Looking for a new differential...

[mrnine]

You can see my previous posts in this area, but I just found out that my diff is trashed in my 1998 318ti. Clicking and clanking in the rear led me to drain the fluid from the diff and found gear fragments. This puts me in the market for a new one. I'm a little nervous about this predicament. I have access to another vehicle so I'm not in a total bind, but I guess I'm not really sure of my options.

1) Find an E30 diff and put it in. My only thing on this is all the posts regarding this make it sound like a real PITA and I've still never found anywhere to pick up the output shafts. I suppose all the other stuff you'll need is avalable out there somewhere. I'm reasonably mechanically inclined and have a friend with a lift and better tools than I but this doesn't sound fun.

2) Find an e36 LSD from a ti or a z3. This sounds next to impossible. It doesn't seem there were many of these out there. If anyone can help me out or sell me one, maybe you can contact me offline. Not getting my hopes up though.

3) Find a non-LSD small-case differential to install. I sure can't imagine going this route just because if the thing is already out then I certainly should take the opportunity for a performance upgrade. I really am not in a position to spend a fortune here but I'm pretty much between a rock and a hard place I guess.

Any insight or advice?