How big are your Kahunas? (E46 M3)

[MrBig]

Are we talking monumentally bad idea or just 'go in with your eyes open'?

I'm hoping to be in the market for one of these in the next 12 months but I hadn't realised you could buy one this cheap!

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...

[RB Will]

blue seats, wood trim

[11110111]

wood trim = easy fix

blue seats though - hmm

[MrBig]

RB Will said:

blue seats, wood trim

I know!! Both could be addressed easily enough though. I don't really have any designs on this particular example, I'm just staggered these are so cheap now!

[joema]

Been for sale a while that car. Dealer has a good rep though so I think it's worth a punt.

So boot floor probably hasnt been done but who cares at that price as the proper fix is a grand.

[Ozzie Osmond]

"Private plate"

M33 BPS

50p on ebay!

[Ozzie Osmond]

joema said:

boot floor probably hasnt been done but who cares at that price as the proper fix is a grand.

Maybe. But one of my mates had a £7,000 service on his M3. No doubt it could have been done cheaper by some bloke under the railway arches but make sure you go in with your eyes open.

[MrBig]

Ozzie Osmond said:

Maybe. But one of my mates had a £7,000 service on his M3. No doubt it could have been done cheaper by some bloke under the railway arches but make sure you go in with your eyes open.

Surely it doesn't still count as a service when it gets to £7k?!?

Can I ask what was done? I'm just starting out on my research into these. Been after one for years, and only now getting somewhere close to being in a position to afford to run one.

[Rocketsocks]

Have you checked with the dealer that the car is still for sale? Having spoken to him on the phone a couple of times in the past enquiring about different M3's, the fine looking examples that I've asked about are never available, yet he always has "others that are just as good".

[Dr Interceptor]

It's even got 1/4 tank of fuel in it (at time of photos being taken)

[Steff]

Ozzie Osmond said:

Maybe. But one of my mates had a £7,000 service on his M3. No doubt it could have been done cheaper by some bloke under the railway arches but make sure you go in with your eyes open.

£7k service?!!

They well and truly saw him coming.

[jon-]

Must be a typo.

You could fix all the comon problems and replace the engine for less than that.

[Herbs]

There are a number for sale under £6.5k so you could avoid that interior for a little extra.

[Matt_N]

I like the seats, but then I like the kiwi ones too.

[E30M3SE]

Carbon black with Kiwi minus tree would look more than fine, Carbon with smurf and tree can only have been spec'd by someone visually impaired.

[Daston]

Can you not just dye the seats and trim black or a very dark blue?

[MoelyCrio]

At that price I'd rather spend a few £k more and get an E92 335i.

[Monaro5.7]

Get a M5 for around that kind of money aswell with a proper engine V8

[Ferosferio]

Ozzie Osmond said:

Maybe. But one of my mates had a £7,000 service on his M3. No doubt it could have been done cheaper by some bloke under the railway arches but make sure you go in with your eyes open.

^^ This isn't commonplace. He was either robbed or his car was a total lemon. Probably both.

As mentioned, the rear subframe/boot floor issue is probably the single biggest problem affecting these and that can be rectified fairly easily/cheaply, comparatively speaking, assuming it hasn't been repaired or at least inspected which most have by now. Bushings & other suspension related items can get costly but it's an M car, it's to be expected. Some pre 2003 cars had an issue with rod bearings but i'm sure there was a recall for this. Even then, the problem isn't as widespread as some would have you believe.

Buy on condition & history. Mileage isn't necessarily a major issue as long as you can see evidence of it having been maintained correctly.

There are loads of buying guides online. Try an M3 owners site like http://forums.m3cutters.co.uk/index.php

[gizlaroc]

MoelyCrio said:

At that price I'd rather spend a few £k more and get an E92 335i.

If a 335i was half the price I would still take the M3, completely different cars.
One is genuinely exciting and the other is a bit....well.....boring (in comparison).


Customer of mine bought one for under £6k and it is a belter.
He was offered £5k as a trade in and they would have retailed it for £7500 they said, so he advertised it at £6k and it sold to the first person who looked at it, my customer. He said the guy selling it couldn't get anyone to view as they all thought it would be a bag of nuts because of the price.

I have owned a couple and this one feels tight, it was 120k miles, shocks done 5k miles ago and the springs and bushes all done at 90k, it felt great to drive.