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      06-22-2014, 07:17 PM   #1
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high mile m3 or low mile 335?

Hi m3 post,
Ive had a account for a while but I've just been looking around the forums till now. I have had my license for a little while now but have just been borrowing my parents cars. I am now looking for a first car that i will be most likely getting in late spring of this year. I am working and trying to get money in every way possible and whatever i have by the time i am ready to buy my car my parents will match it. Im hoping to have 15000 so that means i can spend 30000 on a car and maybe a little more with financing since i do have a job.
I have always wanted a e92 m3 but they are obviously a lot more expensive then the normal 3 series so i was always looking towards the 335. But i have recently been seeing m3s going for around 33k with about 70k miles. I could find a 335 with 25k miles for the same price but i just really want the m3.
Do you guys think the e92s will drop a bit by next spring because of the release of the new generation? Because if they do and i can find one with maybe a little over 50k miles for around 32k i will definitely be buying that instead of the 335.
Also do you think the m3 will have a lot of reliability issues if i do choose to buy one with around 70k miles? I don't mind the high miles but i just don't want to have a car with tons of issues. Especially a M car with very expensive parts.
Lastly i know a lot of people on here will most likely say i am not experienced enough for a m3. Those people are right. I probably am not but im not going to drive it to its 100% limits probably not even to 75% of the cars potential but once i become more experienced i will begin to drive the car more aggressively. I just want the m3 to know if i ever choose to i can go to the track and have amazing handling and also a unique car unlike the countless other 3 series on the road.
Thanks for reading!
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      06-22-2014, 07:39 PM   #2
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Costs of ownership is more than just the initial purchase price. Who will pay for the insurance, gas, and maintenance. More miles means more maintenance.
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      06-22-2014, 08:23 PM   #3
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Buy a new Civic SI. Put the left over money into the stock market. Drive the snot out of it and don't worry about it (warranty). In 20 years that leftover money will get you a new M3.

Your welcome.
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      06-22-2014, 08:25 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MNY View Post
Hi m3 post,
Ive had a account for a while but I've just been looking around the forums till now. I have had my license for a little while now but have just been borrowing my parents cars. I am now looking for a first car that i will be most likely getting in late spring of this year. I am working and trying to get money in every way possible and whatever i have by the time i am ready to buy my car my parents will match it. Im hoping to have 15000 so that means i can spend 30000 on a car and maybe a little more with financing since i do have a job.
I have always wanted a e92 m3 but they are obviously a lot more expensive then the normal 3 series so i was always looking towards the 335. But i have recently been seeing m3s going for around 33k with about 70k miles. I could find a 335 with 25k miles for the same price but i just really want the m3.
Do you guys think the e92s will drop a bit by next spring because of the release of the new generation? Because if they do and i can find one with maybe a little over 50k miles for around 32k i will definitely be buying that instead of the 335.
Also do you think the m3 will have a lot of reliability issues if i do choose to buy one with around 70k miles? I don't mind the high miles but i just don't want to have a car with tons of issues. Especially a M car with very expensive parts.
Lastly i know a lot of people on here will most likely say i am not experienced enough for a m3. Those people are right. I probably am not but im not going to drive it to its 100% limits probably not even to 75% of the cars potential but once i become more experienced i will begin to drive the car more aggressively. I just want the m3 to know if i ever choose to i can go to the track and have amazing handling and also a unique car unlike the countless other 3 series on the road.
Thanks for reading!
What about a no mile Honda? Reliable, safe, cheap insurance, and less chances of getting into big trouble.
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      06-22-2014, 08:39 PM   #5
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oh boy.
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      06-22-2014, 08:44 PM   #6
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OP, I mean this in the best possible way, and I can definitely relate to an M3 pulling at your heartstrings, but if you're struggling just to come up with half of the purchase price of the car, you have a very high chance of regretting buying an M3 and growing to resent it because of how much it will force you to pay to maintain it even compared to a 335i, never mind a "regular" car. Keep in mind that no matter what purchase price you find for an M3, you'll always be paying the maintenance costs of a $70K high performance car. I would also argue that an M3 is not a great first car to own, and if you'll just be DDing it on city streets and freeways, a lot of the value of the M3 that you're paying for is going to go untapped since I'm assuming that your budget doesn't currently factor in any track events.

