HELP! Girl seeking BMW - Which 3 Series M Sport Coupe?!
Discussion
I'm new to BMW - have never owned one (live in the countryside always see them stuck in the snow when I speed past in my trustee Golf! ), but I very nearly bought a 320ci M Sport Coupe today, W reg (2000) and apparently the "mechanical" one before they became much more computerised about a year later. 116k on the clock, some rusting around the wheel arches (common in these models, apparently), but for £1,000 I can't see why it wasn't worth it! Even if I got a year out of it!
Ayway it sold, but I would now like to buy one. I have some questions, please feel free to number your answers, "1, 2, 3, 4" to keep things simple!
Thank you for ALL your help! I want to buy the right one!
1. Was the seller correct in that about a year later than his model, so about 2000/2001 BMW made these computerised? He said they then started to have all sorts of major and minor problems as a result, head gaskets going etc. Is is the case that the earlier models were better and what year/reg did BMW instigate the changes?
2. Other than the insurance being more for a 330, is it worth spending the extra on the 330 compared to the 320 in both earlier and later models?
3. I believe standard 320ci and 330ci modes exist, does the "M" Sport make that much difference and if so in what way?
4. it seems to me you get an amazing value car for £4,000 and under (which is all I want to spend and happy for it to have done around 100k). How many miles can these cars be expected to do before they really start going? Having driven 3 Tdi VW Golfs to over 300,000 miles each with nothing going wrong on any of them except wear and tear I realise these more delicate petrol beasts will not have the same longevity! What can I expect before big bills?
THANK YOU BMW EXPERTS - ANY OTHER ADVICE IS VERY VERY WELCOME!
Fiona
xx
Ayway it sold, but I would now like to buy one. I have some questions, please feel free to number your answers, "1, 2, 3, 4" to keep things simple!
Thank you for ALL your help! I want to buy the right one!
1. Was the seller correct in that about a year later than his model, so about 2000/2001 BMW made these computerised? He said they then started to have all sorts of major and minor problems as a result, head gaskets going etc. Is is the case that the earlier models were better and what year/reg did BMW instigate the changes?
2. Other than the insurance being more for a 330, is it worth spending the extra on the 330 compared to the 320 in both earlier and later models?
3. I believe standard 320ci and 330ci modes exist, does the "M" Sport make that much difference and if so in what way?
4. it seems to me you get an amazing value car for £4,000 and under (which is all I want to spend and happy for it to have done around 100k). How many miles can these cars be expected to do before they really start going? Having driven 3 Tdi VW Golfs to over 300,000 miles each with nothing going wrong on any of them except wear and tear I realise these more delicate petrol beasts will not have the same longevity! What can I expect before big bills?
THANK YOU BMW EXPERTS - ANY OTHER ADVICE IS VERY VERY WELCOME!
Fiona
xx
It is in the M power section because I was told I should be looking for an 'M' sport as the guy before pointed out some models were designed as such with this labelling...so this is where I put the query. If it is incorrect I apologise I don't spend much time discussing this sort of thing and I coming to people like you for guidance not aloof castigating for getting things wrong - I will call BMW next time!
Thanks ALL great help so far! I have always driven diesel, my Golf is the 150PD engine chipped to 185 (not fussed about 0-60 more torque on country roads overtaking vicars and horse boxes), so just fancied a petrol for a bit. If anyone knows whether the 330d is hugely noisier and very Munich Taxi sounding compared to the petrol then let me know...I am also looking for a smoother drive than a usual diesel engine gives and a petrol engine usually gives me that...
ALL very helpful thank you! Especially E30M3SE - The engine change the chap did say was literally the next model which, he says, had far more problems...although noone has been able to confirm if that is correct or not.
Price wise I bet I cannot get an M3 anywhere near a 330ci coupe - I have to say the price of a ten year old car is staggering and seems amazing value. I just don't think I can afford the M3, and having sold my Aston V8 last year I am trying to afford what I can whilst getting good performance and a reliable beast!
You are all very helpful thank you!
Price wise I bet I cannot get an M3 anywhere near a 330ci coupe - I have to say the price of a ten year old car is staggering and seems amazing value. I just don't think I can afford the M3, and having sold my Aston V8 last year I am trying to afford what I can whilst getting good performance and a reliable beast!
You are all very helpful thank you!
bennyboysvuk said:
All you have to know about the M3 is that in terms of running costs M3 = £x3. 
I assume that you would be after an E46 (produced from 2000 to 2006).
This version of the M3 requires an inspection 2 service which involves checking all 24 valve clearances, so this service is anywhere from £600 upwards. Fortunately they only come along every 20-30,000 miles or so (if I remember correctly).
Add to that the chassis cracking problem on E46s. This place explains the issue and their £1500 repair process - http://www.redish-motorsport.com/E46M3FloorSubfram...
