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Considering buying an M3!

3K views 36 replies 15 participants last post by  taylor192 
#1 ·
Hi! I'm brand new to the forums, and I have read quite a bit about the M3.
So please don't tell me to use the search button :excited:
I'm looking to keep my payments under $300/month so I can mod whichever I choose.

I have owned a '75 Nova and a '03 350z(74,000miles).
I'm currently looking at buying a 2002 M3 with 104,000 miles for $12,000.
No mods, no rust, and a SMG transmission.
With an SMG transmission can you still shift with the stick?
Or can you only use the handles by the wheel?
I have never owned a BMW :excited:

I'm also looking at buying a 2005 350z with 57,000 miles for $11,000.
Bodykit, tint, tires, wheels, slotted/drilled rotors, sound system.
I honestly don't like buying peoples cars that they already have done.

I'm no mechanical genius but I can preform simple and advanced repairs.
Everyone told me that the Nissan would cost tons to repair, but I never had one problem. I had to buy new brakes and rotors for the rear and it cost me under $100. I'm fine with these kinds of repairs, no big deal.
I have never owned a BMW and I would never take it to a shop unless I absolutely had to. That said, does it truly cost a lot to own a BMW?
Any insight on the "problems" of the M3? And I'm leaning more towards the luxury aspect of the M3 ( and more hp :thumbsup: )

Sorry, for a long post but trying to figure this out ASAP!
 
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#2 · (Edited)
You will be flamed for saying "So please don't tell me to use the search button ".

The Nissan will be cheaper and easier to maintain unless you're mechanically inclined. If you're trying to go "on the cheap", then a M3 is not for you. The M3 usually runs most people approx. $2500/yr in maintenance. Buying a M3 is the easy part. Maintaning one properly is the costly part. Take good care of your "M" and it will reward you with the most enjoyable driving experience of your life.

I would hop on over to here and read up (Stickies)

NOTE: Get a PPI done on any prospective M3, If they can't prove any of the maintenance / service was performed, assume it wasn't. Anything that was replaced with a non-OE/M part is suspect unless replaced with an high grade replacement.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Already read those, but where do you get $2,500/year in maintenance?
I can change brakes, oil, plugs, some wiring, wheel bearings, etc.
Only thing I would go to a shop for is something major.

Not going for cheap, but an ~$15,000 M3 fits in my budget at the moment.
And I'm looking for a car that's going to last me at least 5 years.
I put roughly 7,000/year on any car that I drive.
I've used many non-OEM parts on vehicles and have been just fine.
I'm just curious where all these maintenance costs come from?
I'm a bit worried from everything I have read, but I think I should be fine?
It seems like most BMW have their car serviced at the dealership.
Is this why they complain of expensive repairs?
 
#4 · (Edited)
If you just have a look around at part prices for "M" parts, the cost is more then the usual 3-series part.

Probable yearly maintenance
Oil change ($100+ per change) (BMW - 15k miles)most owners 5k-7.5k miles))
Tires $900 (average 18" brand)
Brakes $350 (front) $375 (rear)
Fluids Genuine BWM / spec fluids

The are other items which have issues that should havebeen mentioned in several of the stickies. The prices are rather low, and don't include taxes, shipping or labor. You can get cheaper items, but most decent replacement items will cost more than the stated prices above. Your time between certain item replacement depends on the item used and how you drive.


As far as SMG, you can shift with the stick. (think of it as a joystick, push forward to downshift, pull back to upshift. push to the side to select A / S mode, and move like putting into reverse to go into reverse.) Using the paddles overrides A mode and switches to "S" mode.
 
#5 ·
Since you have told that you normally spend $7000/year on the maintenance of the vehicle then an M3 in good condition won't cost more. Driving a BMW it itself a delighting experience.The spare parts are more expensive than the usual 3 series but the wear and tear depends upon the driving conditions.
 
#7 ·
Craziness... When I was just getting my license and into cars 100k miles was the cutoff... You didn't touch a car with 100k miles or over unless it was dirt cheap. Now people are paying tens of thousands of dollars for these high mileage cars!

Get the M3... Better car and nothing drives like a Bimmer. That said, make sure you got a hefty bank account for when things go wrong. And they will go wrong...


Sent from BimmerApp mobile app
 
#8 ·
This. Be prepared to deal with things when they go wrong...

I've woken up several mornings and she throws me a lovely code, better go get the code reader....unlike a lot of other people who own these cars, I use mine daily. I beat on her pretty good and for the most part I've learned this car backwards and forwards to be able to handle most issues. If you can learn to work on these cars (In my opinion they are not the hardest things to work on) it's not too bad
 
#13 ·
I would never recommend an E46 M3 for a first BMW. Best to get to know the brand first then step up. Things you will probably need to do if you buy this car.
(For 12,000 assume it will be behind on maint.) Valve adjust, replace vanos bolts, inspect/replace vanos hub. New shocks and struts. New ball joints front and rear, front control arm bushings, trailing arm bushings. The suspension stuff is easy and can be done by anyone with some mechanical ability. The vanos stuff is best left to someone with BMW experience.
 
