Future of e9x m3

santiago.rincon wrote

Will the e9x m3 still be a popular choice for the coming years? Will it still be worth buying? 2018-2022?

That's a tough question, imo-- what the e9X M3 does better than previous generations (quiet, comfortable isolation) isn't something that makes it endearing as a weekend/toy car-- far more of a benefit in a DD. On the other hand, you could get it without iDrive, with a 6mt, and you get a high revving NA engine. I think that spec (no idrive, no dct, no sunroof) will go up at some point. All sedans, too, probably, just because there weren't many of them. I doubt any of the verts will ever go up.

Law wrote

Not really.
The E46 M3 takes first place for most expensive gamble by far.
Spinning rod bearings, cracking subframes, self-destructing VANOS, failing SMG pumps, etc.
And then also add to the fact that it's one generation older than the E9x.

Law wrote

Yes it does.
Nice try but I owned an E46 M3 not included in the VIN batch that spun rod-bearings at 6x,xxx miles and was in the scene long enough to see the same thing happen to my peers.
It's a catastrophic failure that can affect all S54s and not a case of high-miles.
The indy-shop that specializes in E46 and E9x BMWs in my area has torn apart enough S54s over the years to confirm this fact.

VANOS kits are available as are subframes, correct.
But so are rod bearing kits for the E9x. And in certain cases, a simple "reinforcement" kit for the subframe is not enough and requires more specialized work, especially for track cars.

Your point is moot and disproved.
Add up the total, the E46 is the grenade of M3s.

The s54 and s65/bearing issues are VERY different.

Early s54s had rod bearings that were not built to the correct spec. These have since been recalled and replaced. From there, the s54 has had rod bearing wear suitable to what it is (a high revving engine). It is completely predictable via oil analysis and anyone who experiences it has only themselves to blame (for either not doing or ignoring oil analysis). Rod bearing wear is proportional to time spent at high RPM, cold starts, and oil change intervals. Main bearing failures are unheard of on the s54.

The s65/s85 has rod bearing and main bearings lottery failures due to improper engine design, as well as rod bearing wear due to high RPM usage. The lottery failures can not be predicted via oil analysis. The main bearing failures take out the engine when they go. Later cars can't predict rod bearing wear failures via oil analysis because of the changed composition of the bearings. None of the fixes on the market are anywhere near proven yet-- it'll take many cars running them for multiple years before any such claims can be made. Currently there are theories as to the cause, which are solid, which can choose to act on to address to rod bearing lottery (maybe). Almost nobody is preventatively going after the main bearings, as they're an engine out service ($$$).

The e46 M3 has two other weak points-- vanos and the subframe. The VANOS can be 100% locked down in an afternoon with $400 in parts (actually, it can be locked down for $150 in parts, but make sense to refresh seals while you're in there). The subframe can be addressed by injecting BMW's structural foam into the cavity-- a 25 min job, that required $60 in parts. There are more elaborate ways to skin the cat, but to date I have not seen a single example of subframe failure on a car that did the foam before cracks formed (and this is BMW's official fix for the issue).

If you choose to do nothing, the e46 M3 can have an expensive repair. If you spend a day and <$500 locking it down BEFORE FAILURE, it's an extremely solid car. I feel more qualified than most to state that-- been DDing an e46 M3 for 15 years, currently doing >30,000 miles per year, and my e46 M3 has well over 10,000 track miles on it.

Nor are the rod and main bearings the only expensive failures on the e9X M3-- iDrive failures are pricey and not uncommon, throttle actuators, and increasingly DCTs.

jaehshim wrote

E46 was great, but then the S65 came out...while having LESS weight than the S54, it has 2 MORE cylinders + 80hp MORE+ HIGHER redline rpm NA motor while KEEPING ITB tech. This engine simply is the pinnacle of BMW M's NA motor, this engine itself can be the reason why E9X will be a special model.

This was a very misleading claim by BMW's marketing department. The s65 short block (block/crank/rods/pistons) is lighter than the s54 short block. The s65 long block (complete engine, including heads, cams, etc) is heavier than the s54 long block.

