Dear Oppo wut do

"Reece-Current Stinger GT owner" (subzero384) 03/21/2016 at 09:27 • Filed to: None

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I have the chance to buy a 2003 M3 from my boss. It was a car we took on trade a few months ago but he has grown bored of it. Carfax is clean but shows 6 owners. 92k miles and SMG. My price would be about 12,500. My question is should I go for it. One of our techs who used to be a BMW master tech looked it over and said the SMG was weeping but not a full blown leak, apparently common with this mileage. Car is black over black with a dinan exhaust as well. Also has the 19inch wheels. So what do oppo

(Pic is a car that looks exactly like the one I’m considering.)

jkm7680 > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 03/21/2016 at 09:35

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Six owners!?!?!?!? Holy shit

Conan > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 03/21/2016 at 09:37

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SMG = no.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 03/21/2016 at 09:39

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I wouldn’t. Seems like a time bomb

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > Conan 03/21/2016 at 09:41

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Normally I would agree but looking at Ebay the SMG cars are going for 15k with this kinda mileage so it seems like a steal to me.

The Dummy Gummy > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 03/21/2016 at 09:41

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Crackpipe.

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > jkm7680 03/21/2016 at 09:42

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I think I’m the sixth owner of my S600, though it has lowish miles and is in very good shape for a 12 year old, six owner car.

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > jkm7680 03/21/2016 at 09:42

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To be fair it looks like most of the owners only owned it a few months a piece with a major owner owning it for most of its life.

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 03/21/2016 at 09:43

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That’s what I thought but being that its been checked over by a BMW master tech, and the fact that I only plan on owning it a year before jumping out of it im not too concerned

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 03/21/2016 at 09:45

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I’m an expert on high mileage cars with transmissions that may explode, don’t do it as it will keep you up at night

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 03/21/2016 at 09:47

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But then I have an excuse to swap the stick into it. And reading up on them the SMG will last up to 150k with proper maintenance, and this thing has records a mile long so I don’t feel awful about it.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 03/21/2016 at 09:50

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But then how deep will you be in the hole for a 13 year old M3?

Tripper > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 03/21/2016 at 09:50

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Six owners is a lot but if the car is in decent shape, I doubt that you will regret it. A lot of people hate on the SMG and I will admit it’s far from my favorite flappy paddle box. However it’s not a deal breaker, if you learn to drive it properly it’s a dream when you get on the highway.

The biggest deciding factor is where you’re going to service it. If you’re going to DIY or have it serviced at an inde mechanic that you trust...Go for it. If you’re going to take it to a dealer...don’t haha.

I’ve owned an 02' M3 (3 pedal) since 2007 (24k miles to 90k miles). When it was my DD I averaged 2k/year on maintenance (servicing at an inde shop). I’m pretty anal when it comes to cars, so that number is probably on the high side for annual maintenance.

Sounds like your guy already took care of the PPI. I would ask him how much he thinks you would have to spend on a disaster scenario with the SMG (which probably won’t happen). If the number is not too stifling I would do it! Mine has been great, aside from scheduled maintenance and wear items all I have had to do is replace an ignition coil.

E92M3 > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 03/21/2016 at 09:53

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Buy it now! That’s a deal, and E46's are going to start going up in value. One with half the mileage is already double that price.

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 03/21/2016 at 09:55

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I’d buy the car for 12,500, NADA puts it at 14,500 and I know they are selling stronger than that, so no hole at all.

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > E92M3 03/21/2016 at 09:55

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That’s my thought, Dump it before it hits 100k and make my money back while having some fun this summer

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 03/21/2016 at 09:58

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The SMG can be converted to a manual. Literally. You replace the SMG equipment and put in manual controls. You don’t need a new transmission. I’d say go for it if you go that route.

E92M3 > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 03/21/2016 at 09:58

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Yes! If you can drive an E46 M3 for 6 months or a year for free, it’s a no brainer.

Don’t blame me if you never want to sell it though. I should of never sold mine.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 03/21/2016 at 09:59

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Welp

Do it! Regret nothing

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > E92M3 03/21/2016 at 10:00

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That’s the way I look at it, even with the loan im looking at, which is 2.49 percent which is stupid low on a 2003, I would still make money or at the very least break even even if I owned it the full 3 years of the loan

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 03/21/2016 at 10:00

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BLOW UP ALL THE SMG’s!

