Higher Mileage E46 M3s....

[Rags]

AliV6 said:

I've never underwstood why people buy high mileage M3's... Is it just a snobbery thing?

I'd never buy a cheap M3 with a million miles on it just for the sake of owning one. - Just my personal opinion.

Surely if a car becomes affordable, people will buy it? Surely its more snobbery to discount buying a marque.......People who can't afford the capital cost of a lower mileage m3, may buy an affordable cheaper one.

How are you confused by this?

[E21_Ross]

AliV6 said:

I've never underwstood why people buy high mileage M3's... Is it just a snobbery thing?

I'd never buy a cheap M3 with a million miles on it just for the sake of owning one. - Just my personal opinion.

because they are great cars which offer excellent all round ability and very good performance perhaps?

and if well maintained then high miles won't make much of a difference...

just a thought! much better than a low-ish miles mondeo me thinks!

[stuthemong]

Thorney motorsport (good indy m3 specialist) took a 2001 IIRC M3 with >100K on the clock to turn into a track car. He now races it. The engines are strong.

I sold mine at 64Kmiles for 19.6K last year. Was an awesome car, felt solid as. Tempted to get back into one now to be honest.

A M3 will take the mileage. Of course stuff will need doing, but it's not a grenade if you buy sensibly.

[mat205125]

E21_Ross said:

AliV6 said:

I've never underwstood why people buy high mileage M3's... Is it just a snobbery thing?

I'd never buy a cheap M3 with a million miles on it just for the sake of owning one. - Just my personal opinion.

because they are great cars which offer excellent all round ability and very good performance perhaps?

and if well maintained then high miles won't make much of a difference...

just a thought! much better than a low-ish miles mondeo me thinks!

Exactly! The snobs, to use Ali's term, are the ones that dismiss owning and enjoying a vehicle because of nothing more than the digits that the LCD display shines out through the steering wheel.

In exactly the same way that there are ste thrashed and abused low mileage cars, there are also loved and cherished high mileage cars .... Condition is as important, if not MORE important, than mileage.

[mikereynolds]

AliV6.... Ive had shed loads of performance cars over the last 3 years, Tuscan, Griffith, Integrale Evo1, etc etc built a Westfield so you could say Im a petrol head, definately not a badge snob. Bought an M3 because I wanted to pay off some debts and still have a performance car, not some slow diseasal (no 330d comments now!!), I dont drive to work and so the high mileage doesnt both me. I guess your just someone who likes to have a low mileage shiny car, not drive it much and sell it on loosing loads???..... Dont really know why have bothered justifying my purchase but hey!

[Vee]

AliV6 said:

I've never underwstood why people buy high mileage M3's... Is it just a snobbery thing?

I'd never buy a cheap M3 with a million miles on it just for the sake of owning one. - Just my personal opinion.

Alternatively one travels to work by train and uses the car only on weekends.
A high mileage one could be a sensible choice given that the mileage will average down during ownership.

[AliV6]

Aye...No i hear you's. I was going my a mates situation be sold his 197 for 10k 6months a go, bought a 53 plate E46 on 80k!!! for 9.4k! Looked in ok nick...Pretty chipped at the front end, seats were stressed! The motor went pop 3wks ago! BMW wanted 8k for a recon motor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yep 8k.

I advised him against buyin one on that mileage. Not to knock the build at all as i've for a Z4M...I know how good the build is. I'd just be dubious about buyin one on that mileage!

[Vee]

AliV6 said:

Aye...No i hear you's. I was going my a mates situation be sold his 197 for 10k 6months a go, bought a 53 plate E46 on 80k!!! for 9.4k! Looked in ok nick...Pretty chipped at the front end, seats were stressed! The motor went pop 3wks ago! BMW wanted 8k for a recon motor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yep 8k.

I advised him against buyin one on that mileage. Not to knock the build at all as i've for a Z4M...I know how good the build is. I'd just be dubious about buyin one on that mileage!

Your mate bought one too cheaply imo - the early ones are only just getting down to sub 10k.
Probably something wrong with it for a facelift car to be that cheap.
Looked after properly, by people who know what they're doing, they'll do well over 100k without problems.
Did he check the service history or just buy it because it was an M3.

[AliV6]

Vee said:

AliV6 said:

Aye...No i hear you's. I was going my a mates situation be sold his 197 for 10k 6months a go, bought a 53 plate E46 on 80k!!! for 9.4k! Looked in ok nick...Pretty chipped at the front end, seats were stressed! The motor went pop 3wks ago! BMW wanted 8k for a recon motor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yep 8k.

