I have a 1999 M3 with 89k on the clock.

They do not take as much to maintain as Stuka says. The key is to source an inexpensive parts supplier (dealer chargers 5x what the independeent guys do) and do maintainence before things go.

-Cooling system- (pump, tstat, belts, rad, etc)
-guibo
-suspension (shocks/struts, rear shock mounts, control arms, tie rods)

These are the biggies around 85k

I may actually sell my M3 this spring. It is up to date on maintenance and babied.

 

do us all a favor and don't pick a maintenance fight with stuka

 

Buy mine please.

 

89K, are you the first owner? That's averaging only about 7400 miles a year, nice.

As far as part supplier goes, it's hard to beat Tischer on price.

But what if the guy isn't able to do much more than replacing pads and rotors?

1500 bucks is a very thin margin of error for a 150K mile 6 owner M3. Which is why I was saying the guy is better off saving for a 50 to 80K M3 with fewer owners that are well cared for.

 

Not fighting with the guy, just that it seems like a lot of people who are handy likes to throw out crazy low numbers on these old M cars when it comes to maintenance.

I couldn't really afford my 97 M3 back in 97 (I was young and stupid), when 250 bucks for a Michelin Pilot was actually a stupid amount of money. I just hate for people to fall into the trap of cheap price of admission only to be completely blindsided by the high cost of maintenance on these cars, which mostly have been beaten to near death and not maintained hardly. A few 2K repair bills will sour the M car ownership experience very quickly, especially for people who are scraping to get into one.

 

I would totally agree with what you said stuka if that were in fact the case. I don't know where I ever said that. I just like to try and budget for everything I can. If I am off I feel like I failed at it. If I am going to budget 10K on a car, 5K for upgrades before I take it to the track, and then 5K a year on maintenance you're right I should just look for a 20K car now. That is why I am asking.

So which one is more fun? On paper the E46 is much more impressive but which was a better car for a weekend toy?

Thanks for the advice everyone and please keep it coming.

I think I am going to continue my search, but look for a lower mileage/owner car. I agree that 6 owners kinda freaks me out the more I think about it. I will keep an eye on Craigslist and the forums for cars with better more well known history.

As for the maintenance I am pretty handy, use to work as a mobile electronics installer in college and have had lots of projects cars and trucks over the years but haven't had one for about 5 years now. Not saying I could rebuild an engine without help but basics would be no problem.

 

Personally, I prefer the E46 M3 because it actually has an M motor. Whereas in the U.S. we got screwed out of the super duper S50B32 and got a POS S52. The U.S. M3 always left me wanting on the speed department, 240HP is just too slow even for the M3 3200 pound chassis.

Handling wise, the E36 M3 is better, just because it weighs less.

The problem with E46 M3 is the engine. BMW had a batch of bad rod bearings, and mine failed at Button Willow, very fun to have spun the bearings on the track.

The fits and finish on the E46 is about a million times better on the interior, so you generally aren't plagued by stupid headliners falling down or rubber window seals falling down, or the passenger airbag cover falling off, stuff like that.

If you are handy, I would still advise that you get the newest, fewest owner, lowest mile E36 M3 that you can find. And hit up these two websites: realoem.com for cool parts and getbmwparts.com for good prices.

 

Stucka- No, I am the 3rd owner. I bought it from the second owner who had a garage with 5 Ferrari's and an e46 M3. He was an enthusiast and took great care of the car, but barely used it. RMEuropean is a site which is often much cheaper than Tischer.


I guess I am taking for granted that I have done all the work on this car- albeit self-taught and with minimal tools. But, if you are the type of guy who will drop it off at the dealer for service then yes it will be expensive.

I would save the money and definitely get a 1999. I have owned 3 other e36's. The 1995's are not the ones to get. They feel junkier. Every craigslist in the country is riddled with 1995 M3's that are beat and neglected. By 1999, all the kinks were worked out. These cars also tend to be well taken care of.

The 1995 is the go-to "I want a cheap M3". I don't see how someone looks at a 6 owner, 150k mile car and throws all common sense out the window bc it has an M3 badge. That is an expensive mistake.

-Get a '98-99
-Make sure it has a service history
-Use common sense and stick to the red flags that would make you pass on any other car

 

Definitely some solid advice from previous owner here. If you're still in the market be sure the check the BMW CCA Classifieds. These guys tend to be enthusiasts and know more about proper maintenance. Here's a Silver 95 Coupe - 1 owner, 105k miles, $13k. BMW CCA Classifieds -

 

Yes, he is the second owner and still has it, he's done a lot to it, added a turbo, new suspension, new clutch to handle the power, and the whole 9 years, it feels nothing like the car that I remembered. It's pretty much a track beast now. Here is a pic of it at the track.