Happy __________ Day

"Blue 300" (Blue300)
04/02/2014 at 13:32 • Filed to: None

One day, this will be my new M3. That is all.

DISCUSSION (50)

Jagvar > Blue 300
04/02/2014 at 13:34

Get the diesel wagon version of the M3, in brown.

Manuél Ferrari > Blue 300
04/02/2014 at 13:36

Nice

Though I think it will look better with blue brake calipers

Blue 300 > Manuél Ferrari
04/02/2014 at 13:40

These Carbon-Ceramic brakes only come in the gold anodized. I kinda like em. The standard brakes do come in only blue though. Most likely, I will end up with the blue ones.

Manuél Ferrari > Blue 300
04/02/2014 at 13:42

Ah, I didn't know that. Thanks for the intel!

With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username > Manuél Ferrari
04/02/2014 at 13:46

Put whatever brakes you want on it, as long as it keeps those sweet Tiburon-inspired gills.

Torque Affair > Blue 300
04/02/2014 at 13:48

Can't wait to see one in person

Manuél Ferrari > Blue 300
04/02/2014 at 14:02

When are you hoping to buy one? It would be such a tough choice between a new or used version of this car and a used E90 M3. The E90 M3 prices keep going down. I wonder what the floor will be?

BKRM3 > Manuél Ferrari
04/02/2014 at 14:15

Hopefully the floor will be mid to upper 30s, where the prices are now. The E90 is a pretty rare bird, and I maintain they're going to hold value better than the E92s. Might be wishful thinking though, due to my obvious bias =)

THOMAS5 > Blue 300
04/02/2014 at 14:15

Sorry but you can't have that, its mine.

Manuél Ferrari > BKRM3
04/02/2014 at 14:22

Haha I hope you're right!

I love the E90 M3 so much that sometimes I fantasize about getting it an E92 M3 garage buddy. But must resist. Need to pay down debt so I can one day get approved for a Ferrari loan :)

Stupidru > Manuél Ferrari
04/02/2014 at 14:30

At 17mpg avg, I bet prices will go down as far as $20k give or take a few thousand in fluctuations that follow gas prices

frankie fizz > Blue 300
04/02/2014 at 14:32

Kinja'd!!!

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

what a beaut!

Manuél Ferrari > Stupidru
04/02/2014 at 14:39

I originally thought the fuel economy would drive down prices too. But I have changed my opinion on that. Reason is that not everyone that DDs an M3 has a long commute. And not everyone that owns an M3 who does have a long commute only owns that one car.

You can't get a high output N/A V8 that's very similar to an exotic car's engine without taking a fuel economy hit. The E9X M3 really does feel like an exotic car in sedan format. I think a lot of people will value that and want to buy them used.

Blue 300 > Manuél Ferrari
04/02/2014 at 14:43

I don't know when I'd buy one. If it's soon, then I'd need to come up with a hell of an reason to buy it. Right now, I have no reason to buy it other than the fact that I love it... which is not a good enough reason. Originally I wanted an E92, but family life prohibits that now. I do like the E90s on the some days; other days, they look fat/bloated to me compared to the proportions of the F80... and no CF roof. Also, I would only want an E9x M3 with the Comp package, but those still command a premium. Whereas the new F80, I can just take a bare bones one with the 19" wheels and be quite happy.

Blue 300 > Jagvar
04/02/2014 at 14:46

All three of those things are not available. Luckily, it is the 3 things I detest most.

Manuél Ferrari > Blue 300
04/02/2014 at 15:09

It is a hard decision. When I bought a one year old E90 M3 in Oct 2012 the new model was a long ways away. I didn't want to wait years for the car to launch and for the price to settle down. I imagine it will sell for over MSRP for the first 6-12 months. And I never buy the first model year of any BMW. They've had bugs with the first year car since forever. My old man bought the first year of the E30 and had a ton of issues with it. The dealer eventually fixed them all but it took a lot of time. I keep hearing horror stories of people buying different generations of bimmers on the first year they come out and having issues.

