
ECS strut braces front and rear
Full emissions delete
Fog lamp delete
Short throw shifter
Lightweight flywheel
Tune from Kassle Performance
Fully built block
UUC Corsa exhaust
Power steering delete
2800lb (3100lb stock)
Follow me on IG: / zygrene
Email me if you'd like me to review your car: [e-mail]

[@forrestseverson6566]

This is my car. 1.The full power steering hydraulic system has been removed including reservoir, lines, hoses and, pump 2. The weight is based on using a scale on parts that came off versus what when on. The BBSs were almost 10 pounds lighter per corner. The kw suspension was significantly lighter than the factory suspension, the spare wheel took around 35-50 out most of the body panels have come off and I have burned away the sound deadening. The fog lamps have been removed along side the factory clutch fan. Wheel liners removed. Uuc flywheel lighter than factory . No more carpet mats or floor mats inside. No plastic sound deadening in the doors . SAP delete and AA headers , Midpipe and UUC Corsa Catback saved significant weight. The intake was lighter than factory. The seat mechanisms have been removed to save weight. The stewart water pump and CSF radiator were lighter than factory options. It also is running factory brakes and no cage to save weight. The some parts have been shaved or slimmed to save weight in other places.Based on what I removed I would assume it would be between 2900-2830. But that may have been with the folding seats and couch removed from the rear I cannot remember. 3. It has a Kassel performance tune 4.Headlights are glass depos 5. Wheel specs are 18x8.5 BBS RKII that weigh around 16 pounds apiece 225/40/18 square the front required a 12mm spacer to clear the coilover -2 camber on front -3 on rear

[@LemaL027]

Nice build 🍻 Mind if I ask you which Schrick cams you have on your car? Thanks

[@j.3854]

Those RK's are not 16 lbs

[@ricepony33]

Rear lsd differential from the automatic really wakes these cars up. 321 I think?

[@j.3854]

@@ricepony33 3.23 or 3.46 was what we did back in the day.

[@lightning5273]

You're missing an M50 manifold swap, really surprised you went cams before this.

[@Abdul_Rahman_QAT]

Would love to see Corvette generations comparison At least the modern ones with manuals C5, C6, and C7

[@cs2294]

I second this. I’m curious

[@1laimmiss]

I third this

[@Zygrene]

That would be an interesting one. Just need to find some nice examples. Owners - hit me up!

[@Dietcola1]

I drove a e36 m3 with a z3 1.9 rack, it's perfect so perfect I got one in my s52 e30 😉

[@rightminddrive]

I'm having a hard time believing that car is 2800lb. I got my last e36 m3 down to 2950 and that was with 16 pound buckets, fully custom exhaust, headers, no cats, etc.

[@AngryManSki]

This one has a palliates membership

[@frankchoi7]

@@AngryManSki what's "palliates"?

[@Euphorica]

I agree no way it's 2800 with a full interior

[@TranceFur]

Yeah, the owner of this car might be overestimating how much weight he’s removed. I don’t think it’s possible to lose 300 lbs without switching to aftermarket seats or removing interior components. This is the breakdown for my own E36 M3: -65 lbs: Corbeau A4 seats -45 lbs: Remove spare wheel -40 lbs: Full custom Exhaust -25 lbs: Apex ARC-8 Wheels -15-20 lbs: Optima Battery -10 lbs: Coilovers -10 lbs: BBK -10 lbs: Fog light delete -8 lbs: Trunk carpet -7 lbs: Aftermarket steering wheel -5lbs: ASC delete -5 lbs: Clutch fan delete -5 lbs: Remove tool kit -4 lbs: SAP delete -3 lbs: Remove sketchy jack -3 lbs: Intake -1-2 lbs - Remove horns That’s only 260 lbs removed, so I’m guessing he’s removed around 200, unless there’s something I’m not seeing.

[@joeracer302]

Needs to be weighed on specific race scales with accuracy/precision, even a truck weigh station is like +\- 10 lbs, so could be off by 20 lbs, and if something removed is only 20 lbs, who really knows then, right?

[@bingoberra18]

depowered rack cars need to be really light to give an enjoyable steering feel overall. Alignment wise steering feel usually increases as you make the steering heavier with more caster angle. Also, its nice if all controls are about the same feel. If you have a heavy steering, its weird to have a light clutch, brakes and throttle etc. You want all the controls to feel coherent and "as one".

[@Euphorica]

If its still the stock rack ratio there is a lot left on the table (so many racks you can swap in for a better experience.) Z3,zhp, z4 etc etc

[@fatoputso7375]

Love the build. Love the e36, i agree, the e36 is not a red head. It progressed from the e30 appropriately. Id only swap for z3m rack vs converting to manual. More on the s52 build please? Nevertheless sounds great and is probably a blast to drive.