Their statement, while technically accurate, was highly misleading.

As for peak M engine, the S54 has...
Highest piston speeds of all M engines
Highest valve speeds of all M engines
Highest specific horsepower output of all M engines
Highest specific torque output of all M engines

It's not the most powerful NA M engine (S85), but it is the most worked over. IMHO the "pinnacle M engine" is the S70/2. The S70/2 used S50B32 head, valves, cams, pistons, rods, vanos, etc. The S54 improved on all those elements over the s50B32. Especially combined with a CF airbox, it's as close to half an F1 we can get

Obioban wrote

That's a tough question, imo-- what the e9X M3 does better than previous generations (quiet, comfortable isolation) isn't something that makes it endearing as a weekend/toy car-- far more of a benefit in a DD. On the other hand, you could get it without iDrive, with a 6mt, and you get a high revving NA engine. I think that spec (no idrive, no dct, no sunroof) will go up at some point. All sedans, too, probably, just because there weren't many of them. I doubt any of the verts will ever go up.





The s54 and s65/bearing issues are VERY different.

Early s54s had rod bearings that were not built to the correct spec. These have since been recalled and replaced. From there, the s54 has had rod bearing wear suitable to what it is (a high revving engine). It is completely predictable via oil analysis and anyone who experiences it has only themselves to blame (for either not doing or ignoring oil analysis). Rod bearing wear is proportional to time spent at high RPM, cold starts, and oil change intervals. Main bearing failures are unheard of on the s54.

The s65/s85 has rod bearing and main bearings lottery failures due to improper engine design, as well as rod bearing wear due to high RPM usage. The lottery failures can not be predicted via oil analysis. The main bearing failures take out the engine when they go. Later cars can't predict rod bearing wear failures via oil analysis because of the changed composition of the bearings. None of the fixes on the market are anywhere near proven yet-- it'll take many cars running them for multiple years before any such claims can be made. Currently there are theories as to the cause, which are solid, which can choose to act on to address to rod bearing lottery (maybe). Almost nobody is preventatively going after the main bearings, as they're an engine out service ($$$).

The e46 M3 has two other weak points-- vanos and the subframe. The VANOS can be 100% locked down in an afternoon with $400 in parts (actually, it can be locked down for $150 in parts, but make sense to refresh seals while you're in there). The subframe can be addressed by injecting BMW's structural foam into the cavity-- a 25 min job, that required $60 in parts. There are more elaborate ways to skin the cat, but to date I have not seen a single example of subframe failure on a car that did the foam before cracks formed (and this is BMW's official fix for the issue).

If you choose to do nothing, the e46 M3 can have an expensive repair. If you spend a day and <$500 locking it down BEFORE FAILURE, it's an extremely solid car. I feel more qualified than most to state that-- been DDing an e46 M3 for 15 years, currently doing >30,000 miles per year, and my e46 M3 has well over 10,000 track miles on it.

Nor are the rod and main bearings the only expensive failures on the e9X M3-- iDrive failures are pricey and not uncommon, throttle actuators, and increasingly DCTs.



This was a very misleading claim by BMW's marketing department. The s65 short block (block/crank/rods/pistons) is lighter than the s54 short block. The s65 long block (complete engine, including heads, cams, etc) is heavier than the s54 long block.

Their statement, while technically accurate, was highly misleading.

As for peak M engine, the S54 has...
Highest piston speeds of all M engines
Highest valve speeds of all M engines
Highest specific horsepower output of all M engines
Highest specific torque output of all M engines

It's not the most powerful NA M engine (S85), but it is the most worked over.

Your post is very elaborate and I expected a reply from you sooner or later.

Either way you chop it up, the E46 has more potential issues.
I've not only personally experienced it but also seen more S54 failures than S65s, even if you take out the early batch of recalled S54s.

If the S65 is a lottery then the S54 is a roll of a dice.

