UPDATE - Purchased a 2011 sedan, stick, comp pkg, mileage <45k

[BimmerRules!]

Originally Posted by CSBM5

I hunted for almost a year for a 2011 E90 6MT slicktop back in 2012. At the time I didn't want the ZCP since I intended on autocrossing in F-stock class and this was before the SCCA opened up the rules to allow wheel diameter changes (i.e. non-existent selection then for the best tires in 19" sizes).

Anyway, I ended up finding an as-new condition one but in Silverstone (last color choice) with 14k miles, still under warranty for 2.5 years plus CPO after that, so I bought it. It wasn't until afterward that I ran the production numbers to find out that only ~180 slicktop 6MT 2011 E90s were imported, so I was hunting in a very small pool of potential cars. If you add ZCP to this mix, you're probably looking at less than 100 cars. It may take a while...good luck.

Regards,
Chuck

P.S. That factory warranty and then the BMW CPO warranty I had on my car...never needed. 100% perfect through the entire time.

Chuck - meant to ask (although I believe I know the answer based on your PS): you did not have any issues with the rod bearings, right?

[CSBM5]

Originally Posted by BimmerRules!

Chuck - meant to ask (although I believe I know the answer based on your PS): you did not have any issues with the rod bearings, right?

Not yet, lol. I've got 36k miles on the 2011 M3, and I'm not worried about the bearings. My background is in mech eng, specializing in fluid dynamics in grad school, and I've studied (as a hobby) a lot about hydrodynamic bearings in the past few years, so I'm not blind to the possibility of an issue at some point. However, the actual failure rate is so very low, I'm not concerned about it. Heck, if anything were to happen it would be a great excuse to build a stroker S65.

[BOOF-M3]

Hey Rajan, have you noticed the amount of WTB E90 Competition package ads these days? So many and mostly 6MT. I would rather be a "WTB an E90 DCT" with all that "competition" no pun intended.

[SLC Steve]

Originally Posted by cognoscenti

Guys, drive both DCT and 6MT cars before deciding which is right for you. They both have their charms!

This is actually the best post about this topic and I wish it could be repeated over and over every time it comes up.

OP - I bought an E90 ZCP with DCT earlier this year from a forum member. It was everything I wanted and more. It has a sunroof, but I am not a tall person (5'11") and it is nice. Distill your most important things (transmission choice/roof choice) and be flexible on others. My requirements were ZCP/DCT/premium sound and not white/black/grey-silver. I wanted low-ish miles (less than 50K) and ownership history back to day one including clean CarFax. My car has a sunroof which is totally fine with me because I got everything else I wanted. If I was searching for a slicktop car I would not have been driving the nuts off my car for these last 8 months and would still be searching.

[Montaver]

https://www.bmwcca.org/ads/159376

Not my car, but might be worth a look if you consider the e92

[BOOF-M3]

14 day old listing, I'm thinking without Carbon Roof priced a few grand too high. If not, it should have been gone already. Just my guess.

[BimmerRules!]

Originally Posted by Montaver

https://www.bmwcca.org/ads/159376

Not my car, but might be worth a look if you consider the e92

Wow! That car looks great! Surprised at the low list price....

But yeah, I need 4 doors and hence regretfully have to pass this. Thanks for the link!

[derbo]

Originally Posted by BimmerRules!

Wow! That car looks great! Surprised at the low list price....

But yeah, I need 4 doors and hence regretfully have to pass this. Thanks for the link!

I'm in the middle of purchasing an AW/BLK E90 6MT 2011 without ZCP. I ended up giving up on the ZCP because in reality, I would've swap the springs anyways. EDC looks like it can be coded to have variability in Sport mode and Rims can always be swapped

[BimmerRules!]

Originally Posted by derbo

I'm in the middle of purchasing an AW/BLK E90 6MT 2011 without ZCP. I ended up giving up on the ZCP because in reality, I would've swap the springs anyways. EDC looks like it can be coded to have variability in Sport mode and Rims can always be swapped

Very nice! Congratulations! Hope everything goes smooth

Since I am not in a hurry, I intend to wait and monitor for some more time before I follow your route.

Would love to hear about the work you end up doing on the M3. Hopefully I can spur you into starting your thread on the project. Best of luck!

[derbo]

Originally Posted by BimmerRules!

Very nice! Congratulations! Hope everything goes smooth

Since I am not in a hurry, I intend to wait and monitor for some more time before I follow your route.

Would love to hear about the work you end up doing on the M3. Hopefully I can spur you into starting your thread on the project. Best of luck!