Funny cause some days I think my car looks great and some days it looks bloated. But then I get in and star it up and that internal battle goes away. I also went with Alpine White btw :)

Blue 300 > Manuél Ferrari
04/02/2014 at 15:26

Funny because I have an Alpine White F30 335i that I bought around the same time you bought your E90 M3. Thus, my "no reason to get a new car right now" reasoning. I know that a lot of folks documented problems with their 1st year F30s from 2012, but thankfully, I have been problem free. Part of my luck has probably to do with the carry over N55 engine from the E90. The F80 M3 will in fact have a new engine, so most likely I will wait a few years.

I hear what you mean about the internal battle going away. A nice NA V8 M3 will do that for ya. :) So you have a 2011 E90 M3? Does it have the comp package? I believe the comp pack was only available on E90 M3s in 2011 (I could be wrong). Post a pic of your car!

BKRM3 > Manuél Ferrari
04/02/2014 at 15:26

Well maybe if your Ferrari loan is a 144-monther you'll choose a car that actually appreciates over that period. Then we won't have to worry about where the floor might be!!

Manuél Ferrari > Blue 300
04/02/2014 at 15:34

Kinja'd!!!

How funny! I also considered a new F30 335i. But it would have been more expensive than my car so I went with the cheaper option! Glad you haven't had issues. I think the carryover engine did help a lot.

Yes it's a 2011 M3 with the comp pack. Which I love. EDC is so awesome.

Here is a pic for ya. It wasn't asshat parking because I was parked behind a gate at work on the weekend with nobody there :)

Manuél Ferrari > BKRM3
04/02/2014 at 15:36

Exactly!

At this point I don't think I would actually keep the car more than 6 months.

I'm planning on being a Ferrari flipper. If I can get the deposit and credit approval together then I'll strategically pick which car to order, drive it for a little, then sell at a profit. A lot of guys did that with the 458. I'm thinking the 458's replacement will be the same way for the first couple years.

awe46m3zcp > Blue 300
04/02/2014 at 15:55

You have my blessing

Stupidru > Manuél Ferrari
04/02/2014 at 16:20

I just took a peek at the RS4, and those are still hovering within $30k for 100k mile varieties. I guess the only hope for folks like you and I who want luxury and V8 power in a sedan are going to have to suck it up with a G8 GXP or a Chevy SS, and sadly, those only offer V8 power.

Saracen > Stupidru
04/02/2014 at 16:45

I'd been holding out for a 997, but right now I'm seriously considering an E90 M3 or RS4 first. I think the time is now to get the V8 sport sedan experience before it's too late. I also only have space for one car, so it needs to be something with four doors.

Both can be had with sub 50k miles for under $40k. Sounds good to me. I've driven both and love em. I just need to decide which and then convince myself to pull the trigger.

Saracen > Blue 300
04/02/2014 at 16:46

Kinja'd!!!

This is what mine would look like:

Manuél Ferrari > Stupidru
04/02/2014 at 16:47

Unfortunately I already went for a used E90 M3. I say unfortunately cause it added another car payment. I'm kind of stupid about spending more money than I should... I bought it in 2012 but didn't save much cause it was only a year old and the new model was still far away. Had I waited a few years I could have got a much better deal. I just have no self control when it comes to cars...

Manuél Ferrari > Saracen
04/02/2014 at 16:50

It's probably a good call.

I love my 997 but if I only had space for one car it would need to go. The E90 is just too damn practical. There is nothing that I need to do now that it can't do. I don't currently need the space of a wagon. And I only need 4 doors and back seats to take business contacts out to lunch here and there. The back of the E90 has been big enough for these short trips. But sticking a prospect in the back of the 997 would ensure I lose the deal...

Blue 300 > Saracen
04/02/2014 at 17:19

More power to you. I love Yas Marina. I wish I could get it in that color. The attention is the only thing that I wouldn't like.

Saracen > Manuél Ferrari
04/02/2014 at 17:25

I still plan to own a 997 someday, but I'm done with turbo fours...I'm ready to move on.

Stupidru > Manuél Ferrari
04/02/2014 at 19:26

First world problems.

Until my business card no longer says "engineer" I'll have to stick with my Stupidrus since they're the most practical car for what I choose to afford. My Legacy GT was as close as I've ever been to a luxury sports sedan

Manuél Ferrari > Stupidru
04/02/2014 at 19:29

I know, lol.

