19 too young for an e46 m3?
 

Hey everyone,

I'm a 19 year old driven college student in pre-med, been saving money and will be working through the summer (funds should be complete come August) to trade in my '04 2.5i X3 for a black e46 m3 coupe with the competition package. Been an m3 fanatic for a long time and dying to get it.

My parents don't care that I buy it as long as I raise the money, my question to you guys, is 19 years old too young to be driving the "The Ultimate Driving Machine" :yummy:

Thanks.

If you have to ask, then You probably are.

hah my man, i wouldnt work my ass off for a car, just to ask internet bloggers for permission...

the reason i'm posting is to get experienced m3 owners' feedback.

I know... Just had to bust your Ba**s. I am definatley not in a position to purchase an M3, so I respect that you are. I would say do it. Its a hell of a ride!

Old no, another how young is not too young to drive a M car. Go for it.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=373621

Your not to young but be prepared for the cost associated with owning a car like that...on a budget and in college you might want to think about dependability rather than cool...unless your mom and dad are going to help!

buying a $20-$30k M-car is about the cheapest expense... (ok, not really) but expect 4-figure inspections... be prepared when anything breaks to be immediately in the $500-$1000 range, if it is minor. $250-$400 oil changes (depending where you get it done). I probably pay a more because I get all the work done at BMW Seattle... but, none the less... most shops think if you are going to drive an M-Car.... the price of fixing it is just the cost of admission.

So... age isn't of concern... rather, if you're going to buy a fantastic car... can you REALLY afford to fully maintain it under just about any circumstance? (clutch, brakes/rotors, tires, oil changes, inspections - these are quite expensive) etc... also... responsible or not... it can be tough to keep under the speed limit on nice sunny friday afternoon days, so, the price of tickets, and insurance premiums too...

Its all about responsibility. You can get in trouble with a p.o.s. car the same as a m3. You must have a good head on your shoulders if your pre-med so get it,enjoy it but you better keep it clean!!! and no smokers inside.

Have you had an insurance quote for that car? :eek:

no, i haven't had an insurance quote yet, the reason why i can get the M3 in the first place is because my parents will be paying for the insurance, which is a big part of the funds.

so being as realistic as possible within my circumstances i think i'm okay, just gotta work for the money on the car, insurance is covered.

by the way, shouldnt the 4yr/50k mile warranty cover most of the check-ups and service?

or am i just naive when it comes to the cost of upkeep on an M3...

But, if youre driving a X3, you are already driving the "ultimate driving machine"...

all you have to do is a little math to figure out if you qualify for a m3

(level of stupidity) X ( age ) X ( DRIVING ABILITY )

simple, :)

good luck.

Insurance is NOT a big part of the funds; just sayin'. And if you're not prepared financially to maintain the car properly, then don't bother. Skimping on rubber, oil change frequency, inspections, replacing non-warranty-covered wear/tear parts, etc. is simply not wise for an M3 owner. Plus a waste of a great vehicle!

I'd argue, yes, 19 *is* too young to own an e46 M3. Not because you can't afford it. Certainly there are young'uns who's parents ensure means not typically available at that age. If this is the case, more power to you, wish my parents were rich, just don't forget to learn to stand on your own two feet.

So, while finances may not be an issue (for whatever reason), there is a great deal of evidence that suggests that what is often referred to as *common sense* is not fully developed until age 30 and sometimes not until much later. This has to do with research involving PET scans and areas of the brain associated with that type of thinking, etc but the point is this:

Kids (0 - 30) do things on a regular basis without fully thinking through the cause and effect issues. And butt-loads of torque in the hands of an inexperienced driver at that age is simply a recipe for disaster. While the majority of us escaped this age alive, it wasn't without more than a few close calls. Is a ninja an appropriate motorcycle for an inexperienced rider?

All of this, IMHO, of course.

#750

i say go for it if you think you can afford it. Its the bratty kids that have mommy and daddy buy it for them that should not have an m3. They don't care if they wreck it because their parents will buy them a new one. If you pay for it I'm sure you will take good care of it. Just remember not to do anything stupid like showing off. Thats when you screw up and wreck the car or loose your licence.

And blord you stole my sig! :mad:

When I was 19 I would have done a lot of things in a m3 that would have ended up badly. Instead i had a camaro, which accelerated but couldnt get above 115 and after 25k the engine blew. The issue with the m3 is to make it really go you have to wind it out, and by then you are really flying. Most kids and people in their 20's would tend to expolit the performance in inappropriate areas like traffic, suburbs, on corner where you cant see the end, things like that. An adult would be more circumspect not least because the physics and sound of crunching metal has been experienced. So I would say it depends a lot on who you are. It is certainly a safer bet than a wrx.

Thanks for the tips and feedback everyone, it's much appreciated.

if you can afford it and everything that goes along with it then why wouldn't you buy it

It is all about 1) are you licensed to drive 2) and the most important - AFFORDABILITY to purchase, register, insure and maintain

If yes to all of the above, my congratulation to you young man.

Good luck

If you can do some of the work yourself, you can lower some of these. I'm still amazed at anyone who takes a car to a dealer for an oil change. You should just hand them your ATM card and PIN and get it out of the way.

However, he's right in that the cost of stuff you CAN'T fix yourself is even worse on an M than on a regular BMW.

If you've got the money for the upkeep, and it would be high, then have at it. You only live once. If you don't have the money to do the upkeep right, wait a few years until you have that MD, then go to town.

I'd say 19 is too young for the M3 because it's easy at that age to give into temptations with the car that could lead into a lot of trouble. If you're very responsible and understand the consequences then go for it but if you like to take chances (like most 19 year olds do) then do yourself a favor and get a VW Golf 5MT. You can have just as much fun as the M3. At stoplights look for buses to drag race with, they're pretty quick when you're driving a Golf.

I had a 1967 Pontiac GTO at age 16. It didn't have anywhere close to the handling of the M3, nor all the safety advances, but I survived it just fine.

You can do stupid stuff in any car. Most cars will hit 100 with no problem, and at least an M is a safer car at that speed than most cars out there today.

It's not the age. It's the ability and skill level. Also the common sense level.

When I was 18, I had a Pontiac Firebird Formula. It had a 5.7L TPI (the same engine that was in the Vette at the time). For the time it was really powerful, I was even able to drive it in the snow and yes it didn't have any electronic nannies either. I never got a speeding ticket and I didn't do stupid things with it. However I can't say the same about 3 of my good friends, who drove high powered cars like idiots and made the county a lot richer because of it. Luckily nothing bad happened to them but looking back in time now, I can say they were really fortunate. The point is there are exceptions to every rule. Your typical 19 year old shouldn't have a high powered car. You and I weren't the typical but I also realize now how just one case of poor judgement can effect you for the rest of you life. My son is 10 and when he starts driving if he has the means and wants a high powered car, the only way I would agree is if he has a good instructor and spends time at the track. If he knows what the car is capable of and how to handle it, then he will understand better the consequences of what can happen on a public road. You give a new driver a high powered car and send him out on public roads and tell him, "Don't drive fast, don't see what it can do." What do you think is most likely to happen?

19 is not to young I got my M3 at 17 years old. I bet I have more common sense then most people on the road.

It's not the youth but the arrogance of it.

It's not the youth but the arrogance of it.

Of what?