Which leads me to my next point that's already been made by people earlier in this thread. If your heart is set on an M3, then even though a 335i is an absolutely outstanding car for DD duty, sporty back road driving, and even the occasional track day, YOU probably won't be happy with it. You'll feel like you settled, and every time you see an M3, something will eat away at you on the inside -- so I would advise YOU to avoid that option, because a 335i is also an expensive car to buy and not be happy with.

Which leads me to agree with the others on here: Buy a fun, much less expensive car and enjoy that until you have the means to cover the total cost of ownership on an M3 yourself. You're lucky to live in an era that's chock full of fun, fairly inexpensive car options: Civic Si, BRZ, Miata, Golf GTI/R, MazdaSpeed3, Ford Focus/Fiesta ST (yes, seriously), Mini Cooper, LanEvo, WRX or STi, Mustang GT -- the list goes on. Any one of those will bring you a ton of smiles per mile at a MUCH lower cost.

And I'll go ahead and say it: If you haven't already learned how to drive one, just getting a car with a manual transmission can turn even an ordinary car into something that's fun to drive.
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      06-22-2014, 08:59 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jphughan View Post
OP, I mean this in the best possible way, and I can definitely relate to an M3 pulling at your heartstrings, but if you're struggling just to come up with half of the purchase price of the car, you may regret buying an M3 and grow to resent it because of what it costs to maintain even over a 335i, never mind over a "regular" car. Keep in mind that no matter what purchase price you find for an M3, you'll always be paying the maintenance costs of a $70K car. I would also argue that an M3 is not a great first car to own, and if you'll just be DDing it on city streets and freeways, a lot of the value of the M3 that you're paying for is going to go untapped since I'm assuming that your budget doesn't currently factor in any track events.

Which leads me to my next point that's already been made by people earlier in this thread. If your heart is set on an M3, then even though a 335i is an absolutely outstanding car for DD duty, sporty back road driving, and even the occasional track day, YOU probably won't be happy with it. You'll feel like you settled, and every time you see an M3, something will eat away at you on the inside.

Which leads me to agree with the others on here: Buy a fun, much less expensive car and enjoy that until you have the means to cover the total cost of ownership on an M3 yourself. You're lucky to live in an era that's chock full of fun, fairly inexpensive car options: Civic Si, BRZ, Miata, Golf GTI/R, MazdaSpeed3, Ford Focus/Fiesta ST (yes, seriously), Mini Cooper, LanEvo, WRX or STi, Mustang GT -- the list goes on. Any one of those will bring you a ton of smiles per mile at a MUCH lower cost.
Agreed and I'd also add a 350z, Infiniti G35, Cobalt SS or Honda S2000 to that list too.

OP, neither car is a good choice for you. As mentioned by others, those cars can cost an arm and a leg to fix and maintain, and German cars are not exactly known for their reliability. Case in point, on the E9x M3 the throttle valves are opened by two electric motors called throttle actuators. They are notorious for failing and needing replacement. The cost of each one of them is over $900 not to mention the labor to replace it, unless you know how to fix cars and can DIY it. Both of mine failed within less than a year and I fixed it myself at a cost of $2000.

Insurance is also very expensive on those cars. And don't get me started about fuel bills. A 335i is at least not absolutely terrible in that regard. The M3 is, very badly. You can easily spend $300-$500 per month in fuel alone.

