^ while this is true, I am fortunate enough that I dont have to pay for any of that. Meaning the car, gas, insurance, however I do not want to keep spending money on parts that really have no business breaking constantly. A main reason I'm tired of the G.


Now I KNOW someone on this forum will know a place to shop for R33 GTR or R34 GTR online. and yes I have googled and found GTR forums, most of the GTRs for sell are the R35's.

So R33/R34 or supra as far as reliability, if you can call it comfort, ect...again not performance.

 

OP, i was in the same shoes as you were 7 months ago. My G35 was deemed a total loss when a rock struck it on the freeway.

I went with a used 2004 E46 M3 6 speed knowing the cost-intensive maintenance and common day to day issues. However, even then, the amount of downtime of the M3 caught me completely by surprise. Bought it at 54,xxx miles and the motor blew at 67,xxx; i'm the third owner of the car. Here's my story:


First of all, i'd like to say that the E46 M3 is a superb car...engineered to the finest details. Build quality is VERY solid and the driving experience is unlike any other car i've driven. If you ever get to drive one, you should. In many ways, the M3 is a natural step-up from the G as it's a luxury-sport combo but it takes it to a higher level than the G. Of course, a higher price tag and more expensive maintenance and repairs result but that is completely expected and reasonable given the amount of engineering and R&D put into the drivetrain.

Common Issues:
Given the costs of maintenance and repairs, it is important to note the common problems associated with E46 M3's and BMW's in general.
Common problems are electrical problems: sensors, window motor/switch, door locks, etc. Easy fix yes, but don't expect the parts to be as cheap as it would be on a G35.
Common problems with the drivetrain: There is a ROD BEARING RECALL for 2001-2003 E46 M3's. Before you buy an M3 of those years, make sure the recall was performed at a dealer, they should have all the records. Generally, the E46 has a solid drivetrain...but the type of driving it was built for is enthusiast driving (AKA ABUSE). Let's be real, there's no such thing as an M3 that has not had its share of rough driving. Remember, unlike the G35 which was marketed for everyone and their grandma, the M3 was engineered and marketed towards those who enjoy driving a car to its full potential (8000RPM rev limit, 11.5:1 compression, mechanical LSD, individual throttles...all this says a lot). This means that even though the car was engineered to take abuse, the wear and tear on components is still exponential compared to that of an average car. Also take into consideration that given that owners mash on their M3's, not all of them will maintain their cars enough to offset the amount of abuse, especially if it was a leased car or if they were planning on selling after the BMW 4 year free-maintenance is over. Therefore, take into consideration that buying one of these cars is a gamble & be sure to get it checked out before purchasing; NEVER take "this car was properly maintained as was only used as highway miles, no abuse" as an answer. Get the raw evidence: service records, take it to your mechanic for an inspection, etc...word of mouth means nothing to this car.

The Unexpected
This is when the car grabs your wallet by surprise. Although this case is specific to me, quite a few owners have had to deal with these types of issues, so be prepared to take on these potential problems. I purchased my M3 with 54,xxx miles on it. There were already a few noted electrical issues i had to deal with (broken mirror motor, turn signal harness), but i didn't mind as long as the drivetrain was fine. After a test drive, the car felt solid and looked like it was well cared for. Then it all turned around...
WIthin one week of my purchase, the Throttle Position Sensor went out, causing the engine to go into limp mode. Got that fixed for a few hundred bucks at a dealer, which was a bad idea since the car was well past warranty. I also got the mirror fixed, which ended up costing me another few hundred bucks before labor, which totals to be almost $1k after labor. Remember, this was only in the first week. Eventually, the window switch, fan clutch, door locks, rear subframe bushings, pulleys, and constant pressure valve also went out. But before i could even repair these, something else happened.
After going through 3 sets of tires (i did take it to the track a couple times) and 3 oil changes, my motor began making knocking sounds and ceased last friday. Turns out that a rod bearing had spun and caused the motor to lock up. Remember, 2004 M3's were not included in the rod bearing recall. My motor had 67,xxx miles. I had only driven about 13k miles and even did 3 oil changes during that time (BMW recommends oil change every 15,000 miles, which is BS). The cause? Nobody knows for sure, but my guess is that it was definitely abused by the first 2 owners of the car & now I have to pay for it. Now i'm going through a full OEM rebuild, approximately $8000. Hopefully after everything is done, i'll have a more reliable engine since i believe i can maintain this car better than the previous two owners.

In conclusion, be aware of the issues, do your research and be financially prepared. The M3 is a serious car and will not be cheap to maintain, even if it doesn't cause problems.

 

^ Damn that just killed the M3 outta possible cars in the next few years...

 

So then what car from MB or Audi, that will keep up with the E46? I wasn't in to cars when these came out.

 

@jonesmeister11
Don't let one story scare you away from a car that you would love to own. Just do your research and make sure you are prepared for the financial issues that might arise.

Just like the G; we all did our research to know what the common issues were and we all decided that the cost of ownership wasn't going to prevent us from owning this fine automobile. Speaking for myself, after REPLACING my clutch; my monthly cost of ownership is around the $170/mo range and that is mostly due to the clutch replacement being done at the stealership and the cost of tires every year (seem to go through a set about every 12-14mo).

Now as my Dad tells me; when I get tired of the costs of the car; maybe I'll trade her in for a Ford Focus or something...I'm not seeing that happening but i have to admit; I'm actually considering checking out the VW GTI even though it would be a step down. Either that or a used 335i (post 2007) since that is comparable to the M series your considering buying. Anyway; enough with the rant post.

 

^lol thanks man. Yeah I've considered a 135i and a 335i. I just can't find one in my price range. cheapest I've found are 30G's+

 

So what is your budget exactly? that would help us try to find you a good alternative... Also other info like coupe/sedan, drivetrain, etc?

Jeremy

 

20-25K and rwd or awd. perfer coupes and ever more prefer non convertible, but will settle for sedans. V10,never hurt to dream big right , V8 or preferably fi 6 (V or inline) i know m3 isnt fi. I'd really like an NSX, but ebaymotors is putting them in the 37's+. Also the forums seem lacking in any info whatsoever...

 

bump