You may be correct that the actual causes of failures are different, but I'm not here to argue causation, I'm talking about failure rates.
An engine failure is an engine failure and the S54 is more susceptible to such failure, there's nothing more to it and nothing less.

Prevention is a moot point, because, if we're honest, the issues across both generations can be addressed via preventative work.
We've already talked about VANOS and subframe in the previous page.
While they can be addressed, but so are S65 bearings and throttle actuators.
Bad example with DCT.
There has not been a single documented case of a DCT unit failing. Hiccups? Sure but SMG pump failures are exponentially worst than a software glitch or pan leak.
Again, do the math.

Two potentially catastrophic failures (bearings/VANOS) for the E46 and one that potentially causes the floor to rip apart (subframe) and another that can leave you stranded (SMG).
VS.
One potentially catastrophic failure (bearings) for the E9x and one that potentially you stranded (throttle actuators).

That's before we get into the small day-to-day E46 issues with stuff like electronics, or mirrors leaking fluid, etc.
There's just a bunch of stuff that can go wrong with the E46.

I'm not throwing shade at the E46, it's an excellent car and the S54 is one of the great engines from BMW.
But if you want to talk about "most unreliable M3" the E46 takes gold all day.
The E46 is a grenade.
The E9x is a much more solid car.

IMO, I've owned two of both for about the same length of time of each generation and in my experience the e90x has way less issues looks and driving dynamic's are subjective, the e46 SMG is terrible of course you could convert it to a 6mt but doing so has an impact on resale Kev on m3forum has converted several.....I like them both each model will hold its own in the future.

Law wrote

Your post is very elaborate and I expected a reply from you sooner or later.

Either way you chop it up, the E46 has more potential issues.
I've not only personally experienced it but also seen more S54 failures than S65s, even if you take out the early batch of recalled S54s.

If the S65 is a lottery then the S54 is a roll of a dice.

You may be correct that the actual causes of failures are different, but I'm not here to argue causation, I'm talking about failure rates.
An engine failure is an engine failure and the S54 is more susceptible to such failure, there's nothing more to it and nothing less.

Prevention is a moot point, because, if we're honest, the issues across both generations can be addressed via preventative work.
We've already talked about VANOS and subframe in the previous page.
While they can be addressed, but so are S65 bearings and throttle actuators.
Bad example with DCT.
There has not been a single documented case of a DCT unit failing. Hiccups? Sure but SMG pump failures are exponentially worst than a software glitch or pan leak.
Again, do the math.

Two potentially catastrophic failures (bearings/VANOS) for the E46 and one that potentially causes the floor to rip apart (subframe) and another that can leave you stranded (SMG).
VS.
One potentially catastrophic failure (bearings) for the E9x and one that potentially you stranded (throttle actuators).

That's before we get into the small day-to-day E46 issues with stuff like electronics, or mirrors leaking fluid, etc.
There's just a bunch of stuff that can go wrong with the E46.

I'm not throwing shade at the E46, it's an excellent car and the S54 is one of the great engines from BMW.
But if you want to talk about "most unreliable M3" the E46 takes gold all day.
The E46 is a grenade.
The E9x is a much more solid car.

I'm sorry, but you're just wrong. I think you're letting your personal rod bearing failure experience blind you to trends.

There are as many s65 bearing failures reported this month (which is only half over, this being the 15th) on M3post as there are on the s54 for the last 2 years on M3forum-- and there's significantly more e46 M3s made (making that representative of an even smaller percent of s54s failing).

But, that's missing the point:
On the s54, rod bearing failure is 100% due to owner neglect (no "roll of the dice" about it).
On the s54, main bearing failure does not exist.

On the s65, some rod bearing failure is due to owner neglect
On the s65, some rod bearing failure is due to bad luck in the lottery.
On the s65, main bearing failure exists and is 100% based on luck.

It is not at all known if the s65 rod bearing design flaw can be corrected with aftermarket parts-- that knowledge is years out. Whether it is or isn't, the main bearing issue will persist without a solution for most (if any), because an engine out preventative maintenance project is well beyond the scope of possible for most people (similar price as an engine replacement if not DIYing, and outside of the skill of most for DIY).

