Clarkson broke his M3? Really?

[e21Mark]

Just read this article about Clarkson supposedly breaking this guys M3. Have to say, I'm not convinced.

http://www.bmwblog.com/2015/12/10/man-buys-bmw-m3-...

[TheEnd]

Every now and again, you come across the "It wasn't like that before" person, the person that believes a car is inherently faultless, and anything that goes wrong with it is 100% down to the last person who had contact with the car.

[Eviltad]

Bit of a Non-Story really. Dealer takes some PR to make it fix fault on used car?

If its a former press car, then every hack from Clarkson down will have slid the back end about for photo shoots.

Wasn't Chris Harris' youtube review in a similar Yas Marina M3?( Just checked, its on German Plates)

[e21Mark]

I'd be surprised if a couple of hours hooning did more than waste the tyres anyway. I was at Brands with Tiff Needell and the M3 (albeit e92) used there didn't even flinch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcbDdcN3bF0

[anonymous-user]

In all honesty, which would you prefer, at similar cost? An ex media hack or a one owner, properly run in car?

Be honest.

[mark.c]

REALIST123 said:

In all honesty, which would you prefer, at similar cost? An ex media hack or a one owner, properly run in car?

Be honest.

The trouble is, unless you specifically know the previous owner there is no guarantee that it would have been treated well at all. A mate of mine is a case in point, always buys M3's brand new, keeps them for two years during which time he beats the doors off it. The car then goes back to the dealer, gets a service and a half arsed valet and is then advertised as a one local owner, low mileage, full dealer history car.

Having said all that, I've been messing about with E30's and E36's for years and the ones that have had a hard life and been 'used' always go the best !

[dhutch]

Very non-story, assuming the repairs where covered by the garage, happy days. Nice car, works, slightly famous.


Daniel

[AyBee]

mark.c said:

REALIST123 said:

In all honesty, which would you prefer, at similar cost? An ex media hack or a one owner, properly run in car?

Be honest.

The trouble is, unless you specifically know the previous owner there is no guarantee that it would have been treated well at all. A mate of mine is a case in point, always buys M3's brand new, keeps them for two years during which time he beats the doors off it. The car then goes back to the dealer, gets a service and a half arsed valet and is then advertised as a one local owner, low mileage, full dealer history car.

Having said all that, I've been messing about with E30's and E36's for years and the ones that have had a hard life and been 'used' always go the best !

Absolutely this. Buying a used car is a lottery. I used to work in the industry and a couple of colleagues would get brand new cars for 9 months and then they'd be shifted in the used networks, these cars would occasionally hit the redline before they'd left the carpark!

Buyer buys car, has issues, dealer fixes them, all is well - it's not really news to be honest!

[anonymous-user]

AyBee said:

mark.c said:

REALIST123 said:

In all honesty, which would you prefer, at similar cost? An ex media hack or a one owner, properly run in car?

Be honest.

The trouble is, unless you specifically know the previous owner there is no guarantee that it would have been treated well at all. A mate of mine is a case in point, always buys M3's brand new, keeps them for two years during which time he beats the doors off it. The car then goes back to the dealer, gets a service and a half arsed valet and is then advertised as a one local owner, low mileage, full dealer history car.

Having said all that, I've been messing about with E30's and E36's for years and the ones that have had a hard life and been 'used' always go the best !

Absolutely this. Buying a used car is a lottery. I used to work in the industry and a couple of colleagues would get brand new cars for 9 months and then they'd be shifted in the used networks, these cars would occasionally hit the redline before they'd left the carpark!

Buyer buys car, has issues, dealer fixes them, all is well - it's not really news to be honest!

But if you buy a media car you know, 100% guaranteed, that it's been hammered from mile 1. Long time since I bought a used car but if I did, I'd like some chance of getting a cared for one, thanks.

[rosino]

Agreed. I would avoid press cars too. One owner is never a guarantee of anything and that's why I like to buy privately because I get a glimpse of the owner. And often you can tell quickly if you should walk away immediately.

Unfortunately from a certain price point cars pretty much only go through dealers which removes that gut-feeling check. And then it's down to luck.

[e21Mark]

I used to work for Mazda UK looking after their press fleet and whilst they would certainly get driven a little harder, it wasn't as bad as one might imagine. They also got serviced every time they were returned from loan and no expense spared, in order to make sure the cars were perfect before the next journalist took over. I doubt BMW are any different. Added to which the M3 was always likely to be driven harder than your average 320d anyway, so I would be pretty confident in it being up to task. I know they perform remarkably well (as well as being reliable) at the many track schools that use them.

As has been said already, a non news feature where they've been able to attach Clarkson's name to try and attract some interest.

[Eviltad]

e21Mark said:

Added to which the M3 was always likely to be driven harder than your average 320d anyway.

Nah, NOTHING is driven harder than a 320D!!

[hman]

320D hire car?

[e21Mark]

hman said:

320D hire car?

Probably.

[-Z-]

Back in 2008 I bought the press e90 M3, I found out after placing a deposit but before delivery. Was watching 5th Gear having placed the deposit the day before and thought that number plate looks famili......st! Thought about it and took it anyway. Was faultless in every way. Pic below of Tiff caning it

Edited by -Z- on Thursday 24th December 19:09

[Babw]

A member of my family owned a new E46 M3 back in 06, it was basically driven as it's meant to from the moment it left the dealership. We believed in sealing the piston rings by taking it to the limiter during the "break in" period, it hit the top speed limiter prior to reaching 1000 miles on the clock in Germany. However it was serviced and looked after as per the service schedule.

A few weeks ago while browsing M3cutters I recognised the plate, the new owner gleaming about how it has one previous female owner (it was registered under a womans name) and the low mileage. The engine also apparently is one of the strongest he's driven because it's been used sparingly.

Shows how you assume so many things when buying used cars but don't really have any idea what kind of history it's had.

[Rick101]

Are press cars really driven that hard?

Yes i'm sure they get worked but I imagine only for the time they are doing that piece, it's not bouncing off the limiter for 6 hrs.

[carreauchompeur]

I'm firmly of the opinion that driving performance cars hard (not abusing) actually improves their performance... My previous E36 M3 was undoubtedly a bit of a nail in many ways but Christ, it was nicely loosened up in the engine department.

[Eviltad]

And now it's on Autotrader with its Top Gear history as a selling point.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

[bennyboysvuk]

Rick101 said:

Are press cars really driven that hard?

Yes i'm sure they get worked but I imagine only for the time they are doing that piece, it's not bouncing off the limiter for 6 hrs.

I believe the ones loaned to Top Gear used to be, yes. Talking to the guys at BMW UK who prepared them, they said that the cars always came back with the rear tyres absolutely shredded.