[azw131]

I've always wanted an M3, but lately I have been more than ever. I'm still probably a long ways off from being at the point where I'm ready to go and purchase one, but I was hoping you guys could give me a better sense of exactly how far off I am. Right now my 2004 325Xi has 109000 miles on it. It's in pretty much perfect shape though, and has just had a lot of the standard upkeep maintenance done (i.e., brakes, control arms, etc.). I'm thinking if I were to sell it on craigslist I could get $8000 for it. Now, I've been looking at the classifieds the past few weeks both on the forums and locally, and I've seen E46 M3's range in price from anywhere from $11,000 to $30000. I'd be looking to buy one that is running perfectly, in pretty good shape, and well maintained. I know for sure I'd want the coupe with the manual transmission, no way I'd buy a vert or an SMG. I don't really care how many miles the car has on it, as long is it's under 150k. How much do you guys think a car like that would cost realistically, and what do you think the cost of maintenance and upkeep would be on it in the first year if I buy it from a private owner? Basically, I'm trying to find out how much more money I'd need to be able to purchase an M3. Any helpful advice would be appreciated.

 

[azw131]

Thanks for all the info everyone. It's clear that the cost of owning an M is really more than a regular e46. I've actually had to spend about $3500 on my car for maintenance this year alone, but I can only imagine what it would have cost on an M3. The most informative thing was that I didn't realize it would cost about $25,000 to get one that is really gonna last and not have many problems. I saw a slew of M3's in the $15k-$17k range with higher mileage. I'd thought I'd be fine with one of those, but it seems like the general consensus is that those cars would be trouble.

 

[azw131]

This has been eye opening. I think for now I'm just gonna drive my 325 into the ground. I love it for what it is and I'm gonna keep it until it dies. Maybe then if I'm financially ready ill look into an M