E92 M3 buyers guide

E92 M3 buyers guide

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acme

Original Poster:

2,971 posts

197 months

Thursday 23rd April 2015
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Suspect this has been done before but can anyone recommend an E92 buyers guide?

Seen the PH one.

Cheers

DJC

60 posts

109 months

Thursday 23rd April 2015
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Im sure there's one on M3 Cutters

FazerBoy

953 posts

149 months

Thursday 23rd April 2015
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I think the last issue of BMW Car magazine had an E92 M3 buyers guide...

acme

Original Poster:

2,971 posts

197 months

Friday 24th April 2015
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Thanks for the responses fellas. Can't find the one on M3 cutters but will keep looking.

Cheers

If anyone has tips etc of what to look for please let me know.

rassi

2,447 posts

250 months

Friday 24th April 2015
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http://forums.m3cutters.co.uk/showthread.php?t=700... Not very comprehensive though.

Two main weaknesses of the E9X M3: throttle actuators (can now be rebuilt with metal gears) and rod bearings, where some wear prematurely and others show no problems at 100k+ miles.

If it were me, I would buy a facelift (September 2008 on) with DCT and EDC and as many options as you can find (most important is arguably upgraded stereo, Prologic or Individual, and adaptive xenons).


Siko

1,976 posts

241 months

Friday 24th April 2015
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Just test driven a 2012 M3 DCT today and wow.....blummin amazing car. Really amazed how well the DCT works, in fact gobsmacked. The car was brilliant and everything I thought it would be, even if that example was a little bit out my budget and the custom red paint was......very flat. Anyway, I digress, the buyer guide in the April edition of BMW Car is very good and covers the different editions amongst other things..I'm sure you could get a back copy if you can't find it.

Stupid question but why is the stero upgrade essential? Any easy way of spotting an upgraded one other than checking a spec sheet? Do they all come with navigation? The sales rep said they don't but I thought they did! The upgraded satnav (CIC?) thing from 2009 onwards is a world apart from the earlier one......it is like comparing a Nokia 3210 with an iPhone 5s....that for me is the essential extra...apart from that bloody fantstastic DCT gearbox cloud9

rassi

2,447 posts

250 months

Friday 24th April 2015
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Siko said:
Just test driven a 2012 M3 DCT today and wow.....blummin amazing car. Really amazed how well the DCT works, in fact gobsmacked. The car was brilliant and everything I thought it would be, even if that example was a little bit out my budget and the custom red paint was......very flat. Anyway, I digress, the buyer guide in the April edition of BMW Car is very good and covers the different editions amongst other things..I'm sure you could get a back copy if you can't find it.

Stupid question but why is the stero upgrade essential? Any easy way of spotting an upgraded one other than checking a spec sheet? Do they all come with navigation? The sales rep said they don't but I thought they did! The upgraded satnav (CIC?) thing from 2009 onwards is a world apart from the earlier one......it is like comparing a Nokia 3210 with an iPhone 5s....that for me is the essential extra...apart from that bloody fantstastic DCT gearbox cloud9
The updated CIC is indeed so much better than the CCC. As to audio upgrade, it is of course completely personal taste but the standard audio is dire, whereas the Professional Prologic or rare Individual audio are very good indeed.

GPS is standard in the UK, options in all other markets.

The DCT makes the car for me, over the moon with mine!

acme

Original Poster:

2,971 posts

197 months

Friday 24th April 2015
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Thanks for the additional replies fellas.

I'm trying to understand if they need to be run with a BMW warranty, in say the way a 996/997.1 need to be with their well known issues (least some would argue it's prudent).

Manual for me & as it's not a daily not bothered about satnav but would like EDC. Main issue at a few ive looked at is wear & tear inside, quality doesn't look great & as with all BM interiors in black they're very drab inside.

bigtime

513 posts

138 months

Friday 24th April 2015
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Just get the options you want mate. It's Strange that some people need EDC when The standard set up is brilliant. This wasn't an option that I wanted and most important to me was dct, 19's, heated seats and electric folding mirrors as my garage is tight.

acme

Original Poster:

2,971 posts

197 months

Friday 24th April 2015
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I think you're probably right. Anyone know what was standard ie DAB, heated seats etc etc??

bigtime

513 posts

138 months

Friday 24th April 2015
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Regarding warranty - I've just renewed mine with 22k miles on a 2012 And it's £77 per month with a £100 excess. This is through BMW, I wasn't going to bother as touch wood mines, been faultless but it was more for piece of mind. Note if there's been a break in warranty the monthly costs will be much more. That's why I renewed mine as soon as it was 3 years old.

Heated seats were defiantly an extra. I also specced darker glass for the rear windows which makes the coupe look miles better imo. The only extra I wish I had was shadowline trim. I never noticed it before until I saw one with it the other day and it did look nice. Rear parking sensors were standard and fronts were an extra. Mine has navigation pack professional but I haven't a clue if this is standard or extra.

r4_rick

452 posts

214 months

Friday 24th April 2015
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both of those were options, i've got the individual audio in mine it is good !

Siko

1,976 posts

241 months

Friday 24th April 2015
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acme said:
Thanks for the additional replies fellas.

I'm trying to understand if they need to be run with a BMW warranty, in say the way a 996/997.1 need to be with their well known issues (least some would argue it's prudent).

Manual for me & as it's not a daily not bothered about satnav but would like EDC. Main issue at a few ive looked at is wear & tear inside, quality doesn't look great & as with all BM interiors in black they're very drab inside.
Try the DCT...I'm a 'manual' guy but I was blown away by how good it was. Full auto, manual forwards and back shifts or use the flappy paddles...all modes were brilliant...it's the future wink

Wills2

22,669 posts

174 months

Saturday 25th April 2015
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acme said:
I think you're probably right. Anyone know what was standard ie DAB, heated seats etc etc??
Nav was always standard on all models.

