Advice on M3

[Fattrader]

Just test drove a 2002 M3. An awesume car accelerates liek a motorbike when you wnat to overtake. NOt iver impressed with the SMG gearbox thou it is almost like you have to relax into the flooring it as the gear box is slow to respond. Dealer is wanting £24K for it and it has 30K miles. Is this over priced? Any help on what to look for? It is a BMW dealer and they have said they have done a 50 point check. Should it come with warranty?

Cheers

[outnumbered]

Fattrader said:

NOt iver impressed with the SMG gearbox thou it is almost like you have to relax into the flooring it as the gear box is slow to respond.
Cheers

What shift mode did you have it in ? S5 or S6 should not be "slow to respond" - if you change gear while accelerating hard you should feel a very abrupt shift and a nice big clonk rom the transmission.

[Fattrader]

Must confess do not know. i think I was a little light fingered on the paddle shifts. That was part of the cause. Was my first time in a M3. Absolutely brillaint thou. What do you think about the price?

[rob05]

I had mine for sale for months at 23k and its a 53plate with 39thmls sat nav bmw warranty till sept 2007 and no interest at all.
IMO i think its over priced only cheap cars are shifting and prices are falling all the time.Even though the miles are low i would look to pay 21k tops even for a top spec car on that reg possibly 22k with all the right toys and a bmw warranty but no more.

[deutscher]

Get a manual - they're the best. You can have my one-owner 02 33,000 miler in silver for £20.5K.

[M3 Mitch]

Agree with Deutcher, get a proper stickshift.

[scoobz]

Nah, drive the SMG again and turn the shift settings up.

[Fattrader]

Thanks for your advice and help. Dwelling on it I think it is over priced as it does not have heated seats, electric folding mirrors or Sat Nav. My attention now is turning to a 330 ci, there is a both a manual and an automatic I am going to look at. Any advice on these? Is there a big difference in the performance between the 330 ci and the M3? SUpose I will find that out on teh test drive

[rob05]

Light years is the answer and it will feel flat as a fart after the M3.
IMO don't bother the only other E46 worth considering is the 330d.

[m3desmo]

The 330 will feel slow in comparison to the M3!! After all the 330 only pushes out 231bhp whilst the M3 is claimed to give 343bhp. Having owned a 330i Sport and currently owning an M3, my experience is that the M3 is a much more exciting and involving car to drive - quicker accelaration, better handling, and a willing & high revving motor. Better car all round, but then it should be, having cost a fair bit more to purchase.

Mind you, I notice from your profile that you hail from Guernsey. Don't the Channel islands have a max speed limit of 40mph??? (Suppose there has to be something crap about living there or we would all want to live in the tax haven!) If so, no point in bothering with an M3 as the poor car will choke to death running at those constraints!!! The M3 is a car that likes (and needs) to be shown a fast road regularly and it's criminal to own one and not oblige!!

Edited by m3desmo on Tuesday 26th September 22:53

[baz1985]

saw a 05/55 with SMG, prof nav, bluetooth, 19s, HK go for £31k (covered 12k) at an auction. Prices are falling very fast. This time next year probs £25-26k for a 2yr old. Fantastic value then imo.

[Fattrader]

May reside in Guernsey and alas the speed limit is only 35mph but we don't have speed cameras and France is only a short ferry trip. Might explain the number of Porches over here!

test drove the 330 CI very disapointed after the M3. Now I have an M3 bug that keeps tickling me reminding me that it is still there. Might have to test drive it again to make sureits 0-60 claims are correct. Oh yeah Guernsey is a good place to test the efficency of the brakes on the car too (need to slow down for the corners).

[m3desmo]

Fattrader said:

May reside in Guernsey and alas the speed limit is only 35mph but we don't have speed cameras and France is only a short ferry trip. Might explain the number of Porches over here!

test drove the 330 CI very disapointed after the M3. Now I have an M3 bug that keeps tickling me reminding me that it is still there. Might have to test drive it again to make sureits 0-60 claims are correct. Oh yeah Guernsey is a good place to test the efficency of the brakes on the car too (need to slow down for the corners).

You better negotiate a good deal with the ferry company then as you'll need a regular fix when you get an M3! You mentioned the braking, this is probably the one area that lets the car down slightly - fine for general road use but fade under sustained heavy use such as on a track.

[darreni]

I'm also in Guernsey! I have an 02 smg cab (ti silver/imola red leather/19"s).

who is selling the car? i've not seen anything at jacksons.

Give me a shout, you are welcome to have a look at mine (though it's not for sale!).

Darren.

[Fattrader]

Small Island! The one I looked at was a 02 SMG up at Jacksons, St Martins. What experience have you had with Jacksons?

Edited by Fattrader on Thursday 28th September 08:25

[darreni]

I bought mine from Rydale central in birmingham, great guys to deal with.
I've not bought from jacksons, only service/warranty. The service is ok & the BMW auc warranty is worth the money imho.

Speak to Ross, he's the BMW sales guy at Jacksons airport, good guy, honest & no bullshite, he'll give you the sp on the st martins car or maybe able to get something better. Tell him Darren sent you.

The 02 car at 24k seems a little overpriced as it will be exvat.

Whats the spec/colour?

[Fattrader]

It is more what is does not have. Electric folding mirrors, Sat Nav, or heated seats. It is a nice gun metal colour and is in clean good condition, no stone chips or marks on outside mirrors or on doors. I was thinking it is worth in between 20 and 22. I'll have a look at the guys you got yours from as ship and Fly now its only about £350 to get them to bring it back.