Worth keeping?

[MLOREY]

Gents,

Been a while between drinks for me, have just taken the car in for a scheduled service and after getting the reduced engine function error a couple of times 70,000 kms on the clock.

will be getting the car tomorrow, after about $7k in total works, including repairs to DCT, new actuator, various filter changes, spark plugs and a suitable number of labour...

also taking into account that i will most likely have to do a bearing change some time soon

wanted to check in with others to see how they are managing their maintenance costs and/or if they are still seeing value in holding onto the car...

[BanjoPaterson]

Originally Posted by MLOREY

Gents,

Been a while between drinks for me, have just taken the car in for a scheduled service and after getting the reduced engine function error a couple of times 70,000 kms on the clock.

will be getting the car tomorrow, after about $7k in total works, including repairs to DCT, new actuator, various filter changes, spark plugs and a suitable number of labour...

also taking into account that i will most likely have to do a bearing change some time soon

wanted to check in with others to see how they are managing their maintenance costs and/or if they are still seeing value in holding onto the car...

My tuppence of thoughts...

First - what you plan to do greatly affects if you should sell before shelling out more $$$$ on the car. In my case I'm in my early 50s. My better half has made it clear that if I sell the M3 there will be no further sports and/or fun cars. Only sensible stuff, like Toyota Priuses (.. Priusii ? What's the plural?). So I'm hanging onto my M3 until the damn wheels fall off. This means I will be maintaining it, both proactively (e.g. changing the rod bearings once the car comes out of warranty), regularly by servicing, and whenever problems arise. Once the cost of a repair > value of car, it will go, though. For now, to run until retirement.

Onto the value of the car...

Will the E9x M3 depreciate further - yes. How low? Well, E36 M3s are in the 10000-20000s, and the E46 M3s are $18000 to $60000 odd for 10+ year old, and I would put the E9x M3s as holding their value relative to the E46. Also, considering the E9x M3 is likely to be the last (or only) of the following three points:

1. Naturally aspirated engine
2. V8 M3
3. Coupe M3

it may well appreciate in later, later years. I see well maintained examples with relatively low kms levelling out in the next 2-3 years and probably appreciating slightly over the next 10. My guess is they will hang around $30-50000. Part of the reduction in price is, of course, the cost of maintenance. These babies aren't cheap and if any item in the engine or drive train goes, then it will be expensive.

For myself, I'm trying to pro-actively bulletproof the car. Last year I replaced the throttle actuator reduction gears as a preventive measure by buying a set from Alpina527 (aka Ian) from M3Cutters -- that cost 400 pounds plus about 2-3 hours labour @ $130 p/hr [this was when the spark plugs were also replaced, so a bit of a saving there in labour]. Not guaranteed to "fix" the actuator problem since the electronics can still go from blown MOSFETs, but at least the new gears won't wear and stress the electronics (as it turned out, my old gears were in good condition so *touch wood*).

On delivery of the car in 2014 I had the DCT oil and oil pan (with bolts and other kit) replaced under warranty (it was leaking), which would've cost about $2000 if I had to pay for it. Personally, I see replacing the DCT oil as a running cost every 60000km and screw the "sealed for life" rubbish BMW put out. Because I'm paranoid, I looked at clutch kit replacement costs and estimate it would come to $3000-$5000 depending on clutch kit... hopefully it'll not come to that. On ebay Australia I've seen replacement DCT gearboxes for $2000 - but of course you take the risk plus fitting costs.

Now for the Elephant in the Room. Rod Bearings. From what I've seen and read, a "small percentage" of motors, divided pretty evenly across years, throw a rod bearing. I've read from people who've tried to ascertain the percentage that the best guess is 1% or less.

However, given the cost of a replacement engine is $15000 or more, at least in Australia, I've decided to pro-actively replace the rod bearings. To this end, I bought the BE bearings, which are now sitting in my garage waiting for March next year when I will have to bribe my local indy mechanic to change them. My local mechanics, who are highly regarded, consider the matter or RBs to be overblown. However, when all the costs are taken into account, I consider spending about $2500 to replace said bearings a good investment. The BE bearings seem to be holding well in this forum and I've a lot of repect (and have received advice from) those involved in the design. I expect to change the bearings once in the life of the car.

Now this may seem expensive, but truth is that my E92 M3 has proven to be cheaper to run over the last 2 years than my wife's W169 A170 Benz -- which goes through rotors & brakes as if they were candy -- I've had to replace one exhaust gas recirculation value by REPLACING THE WHOLE FRIGGEN UNIT BECAUSE IT'S AN EMBEDDED PART IN THE PLASTIC... sorry, rant over... and which cost over $1500 just for the stupid part. And with no guarantee that it won't go bang again.

The other thing to consider is that any car replacing the M3 will depreciate. So if I buy, let's say, a new X5 at $100,000... in 3-4 years time it will be worth 50-60,000... or about 10,000 to 12,000 a year depreciation. Once the M3's depreciation levels off, the question is will I spend more than $12000 a year maintaining it? Not likely. Not for the next 5-10 years anyway, and that's the horizon I'm looking at. So for me it's worth keeping.

Least of which is to avoid being a geriatric driving a Prius.

[m3toboot]

Good thinking Banjo like the thought process :-)

Only comment I would add is, assume there will be a lot more coupes.

btw. Don't think our cars will start appreciating anytime soon given they made so many.

[BanjoPaterson]

Originally Posted by m3toboot

Good thinking Banjo like the thought process :-)

Only comment I would add is, assume there will be a lot more coupes.

btw. Don't think our cars will start appreciating anytime soon given they made so many.

I'm hoping the depreciation curve flattens, a bit like what's happened with the E46.

Rare editions will probably keep their value, like the E46 CSL.

I'm hoping these M3s will be a bit like the Porsche 928s. I'd been following the prices because I've always wanted one since I saw them at high school in the 70s. About four or so years ago they looked like they were going for a song, but I held off thinking they'd drop even more to sub $5000. Well, over the last eighteen months they have been going up in price and good examples are in the range of $20-30,000 and desirable examples (the GTS) are often 70000+.

Hoping the same happens to the E9x M3s.

However I suspect the i8 and 1M will be the future classics.

[Rocket_Rod]

I agree with Banjo. Depends on what you want from a car. If you're just driving around town, I don't know why you have an M3 in the first place and a V8 at that!

I do think our car's depreciation curve is flattening but appreciation is something well into the future.

But what price can you ever put on the sound of our cars?
Anything you buy nowadays (south of $200k) is going to sound like my neighbours Toyota Yaris/Echo - AKA RUBBISH!

When I drive out of the garage, my neighbours neighbours neighbours neighbours neighbour know about it! That is something money can't buy.