New member, picking up my first M3...

...in about an hour. Ill post pics when I get it, but it's a 2005 SMG with competition package in Interlagos Blue. It has 102,000 miles on it, and I'm picking it up for $16,500. I've literally wanted an E46 M3 since I've been into cars and knew what they were (about 10 years at this point), so I'm pretty excited.

I've done a lot of research on the SMG, and the E46 M3 in general, mainly regarding common issues and concerns on higher mileage vehicles. I knew whatever I got, it would probably have around 80k-120k miles on it, because I just didn't want to spend $25,000+ on a lower mileage M3. I know all the hoopla about the SMG failing. I was on the fence about it, but I'm really leaning more toward the opinion that SMG failures are few and far between, and the concerns about them are rather exagerated. I drove a 6sp and SMG, and well, to be honest SMG seemed more enjoyable and appealing to me, and fit my driving style more, so thats what I went with. I didn't think I'd sway that way, but it happened.

I bought this particular car for a few reasons:

1. It's a one owner car.

2. I suspect the owner took care of it regarding maintenance during its 100K miles due to simple facts about him:
2a. He is an older doctor, ie more mature and wasn't into modding the car, it's all stock
2b. He paid cash for the car when it was brand new, ie he has money and therefore had deep enough pockets to maintain the vehicle properly
2c. He said he doesnt know much about working on cars and basically everytime the dealer told him something needed to be done, he pulled out a card and got it done

3. He gave me the number of the service tech that has worked on the car so I can get a detailed list of what has been done, and what needs to be done.

So before I go any further with my boring introduction, I want to maintain the car as best as possible. I know it has high miles, and I want to get as many miles out of it as possible so I can enjoy it for many years to come. My main concern with it before I do any modding (if I even mod the vehicle at all) is to get it 100% mechanically, then fix all the cosmetic imperfections. At 100K miles, what should I be looking into that he may have missed, or that should be done anyway? He did say it's up for an Inspection II in about 2000 miles (which is why he lowered the price from $18k to $16500). I may take a swing at doing the Inspection II myself. The only hard part is going to be the valve adjustment, but I feel semi confident with it.

Any advice on this last part of this post would be awesome, and ill post up a few pics when I pick it up.

Nice! Can't wait to see! Interlagos is my favorite blue. Looks absolutely filthy...

Heres the pics...i only have 2 and theyre not very good. Ill get more later.

I like

Wow thats rare, nice find. And welcome

Enjoy the car

welcome