Who wants to play BMW M3 roulette?
Discussion
I suspect this will be met with some scathing reaction that I should do more homework, but I thought I would document it for your entertainment nonetheless, especially as I will no doubt need your collective expertise soon.
I just completely blind bought an M3 on eBay, and take delivery via transporter tomorrow.
It is a 2001, Silver Grey over Laguna Seca blue leather (rare combination), with 90k miles, a full history and low ownership.
My intense and thorough inspection consisted of using the “click to zoom” feature on eBay and seeing that the 3 grainy pictures on the ad did indeed look pretty, plus a HPI check. It has a 12m full MOT with no advisories, but… is also due an Inspection II.
I thought “Dr Pepper – whats the worst that can happen…..??”
I’ll post again on here to let you know what is (inevitably) wrong with it, and beg for your help.
How exciting!
p.s. as you can tell from my previous cars, my wife and I have a rather high risk appetite and get bored easily. I’m hoping the M3 will be the usable supercar compromise we have been looking for. And yes, I would be very rich had I kept all of these… Prius (yep), Maserati Gransport, DC2 Honda Integra Type-R (x4), E39 M5, TVR Griffith, TVR Chimera (x2), TVR T350, Honda NSX, Lotus Elise (x2), Ferrari 348, 964 convertible, 930 Turbo, 993 (x2), Audi TT Sport 240, Civic Vti, Golf V6, MX-5, Citroen Saxo
mikey-r said:
Watching with interest as I'm in the market for an E46 M3 myself.
Seems a funny market with, on the face of it, identical cars/spec/mileage and history, going for anything between 7k and 14k. I'm on the look out for a grey or blue one, preferably manual and not too bothered if tin top or not. Trouble is I don't think I can afford to be too picky as there seems to be very few around my neck of the woods.
A lot of people shop by distance to them, or read a lot into the advert or the seller. The good thing about letting go of the (admittedly very sensible) "I must inspect the car" mentality and playing aggressive car roulette, you can buy from anywhere in the country, and it is super cheap to have cars bought to you on Shiply. Seems a funny market with, on the face of it, identical cars/spec/mileage and history, going for anything between 7k and 14k. I'm on the look out for a grey or blue one, preferably manual and not too bothered if tin top or not. Trouble is I don't think I can afford to be too picky as there seems to be very few around my neck of the woods.
There are some bargains out there in the classifieds - the ones with a bad advert, finishing on a Tuesday morning, where the seller is hard to reach or obnoxious, or it is a bazillion miles away from you.
That said, I may be eating my words when my big end vanos bearing frame explodes as the car comes off the transporter...
Quick update - delivered Saturday morning and DROVE off the trailer which is a good start. From a quick glance it looks like it may be a win...
Unfortunately Notting Hill Carnival running through our street on Sunday and all the roads closed, means it hasn't means it hasn't moved since.
Watch this space for a full update and photos later in the week, and another when it comes out of Technosport in North West London where it is booked in for an Inspection II... gulp!
Still not driven the car, but I do have 3 windscreen adornments in the form of parking tickets (one for not getting a permit before a bank holiday which is still restricted, and two for putting a type on the reg when getting on one - annoyingly the typo also bringing up a grey BMW on confirmation!).
Technosport are great. I bought an E39 blind two days before my wedding as we didn't have a car. It looked like a dog but they cleaned it up, gave it an honest appraisal and did only the work it needed only at a great price. I miss it :-(
So... Drove it into Technosport this morning and here's my non-expert take before they make me cry with theirs:
Good bits
• It starts! And drives!
• No lights on or funny noises so far, including subframe clicks or Vanos rattles (touch wood - specifically the fake piano wood on the dash)
• Amazingly, had a BMW and specialist history up to the last service in late 2014, a fresh MOT which it ehum, 'flew' through, and all original paperwork and tools present and correct
• All electronics work, save for the passenger side auto central locking
• No rust or bodywork issues (other than wildlife)
Surprise bonuses that weren't mentioned in the ad
• Very slightly lowered on expensive Eibach springs all around
• Wired up for an iPod - very 2002
• 28p change left in the dash, which means I paid less than expected
• A subwoofer in the boot large enough to kill anyone you have kidnapped with soundwaves
Bad bits
• Very little actually, but not exactly 'pampered'
• It was described by the seller as "mint". I requested a more specific non plant-based description but that is all I got. "Mint" apparently means "It has been sitting around for a couple of weeks under trees so has various plant and animal life on it - even has cobwebs on the inside, like if the Adams Family had a weekend car."