[@davidpineda645]

A G35 with a tune will smoke this from a dig and a roll even if there are bends.

[@joeracer302]

Removing the power steering pump isn’t going to be smart at all. The rack isn’t a manual rack then it will drive like shit. Deleting the pump and leaving the factory power rack the lazy way of handling an old pump dying and being cheap not fixing it right. What I’m trying to say is, deleting the pump is not “having manual steering,” it is having a broken hydraulic rack.

[@forrestseverson6566]

Z3 rack with a block off plate and some fluid still in the rack. 15k miles later still no issues.

[@samueldowney2806]

Never been a fan of the underwhelming E36 M3, but that is very, very nice. The steering sounds great, and wonder if the owner has done any geometry changes alongside the power delete and what is possible around castor etc. The suspension sounds like it's drastically improved one of the weakest parts of the stock car and the engine itself sounds just glorious. Really like that.

[@forrestseverson6566]

Thank you I tried to find parts that wouldn't have drone or rasp

[@samueldowney2806]

@@forrestseverson6566 Really good job Forrest. Wonderfully judged build imo.

[@1855Media]

Maybe it’s just me, but I think for similar money, a stock 330 ZHP is a better car is pretty much every way compared to a stock e36 M3. What am I missing?

[@Euphorica]

A lot

[@forrestseverson6566]

E36 feel a lot more raw and driver centric compared to the 46

[@forrestseverson6566]

Also S52 is an iron block , If I remember correctly M54 is aluminum.

[@EstorilE36M345]

Personal preference mostly. I looked for ZHP also but hard to find…either shitty with moon miles or mint and big dollars. 😊

[@Euphorica]

M3 comes standard with an LSD

[@forrestseverson6566]

This is my car. 1.The full power steering hydraulic system has been removed including reservoir, lines, hoses and, pump 2. The weight is based on using a scale on parts that came off versus what when on. The BBSs were almost 10 pounds lighter per corner. The kw suspension was significantly lighter than the factory suspension, the spare wheel took around 35-50 out most of the body panels have come off and I have burned away the sound deadening. The fog lamps have been removed along side the factory clutch fan. Wheel liners removed. Uuc flywheel lighter than factory . No more carpet mats or floor mats inside. No plastic sound deadening in the doors . SAP delete and AA headers , Midpipe and UUC Corsa Catback saved significant weight. The intake was lighter than factory. The seat mechanisms have been removed to save weight. The stewart water pump and CSF radiator were lighter than factory options. It also is running factory brakes and no cage to save weight.Based on what I removed I would assume it would be between 2900-2830. But that may have been with the folding seats and couch removed from the rear I cannot remember. 3. It has a Kassel performance tune 4.Headlights are glass depos 5. Wheel specs are 18x8.5 BBS RKII that weigh around 16 pounds apiece 225/40/18 square the front required a 12mm spacer to clear the coilover -2 camber on front -3 on rear

[@TehhGrubzy]

Im curious what is your opinion on the e82 128i vs e36 m3. They are similar in many ways, 240hp + or - weights the same, same dimensions hydro steering etc.

[@jon_eliz99]

Question, how exactly did he drop that much weight? The interior looks mostly untouched, and yet that's where I would have guessed the owner could have droppped 300lbs

[@TranceFur]

There’s simply no way, unless he cut out parts of the frame, lol. I’ve removed far more from my car, and I’ve only dropped around 260 lbs from it.

[@bekabeka71]

Beautiful car, I’m on a look out for a coupe 318is due to its fuel economy given that it’s a four cylinder

[@CiaoBoy44]

How did he delete the power steering? Did he actually remove the hydraulic power steering system completely or just disable it?

[@AngryManSki]

Hydraulics are heavy. Based on the weight reduction they claim, I’m assuming they removed the system.

[@Zygrene]

Good question. I'll try to get the owner to reply

[@forrestseverson6566]

Z3 rack with a block off plate, everything else is removed.

[@clu4u]

The car’s owner modded a BMW into a Porsche Boxster S 🎉❤

[@waveslicer]

Would like to see you review a E30 non-M. Preferably the 325iS - straight-six with an LSD!

[@phillsmith9255]

Can't believe that the US E36 M3's had so much less power then the Euro versions, I think the non evolution M3 had 286 bhp and the evolution M3 has 321 bhp.

