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Moving to Finland from USA with a 1997 E36 M3

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  • anttijenkkim3
    Newbiemmer
    • Oct 2023
    • 2
    • helsinki

    Moving to Finland from USA with a 1997 E36 M3

    We as a family are planning to move back to Finland from the US and I'm curious if its worth bringing my 1997 E36 M3 4 door 5 speed with me. Its a US version with the 3.2 liter single vanos engine. it does have 250k miles but runs great and has been taken care of.
  • BMW0299
    Bimmer Rookie
    • Jun 2013
    • 30
    • Koski TL

    #2
    As a car to sell here, I personally would not. But, if you have taken good care of it and really do like it, then do the math and then decide. Shipping/insurance, import tax, etc. with some possible changes in the US lights will all add up.

    Comment

    • Jarger
      Bimmer Enthusiast
      • Mar 2005
      • 3816
      • Finnland

      #3
      Isn't that headlight change stuff more like some Germany issue, in Finland I believe you can use US headlights for example in E83 if you have a car which is brought from there, but not if it's an original "Finnish" car.
      Negatiiviset kauppakokemukset:
      Kaj Blomqvist nick kaizzu ja juttu sekä suolaus

      Comment

      • anttijenkkim3
        Newbiemmer
        • Oct 2023
        • 2
        • helsinki

        #4
        I was planning on selling the car before moving but if I don't sell it I would bring it with me to drive and use as a daily. I am not sure about katsastus and how strict they are. it passes emissions here just fine but all they do is plug it into the OBD2 plug and check for codes. I don't have airbags anymore and its lowered on coilovers and has an axle back exhaust on it.

        Comment

        • Haju69
          Administrator
          • Nov 2005
          • 16351
          • Leppävirta

          #5
          You have obd2 port on e36?
          LMC 630 R Liberty 2,8tdi '99
          E36 Hellrot 328i M-Sport ´96
          B8 Audi A4 1,8 TFSI Quattro '10

          Vikakoodin luvut/nollaukset, koodausta savon maalla.
          Myös vikakoodien luku ja nollaus yms koodaukset VAG ajoneuvoihin jotka varustettu OBD2 pistokkeella.
          Nakkaa viestiä privalla jos tarvetta. Tai sitten ihan puhelimeen. Nollaneljänolla73kaksi403viisi.

          Comment

          • Silmaauki
            BTCF Member
            • Jan 2015
            • 1816
            • Turku

            #6
            If airbags have been removed, can this be registered in Finland?
            E93 335i Aarre, Montego blue
            E90 318i talvipulkka

            Harrastuksissa ongelmien määrä on vakio - niitä on koko ajan.

            Comment

            • KalluE34
              BTCF Member
              • Feb 2019
              • 33
              • kouvola

              #7
              cant be registered in finland if it has no airbags. you cant modify the cars safety systems until you modify it to make it either safer or better in the eyes of law or TRAFI. so if you are not gonna put the airbags back on it or plan to use it as a track car then i dont think it will be worth it to bring it here. coilovers and exhaust aint a big deal on the other hand but the problem definetly is the lack of airbags

              Comment

              • jr66
                Bimmer Enthusiast
                • Apr 2006
                • 16448
                • Asikkala

                #8
                Is the car US M3 or EUR M3 ? Horsepower ? Anyway it has S52 engine ?

                Comment

                • aae30
                  BTCF Member
                  • May 2010
                  • 2706
                  • .fi

                  #9
                  Originally posted by jr66 View Post
                  Is the car US M3 or EUR M3 ? Horsepower ? Anyway it has S52 engine ?
                  your question was already answered in the first post, i guess:
                  Its a US version with the 3.2 liter single vanos engine
                  Sorry I'm Not Sorry
                  E34 540iA 93 sedan
                  E34 540iA 93 sedan
                  E39 530iA 00 touring

                  Comment

                  • jr66
                    Bimmer Enthusiast
                    • Apr 2006
                    • 16448
                    • Asikkala

                    #10
                    Originally posted by aae30 View Post
                    your question was already answered in the first post, i guess:
                    So it looks, sorry my bad...

                    Comment

                    • bmw323it
                      BTCF Member
                      • Mar 2008
                      • 1827
                      • N/A

                      #11
                      I'm awfully late with my reply, and won't help the original poster anymore, but I'll reply in case someone else has a similar question.

                      Things are different since you are bringing the car as part of your relocation goods. That makes a huge difference. You do not need to worry about almost anything as long as your car is registered for road use in the US without exceptions.

                      In a case of e36 you only need to pay attention to the following:
                      - the front parking lights must be white, but there is a simple fix to that in e36. I put in white turn signals with amber bulbs, and added a bulb holder for white bulb for parking lite inside the turn signal.
                      - the rear fog light is a must, but there is a spot for the bulb in the US headlights, just run a wire to the front. I used the same switch for both fog lights
                      that's all.

                      Suspension work is not a problem, they will just make a note of it.

                      They will do standard emission tests for the car. They don't use the OBD2 test, although late e36 models in the US have an OBD2 port.

                      To be honest, I do not think they care about the airbags either unless the warning light is not on in the instrument cluster.


                      Nyt:
                      BMW 530e (g30)
                      BMW 335i (e90)
                      BMW 323iC (e36)
                      BMW 850i (e31)
                      Golf GTE
                      ex: bemareita katkeamattomana jonona vuodesta ’95 mallisarjoista r50, r53, e30, e34, e36, e46, e61, e90, f07, g30 ja pari tusinaa väärän merkkistä

                      Comment

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