Considering M3 ?

[splooin3dirty5i]

I just turned 20 years old and have/had 2 335i's.
First one was a lci n55 xdrive manual, second is a low mile crimson red n54 rwd manual. I'm selling the car in a month or 2 to either get a m3 or 335is. I want to know how people have liked switching it up from 335s.

Also the main reason i'm here. What's the lowest miles you think i can get for 17-20k. I recently saw an m3 e90 dct with 137k for 13k. Not really my ideal spec being e90 and dct but, really got me thinking on what i could do to the car with an extra 5-6k.

Then again I'm loyal to e92. would be pretty cool to say i've had them in all flavors.

Thanks for the advise/thoughts in advance
Cheers, Matt

[slider86]

Okay, I'll bite.

At 17-20k, you're looking at a high mileage car (80+), likely an 08. Probably won't have RBs or TAs done at that price point. Also, 80k miles is when many parts probably need to be replaced, common stuff like struts, bushings, mounts, rotors... figure at least a few thousand in consumables. You're looking at probably 20-23k minimum after that, about 27 if you do RB and TA. If you get an 08 6MT and the clutch is on its way out, you're looking at even more to do the conversion to the 09+ flywheel.

[Cyberdemon]

If you found an E90 for $13k I have to assume that car had a rebuilt title or was ragged to shit.

You have to account for the high maintenance cost on these cars. Buying a cheaper car may very well just mean you'll spend $6k in maintenance in the first 3 months. Usually the cheap cars have had 4-5 buyers, no buyer has owned the car long enough to fully maintain it and they try to get out of it just in time for the next owner to pick up something that is ready to blow up.

If I look at Carguru's right now there are 13 M3's nationwide under $21k (assume you could haggle down a grand), and only 3 within 500 miles of CT. 7 of those 13 have accidents nationwide.

Those cars range in mileage from 108-147k. 1 of those has 5 owners, 1 has an accident & 4 owners, and the only clean one is a 2008.

So you need to consider "What you get" for under $20k. Even if you are able to do most of the maintenance yourself, you would need to seriously consider what would happen to your life budget if you have to drop a few grand on a repair or bearing job. Or if you just live with leaky valve covers, DCT pans, and hope you can keep enough fluid in it to keep it from blowing up. Buying a high-end sports car only to put the cheapest knockoff tires and autozone brake pads on it so you can afford to keep it on the road isn't a great place to be.

[slider86]

Originally Posted by Cyberdemon

If you found an E90 for $13k I have to assume that car had a rebuilt title or was ragged to shit.

You have to account for the high maintenance cost on these cars. Buying a cheaper car may very well just mean you'll spend $6k in maintenance in the first 3 months. Usually the cheap cars have had 4-5 buyers, no buyer has owned the car long enough to fully maintain it and they try to get out of it just in time for the next owner to pick up something that is ready to blow up.

If I look at Carguru's right now there are 13 M3's nationwide under $21k (assume you could haggle down a grand), and only 3 within 500 miles of CT. 7 of those 13 have accidents nationwide.

Those cars range in mileage from 108-147k. 1 of those has 5 owners, 1 has an accident & 4 owners, and the only clean one is a 2008.

So you need to consider "What you get" for under $20k. Even if you are able to do most of the maintenance yourself, you would need to seriously consider what would happen to your life budget if you have to drop a few grand on a repair or bearing job. Or if you just live with leaky valve covers, DCT pans, and hope you can keep enough fluid in it to keep it from blowing up. Buying a high-end sports car only to put the cheapest knockoff tires and autozone brake pads on it so you can afford to keep it on the road isn't a great place to be.

In other words, your "budget" car isn't really a budget car. You're better off spending another 10-15k to find an example that's been taken care off, because you'll end up spending that anyway on a beat to sh*t car (which may still blow up after spending 10k to bring it up to snuff).

[JayR_e92]

At that budget I would say look for a clean E36 M3 with less than 130k miles. Preferably with less than 3 or 4 owners max and no accidents.

If your concern is getting a loan for an older car, there are lenders like Lightstream that offer great rates and good options for lending on older vehicles.

The e9X you would be buying at that price is not the best choice unless you are mechanically inclined and or have some money to burn.

[Scrippy]

I had a 335 prior to my M3 and the torque is very different. Things I love about the M3 that the 335 didn't have.
-Track width and way more grip in the front.
-Torque doesn't quit until you run out of RPM where the 335 quits early.
-You have to ring it's neck for the power which keeps you engaged.
-The engine note!!!!!
-M3 doesn't heat soak after a lap and a half.
-Styling up front is better in M3 even if you had an aftermarket bumper on the 335 to mimic the M3.
-M3's don't get influenced or wonder by road seems parallel to travel direction.
-The power is there in the M3 unlike the 335 with its low end torque that won't spin the wheels from a dig. Not without a JB4 and other supporting elements at least.

In conclusion the 335 is simply an incomplete M3. 335's perform admirably but fall short in the end when compared to big brother. I am not bashing the 335 as I did really enjoy mine but the M3 is a clear upgrade when I look back in retrospect.

[akkando]

There was a 2008 with high miles in white that went for like 14k and it was a steal. The reason is because it had a ton of maintenance done to it by a reputable shop.

If you're serious what you want to find is not the lowest mile car you can find, but the best maintained cheapest car. Also there is nothing wrong with a 2008 or a sedan. The biggest difference between 2008 and the newer model years is the older idrive.

I'd suggest looking at a car like this that's had a lot of recent maintenance and documentation. The owner owned the car TWICE so it know they loved it.

2008 E90 Silverstone / Black Interior - Manual https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1787398

[Denny347]

It's possible. In Oct 2019, I found my E90 SSII, 6spd with 58k mi for $19,500. I just got the RB done. Runs great. I do the maintenance myself, except the RB. I just lucked into it. They are out there if you are patient.

[Cyberdemon]

Originally Posted by Denny347

It's possible. In Oct 2019, I found my E90 SSII, 6spd with 58k mi for $19,500. I just got the RB done. Runs great. I do the maintenance myself, except the RB. I just lucked into it. They are out there if you are patient.

The used car market continued to go batshit crazy with people stuck at home. If this car was listed for $20k it'd be gone in 20 minutes today.

Anything below market in the E90 space right now is gone in seconds if it's below value, and realistically a lot of those cars are swooped up by dealers who have cash on hand and won't ask questions about bearings.