[Hercules]

And I have a 40k budget (on a lease, not really interested in owning).

Would it be feasible to get a 2 or 3 year old M3, or possible, at around $40k? Or should I stick with my current idea, of just getting a 330Ci?

What do ya think?

 

[Closer]

330Ci all the way!!!:thumbup:

 

[RaceTripper]

$40K for a used E46 M3 will more likely be wishful thinking than reality, even a year from now. I think you would only find one at that cost if it were pretty bare-bones to begin with. That's probably somewhat rare.

You might also consider an E39 5er. Starting next summer there will be people trading in perfectly good 5ers for a newer E60. I love the 3, but the 5er is an awesome car. Even Consumer Reports said the E39 530i is the best they've ever tested. I have one and like it much better than my 3.

I may be shot down on my suggestion because there seems to be way more 3 owners than 5 owners on this board. But it's my $0.02 worth anyway.

 

[Guest]

330Ci all the way!!!:thumbup:

While I agree that for $40K you're only going to be able to get a 330Ci, don't give this guy the impression that it's even close to being a substitute. The 330Ci is, at best, 70-75% the performace car the M3 is.

The M3 is a performance car first. The 330Ci is a luxury coupe first.

 

[·clyde·]

The M3 is a performance car first.

I don't buy that. The M3 is a luxury sports coupe with very good performance. It's not a performance car first.

 

[JetBlack330i]

$40K for a used E46 M3 will more likely be wishful thinking than reality, even a year from now.

Do you think this is too good to be true?
http://classifieds.yahoo.com/display/automobiles?cid=automobiles-1026919166-1394893&cc=automobiles

 

[dredmo]

And I have a 40k budget (on a lease, not really interested in owning).

Would it be feasible to get a 2 or 3 year old M3, or possible, at around $40k? Or should I stick with my current idea, of just getting a 330Ci?

What do ya think?

for 40k, BUY a 330ci
if your going to lease with 40k, you cant get a m3 unless it has something wrong with it.

 

[E46 in Philly]

I don't buy that. The M3 is a luxury sports coupe with very good performance. It's not a performance car first.

Clyde-

I've got to disagree with you a bit on this. Have you driven the new M3 yet? It's a screaming banshee with the same performance numbers as a Corvette. Driving it is the best way to tell, but if you don't have that opportunity just look at it's performance vs. various supercars (around the Nurburgring, etc.). Sports definitely comes before luxury with that car.

 

[RaceTripper]

Do you think this is too good to be true?
http://classifieds.yahoo.com/display/automobiles?cid=automobiles-1026919166-1394893&cc=automobiles

It can't be right. There has to be either a typo or a catch.

 

[dredmo]

It can't be right. There has to be either a typo or a catch.

omg MAKE AN OFFER

 

[low]

Do you think this is too good to be true?
http://classifieds.yahoo.com/display/automobiles?cid=automobiles-1026919166-1394893&cc=automobiles

whoa, $hit! i wish i had the money....

 

[The HACK]

I don't buy that. The M3 is a luxury sports coupe with very good performance. It's not a performance car first.

Oh you don't know how wrong you are. The M3 in all its iterations IS first and foremost a PERFORMANCE CAR that pretends to be luxurious. Drive one to the limit and you'll understand.

You'd have to go Porsche to get the kiind of all around performance you'd get in any of the M3s.

 

[·clyde·]

Oh you don't know how wrong you are. The M3 in all its iterations IS first and foremost a PERFORMANCE CAR that pretends to be luxurious. Drive one to the limit and you'll understand.

You'd have to go Porsche to get the kiind of all around performance you'd get in any of the M3s.

First to E46 in Philly, I have driven one, but as Hack suggests here, I have not come anywhere close to pushing one.

I'm not saying that the E46 M3 is a sport-luxury car with a really great motor and suspension tacked on as an afterthought. What I am saying is that the design spec for the car did not emphasize performance over all else. What does a car with performance as the main concern need with all of this shit (whatever retractions I might have made further along in that thread excepted)?

previously posted useless M3 crap

Get my point? The fact that it can do what it does so well in spite of all those things is what makes it an amazing car. Sorry, but that still doesn't make it a performance car first.

 

[Mystikal]

Do you think this is too good to be true?
http://classifieds.yahoo.com/display/automobiles?cid=automobiles-1026919166-1394893&cc=automobiles

Nice colour! :thumbup:

 

[E46 in Philly]

First to E46 in Philly, I have driven one, but as Hack suggests here, I have not come anywhere close to pushing one.

I'm not saying that the E46 M3 is a sport-luxury car with a really great motor and suspension tacked on as an afterthought. What I am saying is that the design spec for the car did not emphasize performance over all else. What does a car with performance as the main concern need with all of this shit (whatever retractions I might have made further along in that thread excepted)?

previously posted useless M3 crap

Get my point? The fact that it can do what it does so well in spite of all those things is what makes it an amazing car. Sorry, but that still doesn't make it a performance car first.

While the M3 may be stocked with luxury features, there is simply no question that high performance is the car's dominant trait . When I got done driving one my thoughts were miles away from "WOW, that was luxurious"... and I think most people would say the same.

The car comes with plenty of creature comforts, and it's far from the definition of a pure sports car, but I wouldn't dismiss it's sporting intentions. Any car that can comfortably go head to head with 911's and vette's deserves to be called a performance car, no matter how cushy the leather may be.

 

[·clyde·]

While the M3 may be stocked with luxury features, there is simply no question that high performance is the car's dominant trait .

[image of broken record playing] No matter how much anyone wishes otherwise, the E46 is not a performance car first. It's a grand touring coupe first that happens to have great performance in a spirit similar to the original Pontiac GTO. They're both based on platforms not originally designed for performance over everything else, but rather off of platforms designed to suit a multitude of uses. Just drop in the engine of choice, adjust the suspension accordingly and presto-insto-changeo. Yes, that's an oversimplification, but if you boil it down to the bare essentials, that's what you're left with. A "performance car fist" is not born from this process.

 

[Hercules]

So there's no way I'd find an M3 a few years old for around 40k?

I'd prefer the M, over the 330... just trying to figure out how to play my cards

 

[rawskyb]

You can get into a brand-new M3 coupe for a little over 50K excluding tax if you don't load on the options. These days, M3's are not commanding the premium prices that they were a little while back.

No one thinks that a used 2001 - 12 months from now - will be down in a low $40K range? :dunno: Maybe I'm underestimating their $$ holding power, but it seems like the increased numbers of these in the US should bring the used prices down a bit.

I think the one for sale on Yahoo must be for a die-cast model. It has 7000 "scaled" highway miles on it.

 

[Dincic]

M3 all the way!! Right now official residuals are 66% for 2 yr and 58% after 3. That should definately put you in the game.

 

[Hercules]

You can get into a brand-new M3 coupe for a little over 50K excluding tax if you don't load on the options. These days, M3's are not commanding the premium prices that they were a little while back.

No one thinks that a used 2001 - 12 months from now - will be down in a low $40K range? :dunno: Maybe I'm underestimating their $$ holding power, but it seems like the increased numbers of these in the US should bring the used prices down a bit.

I think the one for sale on Yahoo must be for a die-cast model. It has 7000 "scaled" highway miles on it.

So, if I am getting a car in the middle of next year (summertime is more probable), what model year M3 should I hunt around for?

How many miles on it, etc? Give me some ideas

Thanks everybody! If I can get an M3 on a lease for 2 or 3 years.. I'll do that instead