What type of engineer?

The reason I can't seem to pay off my cars despite having a 17 year old business is our profits keep going down while engineering costs keep going up. We have a 15 person software engineering team and the IT field is red hot. We literally throw money at people to try to keep them but they still leave for higher paying jobs.

I seriously feel like learning how to code myself, selling the business, and becoming a contractor.

Manuél Ferrari > Saracen
04/02/2014 at 19:34

If mine was a Carrera S you could buy it one day to help me reduce my debt. But it's a C2. You'd probably want the C2S...

The E90 M3 with EDC really is my favorite all around car right now. And not just the favorite car that I own. It's my favorite all around car including anything else I've driven. There are other more exciting cars but there are situations where you don't want to drive something too flashy. M3s look nice but also blend in fairly well. I know an M5 or E63 AMG has more power, but I like driving smaller cars...

Stupidru > Manuél Ferrari
04/02/2014 at 19:35

Mechanical engineer, but working for a small company (16 people in our building), I wear the hats of too many professions.

Speak of the devil! - I'm actually having a 1-0n-1 with my boss tomorrow to discuss a raise

Manuél Ferrari > Stupidru
04/02/2014 at 19:41

That's great! I hope you get a good raise.

What would be really cool since the company is small is to get phantom shares or some sort of profit sharing. That way if the company gets big you get in on the action a bit.

Stupidru > Manuél Ferrari
04/02/2014 at 19:44

Thank you! I guess that's the thought. We're a $120M/yr company, and the project that me and one other engineer have been working on is expected to double the company's value in 5 years... I fail to see how asking for a 10% raise will break the bank!

Manuél Ferrari > Stupidru
04/02/2014 at 19:48

You're welcome!

Oh wow $120M/year is massive. That's multiple times larger than my company. But we're in a much different industry. They can definitely give you a 10% raise! Especially if you are part of a two person team working on a project that could create massive growth.

To be honest if you play your cards right and don't come off as aggressive you could probably get more than 10%. If you ask in a nice way without making it seem like you're demanding a huge bump and will walk out if you don't get it then you might get over 10%. Well I guess it depends on where you are now. If you feel that your salary is below market rates for your skills and experience then I would guess that they'd give you a big adjustment to keep you since you're working on such a crucial project.

Saracen > Manuél Ferrari
04/02/2014 at 19:54

I'm not sure which one yet, really. I was leaning towards a 997.2 C2, ifigure it has plenty of power and the new direct injected engine. That was what I drove at a Porsche event a few years ago. Though the C2S has lots of extra equipment that makes it desirable.

Stupidru > Manuél Ferrari
04/02/2014 at 19:57

I'm (relatively) young- 25, so my salary is definitely not as much as my coworkers who have been in the industry longer than I have been alive. That being said, I definitely don't feel like I'm underpaid at all. However, I've been busting my balls on this project and it seems that every week for the past 4 months has been a major deadline. I'm extremely happy with the company I'm at (small, intimate environments ftw!), so I have no hopes of leaving them, but I just hope that I can increase my paycheck a little more so I can finally afford that E90 M3 ;)

I appreciate the chat- it's always nice talking to someone that's on the other side of the fence and who can give a bit of insight!

Manuél Ferrari > Saracen
04/02/2014 at 20:34

That's exactly what I got. And it was exactly what I was thinking.

I am happy with it. But sometimes I do wish that I had got the C2S because of the extra equipment and the added power.

My car is a 6MT and the only 997.2 C2S I test drove had PDK. The C2S felt MUCH faster. But the one year old C2S cars were also much more expensive than the one year old C2 cars back in Dec 2010 when I got my car. The delta is probably a lot less now.

I don't know how much of that sensation of added power was due to the engine and how much of it was PDK. I took the C2S out on the freeway and the upshifts at WOT were violent and awesome on the PDK. That was the first time I drove a car with a DCT so the new style of transmission may have made the added power feel more intense than it actually was.

When you do get a 997.2 one day I recommend looking for the best overall value. Decide which options are must haves for you and if you find a C2 with those options for a good amount less than a C2S with the same equipment then go for it. But if the price deltas don't seem large enough just get the C2S.