#16 ·
I think the prices some people list are pretty exaggerated, at least from what I've seen and looked for parts myself.
My cousin is also a technician so anything I really cant figure out, he can help and let me use his shop.
That being said, I think I would rather wait a few years and get a nice low mileage M3.
Especially because I can't find a cheap one without SMG.

This was the one I was looking towards getting:
http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...=100&searchRadius=0&listingId=346395866&Log=0

I'm now leaning towards a 330ci. Any advice on these?
 
#17 ·
Cheap and M3 usually don't go together....
Nothing wrong with a 330ci if you find one you really like.

I've had my E36 M3 for years now and just sold my 325xi and bought an E46 M3. Like everyone else says, be prepared. Mine had excellent service history with it but I've still spent almost 3k in the first 2 weeks I've owned it.
The maintenance costs are a bit higher but if you DIY you can save quite a bit. So far my thought has been to start fresh with maintenance and keep it up THEN if I can't find anything else to fix I can do a mod or 2.

I will say - it's well worth the time and money so far. I smile every time I drive it :)
 
#18 ·
Thanks for the input!
Basically this is how I'm thinking. I could get a cheap+high mileage 330i to hold me over or a E36.
A lower mileage 330i/E36 is going to be the price of a e46 with 80-100k miles.
I'd rather have the extra miles imo, because I will most likely be keeping the car for 5-10 years. I dont know whether it's worth it to get a cheaper 330i/E36 at the moment and an e46 later, or just go all out on the e46 now. I would have to sell my 08 cbr600rr though. :bawling:

These are basically the cars I'm looking at right now so any input would be great :thumbsup:

330i: (This is the one I really want, and could get this weekend. But 3 hour drive :tsk: input is appreciated)
http://www.hamiltonsmrauto.com/2002_BMW_BMW_Hamilton_OH_192206966.veh

E36: (4th owner, unaware of any maintenance except for radiator fan blade..."brakes, tires, and rotors are ok" :banghead:)
http://www.cars.com/go/search/detai...p=250&feedSegId=28705&aff=national&listType=3

E36: (a little pricey imo, but has all maintenance records and newer clutch)
http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...00&searchRadius=200&listingId=348237793&Log=0

E36: (yellow because racecar? no idea on records, would need to call the dealership )
http://www.cars.com/go/search/detai...p=250&feedSegId=28705&aff=national&listType=1

M3: (this is the closest one to me. I'm looking for black + 6MT though )
http://www.cars.com/go/search/detai...p=250&feedSegId=28705&aff=national&listType=1

M3: (basically exactly what i want)
http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...=100&searchRadius=0&listingId=348703409&Log=0

M3: (new listing)
http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...=100&searchRadius=0&listingId=348998826&Log=0

M3: (new listing)
http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...=100&searchRadius=0&listingId=349308055&Log=0
 
#19 ·
Like I said before, an E46 M3 as a first BMW is not something I would recommend. The 330i would be your best bet. It is reasonable inexpensive. You will get a chance to do all the maintenance and learn on it. Only thing check if that car is rusted. If it has been in Ohio all its life there could be problems.
Interesting though, I have a 2002 E46 M3 that I have been trying to sell here in Canada and I'm not getting any interest. So who knows if you can pick one of the E46 M3s for less than $12,000 if it has no rust it could be a good deal as well. Finally, besides my E46 M3, I have a 97 E36 M3 sedan. My son was home and preferred the E36 and actually so do I. My daughter likes the E46 M3 and is now hoping I can't sell it! (In case anyone cares I have an 135i that is nicer than either of the M3s driving wise)
 
#20 ·
Hmm, well I don't really need to "learn" for either car because like I said, I have experience working on vehicles.
My prior daily was a nissan 350z.
My car will most likely be in ohio and be driven during the snow too! :yikes:
Hmm.
Decisions are so hard. :bawling:
 
#25 ·
Oh yes you do have to "learn" BMW. I've worked on cars for 40+ years as a hobby. You have to learn every car if you want/need to do heavy mechanical work. ie more than brakes and changing tires. Just look at the forums many people have gotten themselves in trouble.
Anyway, if you will be driving in winter get the 330i. I can't imagine driving an M3 in winter. It can be done and I'm sure lots of people do but it won't be an enjoyable experience.
 
#24 ·
I bought mine with 60K on and it has been a fair ride so far. However, I found my vanos hub tabs broken when I did a valve adjustment and it cost me approx 1K to fix with parts only (did all the work myself). I think that was bad luck but I have seen other cars with less miles having the same problem.

PPI has to be done! Try to get the valve cover off and check the tabs on the vanos hub. You can also tell based on sludge if they have used 10W-60 and done oil changes within the recomended intervalls. Check left and right flanges and look for leaks on the differential since this is a common problem especially on the left side.

Check subframe for cracks.

I can make a pretty long list for you but this is some of the big and expensive repairs that I have mentioned above.
 
