E36 M3 EVO - Caravan Query

[apex]

... just bought a 97 P Saloon M3 EVO and was wondering if anyone anywhere on this forum has or knows someone thats fitted a TOWBAR (there said it) to one of these.

Don't worry its for a race car (not caravan)and if not then not too worry I'll continue tow it around with an nail I was hoping to get shot off.



Andy

[dannylt]

Call your dealer. I'd imagine you can though, I think the only one you can't fit the towbar too is the E46 M3 because of the ridiculous rear exhausts. (Or trade it in for a 330d sports touring for the perfect towing experience )

danny

[spiralp]

I bought one of the first 3 litre M3 saloons when they were introduced in early 1995. I needed a towbar fitted to tow my son's karting equipment. The dealer was VERY difficult about fitting a towbar and at one stage cancelled my order and gave it to someone else. The salesman said "M3 drivers do not use their cars for towing!" They only gave in after BMW GB contacted the Motorsport people in Germany to give the OK. My towbar was the BMW detatchable version and was expensive. Subsequently we moved on from karts to cars and we successfully towed racing cars. The M3 was fantastic as a tow vehicle and we used to overtake other vehicles uphill whilst towing a fully loaded trailer. Mpg suffered a bit, falling from 25mpg down to 18-20 mpg.
We were once stopped by the police when towing a racecar and ordered to take the car and trailer to a weighbridge. The M3 has no allowable towing weight details either on the car or in the handbook. This completely threw the vehicle inspector who insisted that all vehicles must have towing weights displayed. Anyway, he did some calculations, decreed the car/trailer to be OK and sent us on our way.
My M3 was probably the best car I ever owned. I had it for 5 years and did 180,000 miles in it. I have subsequently owned an Alpina B3 3.3 and now have a 330i Sport, but neither are a patch on the 3.0litre M3.

[apex]

.... thanks for the info I'll dig a little deeper now I know it can be done.

I had similar reaction from a salesman when I "enquired" about the new M3's ability to fit a bar when looking to change a 993. I knew it was improbable cos of the quad pipe/rear box but the salesman decided to make a joke of it along the lines of a performance car does not have a tow bar blah blah did my porsche have a bar etc etc. The fact is it wouldn't have cost him the sale to say no, what cost him a sale was how he went about it.