How do YOU shop for your M3?

[CravingBavaria]

Hello All,

I made a post last week thinking I found my right car, but alas it was not the one!

I was curious how all of you shop for your M3? I am more or less addicted to trying to find the right one and go to LENGTHY searches a few times a day to see if the one pops up. I would be impressed if someone has something I am not yet doing!

-First is always checking here. Good prices and enthusiasts who take care of them.

-Second is a mix of Cars.com, CarGurus.com, and AutoTrader. For some reason AutoTrader doesn't let you sort by newest listing which I use each time on Cars.com and CarGurus.

-Next are some more websites to maybe get lucky... those being Auto.com, CarsForSale.com, Edmunds, and TrueCar. I actually really like Edmunds and TrueCar.

-Then the sites that usually overlap into the ones above, CarFax, CarMax, and Carvana!

-And of course the private finds via the 1000mi radius feature on Craigslist (sort by newest listing). I've also been looking at eBay motors.

-Finally the most drastic I have tried are Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp and LetGo.

-Hopefully this can help some of you out if you are running out of ideas like me.

It's been fun searching, but I'm ready to find my car!!!

[MP0W3RD]

You should check out www.bringatrailer.com. The listings are typically very detailed with extensive ownership, service history, and photos. You may pay a bit more but likely pick up an excellent example. Plus it's incredibly addictive and entertaining

[CravingBavaria]

Originally Posted by MP0W3RD

You should check out www.bringatrailer.com. The listings are typically very detailed with extensive ownership, service history, and photos. You may pay a bit more but likely pick up an excellent example. Plus it's incredibly addictive and entertaining

I actually forgot to put BaT! I'm just under the impression with how picky I am the chances of one popping up there are slim to none haha

[cjm41]

I will actually share my story since there was more to the methodology than what website I used. Maybe it'll help refine the way you dive into a search.

I wasn't in a rush. I spent about 5-6 months keeping an eye out. I didn't want to spend over $30k but $25k was my sweet spot.

- I didn't want a high mileage car for obvious reasons, but I didn't want a low mileage car either as that might lead to me finding reasons not to drive it to keep the miles low.

- I wanted a unique color. Didn't need to be individual or ultra-rare, but white/black/grey was out of the question. I intended to keep the car so it had to be a timeless color that stands the test of time. That was blues or reds.

- I wanted a 6MT until I drove the DCT and fell in love. I would have taken either transmission, but this went from important to unimportant on my list.

- Car could NOT have more than two previous owners and prior lease/fleet and accidents reported were non-starters.

- I did NOT want rod bearings done, I wanted to choose the bearings and the mechanic.

knowing my expectations were absolutely realistic for my budget, it was a waiting game.

Only thing I needed was patience, which... as a native New Yorker, I don't have a ton of but it was key to getting the car I desired. I checked Car Gurus and eBay every day. EVERY day. For MONTHS. There was a time where I could pretty much rattle off how many M3s were for sale in each state and what their prices were (if they were standouts). I'm confident I was the leading expert on M3 availability and prices in the country for a short period of time.

I also checked Craigslist in my area a couple times a week, not that I'd buy from one of those "no money down everyone is approved no credit no problem" places, but local car dealerships put cars on there, so I'd see M3s show up at Toyota or Nissan dealerships off trade.

This went on for months. And months. And months.

After about six months, a LeMans blue 2010 with 76k miles popped up at a local specialty dealer in my area. The car was on eBay for less than an hour when I called. I went and looked at it right away, put a deposit down, did some research (former owner turned out to be a forum member who's turned the car in for a new Ford Raptor just off CPO). Took the car for TWO PPIs, got a clean bill of health, and brought a cashiers check for $26,400 to the dealership shortly after. I paid asking- I wanted the car off eBay and was tired of waiting. I wasn't able to negotiate a penny off. The dealership was honest and said "if it's here in a couple weeks we'd be willing to negotiate" but it wouldn't have been.