#30 ·
Remember this thread was about a fellow looking for a first time BMW. I just said the M3 is not the best choice.
When you say get more out of the engine with simple bolts ons. What would those be and how much horsepower can you expect? Headers free flow exhaust and an intake. Maybe 20 -30 hp. Sure FI is good for more power. A friend of mine has a 2001 M3 that produces 459? RWHP with a supercharger and tune. Look at an LS engine, change heads cam etc and you can get 150 hp for cheap. One can always get more power but at what cost and how much. I do not wish to argue with you and will not belittle your posts. My purpose for posting has always been to help someone. If I want to argue, I can argue with my adult kids.
 
#31 ·
You reply to argue, then try to ride some sort of high horse out saying you're not arguing. Silly.

If the engine was "tuned within an inch of its life" (your silly words, not mine) then getting substantially more out of FI would not be possible. I will belittle people that make silly statements, then contradict themselves.

Your posts are no help, so please don't bother. The e46 platform is very easy to work on, telling a home mechanic otherwise is silly and not helpful. The only difficult aspect is the valve adjustment, which we both agree.

OP don't listen to silly members like qualicas. I'm a home mechanic and tackled the valve adjustment with another home mechanic, neither of us having done a valve adjustment before. Working on this car is easy, just pricey.
 
#32 ·
Obviously you do not have a clue. Of course you can get more power out of any engine using FI. How much more will you get out of it just by tuning etc. Not much.The M3 engine is producing something more than 100 hp per litre. Not many normally aspirated engines produce that much hp/litre. THAT is what I mean by highly tuned from the factory. If you want to talk FI, some diesels are running 130 psi boost making crazy power for a very short time. My 135i with twin turbos can make over 400hp easily just by reprogramming the boost then you are well over 100hp per litre. Cadillac ATS 2 litre is making 270 hp from the factory 135hp per litre. And on it goes but still not many more than 100 hp/litre NA.
I haven't done valve adjustment which will be easy but you just have to be careful. Then when you are there should do vanos bolts and inspect vanos hub. All those things do not have to be done on lesser models. Please do not call anyone silly if they disagree with you especially if you do not know their background.
I am done with this as I'm sure the OP is as well. Probably already bought his car!
 
#36 ·
Obviously you do not have a clue.
I thought the engine was "tuned within an inch of its life"? :rofl:
I haven't done valve adjustment which will be easy but you just have to be careful.
Now you change your tune, stating even the valve adjustment is easy. Now you're a silly hypocrite.
Then when you are there should do vanos bolts and inspect vanos hub. All those things do not have to be done on lesser models.
Agreed. I posted this already.
Please do not call anyone silly if they disagree with you especially if you do not know their background.
Disagreements happen, yet posting bad advice like a drama queen is not disagreeing, it is just silly.
I am done with this
You said that previously, maybe you mean it this time. I doubt it.
 
#33 ·
Moral of the story: it's expensive to own a sports car any sports car. They're made for performance. BMWs are a little more expensive, and a lot more expensive if you can't fix them yourself.

There's information on here that you should read and use. As for people's opinions, they're just that. 85% of people on here will lead you to believe BMWs are made out of glass and will break if you sneeze on them.


Sent from BimmerApp mobile app
 
#34 ·
The M3 is not made of glass, but it isn't the sort of car that you can just fill with fuel, drive, and ignore. It has a highly-tuned engine with a high red line and correspondingly tight clearances. This is why BMW specify a very specific oil for use in it. While I drive my M3 throughout the winter, I happen to live in South Florida, where the average high temperature in December and January is in the 70's. I would not drive the M3 in the winter in Minneapolis, not because of the ice and snow, but because temperatures that can regularly drop below 0 (Fahrenheit) mean that your engine is effectively running with no oil during start-up, since even at a 10 weight viscosity your oil is very thick at those temperatures. Most of an engine's wear occurs in the minute or two right after start-up, when the oil is just beginning to recirculate and lubricate moving parts. Why do you think that cars that come from sun belt states bring more on the used car market than cars from up north? If you say "rust", you are missing the mark (although there is some truth there). Most northern states use sand rather than salt on the roads, and states like California and Florida have salty sea air to deal with anyway. The real issue is that our cars do not have to deal with extreme cold, we don't have snow and sleet packed into our wheel wells every winter, and we are not likely to be involved in the kinds of accidents that are common on snow and ice covered roads and bridges.
 
#37 ·
I would not drive the M3 in the winter in Minneapolis, not because of the ice and snow, but because temperatures that can regularly drop below 0 (Fahrenheit) mean that your engine is effectively running with no oil during start-up, since even at a 10 weight viscosity your oil is very thick at those temperatures.
10W oil is tested to -15F and most synthetic 10Ws are usually good to lower temps

The Castrol TWS 10W60 recommended for the e46 M3 has a pour point of -39C (~-40F), so it will do just fine in the winter even in most of Canada.
 
#35 ·
Man you people act like owning an M3 is like owning a fragle car thats made of glass lol.... My first BMW was an M3 E46. My first turner I had to work on was a Z32, Valve adjustment is simple, those that think it is rocket science are those that take their car to the dealership for it to be done. I really wish people would wise up.

Buy your self and M3 a car that has been cared for correctly can have 100k plus and be in better condition then on thats been beat on with 50k. even if you look at SMG failures there are more at lower mile M3 funny how that is lol....
 
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