Typically, no.

They gave me the build sheet for my car as I was buying parts. Visit your
local dealership and buy a Robert Bentley Publishers BMW 3 SERIES SERVICE
MANUAL, E36. It will help you with performing your own service, if you are
so inclined. My dealership ran the build sheet for me, and they had never
seen me before. All they do is plug the VIN into the computer, and the
report comes out.

If you haven't purchased the car yet, you might want to consider the '96 or
newer models. You can get the E36 cars through the '98 model year. Starting
with '96 production, the computer that controls the critical operations of
the car is OBD II (On Board Diagnostics, Level 2) compliant. This means you
can buy -- or use free in some places -- the scan tool that will tell you
the meaning of the Check Engine Light, should it come on. OBD II is a
remarkable improvement over the OBD I system used on the pre-1996 vehicles.

You said you are looking at the 320i, this tells me you are not in the USA
because we did not get that model here. We got the 318 (4 cyl) or the 325 (6
cyl) in 1995.





"Andy" > wrote in message
...
> Excellent, does that cost anything?
>
>
> "Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Take the VIN to the local dealership. They can provide you a build sheet
>> that describes all of the original equipment.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> "Andy" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> So the car is a E36.
>>>
>>> If the owner has no idea of the trim level either, how could I find out
>>> what it is?
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>>
>>>
>>> "Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>>
>>>> "tom_k" > wrote in message
>>>> ...
>>>>>
>>>>> "Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
>>>>> ...
>>>>>>
>>>>>> "Andy" > wrote in message
>>>>>> ...
>>>>>>>I am buying a 1995 BMW 320i. But the owner doesn't know the model. I
>>>>>>>don't
>>>>>>> think it says on the V5. How can I find out what model it is?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> It's an E36.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> If there are two doors, it's a coupe unless the top folds down, then
>>>>>> it's a convertible. If there are four doors, it's a sedan.
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Actually, I noticed that the thread title includes "Saloon" - so it's
>>>>> a sedan.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Unless the top folds down, then it's a wreck. Nevermind ...
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>