£5-8k. E46 330Ci vs E46 M3?

£5-8k. E46 330Ci vs E46 M3?

Author
Discussion

nsi

Original Poster:

329 posts

197 months

Saturday 18th February 2012
quotequote all
EDIT: BUDGET FOR THE M3 WOULD NOW BE £10K. biggrin


Currently driving an E65 730d and doing 20-30k miles per year.
It's a good cruising car but having run an Evo and an E46 330d as daily's in the past I'm finding the big 7 doesn't give me the same driving fun that I used to have, and am starting to miss.

So I'm considering selling the 7 to free up some cash and get either an E46 330Ci or an E46 M3. I think I've secretly lusted after an M3 for many years, but still having the Evo for weekends and trackdays I don't know if I'd be insane to get an M3 as my daily car? Would it be a LOT more to run than a 330Ci? Should I just keep the 7?

Help!

[PS - Don't seem to be able to add a poll, but if I could it would be "E46 330Ci vs E46 M3 vs Keep the 7".]

Edited by nsi on Sunday 26th February 23:09

SC7

1,882 posts

180 months

Saturday 18th February 2012
quotequote all
I'd imagine you'd halve your MPG with the M3, and to be honest you wouldn't do much better out of the 330ci. Mine does 21mpg (unfortunately I do a lot of short journeys).

You'd not be mad at all as long as you can afford it. The problem you have with the M3 is prices are going through the floor, so if you did decide in, say, six months time that you'd made the wrong decision, you might stand to lose a bit of cash punting it on. The 330 won't drop as far in my opinion. I bought mine in May and would value it at the same, if not slightly more, now.

vescaegg

25,489 posts

166 months

Saturday 18th February 2012
quotequote all
Your budget will probably get you one of the best 330's around, or one of the worst M3's....

Get the M3

SC7

1,882 posts

180 months

Saturday 18th February 2012
quotequote all
vescaegg said:
Your budget will probably get you one of the best 330's around, or one of the worst M3's....

Get the M3
hehe


BTW my 330ci will be up for sale shortly. High spec and well under OP's budget wink

Kinky

39,344 posts

268 months

Saturday 18th February 2012
quotequote all
NSI - you can start polls now. So go fill yer boots smile

nsi

Original Poster:

329 posts

197 months

Saturday 18th February 2012
quotequote all
Kinky said:
NSI - you can start polls now. So go fill yer boots smile
Cheers Kinky. I don't seem to be able to put one on the top of this thread though? I click "Edit" and "Add a Poll" doesn't come up. (I think it's only possible to do on new threads, but I'd like one on this thread if it's not too much trouble? Cheers.)

Baz Tench

5,648 posts

189 months

Saturday 18th February 2012
quotequote all
Isn't adding a poll a bit pointless though? It's only going to go one way, you must know that? biggrin

I had a 330ci about five or six years ago. I bought it from BMW as an approved used model, so it was a bit pricey.

At the same time, E46 M3's were bottoming out at about the £18k mark. I wished to god that I'd spent a bit more and gone for the M3.

The 330 was nice but it was the auto and it bored the st out of me after a while. It wasn't a daily driver though, so my comments may be pointless..... wink

I did own a 330ci manual version as well for a while, and that was a good car, but I've always wanted an M3. The E46 M3 is an itch that will finally, hopefully be scratched this year. I'm expecting double the running costs of the 330 though. smile

JimboM3

290 posts

209 months

Saturday 18th February 2012
quotequote all
I've run an e46 M3 as my daily for 4 years and 80,000 miles. I would heartily recommend it with the proviso that it has the potential to run up big bills. Find a good Indy garage and enjoy!

tgr

1,129 posts

170 months

Saturday 18th February 2012
quotequote all
With that mileage surely you're going to be sitting on the motorway a lot of the time, which would be a waste of an M3. Also at that price you would be getting one which would probably need things doing (cooling and suspension, possibly aircon condenser). Even for service items you would need to pay the BMW 'M-tax' compared to the 330i, so running costs would in reality be a hell of a lot more doing 30k per year. Up to you - but go in with your eyes open

Sidewindow

300 posts

222 months

Saturday 18th February 2012
quotequote all
I get 27-29mpg in my M3. 32mpg on the motorway at 70mph. With specialist servicing they're not as costly to run as people think, unless something goes wrong of course, which is why it's important to buy the right one..



..i.e. mine!