CHASSIS CRACKING?!? OMG?! My friends take the piss out of my "ancient" '03 plate TDi Golf, but she's reliable and she goes like a train and I can tell you right now it doesn't suffer from anything like that...I thought BMW was the cutting edge of quality and superior engineering...can I get a warranty to cover this problem? Is it dangerous...? I suppose like a cam belt change every 60k, you must get it done, but can it just crack completely and cause an accident?I assume that you would be after an E46 (produced from 2000 to 2006).
This version of the M3 requires an inspection 2 service which involves checking all 24 valve clearances, so this service is anywhere from £600 upwards. Fortunately they only come along every 20-30,000 miles or so (if I remember correctly).
Add to that the chassis cracking problem on E46s. This place explains the issue and their £1500 repair process - http://www.redish-motorsport.com/E46M3FloorSubfram...
Thank you for pointing this out! What other running costs are associated with the M3's that are higher?
pigeonskirt said:
Apologies in advance if I've got this wrong, but this forum has previous for people trolling and saying they are something they are not, so OP;
Are you really a man called Nigel, who has never owned an Aston Martin but in fact lives a fantasy Internet life?
Err Pigeon no I am not. I had a Vantage until I sold it about 18 months ago and enjoyed it very much, but it was completely impractical. In fact it was my friend who does detailing who put me on to piston heads. I am sure there are some every sad people out there who make things up, but I assure you I am not one of them. I can also assure you that if I were a man and my mother had called me Nigel I would have changed my name to something much better! No offence any Nigels, especially Mr. Farage...Are you really a man called Nigel, who has never owned an Aston Martin but in fact lives a fantasy Internet life?
TWOBLACKLINES: Thank you for the heads up on costs.
I have actually decided to get the M3 now - after all this deliberation. I figure if something is going to cost me a packet it may as well have the better performance and sound like a beast as well as go like one...otherwise what's the point?
The M3 seems the more fun car, you only live once so let's hope I don't wrap myself round a tree in it...
Thank you all! I expect to be broke by next year...
I have actually decided to get the M3 now - after all this deliberation. I figure if something is going to cost me a packet it may as well have the better performance and sound like a beast as well as go like one...otherwise what's the point?
The M3 seems the more fun car, you only live once so let's hope I don't wrap myself round a tree in it...
Thank you all! I expect to be broke by next year...
Khaki Suit said:
NORTS said:
Agreed! If the title didn't have 'girl' in it no one would of replied.
Quite pathetic really. Much more relevant and interesting threads with no response. Add one word to the title and all the knights in shining armour appear.
hy! I thought I was supposed to be the girl, not you two?!I'll tell you what's pathetic...making stupid odious comments like that when actually you have replied yourselves! If it's not worth your time go somewhere else and part your endless knowledge rather than make chauvinistic negative comments when actually everyone on here has been helpful and very kind giving their time to reply.
And what's wrong with knights in shining armour anyway? We live in a world where real men are hard to come by and for the most part when it comes to traditional "male" stuff I can out-drive, out reverse park, out over-take safely not like a t
t, out-earn, out map read and out road rage most men I come across. I find myself propping up most guys I work with and meet and I'm talking about guys in Khaki suits who dodge bullets for a living so stick that in your exhaust pipes. Khaki Suit said:
I'm sorry, was I talking to you?
What's the matter darling, did your ickle powers not work on us? Please keep your sexism card to yourself. Bragging bout how you can outdo men and then wanting them to be real men? Seems a bit like you want your cake and eat it to me. So don't get your lacy knickers in a twist sweetcheeks as your are promoting chauvinisn, not me.
No. But I WAS talking to you. OK darling?What's the matter darling, did your ickle powers not work on us? Please keep your sexism card to yourself. Bragging bout how you can outdo men and then wanting them to be real men? Seems a bit like you want your cake and eat it to me. So don't get your lacy knickers in a twist sweetcheeks as your are promoting chauvinisn, not me.
In case you forgot what you wrote it was YOU who stated that I only got a reply because I was female. That is chauvinism. Combined with all your condescending language and terminology referring to my lacy knickers and "sweet cheeks" etc. Laughable.
And 1. Does the fact a man can be outdone by a woman mean he is automatically less of a man? That is not what I was suggesting I was simply saying some men pose as real chaps and are no such thing and 2. What's the point in having cake that you aren't going to eat? What you wanna do - look at it?
It was you who was writing nasty sniping comments not me. Just be civil like everyone else on here.
And PS - I think it's fair to say that as I have so many replies to an allegedly uninteresting subject in the wrong section (your words I believe), I'd say my "powers" (whatever they may be) did work, wouldn't you? Now keep your skiddy boxers on and play nice. PPS - I take it noone responded to a forum you tried to set up, right?
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