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05-02-2013, 09:33 AM | #23 |
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Is there any way to lease a new M3? I've custom built my own and wanted to send the configuration to my local dealership, but I've never leased something like this before, and was unsure of what to do next. If I can't find one used, I suppose I can order one instead, but I'd definitely rather lease it than buy.
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05-02-2013, 09:35 AM | #24 | |
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I am perhaps in the minority here, but if you are worried about what options a car has and see not having a few things as "going backwards" then maybe you are after something other than what (at least I think) the M3 is meant to be. It's a sports car with 4 doors. All the gizmos and such take away from it's purpose. All those options are just bling to me. But all that stuff is still better than Carbon Fiber Roundels. |
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05-02-2013, 09:49 AM | #25 |
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Well, by navigation, I mean the whole iDrive. The CIC-based iDrive is pretty useful, and (in my opinion) fits into an E9X interior very well. The F30 iDrive, on the other hand, looks like garbage, and I'd leave that out if I went that direction. When I look at an M3, I see a race car meant for public roads, and on those public roads, I'd want a few options made specifically for navigating those public roads easier.
To each their own. They're amazing machines no matter how they're equipped when it comes right down to it! If someone showed up on my doorstep and handed me the keys to an M3 without iDrive, I'd happily take it off his hands. |
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05-02-2013, 10:39 AM | #26 | |
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Yes you can still lease a new M3. Your best best is to check with your local dealer, David Aviles@ Northwest BMW, and Checa@ Steve Thomas BMW. The latter two do a large amount of M3 sales and the have great prices. They may have allocations left. If not then you have to take whats on the lot or call to many area dealers looking for an allocation. Be warned though most dealers are now likely to be very inflexible with price because they know the run is ending and they have leverage. BMWconfig.com is a great tool and will give you the basic costs you can shoot for. PM me if you have any other questions.
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05-02-2013, 11:20 PM | #27 |
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If you can't find a suitable used one, I think leasing may be the way to go right now (if you can find a dealer with an allocation). It's a big unknown what the F8x M3/M4 is going to do to the resale values of the E9x M3. The lease residuals are still pretty high on the M3, so if the new ones cause the value of the current ones to plummet, you can walk away. If, on the other hand, the current ones hold their value better than expected, you can buy the one you leased for a really good price. You can also option it the way you want.
But know that while the M3 is a big step up from a 335, it is by no means any kind of luxury car. They ride a lot harder than a 335 with a sport suspension. They're much more raw. That's good if you like that kind of thing, like most of us, but if you don't like feeling every tiny bump in the road, it may not be for you. Personally, I've never liked M5's, so they would t even be a consideration for me.
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05-02-2013, 11:41 PM | #29 |
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I test drove a 335i with the sport suspension before I got the M3. I liked the low end torque and lack of turbo lag. But other than that, I wasn't really too impressed by it. It is definitely not a "sporty" handling car. I prefer the M3 for a variety of reasons. The suspension is stiffer and more stable in cornering. The steering, while a bit too overassisted, is still better communicative than the 335i. Engine wise, I prefer the N54 for a strictly street car. It has more torque on the low end, and better fuel efficiency. but for a car you will take to the track, the S65 is far better. It revs more freely and has much better throttle response, and more linear power delivery, and the high redline is very convenient so you don't keep shifting gears as often. Of course I could use a bit more low end torque when driving on the street, but it isn't a major inconvenience as you can always downshift a gear or two.
Also, 2 more things that sealed the deal for me. The 335i well known for tending to overheat during aggressive driving and on the track. Not so much with the M3. Also, the M3 is far more reliable than the 335i, though they're not without their own problems either. |
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05-03-2013, 08:31 AM | #30 |
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I've found two more decent candidates in Florida, both identical '09 sedans at the same dealership, optioned identically. In all seriousness, I would jump into an M3 in a heartbeat if it weren't for having to sell the 335 first. That, and a lot of the better deals are further away. If I can get out of my 335 relatively pain free, then there's my answer. I already know the M3 is hands down a better handling machine than the 335, but if I can't sell it (or if I take too big a hit on it), it wouldn't make sense to jump into an M3 right now.
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05-04-2013, 04:11 AM | #31 | |
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05-04-2013, 04:42 AM | #32 | |
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05-04-2013, 06:33 AM | #33 | |
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Drive the M3 and the M5. After doing so, if it is an easy emotional decision, i.e. you end up saying, "holy shit, this car is freakin' awesome!!!", then buy it. If not, then don't. But.....make sure you've had a decent test drive. The "fall in love" aspect of driving an M3 won't be experienced by just tooling around local roads at normal speeds. I sold my previous Audi RS4 in August of 2010. In April of 2011, I went and test drove an M3. Placed an order immediately after my test drive.
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