Buy a high mileage E92 with $50k of recent upgrades or low mileage with no upgrades?

[im4ipsc]

A recent thought was presented at a BMW CCA event and that was "Would you buy a high mileage (for example 80k miles) E92 M3 with $50k+ upgrades and new parts with all maintenance records or would you buy a lower mileage (for example 30k miles) E92 M3 with no maintenance records and no upgrades?"

Some felt that the higher mileage vehicle would inherently be owned by a "true" BMW enthusiast and that the higher mileage vehicle has some history while others thought that the lower mileage vehicle would be the better buy although more of a garage queen with no stories to be told by the current owner. Of note, let's assume that either vehicle would be purchased for being a daily driver.

What are some thoughts of those on this forum concerning the pros and cons of purchasing each car?

[BeaterM3]

Originally Posted by im4ipsc

A recent thought was presented at a BMW CCA event and that was "Would you buy a high mileage (for example 80k miles) E92 M3 with $50k+ upgrades and new parts with all maintenance records or would you buy a lower mileage (for example 30k miles) E92 M3 with no maintenance records and no upgrades?"

Some felt that the higher mileage vehicle would inherently be owned by a "true" BMW enthusiast and that the higher mileage vehicle has some history while others thought that the lower mileage vehicle would be the better buy although more of a garage queen with no stories to be told by the current owner. Of note, let's assume that either vehicle would be purchased for being a daily driver.

What are some thoughts of those on this forum concerning the pros and cons of purchasing each car?

I bought a high mileage E92 M3 with no upgrades, a leaking DCT and no service history available...what do I win?

[03BeastCharmer]

How does one put $50K of upgrades into an E92 (besides say a Dinan Stroker/S3 upgrade)? I'd personally prefer the car with maintenance history, then again, I own a 74K mile car, so I guess I'm almost at the high mileage mark, and have been doing preventative maintenance so that I don't have issue and can track/remember when everything was last replaced.

[brettcp]

I'd rather have a high mileage E9x with records/low owner count versus one with fewer miles and an unknown history.

What upgrades does this car have? $50k is a serious figure to put into an E9x!

[KevinGS]

I'd take the modded one with higher miles and recent maintenance, if I liked the mods, and felt comfortable about the owner and car. By 80,000 miles, most major "issues" would have been worked out.

Having said that, if the car's been tracked or ridden hard, I'd seriously take that into account.

[wyatth]

Depends what the mods are. 80K miles with proper maintenance wouldn't bother me, and if it's $50K of high quality items that I'd otherwise dream of, with all records, and that address wear items, then I'd go that route.
I generally don't like to buy modified cars, but if the mods are top shelf and what I want anyway, and if the car is otherwise properly maintained with all receipts/record, then you can end up getting a lot of bang for the buck. E.g., I bought my E46 M3 with 58K on the clock. At 48K, it had about $55K worth of parts (Dinan S3+) and labor performed on it by a Dinan certified top shop in the NE. Car had full records/receipts from new and was in mint shape. A lot of the parts (Dinan radiator, Brembo BBK, etc.) replaced wear items. Lovely parts and work, one of the best deals I've made. Nothing was left for me to mod, just a few pieces here and there to give it my own touch, and other bulletproofing (subframe work, vanos, etc.). 11/10 would do that again, otherwise no way could I have owned/enjoyed an S3+ car like that.

[im4ipsc]

Originally Posted by 03BeastCharmer

How does one put $50K of upgrades into an E92 (besides say a Dinan Stroker/S3 upgrade)? I'd personally prefer the car with maintenance history, then again, I own a 74K mile car, so I guess I'm almost at the high mileage mark, and have been doing preventative maintenance so that I don't have issue and can track/remember when everything was last replaced.

Or you could supercharge the S65 with a Gintani, go with a full Titanium Exhaust upgrade, New racing flywheel and clutch, New RBC, New Vanos, New Recaros, New KW Coilovers, Brembo BBKs at all 4 corners, all Alcantara interior upgrades, New racing wheels and Michelin PS4s, High heat powder coat all valve covers and intake manifold, racing differential, carbon fiber wing, CF diffuser, CF front spoiler, CF driveshaft, Paint protection over the entire car, upgraded control arms, upgraded front and rear sway bar links/bushings, rear seat delete, roll cage and short shift kit to go along with the labor for all of the installation should get you to around $50k.

[SLC Steve]

Originally Posted by brettcp

I'd rather have a high mileage E9x with records/low owner count versus one with fewer miles and an unknown history.

What upgrades does this car have? $50k is a serious figure to put into an E9x!