Kinky

39,344 posts

268 months

Saturday 18th February 2012
quotequote all
nsi said:
Kinky said:
NSI - you can start polls now. So go fill yer boots smile
Cheers Kinky. I don't seem to be able to put one on the top of this thread though? I click "Edit" and "Add a Poll" doesn't come up. (I think it's only possible to do on new threads, but I'd like one on this thread if it's not too much trouble? Cheers.)
Yeah - you'd have to start a new thread/poll. But at least you can do it now smile

redgriff500

26,762 posts

262 months

Saturday 18th February 2012
quotequote all
Simple really if you can afford to buy / run it get the M3.

If you can't get the 330.


wolves_wanderer

12,356 posts

236 months

Saturday 18th February 2012
quotequote all
What kind of costs are we looking at for an M3 then? Normal maintenance and common issues etc? Not that I want one, oh no, I'm just, Er, curious. Yes, curious, that's it.

andy43

9,548 posts

253 months

Saturday 18th February 2012
quotequote all
How about an Alpina B3? Kind of midway between the two, 280 bhp, mid 20's to the gallon, and just about in budget if you can find a 2000-ish coupe.

nsi

Original Poster:

329 posts

197 months

Saturday 18th February 2012
quotequote all
redgriff500 said:
Simple really if you can afford to buy / run it get the M3.

If you can't get the 330.
I can afford to buy either (I could potentially spend a little more than £8k for a good M3 if required... I'm sure I'd find the cash if I want to!) wink

Main concern will be the difference in running costs, so anyone who can give me a steer on the comparison between the 330Ci, the M3 and the 730d would be really handy!!

Yes most mileage will be motorway. About 10k will be private, with the remaining 10-20k being business, for which I receive 45p per mile for the first 10k, and then 25p thereafter. I'll do at least 10k business miles per year, meaning that I'm basically getting at least £4.5k towards the running costs of any car, less the fuel used in covering those miles:

Almost all my business mileage will be motorway so...
...say the 730d does 37mpg on motorway, with diesel costing 145p that'll cost £1,780 in fuel, giving me £2,720 towards the tyres/servicing etc.
...say the 330Ci does 35mpg on motorway, with petrol costing 135p that'll cost £1,753 in fuel, giving me £2,746 towards the tyres/servicing etc.
...say the M3 does 30mpg on motorway, with petrol costing 135p that'll cost £2,045 in fuel, giving me £2,454 towards the tyres/servicing etc.

Am I getting fooled by "Man Maths" or does there not seem to be a big difference?

Patrick Bateman

12,143 posts

173 months

Saturday 18th February 2012
quotequote all
An Evo for the weekend and an M3 as a daily?

Deep pockets?

I've heard people saying expect about double the running costs with an M3 compared with a 330Ci.


Patrick Bateman

12,143 posts

173 months

Saturday 18th February 2012
quotequote all
Just noticed 20-30k miles a year.

fk that!

nsi

Original Poster:

329 posts

197 months

Saturday 18th February 2012
quotequote all
Yeah, I'm into my cars LOL! However there are loads of people on this forum running much more exotic stables than me. I prefer, in general, to get an older higher spec car and spend money on running costs/repairs vs. getting a brand new 320d and spending money on interest (lease payments) and depreciation.

Anyway, returning to the crux of the thread: Why would the running costs be double for the M3 vs. the 330Ci? I know the MPG's will be worse, and the servicing more - however nothing I've seen indicates 50% MPG or double servicing costs.

This guy will be doing my servicing.

Model Oil Service Insp 1 Insp 2 Annual Inspection
730d £162 £236* £380** £??
330Ci £120 £175 £285 £90
M3 £170 £405 £555 £110


* Assuming oil and air filter
** Assuming oil, air filter, micro filter and coolant

Again... maybe it's Man Maths seeing what I want to see, but the M3 doesn't look mental compared to the other two. confused

Patrick Bateman

12,143 posts

173 months

Saturday 18th February 2012
quotequote all
Insp 1 and 2 costs are about double.

Brakes cost a load more as well as any general repairs I'd expect.

http://bmminiparts.com/DiagramView.aspx?DiagramId=...

http://bmminiparts.com/DiagramView.aspx?DiagramId=...

Note that the price shown for the M3 is for a single disc.

Edit: that link shows both of them as the 330Ci for some reason but obviously the ventilated one is for the M3.

I'd expect much of the same for things like suspension bushes etc.

Edited by Patrick Bateman on Saturday 18th February 20:03


Edited by Patrick Bateman on Saturday 18th February 20:05

Patrick Bateman

12,143 posts

173 months

Saturday 18th February 2012
quotequote all
Just checked that indy's website.

Seems odd that they charge £480 and £695 for Inspections 1 and 2 on the e39 M5. BMW charge a stload more for the inspections on the M3 compared to M5.