Oh I will.

This is the ZHP I've owned for 8 years before making room for the M3.




https://goo.gl/photos/ErdtVaVEJfUv8dGY7


Sorry to digress your buy thread.


My search process:
I used Autotrader.com, Cars.com, Cargurus.com with saved filters for for M3 Sedan (not filtering the transmission since half the time they are all mislabeled) with daily email alerts.

[spazzyfry123]

Best of luck OP! I have been looking for your same car for a few years now. I finally pulled the trigger on mine about two months ago: 2011 E90 M3 6MT slicktop with 55k miles. It's a stripper car (cloth, manual seats and all...the exact way I wanted it!) I can't even begin to say how pleasing it is to know I got exactly what I wanted after waiting for so long. It's a toy car, but I've still managed to put about 2500 miles on it in the past month or so. Had some fun in the North Georgia mountains this past weekend. Taking it to Atlanta Motorsports Park this weekend. Hopefully joining in on BMWCCA's AutoX the following weekend. Drive 'em!

-T.O.

[BimmerRules!]

Originally Posted by derbo

Oh I will.

This is the ZHP I've owned for 8 years before making room for the M3.




https://goo.gl/photos/ErdtVaVEJfUv8dGY7


Sorry to digress your buy thread.


My search process:
I used Autotrader.com, Cars.com, Cargurus.com with saved filters for for M3 Sedan (not filtering the transmission since half the time they are all mislabeled) with daily email alerts.

Awesome!! Were you a member @ zhpmafia?? Lovely site IMO. I got my zhp unseen from a member there and sold it after two years to another member,

Looking fwd to reading your posts on what you end up doing.

And thanks for the tips!

[BimmerRules!]

Originally Posted by spazzyfry123

Best of luck OP! I have been looking for your same car for a few years now. I finally pulled the trigger on mine about two months ago: 2011 E90 M3 6MT slicktop with 55k miles. It's a stripper car (cloth, manual seats and all...the exact way I wanted it!) I can't even begin to say how pleasing it is to know I got exactly what I wanted after waiting for so long. It's a toy car, but I've still managed to put about 2500 miles on it in the past month or so. Had some fun in the North Georgia mountains this past weekend. Taking it to Atlanta Motorsports Park this weekend. Hopefully joining in on BMWCCA's AutoX the following weekend. Drive 'em!

-T.O.

I can't believe that I am actually quite happy for you (instead of feeling envious! ). Thanks for taking the time to post and give your feedback.

Quite rewarding to read your extremely positive endorsement of it.

May I know what were your other cars please? Also curious to read your thoughts on the stick shift - was it as engaging as you expected it to be?

Thanks and continue to have fun with your toy.

[BimmerRules!]

Originally Posted by CSBM5

Not yet, lol. I've got 36k miles on the 2011 M3, and I'm not worried about the bearings. My background is in mech eng, specializing in fluid dynamics in grad school, and I've studied (as a hobby) a lot about hydrodynamic bearings in the past few years, so I'm not blind to the possibility of an issue at some point. However, the actual failure rate is so very low, I'm not concerned about it. Heck, if anything were to happen it would be a great excuse to build a stroker S65.

Ok Chuck - you better reach out to me first when you decide to sell your car ok?? I am not kidding!!! I would any day buy a high-mileage car from mech engg who probably does old school maintenance (and yeah, read for hobby about hydrodynamic bearings ).

I am actually planning to request the NJ BMWCCA to offer some DIY classes for the dumb and clueless like me.

[spazzyfry123]

Originally Posted by BimmerRules!

I can't believe that I am actually quite happy for you (instead of feeling envious! ). Thanks for taking the time to post and give your feedback.

Quite rewarding to read your extremely positive endorsement of it.

May I know what were your other cars please? Also curious to read your thoughts on the stick shift - was it as engaging as you expected it to be?

Thanks and continue to have fun with your toy.

I would have only purchased this car as a manual. As of right now my main complaint of the car is the shift knob as silly as it sounds. Wrong shape, wrong size...I'm not sure. It just doesn't feel... right. The transmission shifts extremely well, and I'm surprised at how simple the clutch is to work, too. It's a joy to drive, but it begs to be driven hard. The ratios are great when you're running it hard and in the higher revs, but just putting around town it is difficult to get the car to shift smoothly from one gear to the next with as quick as the motor revs rise and fall. Shifts like butter when you push it. I'm an engineer for an industrial power transmission company, so I'm a stickler when it comes to having the RIGHT mechanical toy. I tend to notice every little thing that that feels "off", and this car just ticks every box of "on". Easy enough to take my girlfriend to dinner in on Saturday, but keeping up with the bikes in the twisties on Sunday. It's a very Jekyll & Hyde car.

