Our Future Resale Value Predictions

I'm still a novice when it comes to owning a BMW but I'm seeing a trend with the E46 chassis and this pertains to the M3. It appears that it's the most desired chassis even with highly respected car magazines/reviewers. People love the classy styling and how you still have a decent connection to the road compared to the e9x's and up. Now that MT's are starting to fade out I'm starting to think that e46 M3's, specifically MT's have hit rock bottom and eventually will start going up in resale value.

Maybe I'm wrong but 10 years from now if you were to have a low mileage well maintained e46 M3 would you expect the resale value to be significantly higher than it is now?

Values will continue to decline. The E46 M3 will not enjoy the cult-like following of the E30 M3.... although it is liked more than the E36.

Manual transmissions are currently more popular than SMG - and the prices reflect that. So I doubt if there will be a greater % separation in values than what we see today (unless SMGs begin to fail at a greater rate).

A LOT of E46 M3s are marginally maintained. The price point has come within range of people who can only marginally afford the car - and not afford full, proper maintenance. Having full documented maintenance history will become far harder - since the vast majority of cars are maintained by Indy shops (so there are limited centralized dealer records) - and nearly all cars are with their 3rd, 4th or 5th owner. So trying to find an unbroken chain of maintenance records is far, FAR harder.

Finding a well maintained, unmolested, one-owner car with thoroughly documented maintenance is becoming nigh upon impossible.

Impossible to tell. Buying cars hoping that they increase in value is a terrible idea anyway. Not saying that's what you're doing. But like Alan said documentation is key. Even if you DIY you can keep a binder of receipts. I bring my car to the dealer every other oil change so they can look it over, etc... Keeps a black hole from forming in the maintenance history.

They have not bottomed, I routinely see more and more priced < $20K and a few < $15K. With the major issues on these cars (Vanos, SMG, subframe) they will become less desired with age for all except the enthusiasts... and unlike the e30 M there's enough of the e46 M on the road to have your pick of well maintained examples without paying a premium.

I'm guessing the value of the E46 chassis will follow the E36 very closely as they had similar production and are pretty similar in general. Going shopping on craigslist today, I can find multiple E46 M3s going for 15,000 or less, and hardly any going for over 30k. When I bought my car 2 years ago the distribution was opposite. Young people will keep buying the M3s and fall behind on maintenance, which will result in more poor condition M3s which will go for less..

Don't tell youself that E46 M3s are rare. They are not. If they appreciate in the next few decades, it won't be significant in the least.

Originally Posted by GarlicBread911

duction and are pretty similar in general. Going shopping on craigslist today, I can find multiple E46 M3s going for 15,000 or less, and hardly any going for over 30k.

Maybe old / high mileage ones... the 2005 / 2006's with lower mileage are still around $30k. Of course they aren't going to become worth $100k, etc, but the E46's do have a cult-like following.

Finding an un modded one with low miles is getting harder.

Originally Posted by SledgeHammer!

Maybe old / high mileage ones... the 2005 / 2006's with lower mileage are still around $30k. Of course they aren't going to become worth $100k, etc, but the E46's do have a cult-like following.

Finding an un modded one with low miles is getting harder.

Yeah I agree. I'm talking about the unmolested e46 M3's with low mileage. Not that I intend to hold onto mine in hopes that it will be worth something, just curious to what others predict.

I personally like the e46 more than the e36 and significantly more than the e9x having raced one at the M school, never ridden in an e30 yet. I really think BMW did a good job combining sports and luxury with the e46 and I think it will someday reflect in it's value in the future because that is not an easy task to do. If not, oh well, get a great car for a cheap price.

I agree with many of the comments listed. I had an 04 m3 I sold in 08 to get the e90 which I traded in after 3 years to go back to an 06 e46 m3. The e90 did not do it for me like the e46 did. It was not easy to find a well sorted low mileage car. I paid 31k in February for a super clean well maintained 1 owner car that had 29k miles on it. There are lots of cheap m's out there with tons of mileage and mods and sketchy service history. I agree as more people can afford the "purchase price" they seem to forget that there were 60k cars and still require a certain level of servicing that comes along with that price tag. I tend to like more raw and simple cars. I have a 360 CS which has actually gone up in value since I bought it mainly due to the cult status and the low number of cars in the US, probably less than 250 today. Reminds me of the m3 with few buttons and dials. A drivers car that you feel part of while driving. I could have a 430 or 458 if I chose but I dont need to have the latest and greatest. I enjoy and appreciate cars for how they make you feel while being inside or outside, standing still or flying around a corner. Keep enjoying your e46 m3 it really is a special car!

I don't think I could have bought a better car for $19k and 70k miles or less.

How "well-liked" the E46 M3 is compared to the E30 is not the issue. It is the sheer number of E46 M3's that were made vs the E30. There are far too many on the road for it to have the skyrocketing value that the E30 has seen the past few years.

Originally Posted by Alan

Values will continue to decline. The E46 M3 will not enjoy the cult-like following of the E30 M3.... although it is liked more than the E36.

Manual transmissions are currently more popular than SMG - and the prices reflect that. So I doubt if there will be a greater % separation in values than what we see today (unless SMGs begin to fail at a greater rate).

A LOT of E46 M3s are marginally maintained. The price point has come within range of people who can only marginally afford the car - and not afford full, proper maintenance. Having full documented maintenance history will become far harder - since the vast majority of cars are maintained by Indy shops (so there are limited centralized dealer records) - and nearly all cars are with their 3rd, 4th or 5th owner. So trying to find an unbroken chain of maintenance records is far, FAR harder.

Finding a well maintained, unmolested, one-owner car with thoroughly documented maintenance is becoming nigh upon impossible.

I disagree. Personally I think many serious car enthusiasts have lately given the nod to the E46 M3 over the E30 M3 on a lot of things. The E46 M3 was easily obtainable during the housing crisis and that lead to abuse and utter destruction of many fine examples.

No definitive answer it seems. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

ya, there are a lot of m3's out there but i had to fly 1,200 miles away to find a clean non vert, 6sp, that had low miles. I didn't get a good deal either. Not only that, but it took me months to even find that one. The e30 didn't have all the options the e46 does. i wouldn't be surprised if the more rare e46 m3's like the 6sp lsb or anything with cinnamon/imola interior bottoms out soon. Almost every BMW model has a cult following and the e46 is no exception. As long as people still love this car there will be someone who will pay good money for it. With the way the new bimmers ride I don't think most e46 fans are dying to go out and get a new one.

having said that, i wouldn't count on this car being an "investment." haha.