1996 BMW M3 Evolution

Our vendor has owned this spectacular car for a little over three years. “I bought it through a friend of a friend,” he explains. “He asked me if I wanted to buy an old M3. I was half expecting a rust bucket and didn’t imagine it to be what it was.”

And exactly what it was or rather, it still is, is one of the lowest mileage E36 M3 Evolutions that you could ever hope to find. In a condition that is truly superlative (get used to some seriously heavy use of positive descriptors in this listing!).

“The old boy had owned it since new and wanted to get rid of it. I couldn’t believe the mileage and condition of the car, so I snapped it up. Nothing has been changed on the car, it’s exactly as it was when it left the showroom – original tyres, BMW wheel weights, everything.”

Our vendor's research found that the car had been used for around 7 months and then parked up. Since buying it, he has covered only around 30 miles or so. “I drove it to the MOT test station for a test and then back again, but since then I’ve had it trailered to BMW for its first service!”

The BMW technicians found that the car was so original, and were astounded, that it had never even had the VANOS recall completed on it (it has now). “I think you’ll struggle to find another like it.”

Our vendor is an avowed BMW fan but admits that for him this car is an outlier. “I’m not really a polisher and looker, as I like to drive my cars. However, this one is just too valuable to put any miles on. I’ve hummed and hah-ed about selling, but I think it should be in a collection so it’s now up for sale.”

That decision means that this truly outstanding, collector standard E36 M3 Evolution is now up for grabs.

The body is supremely straight with excellent paint, and M-colour decals that look just as they did back in 1996. The M3 has obviously been stored properly its entire life, because the paint retains a deep gloss, bumpers plastics are fade-free and even the exhaust tips remain fee from discoloration.

The front-end is pleasingly free of stone chips, all light lenses and glass retains the utmost clarity and the car, as you’d expect, appears entirely free of even the merest hint of any corrosion.

At each corner you’ll find a flawless double-spoke DS2 ‘sunflower’ alloy wheel, each, as earlier indicated by Andrew, still with its original BMW wheel weight in situ. Purists should take note that the tyres are the original Michelin Pilot SX units – 225/45-17 at the front and 245/50-17 at the rear.

To sum up, there’s no doubt that this car will simply slot straight into any BMW or M3 collection in the world. It’s that good.

The period-perfect packet of Wrigley’s Spearmint chewing gum exemplifies this car’s cabin. “I found it in the glove compartment, and have kept it as the car’s mascot!” explains our vendor. “The cabin remains in wonderful condition.”

He’s not wrong. It. Is. Fabulous. In fact, pop on your finest Craig Revel Horwood voice and repeat after me: ‘Fab-u-lous’. It’s that good, that we need the Strictly lad’s vocal talents.

The Black sports seats and funky M-coloured inserts are all mark free, as are door cards. Plastics, carpets, headlining and mats are similarly in first-class condition. Sill coverings are excellent. It is an evocative time warp of an interior.

All electrics, including the sunroof (look how clean the gutters are!), function just as they should. Pop the boot, and you’ll find the original tool kit and spare wheel housed in pristine surroundings.

Let’s go with C.R.H. again: ‘I-mac-u-late!’

How does it drive? Well, as you’d expect, “absolutely like new”. With only 30 miles or so under our vendor's belt, we’ll have to take his word for that, because perish the very thought of us putting even one single more mile on the clock!

It’s very difficult to pick a favourite part of this vehicle; the interior and exteriors are both stunning. The latter offers many particularly fine viewing angles, but perhaps the under-bonnet area is most awe-inspiring. It is pretty much immaculate. Just look at the condition; there’s barely a touch of dust, with all components still presenting in as new condition. Perhaps only some small marks on the valve cover stop it from being perfect, but a talented engine bay detailer could surely tidy these up.

The underside presents exactly as you would expect of a 5515-mile car: solid, fresh and with barely a hint of the surface corrosion that would be found on regularly used examples.

The car’s included V5c document shows two owners from new. “I originally intended not registering it in my name,” says our vendor. “So as to keep it as a one-owner car. However, the original owner had moved a few times and lost the log-book, so I had to reapply to the DVLA and that did mean registering it in my own name.”

That document shows P345 MLO as being first registered on the 22nd of October 1996. The supplying was Burton & Deacon of Hayes in Kent, and the service book shows that it also completed the running-in service exactly one month later, on the 22nd of November 1996.

Chandlers Hallsham BMW then carried out the M3’s first service, and put the second stamp in the book, on the 25th of May 2021 – only some 24 and a half years later!

All original handbooks are included, as is the paperwork related to its MOT test carried out in February of 2020. This expired earlier this year, also in February.

Our vendor had the air and oil filters changed by Arden Maidstone just prior to that MOT test, and a receipt for £131.51 is included. The M3 comes with both original keys and there’s also an RAC vehicle inspection report.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of the paperwork to support our claim that this incredible low-mileage M3 has been maintained to the highest of standards.

An RAC check did flag this M3 as being stolen in 1997, though HPI (who are the market leaders) have no such flag. Most importantly, our vendor has a V5C in his name from the DVLA, which he has had for 3 years & this car has been to two separate BMW main dealers, who also had no such issues. We are in the process of having this flag removed/inspected by the RAC as the DVLA would simply not have issued the V5C if the car was stolen & our vendor would not have been able to insure it. Please see our gallery for both the RAC check, the HPI check & Instant car check certificates. 

With a mere 5515 miles on the clock and in barely used condition, this section writes itself – well, almost. In the classic and modern classic car worlds some rare parts can often consist of unobtanium. Here, in this car’s case, we’ll coin a new phrase: unrepeatium.

There may perhaps be one or two other examples out there with similar mileages and in a comparable condition, but if you’re a BMW (and more importantly, M3) connoisseur then you’ll know that opportunities like this come up only very, very rarely indeed.

Our estimate for this car is £45,000 - £60,000.

Viewing is always encouraged. This particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays between 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.