As far as other cars...take your pick! I've had everything from Jeep rock crawlers and Spec E30 race cars to a Nissan Maxima and Volkswagen to 60s muscle cars and classic motorcycles...A little bit of every flavor it seems. It's a bold statement to make, but I think this E90 is my favorite and will be here to stay for some time to come.

-T.O.

[BimmerRules!]

Originally Posted by spazzyfry123

I would have only purchased this car as a manual. As of right now my main complaint of the car is the shift knob as silly as it sounds. Wrong shape, wrong size...I'm not sure. It just doesn't feel... right. The transmission shifts extremely well, and I'm surprised at how simple the clutch is to work, too. It's a joy to drive, but it begs to be driven hard. The ratios are great when you're running it hard and in the higher revs, but just putting around town it is difficult to get the car to shift smoothly from one gear to the next with as quick as the motor revs rise and fall. Shifts like butter when you push it. I'm an engineer for an industrial power transmission company, so I'm a stickler when it comes to having the RIGHT mechanical toy. I tend to notice every little thing that that feels "off", and this car just ticks every box of "on". Easy enough to take my girlfriend to dinner in on Saturday, but keeping up with the bikes in the twisties on Sunday. It's a very Jekyll & Hyde car.

As far as other cars...take your pick! I've had everything from Jeep rock crawlers and Spec E30 race cars to a Nissan Maxima and Volkswagen to 60s muscle cars and classic motorcycles...A little bit of every flavor it seems. It's a bold statement to make, but I think this E90 is my favorite and will be here to stay for some time to come.

-T.O.

Thanks T.O, much appreciated.

Did you try the zhp shift knob?

[derbo]

Originally Posted by BimmerRules!

Awesome!! Were you a member @ zhpmafia?? Lovely site IMO. I got my zhp unseen from a member there and sold it after two years to another member,

Looking fwd to reading your posts on what you end up doing.

And thanks for the tips!

Indeed I was! same name as here.


Good luck on your search!!

[cognoscenti]

Originally Posted by spazzyfry123

I would have only purchased this car as a manual. As of right now my main complaint of the car is the shift knob as silly as it sounds. Wrong shape, wrong size...I'm not sure. It just doesn't feel... right.
-T.O.

FYI the most popular upgrade around here seems to be the M5 shifter, as it is weighted appropriately and backlit too since it is OEM plug & play. IIRC you just have to attach the boot/cover to the M3 frame.

[derbo]

Originally Posted by BimmerRules!

Awesome!! Were you a member @ zhpmafia?? Lovely site IMO. I got my zhp unseen from a member there and sold it after two years to another member,

Looking fwd to reading your posts on what you end up doing.

And thanks for the tips!

That forum is an awesome family. My username over there is the same as here.

I can't wait to start messing with this car. I'm already planning a few coding sessions as soon as my car arrives.


Good luck man! I wanted ZCP so bad but I figured I only really want the rims. I most likely will ditch EDC in the long run for some MCS dampers in the future..

[M_GODZILLA]

may I know your budget?
a friend of mine has one and he might sell it if the price is right.
plus is a true California car.

[BimmerRules!]

Originally Posted by M_GODZILLA

may I know your budget?
a friend of mine has one and he might sell it if the price is right.
plus is a true California car.

PM'ed.

Thanks for the reach out.

[BimmerRules!]

Originally Posted by derbo

That forum is an awesome family. My username over there is the same as here.

I can't wait to start messing with this car. I'm already planning a few coding sessions as soon as my car arrives.


Good luck man! I wanted ZCP so bad but I figured I only really want the rims. I most likely will ditch EDC in the long run for some MCS dampers in the future..

Hmm...mine is also the same there (@ zhpmafia site). Will check yours. I loved that car man; it always made me smile once I turn the engine on; and the smile turned to a wide grin when I sometimes (ok many times ), change the gear close to the red line.

Glad to hear your affirmation of the zcp. I was tempted earlier to go with a non-zcp, but wisdom from Mark and a few others removed those doubts. Since I am not in a hurry, decided to be focused and look only for those that fit my three requirements - sedan, zcp, low mileage.

Let's see how it goes.

When is your car scheduled to reach? What mods are you planing? Please feel free to post here until you open your own thread man. mi casa es su casa