[@robertfontaine3650]

My M3 had the power steering delete. Terrible decision. If you want a little better steering feel use the e34 steering flex joint 32311150489, swap for the Z3 rack and do some basic maintenance on your power steering. ... get rid of the leaks, replace the gaskets in your pump (32411135880)... replace the lid gasket in your reservoir (32411128333), maybe pull the reservoir out and flush it with brake cleaner (the integrated filter is just wire mesh - #25 torx). Replace clamps with spiral hose clamps and tighten them up if you have an leaks at the connections. Fresh crush washers for your banjo bolts. Cheap maintenance, the E34 steering joint is metal to metal with no rubber bit in between, and the z rack saves you a quarter turn. Manual steering is heavy and adds nothing to the driving experience.

[@antares88]

Best car

[@zk9964]

Unless they are a new product I wasn't aware AA made titanium headers for e36s. Sounds good whatever they are. If owner is on here I'd wonder if he changed the u joint on the steering shaft to E34 or a poly insert.

[@TranceFur]

They don’t. AA only makes steel headers for the E36 M3, unless he had them custom make a set for him. Seems unlikely though.

[@forrestseverson6566]

I bought them secondhand and based it on what the owner told me. They do color shift with heat.

[@bk_nreynolds3278]

When can we expect the M3 generation comparo?

[@Zygrene]

It's been out for weeks! 3 part series

[@coldvaper]

Its a depowered hydraulic rack or an actual manual rack conversion?

[@Zygrene]

I believe it's the former but will see if the owner can confirm

[@coldvaper]

@@Zygrene yeah big difference actually. I never met a deposited rack I liked but manual racks I the same cars, game changer.

[@forrestseverson6566]

​@@coldvaperz3 rack with a block off plate from condor speed shop and full system removed.

[@oversteer6771]

Sorry if I missed it… whats power output with all mods?

[@Euphorica]

No m50manifold ?

[@forrestseverson6566]

I live in the mountains and torque down low is more convenient. That power up high.

[@Euphorica]

@@forrestseverson6566 fair enough. Although last I saw a good tune would get rid of any torque dip you may see in the mid range , but also offer up more top end. And with those cams, it could offer up more than you might think. Could always try it out.

[@adamleininger1387]

We need a Euro spec E36 review. 👀

[@Spencer_Marks]

Agreed, would love a comparison. Split camp on the euro HP and torque.

[@abrahamibarra9535]

Sick! Did he also change the diff?

[@forrestseverson6566]

Has the factory M3 lsd still

[@domtoretto3280]

Can you pelase stop with red headed step child bs ? Its lazy 'journalism ' based on non owners talking smack online. It was NEVER talked about like that back in the day ,and infact, got glowing reviews across the board for a very goos reason. Every single year it was fs. Talking like this destroys the little bit of credibiltiy you are trying to grow. My suggestion for any future reviews. Drop the online rhetoric. This goes for any car. There is a reason this car was always and continues to be so popular.

[@Zygrene]

Unsure why you assume I am basing my review on other people's opinions. The E36 is the only generation M3 in the US that came with a dramatically less powerful engine than its Euro counterpart. My "redheaded stepchild" was based on that fact alone, and not any "online rhetoric". Thanks for watching!

[@samueldowney2806]

err....most reviews I read of the E36 M3 back in the day were negative. A big disappointment after the E30. Everything Zygrene has said seems to match my own driving impression and what I've read in the past also. Seems credible to me. "Drop the online rhetoric" - Isn't this the point of a review? To express his opinion to his viewers? What are you talking about?

[@Euphorica]

@@samueldowney2806 it was car and drivers 10 best , every single year it was in production. It had far better reviews and far outsold the e30 m3(which also had a less powerful engine than Europe did ..actually quite a few M products have come this way over the years ) Link to these negative reviews ?

[@samueldowney2806]

@@Euphorica links? Sorry buddy we're talking over 30 years ago for contemporary reviews. But they would be UK Car and Autocar publications, which is what I read at the time, and subsequent retrospectives in Evo Magazine. Specific criticisms from memory were a lack of steering feedback, too heavy, "sproingy" suspension (I can't forget that word) with poor body control, and a lovely smooth engine, but tight and stingy with it's performance, which was at 286bhp (subsequent Evo models might have had more i think?). You have to remember, all of this was in comparison to the E30, which everyone loved, and then other rivals of the time like the 968 and the new for the time MkIV Supra which was good all around and utterly blew everything else away from a performance point of view. I think this is why the E46 M3 is held in such high regard, as it was so much better than the E36 in every way. The way Zygrene described it squares with my impressions (from many years ago). A good car, with a lovely engine, but otherwise very average in all areas really.

[@davidpineda645]

This doesnt beat a tuned G35 tho