Obioban wrote

Law wrote

Your post is very elaborate and I expected a reply from you sooner or later.

Either way you chop it up, the E46 has more potential issues.
I've not only personally experienced it but also seen more S54 failures than S65s, even if you take out the early batch of recalled S54s.

If the S65 is a lottery then the S54 is a roll of a dice.

You may be correct that the actual causes of failures are different, but I'm not here to argue causation, I'm talking about failure rates.
An engine failure is an engine failure and the S54 is more susceptible to such failure, there's nothing more to it and nothing less.

Prevention is a moot point, because, if we're honest, the issues across both generations can be addressed via preventative work.
We've already talked about VANOS and subframe in the previous page.
While they can be addressed, but so are S65 bearings and throttle actuators.
Bad example with DCT.
There has not been a single documented case of a DCT unit failing. Hiccups? Sure but SMG pump failures are exponentially worst than a software glitch or pan leak.
Again, do the math.

Two potentially catastrophic failures (bearings/VANOS) for the E46 and one that potentially causes the floor to rip apart (subframe) and another that can leave you stranded (SMG).
VS.
One potentially catastrophic failure (bearings) for the E9x and one that potentially you stranded (throttle actuators).

That's before we get into the small day-to-day E46 issues with stuff like electronics, or mirrors leaking fluid, etc.
There's just a bunch of stuff that can go wrong with the E46.

I'm not throwing shade at the E46, it's an excellent car and the S54 is one of the great engines from BMW.
But if you want to talk about "most unreliable M3" the E46 takes gold all day.
The E46 is a grenade.
The E9x is a much more solid car.

I'm sorry, but you're just wrong. I think you're letting your personal rod bearing failure experience blind you to trends.

There are as many s65 bearing failures reported this month (which is only half over, this being the 15th) on M3post as there are on the s54 for the last 2 years on M3forum-- and there's significantly more e46 M3s made (making that representative of an even smaller percent of s54s failing).

But, that's missing the point:
On the s54, rod bearing failure is 100% due to owner neglect (no "roll of the dice" about it).
On the s54, main bearing failure does not exist.

On the s65, some rod bearing failure is due to owner neglect
On the s65, some rod bearing failure is due to bad luck in the lottery.
On the s65, main bearing failure exists and is 100% based on luck.

It is not at all known if the s65 rod bearing design flaw can be corrected with aftermarket parts-- that knowledge is years out. Whether it is or isn't, the main bearing issue will persist without a solution for most (if any), because an engine out preventative maintenance project is well beyond the scope of possible for most people (similar price as an engine replacement if not DIYing, and outside of the skill of most for DIY).

Just because you don't agree doesn't make it wrong.
Personal experience doesn't discount facts one bit. I've been across both platforms, was active in both scenes and saw what I saw.
Yeah sometimes real life is indeed different from what is portrayed on the interwebs.
Perhaps it's your own bias of owning an E46 M3 for so long that didn't experience issues that you fail to see its flaws. Your only experience of E9x M3 ownership is through what you read on M3post and maybe to a very small extent, your E91, which is not the same anyway. So who's the blind man?

Like I said, add up the total all-time failure rate, not just a select period of time.
Of course, there's no way to quantify any of this on an official level, so it depends who's voice is louder on the forums. Right now E9x voices are getting loud but i'll be damned if the failures represent even >1% of all S65s.
S54s have failed at a much higher rate. Period.
Additionally, add up the amount of things that can go wrong in an E46 M3 vs E9x M3, and you have a quantitative assessment of the "fragility" of the E46 M3 reliability-wise.
Like i said, not personal. I get your love of the E46 and S54, but it's not without its flaws and reliability is the achilles heel of the E46 M3.
Are there reliable ones? Of course, and i'd bet most of them are, but your chances of landing a bad seed are higher than for the E9x M3.