Cars are a money pit. If you can barely even put together the purchase price of one, that means you can't afford the other costs of operating it. Never stretch yourself out financially for a car, any car. No car is worth it.
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      06-22-2014, 09:13 PM   #8
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Thanks for all the replies. definitely made me realize that my thoughts weren't too practical after all . I am definitely going to look at some of the cars you guys listed and end up getting a new m3 later in my life. Thanks for the help!
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      06-22-2014, 09:31 PM   #9
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Its your first time buying a car, obviously you haven't paid any maintenance of your parents car. Obviously you are most likely know M3 isn't for you but I know you still want it. Get it if you can. That is how you learn lesson for life. No pain no gain, you will officially realize why m3 owners aren't mostly teenagers like civic owners. Btw, make sure you put the car insurance under your name. If you can't even afford insurance payments on car, don't even think about own one.
My real advice is, wait till you can provide at least 1/2 of car purchase price, and get something with less miles.
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      06-22-2014, 09:46 PM   #10
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The e9x M3 has the best reliability of all the BMW cars, the 335, pretty much the opposite! The M3 will keep a good value, the 335, not! The choice is obvious!
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      06-22-2014, 10:33 PM   #11
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Quote:
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Agreed and I'd also add a 350z, Infiniti G35, Cobalt SS or Honda S2000 to that list too.
All excellent additions to my list, OP. The only notes I'd add are that the G35 is definitely on the more expensive end of the "inexpensive fun cars" spectrum -- though so is the Mini Cooper I guess, especially considering its less than stellar reliability reputation. The S2000 might be tricky purely because it's been out of production for so long and it's pretty impractical even by fun small car standards, but if you don't need rear seats or much trunk space and can find one in good shape, an S2000 is a wonderful thing. You'll need to rev the piss out of it to tap into its power (that's part of the fun! ), but the S2000 is still widely regarded as having the best manual transmission setup in the history of cars. Even if you don't drive stick now, it would be worth teaching yourself. I taught myself stick on my M3. I did all the "book research" I could online beforehand to learn the theory, bad habits to avoid, etc to make sure I didn't do anything stupid right away, then for the first week I went out late at night driving around and around the block just to get a feel for how to shift properly before I went out regularly in actual traffic during the day. Then I practiced starting on hills late at night. After a few weeks it felt totally natural, and after several months I was pretty consistently smooth. It's now 3 years later and I couldn't be happier I decided to learn stick.
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      06-22-2014, 10:44 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by jphughan View Post
All excellent additions to my list, OP. The only notes I'd add are that the G35 is definitely on the more expensive end of the "inexpensive fun cars" spectrum -- though so is the Mini Cooper I guess, especially considering its less than stellar reliability reputation. The S2000 might be tricky purely because it's been out of production for so long and it's pretty impractical even by fun small car standards, but if you don't need rear seats or much trunk space and can find one in good shape, an S2000 is a wonderful thing. You'll just need to rev the piss out of it to tap into its power (but that's part of the fun! ) and you'll definitely want the manual transmission version because the S2000 is still widely regarded as having the best manual transmission setup in the history of cars. Even if you don't drive stick now, teach yourself if you go for an S2000. I taught myself stick on my M3. I did all the "book research" I could online beforehand to learn the theory, bad habits to avoid, etc to make sure I didn't do anything stupid right away, then for the first week I went out late at night driving around and around the block just to get a feel for how to shift properly before I went out regularly in actual traffic during the day. Then I practiced starting on hills late at night. After a few weeks it felt totally natural, and after several months I was pretty consistently smooth. It's now 3 years later and I couldn't be happier I decided to learn stick.
I think I'm pretty sure that all S2000 are the "manual transmission version"
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      06-22-2014, 10:49 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rupes View Post
Buy a new Civic SI. Put the left over money into the stock market. Drive the snot out of it and don't worry about it (warranty). In 20 years that leftover money will get you a new M3.

Your welcome.
Agree new Civic SI is so much fun to drive, even with only 200 hp and 170 tq, shifting at around 7K each gear is exhilarating !
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      06-22-2014, 10:51 PM   #14
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Everyone above is so right. for a first car, it's definitely enough to handle. It's my second car, and I still get kinda nervous about DD'ing it.

What I would say is look at: new WRX, G37, BRZ (they're so fun for what they are), RX8, Mustang GT, 370Z, S2000, etc.

I'm pretty sure you can find a good deal in your price range. Also, in the beginning you might want to consider functionality as well. You're gonna wanna take your friends along in your new ride, or maybe want to haul some stuff around. I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to move stuff from point A to point B, and couldn't take my M... I wish I had a WRX or Evo as a secondary...
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      06-22-2014, 10:53 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MNY View Post
Thanks for all the replies. definitely made me realize that my thoughts weren't too practical after all . I am definitely going to look at some of the cars you guys listed and end up getting a new m3 later in my life. Thanks for the help!
Don't worry about it. right now it's obvious you don't have either the money or the driving skill to get an M3. But that's no big deal. You can get a Miata or FRS, or even a used 350z. They are quite cheap to buy and maintain, and you can take them to the track and gradually work on your driving skills. And that is much easier done on lighter cars with less power. Get advanced driving courses too. Read about car control skills.

