E46 M3/Cayman/Similar - Page 1 - Car Buying

Chestrockwell

Original Poster

2,889 posts

178 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 14th January 2019

Edit : My car is a 2015 M + pack 430d Gran Coupe

I’m constantly finding myself in the position of changing cars yet never pulling the trigger, I really don’t know what I want and I hate the fact I picked the car I currently drive, it’s a curse!

I’ve gone from test driving M2’s and M4’s, a new 718 Boxter, Civic Type R and I always find a reason not to pick the car, M2 not feeing that much quicker to warrant the extra money/loss, the M4’s epic depreciation even with a big discount, the Boxter being extremely impractical and same price to an M4 while having a huge power deficit and the Civic being over priced at 32k or 28k for a 18 month old one.

I love my car and I love everything about it but it’s lacking that ‘go out for a drive for the sake of it’, sometimes when I’m free, I feel like driving somewhere far away, maybe to the coast or somewhere, at night to relieve some stress and my car really doesn’t encourage me to do that. It’s a stunning car, a head turner when cleaned, it’s seriously quick, costs a oner a year to tax and returns 35mpg with my driving (heavy foot indeed). It’s very hard to replace, but when replaced, it might be missed pretty quickly once the novelty of whatever I’m in wears off.

It being a new year, me having new goals means I could do with selling my car, paying the balance of 8k left on the loan and buying a car cash and saving 450 a month. Improving my credit rating and hopefully try to get a mortgage before the end of the year. My cars worth about 20 give or take, maybe more if I sort out a few bits and bobs on it.

This leaves me with 12 grand give or take to buy something nice and fun.

I know some will say buy a 500 pound banger and put the rest towards a house, which I might do should the time come, but I want to use this time to drive something I enjoy.

I had a look on AT last night at various cars and I was left with an E46 M3 and a Porsche Cayman S.

12 grand is in the cheapest territory for Caymans to my surprise as 100k + ones are at that price so that sort of rules it out.

E46 M3, that’s a nightmare looking for the right one, I’d want a manual facelift coupe in either carbon black or silver with sensible mileage and they’re all coming up at 14-16 grand! Couldn’t believe it.

So, these are my requirements.

6 cylinder minimum
Manual
RWD
Build quality similar to M3/Cayman
Looks nice

Compromises could be made but it must be a manual.

Final question, lots of M3 Cabs that are a lot cheaper than the coupes, I know convertibles are always going to be compromised compared to the coupes but judging by the pricing for the E46 M3’s, it sounds like they’re a lot worse, any owners? How bad are they.

Edited by Chestrockwell on Monday 14th January 12:50

james_gt3rs

4,816 posts

212 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 14th January 2019

Chestrockwell said:

E46 M3, that’s a nightmare looking for the right one, I’d want a manual facelift coupe in either carbon black or silver with sensible mileage and they’re all coming up at 14-16 grand! Couldn’t believe it.

I want one, but thinking it might be better to spend more and get an E92

anonymous-user

75 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 14th January 2019

E46 M3 I would probably only pick if I had something else, especially if you are planning to buy a tidy example and keep it that way.

370Z - love these, quite fancy one but I already have a 2 seater coupe.
XK(-R), classy, cool, timeless design imho, no manual though.
The older shape 6 series has a manual option.
E9x BMW M3
Audi S4 B7? I am sure these had a manual option, a little older now though.

Edited by Lord.Vader on Monday 14th January 13:06

Chestrockwell

Original Poster

2,889 posts

178 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 14th January 2019

james_gt3rs said:

I want one, but thinking it might be better to spend more and get an E92

I don’t really get on with the E92, if I really liked it, I could have made it work but A, I don’t like the looks and B, I feel as if it can’t be enjoyed on public roads as all of its power is up past 7k rpm, at that point, you’ll be making lots of noise and attracting lots of attention while doing a ridiculous speed.

peld

187 posts

115 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 14th January 2019

why is a Boxter impractical but a Cayman is fine? is that parcel shelf super important to you?!

ZX10R NIN

29,863 posts

146 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 14th January 2019

Chestrockwell

Original Poster

2,889 posts

178 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 14th January 2019

peld said:

why is a Boxter impractical but a Cayman is fine? is that parcel shelf super important to you?!

Well to be buying new or nearly new, at 40 odd grand, the Boxter is too impractical and with that money, I’d want something I can use all the time. If I got a 12 grand Cayman, I could borrow my brothers or mums car to use when I need the seats or space. I’m not going to fork out 40 grand for a Porsche and use a RAV4 to drive my 2 mates to the gym laugh

Chestrockwell

Original Poster

2,889 posts

178 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 14th January 2019

ZX10R NIN said:

Wow I had no idea S5’s were going for that much!

370 z is a shout on paper however it’s not very exciting.

If only S2000’s were cheaper, that would have been my pick but they’re too basic for the money as a daily driver.

Chestrockwell

Original Poster

2,889 posts

178 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 14th January 2019

Is this the nicest rear end ever existed?

AndrewGP

2,077 posts

183 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 14th January 2019

Probably not the answer you want, but what about splitting your £12k budget to buy two cars?

You could get a nice BMW for £8k and something like a (dare I say) an MX5 for £4k.

nunpuncher

3,644 posts

146 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 14th January 2019

What's your normal car usage? When you imagine yourself going for a drive just for the sake of it where and what type of road/drive is it?

It could be that what you think you want isn't actually what you need in your life. I was suffering from constantly having fast cars that didn't ever inspire me to go for a drive just for the sake of it. So when my last car went I started looking for something a bit older that had good performance, made good noises and wouldn't break the bank. As a stop gap while I searched I picked up a sheddy R53 Mini Cooper S and to my shock I find myself making excuses to go for a drive every weekend and can't seem to stop spending money on bits to improve it.

I'm not recommending that car but what I'm saying is, the reason I think I enjoy it so much is that it's perfect for the roads I enjoy driving on (typical Scottish B roads) where as an M3, S5, 996 etc would just be too big and too powerful.

anonymous-user

75 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 14th January 2019

Have you driven a Nismo 370Z?

ZX10R NIN

29,863 posts

146 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 14th January 2019

Chestrockwell said:

Wow I had no idea S5’s were going for that much!

370 z is a shout on paper however it’s not very exciting.

If only S2000’s were cheaper, that would have been my pick but they’re too basic for the money as a daily driver.

The 370Z imo is a better drive than the Z4, don't underestimate them they're very much a drivers car & the engine has proper grunt which means daily duties aren't a chore.

The S5's are very good value at this price point.