Insanity is Asking $70,000 for an E46 M3

"Jay Lauer" (thefaultinourcars)
07/25/2014 at 00:15 • Filed to: None

Here we have Chief Bromden's E46 M3

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

The ad will say enough for itself, but here's the Cliffnotes:

-2001 BMW E46 M3

-6-Speed Manual Transmission

-Laguna Seca Blue

-9,780 miles

-Not enjoyed enough by it's owner.

So, I ask you, 10k miled E46 M3 or Brand New C7 Vette? or used GTR? or Brand New BMW M3?

DISCUSSION (21)

heliochrome85 > Jay Lauer
07/25/2014 at 00:16

this is priced this way because his wife wants him to sell it. "See honey, there is no market for this car. I can't sell it and lose that kind of money!"

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > Jay Lauer
07/25/2014 at 00:18

Honestly I wouldn't pay over $30,000 for it. Yet again I like the E36 over the E46.

Jay Lauer > heliochrome85
07/25/2014 at 00:18

That would mean that he wanted to keep it, and hopefully, wanted to drive it, which he has not done.

heliochrome85 > Jay Lauer
07/25/2014 at 00:19

possibly. Then again there are tons of guys out there who have cars like this, and only put a few hundred miles a year. Given the Dealer associated, this wouldn't surprise me.

Jay Lauer > norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback
07/25/2014 at 00:20

I like the E46 more, but I've seen SMG versions go for $8,000 to $10,000 and still didn't want one.

Even low mileage E46's have have frequent little issues.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Jay Lauer
07/25/2014 at 00:24

That blue is utterly gorgeous. Not $70 megabucks gorgeous, but damn.

Jay Lauer > heliochrome85
07/25/2014 at 00:24

I don't know if it's just cause I grew up around old muscle car guys, but I always believed if you buy a car, performance or not, that you can get in and start easily, then you drive it everyday or at least frequently.

I understood not driving muscle cars around daily cause it's not reliable or really viable transportation, but would you buy a car like the E46 M3, meant to be the perfect car for everyday, and then not drive it?

People do it with S2000's too and I don't get it. I drive mine about 40 miles everyday, and its a blast. Why would I reduce my amount of fun?

Rant over.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > Jay Lauer
07/25/2014 at 00:25

Just my personal preference. Also it was the M3 made in the year I was born '98.

BrownMiataDieselWagon > Jay Lauer
07/25/2014 at 00:25

Wow, for that price you can get one without a sunroof or power seats and it still wouldn't cost $70k

Jay Lauer > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
07/25/2014 at 00:27

If you want that blue, just buy an old ford painted Grabber Blue

I'm pretty sure Plasti Dip blue is close to this colour

heliochrome85 > Jay Lauer
07/25/2014 at 00:28

Cinnamon Toast Crunch has been established as the best cereal ever made. Science has validated this. If you had CTC in your kitchen every day, you would sometimes feel a hankering for fruity pebbles. or cheerios. or frosted flakes. This is the frosted flakes car.

Jay Lauer > BrownMiataDieselWagon
07/25/2014 at 00:28

for that price you can get a BRAND FUCKING NEW ONE.

Jay Lauer > heliochrome85
07/25/2014 at 00:33

I would have Frosted Flakes a lot more often that 9.780 times in 13 years though. I would have Frosted Flakes at least 60.000 times, and I still would appreciate the taste just as much.

heliochrome85 > Jay Lauer
07/25/2014 at 00:34

LOL. I dont disagree with you. Oh well, I love the wheels on this car. LOVE LVE LOVE LOVE the wheels.

BrownMiataDieselWagon > Jay Lauer
07/25/2014 at 00:36

/Obligatory "e46 was the last great m3"

But 10k miles is almost brand fucking new. And who the fuck buys a M3 and only drives it 10k miles in 14 years? I get your point completely, this is a crack pipe laced with heroin and LSD.

Jay Lauer > heliochrome85
07/25/2014 at 00:39

That cereal analogy is actually really amazing though. I get different cereals all the time cause I'll get too bored on just one for too long

But I also like to drive a different car for a week or so every once in a while to appreciate the really good one again. I feel like I become accustomed to the car and kind of forget the special bits.

I drove a GTO for a week, hopped back in the S2000, and was re-introduced the stuff again like when I test drove it.

I'm stealing the analogy.

Brian Silvestro > Jay Lauer
07/25/2014 at 07:02

Wait a second!

I saw this car in person! In the dealer. It's a flagship BMW dealer. They also have an E30 M3 they're trying to sell for $60k. They're both insanely clean, but CP as fuck.

2tonic > Jay Lauer
07/25/2014 at 09:14

Yes, this M3 owner hardly drove his car. It seems like more of a collector's piece than an enthusiast's car.

On the other hand, I have a 128i that I only drive for fun, about 6k per year - I wouldn't want it to be my daily driver, nor would it be practical. I have a Honda Odyssey I use for work/family and my wife has a Hyundai Genesis. Those two are for daily driving.

The 128i is only driven when I'm off work, have a clear mind and good mood, and want to enjoy the vehicle. Using an enthusiast vehicle as a daily driver is only going to wear it out faster. I don't want my 128i to be part of my "daily" routine, instead, it's for my "fun", off-work routine. That makes the experience more special each time I get behind the wheel. I often go for a week or more between drives with the 128i. That's fine - I'm making money and the 128i is sitting under its cover, not being worn out for mundane driving or exposed to rush hour traffic and parking lot dings. Instead, it's waiting patiently and staying younger longer. I don't eat, (rarely) drink a soft drink or water, or make calls in the 128i. It's just for driving.

In a lot of cases, the drive to work in many environments, is full of slow moving traffic - less fun. Stop and go and snail's pace are common for many of us and I have no desire to burn miles on my fun car sitting in traffic. Sure, if you can drive to work on deserted back roads, great.

Sometimes I do think about getting a "moar" fun DD'er, though. I've looked at Merc E-series and BMW 5-series wagons, but they don't have the vertical height I need. They'd also be far more expensive for DD'ing than the Odyssey, which is very cheep to run. Recently, however, I've been thinking 2015 F-150 SuperCab with the fabulous Coyote 5.0. The SuperCab's back seats fold up and reveal a surprisingly large interior cargo space. My sound gear can go in this area and my cart and grip gear could go in the back under a cap or lid... and I could pull a boat.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Jay Lauer
07/25/2014 at 10:33

Yep, the plasti-dip blue is probably what my next el-cheapo car is going to get, but I'll use an actual paint sprayer instead of rattlecans.

Jay Lauer > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
07/25/2014 at 21:02

My dad bought the sprayer last week and we did his SVO. No offense to your plasti dip job, but the sprayers makes miles worth of difference. We put glossifier on his, and it looks almost like a real paint job.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Jay Lauer
07/28/2014 at 19:43

Yeah, I'll be using my friend's sprayer next time, if for no reason other than to save my damn thumbs. even with the pistol-grip adapter that stuff is difficult to spray.