Ngilbe36 wrote

Look to history for the answer. What has happened with E30's, E46's and now even E36's? Prices are all on the rise. People loved them and want them back or always loved them and are now able to buy them.

Actually, the value of these cars looks like a roller coaster and they only recover 50%+ of their value if they're in excellent condition with less than 50k miles after ~15 or so years.

Otherwise, they're cheap as chips.

I have to agree with Obioban here. Not because I own one myself, it's because it's proven to be almost bulletproof once the necessary steps have been taken to rectify some of the factory issues. Same cannot be said with the e9x as there isn't anything that can be done to prevent certain issues, such as rods and main bearings.

The e46 is more fragile, yes, but again, most if not all issues can be taken care of with aftermarket parts and the s54 is quite reliable given that one is maintained properly.

I owned my f80 for a year and half and had the engine replaced due to knocking. Most likely again rod bearing issues. It's too early to tell if the rod bearing story with bmw engines continues with the new generation.

For someone who wants to keep the e46 long term and even convert to 100% track, the parts and knowledge is there to make it as reliable as can be. Parts and ownership costs have come down as well.

Law wrote

Just because you don't agree doesn't make it wrong.

The facts are on his side, and that does make you wrong. This isn't a matter of opinions.

Love these threads. Here goes:

The E9X is:
- the last NA M car. Ever.
- the last NA BMW. Ever.
- the last available without a screen in its dash.
- the last m3 available as a coupe, its original form.
- the only M3 to ever have a V8.
- the first available with a carbon fiber roof.

Those make it pretty significant in the history of BMW.

I grew up in the 90s. I have a huge crush on Japanese sports cars of that era. Kids who grew up in the 2000s will remember the e9x for winning every comparison it was in, its amazing sound, and exotic engine. They will idolize it just as idolize those 90s cars, however irrational it may be. As good examples become harder to find, prices will go up.

And finally, as to the rod bearing issue; the e9x is bullet proof aside from that and the TA issue. Anyone who really wants this car won't be put off by it, instead just setting aside an extra 4K when purchasing the car. If it's a good example, it may even have had it done with paperwork. It is by far the most reliable M3 made to that point.

My goal is to also purchase an e90 at some point. If they go up in value it's just icing on the cake.

SoManyBlueCars wrote

Love these threads. Here goes:

The E9X is:
- the last NA M car. Ever.
- the last NA BMW. Ever.
- the last available without a screen in its dash.
- the last m3 available as a coupe, its original form.
- the only M3 to ever have a V8.
- the first available with a carbon fiber roof.

Those make it pretty significant in the history of BMW.

I grew up in the 90s. I have a huge crush on Japanese sports cars of that era. Kids who grew up in the 2000s will remember the e9x for winning every comparison it was in, its amazing sound, and exotic engine. They will idolize it just as idolize those 90s cars, however irrational it may be. As good examples become harder to find, prices will go up.

And finally, as to the rod bearing issue; the e9x is bullet proof aside from that and the TA issue. Anyone who really wants this car won't be put off by it, instead just setting aside an extra 4K when purchasing the car. If it's a good example, it may even have had it done with paperwork. It is by far the most reliable M3 made to that point.

Good points all, but strictly speaking, the e9X wasn't the only M3 offered with a V8. The e46 M3 GTR came with a 440+ bhp V8, but it was a racecar...

DSilk wrote

SoManyBlueCars wrote

Love these threads. Here goes:

The E9X is:
- the last NA M car. Ever.
- the last NA BMW. Ever.
- the last available without a screen in its dash.
- the last m3 available as a coupe, its original form.
- the only M3 to ever have a V8.
- the first available with a carbon fiber roof.

Those make it pretty significant in the history of BMW.

I grew up in the 90s. I have a huge crush on Japanese sports cars of that era. Kids who grew up in the 2000s will remember the e9x for winning every comparison it was in, its amazing sound, and exotic engine. They will idolize it just as idolize those 90s cars, however irrational it may be. As good examples become harder to find, prices will go up.

