paulg1979

iTrader: (1)

After spending hours on Pistonheads i'm really wanting a 3.0 Z4 but still have a love for the M3.

Its just the milage that scares me. Is 52,000 miles a lot for a 51 plate M3. I don't want to end up spending thousands on repairs. Anyone have any experience with an M3?

john banks

Every one made before Summer 03 needs work on the engine internals because the bearings can fail. BMW extended warranty is now a rip off because of the price especially over 60000 miles and the excess for each claim, but running one without is brave, and the warranty can't be renewed if it has been allowed to expire at any time previously.

The brakes don't like hard use, they rattle more than you'd hope.

However, they look lovely and drive well on smooth tarmac, with excellent economy, good refinement and comfort at cruise.

There are a lot of dogs around, when buying I found that anything over 10000 miles was in bad condition, but you may find an enthusiast car is better.

paulg1979

iTrader: (1)

Not sounding too promising then? I'm thinking the Z4 will have better grip.

john banks

It has amazing grip on smooth surfaces. The problem on bumpy roads is keeping the tyres on the tarmac because it skips around like a slammed Nova.

I didn't like mine, some adore them.

icbm

I've had mine for 3 years. Its a 2001 with a whopping 92k miles on it. (had 35k on when i got it). The warranty has run out but i'm not renewing as its about £1800 with a £250 excess on any claim. If a big problem does come along then £2k will get me a long way!

The engine problems mentioned above are not around anymore as most cars have had their recalls done already. The most important thing is to have the dealer 1200 mile stamp in the service book! Generally they go better and have more power after 50k!

Mine has a stage one chip and fast road geometry setup with makes a huge difference to an already fast and capable car. Oh, and its immaculate!

Go for it!

thesyn

Interesting post icbm. My mind had just about been changed by the previous posts.
I am also seriously thinking of going for an early e46 m3. If you don't mind me asking, excluding fuel what have your approximate running costs been for the 3 years you have run yours?

john banks

Lost £4750 on mine in 6 months in depreciation - I owned it from 18 months old and 7000 miles to 2 years old and 14500 miles. Insurance was about £750pa. 25mpg. It had one service which was an oil change at 11500 miles. Rear tyres were about £150 each bought carefully. All costs were insignificant apart from depreciation. On an older example you might do much better, but need to buy carefully. If you have smooth roads, little snow and/or 18" wheels it will be fine. There are many good points about them, but for me it didn't do the performance thing properly at all. Evo IX is in a different league in performance as well as far worse image. I'm always looking for my next car: considered M5, M6, RS4, RS6, Cayenne, 996 Turbo, CL/CLS55, C63 etc. Or I might just buy a WRX. If getting another M car I would make sure the suspension was a bit more compliant than the M3, and if running in winter I would get a set of winter tyres/wheels or have another car I could use.

icbm

Thats what i like about the M3...I needs to be driven to get the best out of it and is not one of those cars that anybody can drive fast in. Obviously wasn't for you? I agree though...a death trap in the snow - it stays at home and my Landrover comes out then!!!!

I love STI's and Evo's but chose the M3 because it was more of an all-rounder

I get about 23mpg on average and tyres cost me circa £600 for the set (the best are Michelin PS2's). I admit, I have spent alot running mine but then i have done 60k miles in it and drive it very hard everywhere!

I always said, if i can't run it i'll sell it and buy an STI or Evo...That was 3 years ago and now its all paid for!

Do it, you know you want to!

john banks

If anyone knows it there is a lovely road that goes by Knockhill. It is bumpy, undulating, twisty and used to be hilarious in the Scooby in any weather. I had my *** handed to me driving the M3 on this road by a Subaru sport in the wet. I am a cautious driver, yet at Knockhill in the old modified Scooby was sitting with the Nobles and GT3s, so I shouldn't have my *** handed to me by a Subaru sport unless the road far better suited the suspension travel, tyres, traction in the wet of the Subaru, which it clearly it did. I ran out of options because the M3 was not staying on the road but bouncing from bump to bump so I had to slow down where the Subaru was flat out! The M3 was juddering the steering wheel under braking because the pads were depositing on the discs with this workout. Also it was difficult to stay in your seat because the suspension was hitting the bumpstops and you couldn't maintain the throttle steadily over the bumps because even in sport mode it was too sensitive on this sort of road. The M3 bounce was getting worse and worse so I was risking an accident where the Subaru just steamrollered the same road as if it wasn't there. Same feeling behind the wheel of the two different marques down this road. On a wide smooth road the M3 had incredible grip. I make the M3 sound terrible on the other road, but it really was!!

The M3 was nice on my usual dual carriageway with roundabouts, but I never wanted to take it out just for the sake of it on a back road.

Both marques are compromised in their own ways. I'm told the E39 M5 would make a much better go at a bumpy road because of its suspension and wheel travel.

ex-webby

Agreed, the M3 is not ideal on bumpy roads, but it isn't REALLY bad.