Biggus Dickus (RevsBro) > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 03/21/2016 at 10:12

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You should check the VANOS system. Thats an expensive repair that tends to go out around 100k. Also, to reiterate what others have said, the SMG is a ticking time bomb.

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > Tripper 03/21/2016 at 10:13

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Worst case for SMG im looking at 1200 bucks so even then I still break even. To me it sounds like I can basically drive it for a year and dump it and will have owned it for free. I’m just gonna do it Demuro Style

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > Biggus Dickus (RevsBro) 03/21/2016 at 10:14

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Vanos was addressed about 15k ago. The owner previous to my boss put about 3k worth of work into the car. SMG is healthy according to one of my Tech’s who was a BMW master tech. I work for a MINI dealer as well so I get all BMW parts at cost and my techs can work on it as well.

Tripper > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 03/21/2016 at 10:21

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Yea do it, $1200 won’t kill you and I bet nothing happens anyway. I hope you love it so much that you don’t want to sell it.

Ethan Boone > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 03/21/2016 at 10:23

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I say NP, with those miles, at that price, I would go for it.

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > Ethan Boone 03/21/2016 at 10:26

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That’s my thinking, also ungreyed!

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > Tripper 03/21/2016 at 10:27

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I’m slightly afraid and excited that I will fall in love with it and keep it, but its a third car for me so I don’t know hoe much it’ll really get used besides shows and taking it to work on the weekends

Tripper > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 03/21/2016 at 10:31

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Kind of nice to have one as an aux car though, if something bad happens you’re not pressed to fix it right away. Best of luck!

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > Tripper 03/21/2016 at 10:32

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Exactly, plus my daily is a stick shift MINI cooper S so I still have a fun car for if it breaks

Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 03/21/2016 at 10:33

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Hell yes you should go for it! Why are you even asking us, you know this!

Seriously though, love it! Also, given you have access to affordable BMW parts and labor, on top of very very knowledgeable BMW techs, is a huge plus. For $12,500 I’d definitely go for it.

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) 03/21/2016 at 10:35

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The only thing that sucks is being 20 my insurance is stupid. It’s like almost as much as the actual payment on the car.

Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 03/21/2016 at 10:37

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Is there any way to have it titled/insured under a parent or older relative then list you as an occasional driver? Back in the day, my parents and I used to do that for my cars and saved a good chunk of money.

Tripper > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 03/21/2016 at 10:40

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LOL, is your other car an Audi by any chance? Because I’ve got an stick Cooper S (R53) too! It’s my fiancee’s, but only until she gets her Forrester, then it’s my autox car.

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > Tripper 03/21/2016 at 10:44

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Mine is an F56, and my other car is a 1996 Tahoe because I needed a parts hauler.

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) 03/21/2016 at 10:45

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I’m on my parents insurance already, the problem is so is my 17 year old brother, luckily we get a big multi car discount with 7 vehicles on the policy.

Tripper > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 03/21/2016 at 10:51

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oooo a new one, how do you like it? My mom has a R56 cooper s stick and while it’s a much nicer car, I prefer the way the R53 drives.

Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 03/21/2016 at 10:54

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Ah, gotcha. That’ll be tough. Hopefully it’s not too bad and you can take the M3 home.

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > Tripper 03/21/2016 at 10:54

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Having driven all of the gen’s I like the R56 the best, like the F56 is faster and more refined but it feels less visceral which turns a lot of people off from them.

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) 03/21/2016 at 10:57

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The only other option is look into putting it on my collectors policy where we keep our classics. I just really don’t want to be limited as to where and when I can drive it.

Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 03/21/2016 at 11:07

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I figured that was an option, but not one that you’d want. A car like this you don’t want to be restricted in using it. I also am thinking you wouldn’t want a separate policy for just the M3 from a different company with just the minimums.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 03/21/2016 at 12:50

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Personally i hate the SMG trans but i hear once you figure it out its fine. just the few times ive driven one it sucked