DAB was an option but may have been standard on the last ones (2013 build)

Here are some popular options my last one (2012 model) came with:

Heated seats
Adaptive lights
High beam assist
HK audio
Extended storage
Privacy glass
High gloss shadowline
Media package
Sliding armrest
Ski through load
Folding mirrors
Internet
Apps interface
12v sockets
PDC front/rear
Split rear folding seats
EDC
19" wheels





acme

Original Poster:

2,971 posts

197 months

Saturday 25th April 2015
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Thanks again for the replies. Got to be manual for me though I've noted how DCT has changed some & has a good rep.

Would like cruise, heated seats & EDC. Most seem to have 19's though I've read they ride better on 18's

Anyone know how they've depreciated over say the last year?

Far Cough

2,192 posts

167 months

Saturday 25th April 2015
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There are going to be literally thousands of these flooding the market soon. They were heavily discounting them a couple of years ago with massive dealer contributions and 0% finanace to shift the last of the E92 shape ( Jan 2013 ). So much so that people that had just bought a car without the deal were chopping them back in to get the deal. Most went for 3 year pcp`s which are coming up to fruition.

The prices will fall dramatically due to such a choice available which is good news if your buying , not if your selling. For example , I specced up a brand new car at £54k however in the showroom was a car with 400 miles on ( as mentioned above a previously owned car but the owner jumped onto the new deal ). It was up for £46k and the new car deal of dealer contribution and 0% finance did not apply as it was not a new car !!!

Its still an itch that needs scratching....

GroundEffect

13,819 posts

155 months

Saturday 25th April 2015
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Far Cough said:
There are going to be literally thousands of these flooding the market soon. They were heavily discounting them a couple of years ago with massive dealer contributions and 0% finanace to shift the last of the E92 shape ( Jan 2013 ). So much so that people that had just bought a car without the deal were chopping them back in to get the deal. Most went for 3 year pcp`s which are coming up to fruition.

The prices will fall dramatically due to such a choice available which is good news if your buying , not if your selling. For example , I specced up a brand new car at £54k however in the showroom was a car with 400 miles on ( as mentioned above a previously owned car but the owner jumped onto the new deal ). It was up for £46k and the new car deal of dealer contribution and 0% finance did not apply as it was not a new car !!!

Its still an itch that needs scratching....
I'm in the market for one right now so this is good news. I will hold on a bit longer and see where it goes - there are a lot of them coming up quite rapidly right now with a steady drop in prices.

Once they hit a solid £16-17k for a decent one (don't care facelift or not really) then I'll probably take the plunge.

NORTS

633 posts

219 months

Sunday 26th April 2015
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Far Cough said:
There are going to be literally thousands of these flooding the market soon. They were heavily discounting them a couple of years ago with massive dealer contributions and 0% finanace to shift the last of the E92 shape ( Jan 2013 ). So much so that people that had just bought a car without the deal were chopping them back in to get the deal. Most went for 3 year pcp`s which are coming up to fruition.

The prices will fall dramatically due to such a choice available which is good news if your buying , not if your selling. For example , I specced up a brand new car at £54k however in the showroom was a car with 400 miles on ( as mentioned above a previously owned car but the owner jumped onto the new deal ). It was up for £46k and the new car deal of dealer contribution and 0% finance did not apply as it was not a new car !!!

Its still an itch that needs scratching....
Don't agree entirely with that. Good examples of the E46 are holding high teens and virtually not depreciating. The highest mileage and oldest E92s have been about 20k for a few years now. Well spec'd few year old E92s in the right colour have stayed in the 25-28k mark for the last 2yrs. The 2 to 3yr old cars your talking about will sit between around £35k give or take.

I maybe wrong but I think while the E46 is propping prices up then the prices should remain fairly strong and it also helps that the latest F80 isn't a huge success story.

Siko

1,976 posts

241 months

Sunday 26th April 2015
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NORTS said:
Don't agree entirely with that. Good examples of the E46 are holding high teens and virtually not depreciating. The highest mileage and oldest E92s have been about 20k for a few years now. Well spec'd few year old E92s in the right colour have stayed in the 25-28k mark for the last 2yrs. The 2 to 3yr old cars your talking about will sit between around £35k give or take.

I maybe wrong but I think while the E46 is propping prices up then the prices should remain fairly strong and it also helps that the latest F80 isn't a huge success story.
Agreed. Be interesting to see the sales figures, but perfectly normal for a model at the end of its lifespan to have discounts and incentives. I doubt they sold massive numbers in the last year it was on sale aswell, likely some people got good deals but how many of them? Happy to be corrected but I doubt there are 'thousands' about to hit the market.

I've been watching the market for a while now and would agree that prices are relatively static. I'm sure they'll go down long term but I think this will be a slow decrease for two reasons: the E92 sold far less than the E46 and the V8 is seen as the last of a 'halo' generation....bit like the 993 vs 996. I am actively trying to buy one at the moment and it is very clear that 'good' ones sell extremely quickly, anything in a desirable colour and spec with mileage <50k from AUC sells.

Wills2

22,669 posts

174 months

Sunday 26th April 2015
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They were not sold in massive number the last of the line edition models and CP cars accounted for around 500-700 sales. (approx.)

As an example on discounts hurting residuals:

I bought a new 2008 58 plate back in 2008 for £38,995 (list was 54K) 6 years on they are still fetching 20k, the 62 plate frozen silver edition I had was bought for 45k again new (list was 63k) and those are still going for 35k 3 years later.

Big discounts all the time across a volume car will hit residuals, but two or three "offers" over 6-7 years on a low volume car doesn't smash the residuals in my experience.

You'll always be waiting if you play that game, just get it bought.