And finally, as to the rod bearing issue; the e9x is bullet proof aside from that and the TA issue. Anyone who really wants this car won't be put off by it, instead just setting aside an extra 4K when purchasing the car. If it's a good example, it may even have had it done with paperwork. It is by far the most reliable M3 made to that point.

Good points all, but strictly speaking, the e9X wasn't the only M3 offered with a V8. The e46 M3 GTR came with a 440+ bhp V8, but it was a racecar...

Never even sold here.

SoManyBlueCars wrote

Love these threads. Here goes:

The E9X is:
- the last NA M car. Ever.
- the last NA BMW. Ever.
- the last available without a screen in its dash.
- the last m3 available as a coupe, its original form.
- the only M3 to ever have a V8.
- the first available with a carbon fiber roof.

Those make it pretty significant in the history of BMW.

I grew up in the 90s. I have a huge crush on Japanese sports cars of that era. Kids who grew up in the 2000s will remember the e9x for winning every comparison it was in, its amazing sound, and exotic engine. They will idolize it just as idolize those 90s cars, however irrational it may be. As good examples become harder to find, prices will go up.

And finally, as to the rod bearing issue; the e9x is bullet proof aside from that and the TA issue. Anyone who really wants this car won't be put off by it, instead just setting aside an extra 4K when purchasing the car. If it's a good example, it may even have had it done with paperwork. It is by far the most reliable M3 made to that point.

We’re on the same boat. I remember like yesterday seeing New e92 m3’s on my college campus (how the hell did kids afford that in college??) and drooling over them. The e9x is very special to me. I grew up dreaming about owning my own someday and e92 was the first Bmw I bought. It has just the right mix of classic and modern Bmw characters and one of the best looking 3 series ever produced in my opinion. That’s why my last 3 bmw’s were all e9x and I don’t think I can bring myself to own a newer bmw because it’s moved away so far from its roots it’s no longer a bmw to me.

The e9x is just so perfect in every way (for me) and I can’t see myself parting with it for a new m or bmw. 80’s and 90’s kids like myself that grew up around the e30,36,46, etc will definitely feel more connected to the e9x gen and will hold on to it as the replacements just don’t cut it. I don’t think price will ever drop under $25k for a clean example and super mint individual ones with low miles will def fetch a premium in the future (~$50k). Still terrible investments but hey at least they will hold value.

SoManyBlueCars wrote

Love these threads. Here goes:

The E9X is:
- the last NA M car. Ever.
- the last NA BMW. Ever.
- the last available without a screen in its dash.
- the last m3 available as a coupe, its original form.
- the only M3 to ever have a V8.
- the first available with a carbon fiber roof.

Those make it pretty significant in the history of BMW.

I grew up in the 90s. I have a huge crush on Japanese sports cars of that era. Kids who grew up in the 2000s will remember the e9x for winning every comparison it was in, its amazing sound, and exotic engine. They will idolize it just as idolize those 90s cars, however irrational it may be. As good examples become harder to find, prices will go up.

And finally, as to the rod bearing issue; the e9x is bullet proof aside from that and the TA issue. Anyone who really wants this car won't be put off by it, instead just setting aside an extra 4K when purchasing the car. If it's a good example, it may even have had it done with paperwork. It is by far the most reliable M3 made to that point.

And hydraulic steering!

santiago.rincon wrote

Will the e9x m3 still be a popular choice for the coming years? Will it still be worth buying? 2018-2022?

Absolutely NOT! Rod bearings are exploding everywhere, throttle actuators are ticking time bombs, engine problems, vanos issues, bad rear differentials, M tax for parts, and that's just the beginning! These cars are going to be worth zilch very very soon...BUT you can be ahead of the crash and sell yours TODAY...yes you heard me right...for a very LIMITED # of folks, we are prepared to offer you top dollar for your soon-to-be-worthless m3....simply send us info on your car, mileage, condition, mods, signed ownership papers, and we will send you a check for the amount we think your car is worth once we receive it.
Remember, why wait to sail on the Titanic when you can be safe and sound ashore...
Don't delay...this offer will expire when we say so...
p.s. Verts need not apply...

loveskiing wrote

santiago.rincon wrote

Will the e9x m3 still be a popular choice for the coming years? Will it still be worth buying? 2018-2022?