I bought mine in a haze, thinking "why oh why am I buying this car!?". I said I'd never drive a BMW, and definitely not an M3. I assumed I'd own it for about 6 months. That was 3 years ago.

Mine is an SMG, with about 55K on the clock, and I'm kind of "locked in" now.

The problem, is that there are very few cars out there that have everything the M3 has, for similar money.

1) Rear wheel drive
2) Pretty quick
3) Respectable and grown up looking - for when you need it to be
4) Comfortable tourer
5) Reliable and well built

The down side, is that in the 3 years I've owned it, I don't think I've once looked back at it and thought "god that's a great car!". Its a little uninspiring.

Its like the swat at school - great at everything, but you don't really want to go out on the town with it.

On the plus side.. I LOVE the handling - it feels like a MKII Escort with comfy seats at times.. it relatively quick - although I'm starting to think about chipping, etc. The servicing isn't the end of the world (apart from the inspection 2).

I think I'll probably keep it for a year or two longer to be honest.

wilffive

Had my M3 e46 Cab a year now. Paid £27k AUC was offered £22k by dealer 2 weeks ago when enquired.

Its the most complete car I have owned I would say its not the best in any particular area but its the best compromise in most.

Pros
That Engine
Engine noise (fantastic with roof down)
Handling
Looks
Comfort
4 door convertible - surprisingly roomy - regularly fit 4 adults in it.
25.3MPG
Its easy/comfortable to drive and feels special when you tootle round (unlike many jap cars)

Cons
Brakes go soft if you really attack a B road for any period of time
Servicing - expect £1k per service
Reliability - I would deffo not have a car without warranty. My car had 17k one owner when I got it and was immaculate. It now has 35k on it and has had new front brakes and hood on it in that time.
Build quality - is better than a scoob but not as good as my old Audi A8 or BMWs of old.
Warranty cost - £1100 pa for car with less than 60k on but I would regard as essential purchase.

Despite the costs its a fabulous motor and dont regret getting mine. Hope that helps. Check out mtorque for more info.

thesyn

Thanks for the info guys. Interesting thoughts about handling, I guess I take 4wd for granted a bit booting it when the going is wet and bumpy without thinking. I had a rwd cosworth before so I'm sure I'll remember the drill!
I'll post with which way I go.

rb5_336

diesel's are the way forward :-) Having owned a few M3s in the past, i prefer my 330d for smiles per £

icbm

Interesting your comments about braking problems as i have never experienced brake judder (most commonly mis-associated with warped discs, when in fact its down to incorrect bedding in!). I'll admit that i have felt brake fade on the 'Ring but never on the road.

I think the Scoob is a better A-B missile on those sorts of roads, but its roads like the Nurburgring where the M3 is at home. 2 seconds faster than an '04 STI on there apparently - not that that would be much in reality over 13 miles!!

Both amazing cars...But Evo's are better still!!

paulg1979

iTrader: (1)

I'd love an EVO but maintenance is so expensive. How much is the 4000 mile services anyway?

cat7

amazing at the ring
great on a smooth road

sh1te on a bumpy b road

brakes were crap everywhere, just about okayish when pressing on but not great.

Go and have a go and see what you think

scoobytravis

Hi

Regarding the Evo servicing question. I have owned a classic UK scoob and the last year an Evo 8 FQ300 (03 plate), running 360hp with usual exhaust/induction/Ecutek. mods

Services are every 4500 or 6 months whichever arrives 1st. I have had 2 services at local Mitsi Ralliart dealership. 1st was £299, 2nd was £125. 3rd coming up should be around £200ish. Mileage wise I have done arounnd 12K in the year of ownership and its a daily runner. So around 3 services a year, but looking at above the cost is not too bad if nothing needs doing above the norm. I would not use the dealer for brake pad/disc changes or for dealing with major problems as indepedents are much less expensive for this type of work. I did look at servicing with an independent, but surprisingly they were a little more expensive and it meant travelling an hour. The dealer is very near.(and cheaper for general servicing it seems, to date!!)
The big cam belt/fluids service at 45K is about £750 I believe with the dealer.
This one I think may be cheaper elsewhere as the labour hours tot up.

To date I have bought 1 set of tyres (18/235/40 Falken at £320 + £20 to fit), 1 battery (£50), set of front ferodo pads (£150ish), and wiper blades,+ 2 dash bulbs. So far so good!

I drive quick where conditions allow, but do not launch like some and destroy the clutch after a few of these.

Insurance is more expensive than the UK classic scoob, but then the Evo is nearly 100hp more and higher value.

Petrol costs are a little more than the classic scoob (this was running 270hp), but surprisingly not much more.


Hope that helps

Graham

paulg1979

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the info. Does not seem as bad a I thought.