• The seller ripped the boot apart for some reason before putting it on the trailer, probably something to do with the sound system
• The MOT it 'flew through' actually threw up a few advisories, but nothing major, just early warnings for discs and brake lines
It is in good hands with Technosport now for a full inspection II and once over. George and the guys there are amazing. You know you're in a good garage when you get to a garage and they have this many cars in - not least two rather lovely looking CSLs which I may try and do the old switcharoo with when picking up the car.
Plan is to keep this until the right E39 M5 comes along (my wife insists we need 4 doors for the baby).
Good bits
• It starts! And drives!
• No lights on or funny noises so far, including subframe clicks or Vanos rattles (touch wood - specifically the fake piano wood on the dash)
• Amazingly, had a BMW and specialist history up to the last service in late 2014, a fresh MOT which it ehum, 'flew' through, and all original paperwork and tools present and correct
• All electronics work, save for the passenger side auto central locking
• No rust or bodywork issues (other than wildlife)
Surprise bonuses that weren't mentioned in the ad
• Very slightly lowered on expensive Eibach springs all around
• Wired up for an iPod - very 2002
• 28p change left in the dash, which means I paid less than expected
• A subwoofer in the boot large enough to kill anyone you have kidnapped with soundwaves
Bad bits
• Very little actually, but not exactly 'pampered'
• It was described by the seller as "mint". I requested a more specific non plant-based description but that is all I got. "Mint" apparently means "It has been sitting around for a couple of weeks under trees so has various plant and animal life on it - even has cobwebs on the inside, like if the Adams Family had a weekend car."
• The seller ripped the boot apart for some reason before putting it on the trailer, probably something to do with the sound system
• The MOT it 'flew through' actually threw up a few advisories, but nothing major, just early warnings for discs and brake lines
It is in good hands with Technosport now for a full inspection II and once over. George and the guys there are amazing. You know you're in a good garage when you get to a garage and they have this many cars in - not least two rather lovely looking CSLs which I may try and do the old switcharoo with when picking up the car.
Plan is to keep this until the right E39 M5 comes along (my wife insists we need 4 doors for the baby).
Nice! Looks like a roulette win there. Agree I'm not a fan of grey, but check out eBay - there's a full set of cinnamon leather on there now and shouldn't be toopaingul to get an independent to swap them around.
I lucked out on the leather in my roulette but did get a mouldy glovebox and some animals living on it
So first diagnosis back from the amazing team at Technosport - aka BMW hospital - and.... not bad at all!
Inspection II and just normal wear and tear - valves, bushes, rocker cover and bits and bobs.
From a price perspective, by the time it will have been shipped, is back with me and full of premium fuel I've probably paid the going market rate for a good car (just over 10k). BUT rather than to pick up an unknown car, that is for a fully inspected and understood car, with all the required work done. And, with a ridiculous smurf blue interior!
So... Roulettemobile is back from a full Inspection II service, and is running well. A few tiny niggles but nothing that gets in the way of the driving. .Will post some photos as soon as I can clean it up.
These are amazing cars and I can see what all the fuss is about - I took it to the airport at 5am the other day - the longest drive I have done so far and fell in love.
HOWEVER, the wife has correctly) suggested I am a moron (has decreed that we have to have a 4 door for the baby, so looks like it'll have to go up for sale. Will probably list it art around ~£500 less than our total cost - around £8900 at that. Hopefully noone bites and I can keep it.
Anyone with an E34 or E39 M5 or interested in a cheap E46 M3 reach out... otherwise I'm not looking forward to explaining to the next buyer why I have had it for 2 months!
These are amazing cars and I can see what all the fuss is about - I took it to the airport at 5am the other day - the longest drive I have done so far and fell in love.
HOWEVER, the wife has correctly) suggested I am a moron (has decreed that we have to have a 4 door for the baby, so looks like it'll have to go up for sale. Will probably list it art around ~£500 less than our total cost - around £8900 at that. Hopefully noone bites and I can keep it.
Anyone with an E34 or E39 M5 or interested in a cheap E46 M3 reach out... otherwise I'm not looking forward to explaining to the next buyer why I have had it for 2 months!
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