The key was consistency, diligence, and patience. Get comfortable with a method. Car Gurus and ebay worked great for me. I stuck to my guns and waited. And waited, and when the time came I acted fast.

[Mpow-wow]

Started on Craigslist and made my way around the country, beside any rust belt states.

Ended up buying from a car lot in Memphis and having shipped to Wa.

Wasn’t looking for perfection though.

[akkando]

At the risk of being annoying I messaged people on the forum with cars I like in the off chance they might be looking to sell.

I also checked the BMW CCA listings. Sometimes there are cars there not listed anywhere else.

[Deebo]

What you’re doing is the correct way, the thing to realize is that there are many other people out there doing the same thing. So when one pops up that you really want, don’t dick around or take much time to mull it over, because it’ll be gone

[LostPanda]

I started online at Location > Age/Condition > Price > Color. It honestly took me a few years to find what I wanted and funny thing was it was in my backyard. It was at my local BMW dealership, then to a 3rd party dealer north of my city. I've tracked the car since I found it until the keys were in my hands. The whole story how I got it is posted on here.

TBH, just take your time and enjoy the hunt. Scour the interwebs and local stealerships. It is a hunt! No one is pressuring you to buy what they have. Find what you're happy with and go for it.

Also, don't go to EAG. Save you the trouble.

[CravingBavaria]

Appreciating all the replies so far. This forum has already proven itself to be an awesome database with a pretty friendly member base.

I may have found the car I was looking for, not the color I was planning on (but I do like), and almost too nice of a car for a great price. Might be a deal I can't pass up on!

We shall see...

[mapster37]

you have a good method, keep it up. Just like others have said. if u see one you like go check it out. do not wait or it will be gone! it took me a couple of months to find what i was looking for, my few criteria were 6mt, light color ext, and 2owners or less, clean hist/carfax. ended up buying out of state and having it shipped..

[CarbonBlack88]

All good posts so far. Would just add that AutoTempest consolidates several sites (ebay, Cars.com, etc) so it makes it easier to see what just hit the market, especially if you're checking several times a day.

Also, check BMWUSA's main site for their used inventory. Sometimes the dealers don't list them anywhere else.

Re Autotrader not letting you sort by newest listing: You are right and it's annoying, but what I did is that I saved all the listings that were in my color (you can save up to 50 cars). Then when you come back, you can quickly scan them and only look at the cars you haven't saved, i.e. the new listings.

Good luck dude, it's tough out there, especially if you want a 6MT or an unusual color. Took me over two years to find mine but I finally did and it was worth the wait.

Definitely be ready to pounce when you see something you like.

[CravingBavaria]

Originally Posted by CarbonBlack88

All good posts so far. Would just add that AutoTempest consolidates several sites (ebay, Cars.com, etc) so it makes it easier to see what just hit the market, especially if you're checking several times a day.

Also, check BMWUSA's main site for their used inventory. Sometimes the dealers don't list them anywhere else.

Re Autotrader not letting you sort by newest listing: You are right and it's annoying, but what I did is that I saved all the listings that were in my color (you can save up to 50 cars). Then when you come back, you can quickly scan them and only look at the cars you haven't saved, i.e. the new listings.

Good luck dude, it's tough out there, especially if you want a 6MT or an unusual color. Took me over two years to find mine but I finally did and it was worth the wait.

Definitely be ready to pounce when you see something you like.

Haven't heard AutoTempest, I'll check it out! Good tip about Autotrader too.

Most of my daily driving is traffic, and never having a stick daily I'm lucky enough to only be searching for DCT. Definitely making the search easier. My criteria was VERY tight, and I opened it up from only Black and Space Grey to also add in Blue, and that may have made the difference!

ZCP, CF roof, Premium audio, Xenon's, 40k-60k or so miles, 1 or 2 owner, babied/garaged, stock (besides tasteful mods)... and I found it in Blue and close to me! Working on seeing it in person asap.... Also has V2 MPE

[Scrippy]

Just drink a bottle of Rum and then touch things. Then test drive and enjoy but don't show it outwardly. That's about it man!