I advised him against buyin one on that mileage. Not to knock the build at all as i've for a Z4M...I know how good the build is. I'd just be dubious about buyin one on that mileage!

Your mate bought one too cheaply imo - the early ones are only just getting down to sub 10k.
Probably something wrong with it for a facelift car to be that cheap.
Looked after properly, by people who know what they're doing, they'll do well over 100k without problems.
Did he check the service history or just buy it because it was an M3.

I fear your last comment is exactly his reasoning! "For the sake of buyin one!" He should of waited a couple of months and had a little more cash! Its has all the key services done.

Completely agree that the cars are good for 100k mileage...most cars are nowadays. But it's not just the mechanicals that suffer. I'm in my my detailing etc, so the bodywork and interior is important to me. That said 300£ gets the bumper done and professional leather treatment is about 150 so your right in essence. it can be made good!

[andy43]

With regard to colour choices, especially the interior, I looked at this car clicky 12 months ago, probably longer. Didn't look too hard at history etc, but that car looks absolutely beautiful, no, stunning, in the flesh, kiwi and dark green, but just isn't the standard colours. If it was black on black, would have gone months ago. Crazy.

[Windymiller]

Hmmm... never seen a green one before!

[bigfatnick]

AliV6 said:

I've never underwstood why people buy high mileage M3's... Is it just a snobbery thing?

I'd never buy a cheap M3 with a million miles on it just for the sake of owning one. - Just my personal opinion.

I'm looking at getting one, and i really couldnt care what people think about my car, i'd sooner have m3 running gear in a 316estate shell myself, or it to look like a bog standard mondeo, i just dont want the attention, especially being young, and with a few cars being stolen with people breaking into the house for the keys in my area. However, its a (fairly) reliable car, with almost super car performance, a great noise, nice to drive, not chavvy (yet), nice interior, etc etc etc why wouldnt you? Plus, the other options for 10k is e39 m5 (all my research points it to being a money pit), 350z, nowhere near as good, skylines (a bit naff), supras (ditto), audi's (just not exciting)

So in short, why wouldnt you buy an e46 m3, even if you struggle to afford a low miler?

[texasjohn]

Windymiller said:

Hmmm... never seen a green one before!

There's a reason for that!

Same with 'Tahiti Green Metallic' 1 series. Have a look on the BMW car configurator if you're not familiar with it

[Housey]

As with any car buy on condition and history and you should be OK. The S54 engine should be bullet proof if well serviced and with any recall work completed of which an early M3 would require. I would expect a well maintained and driven M3 with good mechanical sympathy to happily see 200k miles and John Thorne would support that too having asked him. My first M3 covered 53k in around 18 months from new and the second owner took it to well over 100k including several track days and never missed a beat. That was an 02 car and bar a new Vanos at 44k fixed under warranty an very rare on an E46 I simply drove, fueled and serviced it!

BUT you are not buying a 10k car, you're buying a 45k for 10k and this is something many owners forget and why servicing and maintenance sometimes gets a lack of attention. Plenty of good cars out there, plenty of dogs too so buy with caution!

[nottyash]

mikereynolds said:

Just bought an E46 M3, done 116k, has full bmwsh, last service was Inspection2, has just had new rear pads and new front wishbones and bushes. Its got satnav, harmon kardon, bluetooth, basically everything except heated seats!! Had it inspected by Munich Legends, and found it needed 4 new tyres, rear trailing arm bushes, and rear suspension top mounts... and paid 8K for it!!! Got four new goodyear eagle F1's and the probs fixed for £800. Oh and I love it!!

I think thats brilliant.
I bet these engines wear there miles well.
How does it feel to drive? have you compared it to a lower milage model?
No one would know what miles it has when it comes flying past!

[mikereynolds]

Its great to drive, doesnt smoke, or rattle even whens its hot. Did 400+ miles in it this weekend and didnt miss a beat, even with some spirited driving managed 28mpg!!! Drove a manual one a few years back and this still feels great, the interior doesnt look like its done the miles and the only thing I want to do is get the tracking checked before I put my new tyres on. Its a great all round car!

[f13ldy]

On the flip side. My diff has given up the ghost at 54k.

Thank god for BMW warranty. I don't think high mileage is bad for the engine, just be wary if any of the major components haven't been replaced they'll probably need doing at a cost of ££££ for suspension and brakes.

[colball]

Hi Nico,

Have a look at this one.....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

Looks ok to me

[n boost]

NO not that one!
That's been for sale for some time now and apparently the history dont match up with bmw uk...........just my 2 cents.