Absolutely NOT! Rod bearings are exploding everywhere, throttle actuators are ticking time bombs, engine problems, vanos issues, bad rear differentials, M tax for parts, and that's just the beginning! These cars are going to be worth zilch very very soon...BUT you can be ahead of the crash and sell yours TODAY...yes you heard me right...for a very LIMITED # of folks, we are prepared to offer you top dollar for your soon-to-be-worthless m3....simply send us info on your car, mileage, condition, mods, signed ownership papers, and we will send you a check for the amount we think your car is worth once we receive it.
Remember, why wait to sail on the Titanic when you can be safe and sound ashore...
Don't delay...this offer will expire when we say so...
p.s. Verts need not apply...

"Verts need not apply". Oh no you didn't!

BOOF-M3 wrote

"Verts need not apply". Oh no you didn't!

He just guaranteed that this thread will continue for at least another 5 pages:lol: Well played!

BOOF-M3 wrote

"Verts need not apply". Oh no you didn't!

Look we have nothing against Verts...but we're getting tired of having to pay wreckers to tow these things to the yard and pay them again to take the scrap metal...it's bad enough we're generously shelling out pennies on the dollar to take these soon-to-be-worthless e9x m3's off people's hands...

SoManyBlueCars wrote

Love these threads. Here goes:

The E9X is:
- the last NA M car. Ever.
- the last NA BMW. Ever.
- the last available without a screen in its dash.
- the last m3 available as a coupe, its original form.
- the only M3 to ever have a V8.
- the first available with a carbon fiber roof.

Those make it pretty significant in the history of BMW.

I grew up in the 90s. I have a huge crush on Japanese sports cars of that era. Kids who grew up in the 2000s will remember the e9x for winning every comparison it was in, its amazing sound, and exotic engine. They will idolize it just as idolize those 90s cars, however irrational it may be. As good examples become harder to find, prices will go up.

And finally, as to the rod bearing issue; the e9x is bullet proof aside from that and the TA issue. Anyone who really wants this car won't be put off by it, instead just setting aside an extra 4K when purchasing the car. If it's a good example, it may even have had it done with paperwork. It is by far the most reliable M3 made to that point.

Very good points, especially about the demographic that will be looking for these cars when they accumulate more wealth. I see we also share the Interlagos Blue awesomeness

I like how the original question was if the car will still be popular in coming years and if there is a point to buy it between 2018-2022, and probably 75% of the responses have completely missed the mark and derailed this into a S54 vs S65 reliability argument, or are talking about the future monetary value of the S65 M3 which again has nothing to do with the OP's question.

Anyways, in short the car is absolutely worth buying and relevant between now and 2022 and beyond. While I do think there is some credence to be given to the idea that the current generation of young people are overall less interested in performance cars, I don't think that means the "classic car" market is dying out. People who grew up in love with 90's sports cars are going to be buying vehicles for another 50 years and those are all people who remember the days of hydraulic steering, hit or miss ABS, naturally aspirated motors, etc. Maybe the kids who are 15 years old right now won't care about cars as much because they are more and more becoming plain-jane appliances, but even if that is true, again we have many decades ahead of us of a love for great vehicles

The market isn't going anywhere. You will still get thumbs up for an E9x M3 5 years from now, and you will still be able to park it at a Cars and Coffee and use it as a conversation starter with people.

This should be about the love of "M" cars. Example. I walked to the gym recently and walked through the parking lot and saw at least from the outside a bone stock e46 M3 6MT. I loved the fact that it was bone stock and super clean. I love seeing e30s even non "M" cars that are super clean

If you love "M" cars that e46 will still be a cool car 20 years from now. You have to have an appreciation for it. If you have no appreciation or even know what it is you won't care. This is why I'm going to keep my e92 pretty much stock.

My goal is to pickup an e90 at some point.