As your driving skills get better, and your income increases, you can move on to faster cars. Then you can get an m3 if you want. Or you can get even faster cars at that price tag like a Boss 302, or a C6 Z06 which is basically Ferrari performance without the Ferrari price tag. Going fast is getting cheaper and cheaper every day. Just be patient and you'll get there. And don't forget, even the M3 is depreciating too. And it will only be more affordable as time passes.
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      06-22-2014, 10:59 PM   #16
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When I graduated from college I remember being torn with what I wanted versus what was practical. For me it was a used Porsche 944, a used RX7 or a new GTI. I ended up getting the GTI and it was great for packing stuff in it for apartment moves, buying televisions, hauling bikes etc. Plus I didn't need to budget for any repairs due to the warranty. I also took it to track days and modifications were relatively inexpensive. Later once that phase subsided and I didn't need to move as much around, I got an m3. It felt like a big upgrade and I appreciated it even more. For what its worth I'd do it again.
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      06-22-2014, 11:17 PM   #17
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If I was in your shoes, I'd get the 335i. I love the M and I'm happy every time I drive it but the cost of ownership is something you should consider as well, just not the purchase price. The cost of owning/maintaining an M will be much higher than the 335i. Insurance will be more, gas will be more, everything you replace will be more. Just know that if you buy an expensive car, expect it to be expensive to maintain.

In the end you are the one who makes the choice.
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      06-22-2014, 11:19 PM   #18
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Quote:
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I think I'm pretty sure that all S2000 are the "manual transmission version"
And that's what I get for being up too late on Sunday. Not sure what I was thinking when I wrote that -- probably the BRZ being available with an auto. Anyway, post above edited, thanks!
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      06-22-2014, 11:20 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MNY View Post
Hi m3 post,
Lastly i know a lot of people on here will most likely say i am not experienced enough for a m3. Those people are right. I probably am not but im not going to drive it to its 100% limits probably not even to 75% of the cars potential but once i become more experienced i will begin to drive the car more aggressively. I just want the m3 to know if i ever choose to i can go to the track and have amazing handling and also a unique car unlike the countless other 3 series on the road.
Thanks for reading!
Welcome to the forums. Seems like you have given it thought. My best advice is just to save your money until you can drive what you truly desire to have and are comfortable enough to afford it (and by afford I mean the items tinman listed blow)

Good luck!

Quote:
Originally Posted by tinman831 View Post
Costs of ownership is more than just the initial purchase price. Who will pay for the insurance, gas, and maintenance. More miles means more maintenance.
AMEN.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rupes View Post
Buy a new Civic SI. Put the left over money into the stock market. Drive the snot out of it and don't worry about it (warranty). In 20 years that leftover money will get you a new M3.

Your welcome.
You're*
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      06-23-2014, 02:18 AM   #20
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I'm not going to beat a dead horse but I'll add some real world numbers.

At 40, with a clean record, I pay $1200/year for insurance for my M. My Acura MDX and RSX are 2/3 the cost.

I had a KL30 relay go bad and it took several trips to the dealership and over 2 weeks of their time to find it. A friend had a similar situation, which involved changing a little part and doing some reprogramming. Mine was in warranty and free. His was over $3k.

Gas. lol. I average a little over 11 mpg. I have had that number go under 9. At $4/gallon that gets very expensive, very fast. Average fill up is over $50 and even with my short commute it's a pretty frequent event.

I'm fortunate to make enough money that I really don't bother to look at the numbers since it doesn't change anything. I have no intent on driving conservatively to increase my mpg numbers. I like to have fun. Fun is expensive. I honestly didn't feel comfortable buying the M until my income exceeded $300k. But I am probably more financially conservative than most here.
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      06-23-2014, 10:33 AM   #21
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You're*
You are (You're) going to be very busy if you plan to correct everyone's spelling on these forums.
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      06-23-2014, 10:45 AM   #22
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You are (You're) going to be very busy if you plan to correct everyone's spelling on these forums.
First time I've ever done that, for the record. But let's be honest, are you going to take financial advice from someone who does spell correctly, or someone who doesn't. 9 times out of 10, perception is reality. Thanks though.
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