Bare bones M3 without special order??

[chmura]

I will be in the market for a car soon. Sold my IS350 over a year now and I been driving around in my beater Corolla. I need to get back into a nicer more performing car. Reason I sold my IS350 was because it was an automatic. Was a nice car but just boring to drive. I need a true MT.

My questions to you guys is, will it be possible for me to get a e92 M3 with:

Premium Package
6 speed manual transmission
19" Forged Wheels
Heated Front Seats
Ipod usb adapter

Thats all I really want.

I just want a raw performing car without tons of electronic gizmos that I think get away from the overall true enjoyments of a performance car. I will be buying it not leasing.

[Nawaaz]

I hear you brotha!

I went almost the exact same route and ordered a STRIPPED M3 with barely any options at all. Most dealers may not stock an M3 with few options, but I've personally seen some that do. It's best to search around.

I'd recommend that you order your M3 exactly the way you want it. The money you save when you buy from the lot may be very small compared to ordering.

Go for it man!!

[lucid]

Originally Posted by chmura

I will be in the market for a car soon. Sold my IS350 over a year now and I been driving around in my beater Corolla. I need to get back into a nicer more performing car. Reason I sold my IS350 was because it was an automatic. Was a nice car but just boring to drive. I need a true MT.

My questions to you guys is, will it be possible for me to get a e92 M3 with:

Premium Package
19" Forged Wheels
Heated Front Seats
Ipod usb adapter

Thats all I really want.

I just want a raw performing car without tons of electronic gizmos that I think get away from the overall true enjoyments of a performance car. I will be buying it not leasing.

I don't know that that's a bare bones M3. It mainly seems to be lacking the tech package.

At any rate, you should be able to find something like that if you are patient. People order not so loaded cars and back out. The dealer would be particularly motivated to move such a car off the lot. But you might have to wait a little to find one.

[isugoo]

I rather give up Premium package and get Tech package.

[ase2dais]

I too look into the possibility between and loaded 335i or a barebone e92 M3
.. started to look into it, then I guess the ipod was needed, and of crse why not heated seats, cant live with the basic colors so by the time it was all finished my basic $56k k car ended up loaded.

lolz

but yeah! get one stripped used, maybe around mid 40s by now!

[adc]

Forget the Premium package, get the EDC suspension. I had a chance to test it out during my recent Euro Delivery and it's the car's second best feature, after the engine.

[zenderm3]

Originally Posted by Nawaaz

I hear you brotha!

I went almost the exact same route and ordered a STRIPPED M3 with barely any options at all. Most dealers may not stock an M3 with few options, but I've personally seen some that do. It's best to search around.

I'd recommend that you order your M3 exactly the way you want it. The money you save when you buy from the lot may be very small compared to ordering.

Go for it man!!

Nawaaz - when I saw this thread I thought of you!!!

[chmura]

Anyone else have a stripped M3?

[TTG]

there is one for sale near where I live that has 2300 miles. PM me if you want more info. It is a base E92 M3 w/ metallic paint and leather. That is it.

[Cabinetman]

A few weeks back I saw a fairly stripped sedan at Autobahn in Fort Worth that had no Tech package, Premium audio, or cold weather package but it was a DCT.

[Blue92]

Originally Posted by chmura

Anyone else have a stripped M3?

E92 Coupe, 6MT, 18" Rubber, CF Roof, EDC, Lemans Blue. Not 100% stripped but I couldn't be happier!

[SpencerM3]

That will be tough as shit to locate, but we are not SA's, call one of them!

[tbucella]

I wanted the same thing and agonized over how few options to buy. In the end I had to order the car to get it how I wanted it, but the wait was not too long. I ordered it in early January and got the car in Late March. From a buying perspective this was sort of perfect. No one comes in during an upstate NY winter hot for an M3; paid $1,000 over invoice and got exactly what I wanted. By the time it arrived, winter was over. The anticipation was actually part of the fun.

My version of "stripped" included the winter package, the tech package, iPod and backup sensors. No sunroof, no premium stereo, no DCT, no Blue Tooth, no 19" wheels, the stock interior and no other do-dads. It's amazing, the M3 is really a pretty good deal without a lot of crap added, but most of the ones on dealer lots have near $15K of options; $500 for a splash of interior Aluminum trim, give me a break! IMHO loaded up these cars are a much poorer deal. Most of us are buying it for the stiffened chassis, the V8 and, let's be honest... the cachet. The bone stock version gives you all of this but here's my take on the more valuable options...

I was going to pass on the tech package and just get the electronic damper control as this helps performance, but in the end I opted for the tech package to get the M-dynamic mode DSC, which is a "half way on" stability control that let's you have fun and saves your ass at the last minute. After 8 months, I really like the tech package: the Nav works well and the iDrive after 09 is easy to use, the integration with the music system is seamless, I don't even use an iPod, just a USB flash drive and all of the titles and artist come up on the screen. The tech package comes with the electronic dampers and the M performance button on the wheel. I'm happy I made that choice.

I LOVE the stock interior! The leather on the seat bolsters and headrests with the fabric in the middle of the seats is great- cooler in summer, warmer in winter and there is still leather on the center console and in a few other spots. It's sharp and $0! I would omit the premium package, use your own garage opener!

$800 for BlueTooth integration; Ouch! Just could not do it. Sure, it comes with BMW Assist, but when will I use that. I guess it has some sort of Internet integration but I still give it a big fat raspberry.

As for the backup sensors, I am always backing into stuff so they were a must for me. I'm sure they have already paid for themselves; visibility to the rear is poor as on most modern cars.

As for the winter package, I'm sure I'll appreciate the heated seats when it's 10 degrees, but they are pretty comfortable with the cloth alone in the cool weather. I would opt-out in So Cal. I do ski, so the split rear seat with the pass through is a must, but I fly to ski mostly so we'll see how much I use this.

The stock stereo is really good, not fantastic but very solid with two subs and tweeters in the pillars it sounds great. No center channel and no fancy e.q. but it still rocks. I'm sure the premium sound is better, but for $2K?

As for the stock 18" wheels and rubber, I drove both and I preferred the softer shoes. IMHO the 19" setup was just harsher with no perceivable performance impact. I don't know how many times in my past modding experience I opted for a lower profile setup and felt it was no better but it jarred my teeth. I will say that the 19s look great, but the 18s look great too and the dark rims and the bulging tires really look mean. My wife labeled the car's look as "KGB" and the 18" wheels/tires are a big part of that.

Leave out all of the overpriced options and you'll spend less than putting a bunch of performance options on a 335.

Hope this was helpful.

[Dartanium]

Originally Posted by isugoo

I rather give up Premium package and get Tech package.

agreed and that's what I did

wait, I did the opposite

[DiamondGCoupe]

I hate how BMW has sooo many options considering half of them come standard in other vehicles, is the price point that important that they can't just up the base price a few thousand and only have many options such a Prem/Tech/19s listed? Personally the reason I went with the M3 is because of DCT and Tech, I don't see a point in owning the M3 without Tech , if it's just to save money, hold off until you can get the gizmos that's what makes the M3 so awesome!

Edit: And as others have mentioned, get Tech over Prem!

[HappyNDing]

I think special ordering the car is the best way to go, you don't make compromises nor do you pay extra for stuff you don't even need or want. I, for one, do not care for the Premium Package, Cold Weather Package, 19's or the Tech Package. I'm on the fence about DCT and the stand alone Navigation but metallic paint and leather is a must for me (that's because I don't like white or black colors as well as the speed cloth).

[DiamondGCoupe]

DCT + Tech make the M3 the car it's meant to be.