The only option that I don't have that I really wish I did have now is PASM. I don't need it where I live because the roads are good. But I really don't like driving the car in LA. The combination of terrible roads and terrible traffic in most of LA makes the car tiresome to drive there. I know the dampers used with PASM are more expensive to replace but I think it's worth it since the 997 has a short wheelbase and is really bumpy on poor roads. The standard suspension is stiffer than PASM in the softest setting. And PASM in the stiffest mode is stiffer than the standard setup so that is useful for canyon carving or track use.

The one option that's not a necessity at all but is cool if you find a car with it is the full leather package. It's rare but there are some 997s that have leather on the doors and the dash. I know a lady with a 997.1 with that option and it makes the car feel so much more special.

Manuél Ferrari > Stupidru
04/02/2014 at 20:37

Given the added info you gave me I think your gut to ask for 10% is right on the money. I don't think that amount sounds unreasonable at all given your situation. I would hope that no employer would find that request to be offensive and react negatively to it. If they are reasonable people then the worst that can happen is they say no and compromise.

Good luck! I hope it goes well and you can finance that E90 M3 soon :)

Long Live the Longdoor > Blue 300
04/02/2014 at 22:48

Kinja'd!!!

Great scott! I love those rims on both the M3 & the M5!

Stupidru > Manuél Ferrari
04/03/2014 at 10:47

Looks like I'll be driving my Stupidrus for a while. My boss deflected my request for a raise by saying that our salaries are in-line with the competition and that I'd caught him off guard. When I asked what his 3-year plan for me was, he said he had no plan for me since I'm in a unique position that my superiors are all 15-20 years away from retiring and there's nowhere else for me to grow into with the size of our company

Manuél Ferrari > Stupidru
04/03/2014 at 13:53

Bummer, I'm sorry! But at least he didn't get pissed and kick you out of his office.

Did he give you any increase at all?

Stupidru > Manuél Ferrari
04/03/2014 at 14:30

No, but he also never explicitly said "no". He said he would get back to me after he takes a look at what I'm making versus the rest of the market. After we were done talking I walked out of his office with a hope that if my project takes off, it will create management and manufacturing jobs that hopefully I can take my pick at. Kind of disappointing, really, when your boss has no plan for any of his employees futures at the company

Manuél Ferrari > Stupidru
04/03/2014 at 14:40

Bummer. He's probably so busy that he hasn't had time to think about development plans.

I think it's good you brought the topics up. You gave him stuff to think about. It's better to ask than not ask.

Stupidru > Manuél Ferrari
04/03/2014 at 15:20

Right on- he appreciated me bringing it up. It shows that I care about staying with the company and growing myself professionally. We'll see what unwinds by next October- When I started this job I made what I like to call my "1000 day plan"- where do you want to be? What do you want to accomplish? 3 years will pretty much give you the time to make a name for yourself at your job and be noticed. If you don't accomplish what you wanted to, or if you don't like the dynamics or something else about your job, then feel free to leave because 3 years won't make you look like a job hopper.

Manuél Ferrari > Stupidru
04/03/2014 at 15:38

That's good that he appreciated you bringing it up. Sounds like a good plan to see how things develop between now and your self set deadline.

I agree that if you moved after 3 years it would look OK on your resume. If you stayed at least 4 then it would be bulletproof. If I'm interviewing someone and they left a company after 4 years for a bigger opportunity I'm totally cool with that.

Stupidru > Manuél Ferrari
04/03/2014 at 15:47

That's good to know- I may have to revise my plan to include another 500 days. You know, because engineers love round numbers!

Manuél Ferrari > Stupidru
04/03/2014 at 17:14

Haha it's the "500 Days of Engineering" plan. It's like "500 Days of Summer" except with no hot brunette.

Stupidru > Manuél Ferrari
04/03/2014 at 17:23

Engineering never has any women that are REMOTELY good looking, except for industrial (amateur hour) and architectural (draw a picture, get a diploma) engineers, but I digress. In my graduating class of 117 MEs, there were 3 women. 1 was almost date-able.

Zooey Deschanel on the other hand...

Manuél Ferrari > Stupidru
04/03/2014 at 17:25

Haha I can totally see that