I think it would have a second low mileage E9X to look at and keep the mileage off of when driving your other E9X

[03BeastCharmer]

Originally Posted by im4ipsc

Or you could supercharge the S65 with a Gintani, go with a full Titanium Exhaust upgrade, New racing flywheel and clutch, New RBC, New Vanos, New Recaros, New KW Coilovers, Brembo BBKs at all 4 corners, all Alcantara interior upgrades, New racing wheels and Michelin PS4s, High heat powder coat all valve covers and intake manifold, racing differential, carbon fiber wing, CF diffuser, CF front spoiler, CF driveshaft, Paint protection over the entire car, upgraded control arms, upgraded front and rear sway bar links/bushings, rear seat delete, roll cage and short shift kit to go along with the labor for all of the installation should get you to around $50k.

I see. But I'd content that is no longer a car intended for daily driving (per original question) with the roll cage, wing, racing diff, power coated engine, seat delete, etc.

[RLM3]

I’d choose the low mileage car assuming exterior and interior conditions were comparable.

[dparm]

Any car with no maintenance records is a red flag, regardless of whether or not it's a high-strung car like an M3.

[pbonsalb]

I’d want to know whether it was $50k in parts or $50k in parts and labor with high priced labor and list price parts making the deal not as good. If it’s a high mileage supercharged original motor, that would not interest me as much.

[Aktavate]

If you're buying to drive it, the high mileage one, if you want to wipe it with a diaper like those old corvette guys get the low mileage one.

[GeorgeA]

If the car with 30k checks out to be clean then go with that. Buying a car is a case by case situation so this question is kind of silly.

[BeaterM3]

Originally Posted by dparm

Any car with no maintenance records is a red flag, regardless of whether or not it's a high-strung car like an M3.

I dont think I've ever purchased a car and received maintenance records for any of them. Unless you count what you see on Carfax as records.

[akkando]

It depends. 50k in mods is a lot. So much that I worry the car is molested in some way or just more trouble than it's worth to me. Those Dinan stroker s65 motors I'm sure are awesome, but I don't have a sense of how that changes reliability if at all. Personally I wasn't interested in a super charged car, but if someone was I could see how quality SC and work would be valuable.

On the other end of the spectrum you have a low mile car at a dealer who doesn't know anything about the car. One could argue that cars are in better health driven than sitting.


I recently decided to make a purchase of a 75k mile 2011 e90 m3 dct in interlagos blue. I was really hoping to buy that combo with more in the ball park of 50k miles for whatever the market value is. The reason I felt comfortable with this car is the seller is an enthusiast on this forum an had done a ton of preventive maintenance (RBs, TA gears, DCT gasket, motor mounts), regular maintenance, and some nice driver focused mods (bushings, brake lines, wheels). PPI came back great. Seller also seemed honest and had a post history here giving me a timeline of the car history under his watch. I figured these combos don't come up for sale often and when they do they might have no records, you don't even know what mods it has if any when the seller is ignorant/shady. Guy I know just got an e90 m3 shipped to CA I finds out the thing doesn't have cats on the exhaust and can't get it smogged to get it registered. Now he has to solve that problem and wipe the tune it most certainly has.

Of course like a week after money changed hands a 55k car single owner in Lamans blue came up for sale that had a closer spec to what I wanted besides the paint.... but who knows, maybe that car would have had issues. It almost certainly didn't have any of the preventive work done or any of the upgrades that will make my car drive that much better.


I do think if you know going in you will only have the car for a short time, the low milage car will be easier to get rid of without losing your shirt, so that's a factor for some.

[alexxPQ]

I dont think I've ever purchased a car and received maintenance records for any of them. Unless you count what you see on Carfax as records.

Yeah, it happens not so often...

[R-35]

I'd easily take the 80k mileage car assuming the mods were high quality like BMW Performance seats, OEM BMW carbon fiber exterior parts, Ohlins coilovers, forged wheels, Brembo BBK, full exhaust system...etc.

I personally don't care for lower mileage cars, I don't want to feel guilty for driving and racking up miles.

[im4ipsc]

I was thinking of these things when buying a low mileage car:
- You have to assume that it was periodically started every two weeks in order to move the fuel through the engine and hoses but if not, then you could be looking at dry rot on the fuel hoses, draining the fuel completely and replacing with new gas, the potential for flat spots on the tires is increased, and the battery may be drained to the point that it won't consistently hold a charge anymore. I would also be suspect with other fluids such as transmission, diff, and brake fluid.
- And I would be on the lookout for the seals throughout the engine and transmission as they can dry out and harden up causing leaks if the car isn't started regularly
- And wouldn't condensation is also present in the exhaust system which could, over time damage the catalytic converter and oxygen sensors?
- And if the owner/dealer states that the car is started regularly, how can you verify their claim? A PPI?

Given these situations, what possible total maintenance costs would the owner of a low mileage vehicle be looking at? At least with the high mileage vehicle, you can be assured that the vehicle was started and regularly and if that owner has the maintenance records of engine and diff seals, gaskets, scheduled fluid changes, O2 replacements, etc., then you shouldn't be looking at additional costs which you possible could be looking at on the lower mileage car. But I guess the PPI from a reputable BMW mechanic would reveal the possibility of any of the aforementioned issues?