2001 E46 M3

[Twincam Shark]

Eish
So i do have savings as well for the big ticket items that could come up , but now i come back to is it really worth it in getting the e46 when i can rather finance a better condition newer model e90 M3. (no offense to the e46 guys)
I get 9.25% interest rate.

I have no issues at all affording the car, just thought i should make use of the interest rate and finally get what i always wanted.
Was even looking at the f80 used but that runs up to 10-13k per month which is half of what i would like to spend .

 

[TBP88]

Eish
So i do have savings as well for the big ticket items that could come up , but now i come back to is it really worth it in getting the e46 when i can rather finance a better condition newer model e90 M3. (no offense to the e46 guys)
I get 9.25% interest rate.

I have no issues at all affording the car, just thought i should make use of the interest rate and finally get what i always wanted.
Was even looking at the f80 used but that runs up to 10-13k per month which is half of what i would like to spend .

Besides maintaining etc. just from a driving POV the E46, E9x and F8x M3/4 cars are *wildly* different propositions. An E46 is nowhere near as fast as the newer car, an F82M4 will quite literally be a few seconds up the road over any straight line testing, and with some mods you'll be talking about massive gaps. But of course it's bigger, newer, heavier etc. etc.

@OP, my best advise is to go and actually get a test on a half decent example of the cars you're considering. F8x M3/4 are dime a dozen in decent nick, test one (rare in manual though). Because it's unclear what sort of driving experience you want.

 

[Twincam Shark]

Hi TBP
I did test driver a F80 and its a different car all together and the noises they make are something else, but i prefer the n/a .
The F80 i personally think is worth the cash, how ever not in my budget that i want to spend.

Guess i will keep looking for a decent e90 as just makes so much of sense for me not wanting to pay cash for a M car

 

[TBP88]

Hi TBP
I did test driver a F80 and its a different car all together and the noises they make are something else, but i prefer the n/a .
The F80 i personally think is worth the cash, how ever not in my budget that i want to spend.

Guess i will keep looking for a decent e90 as just makes so much of sense for me not wanting to pay cash for a M car

I'll be honest, an E9x M car will be just as pricey as an E46M to run, so for the same reason I'd still heavily advise you *not* to finance a car like this (unless you are just financing for vibes and still have the dry powder to pay).

 

[FiRi@Rennzport]

I would yo add my 2 cents. I dunno why we all M Verskrik.

Uno turbos boss....this is the way...

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[TurboLlew]

You are getting prime less 2.5% on a 22 year old car? You have a bank that is willing to give you a better rate on a 22 year old car than people get on an appreciating fixed asset? Have you double checked that that rate is actually not exclusive to brand new/demo cars? What are the Ts and Cs? I feel like you need to check this before going further down the rabbit hole. You might be better off using that rate on the newer cars if there are limits.

 

[TurboLlew]

I'll be honest, an E9x M car will be just as pricey as an E46M to run, so for the same reason I'd still heavily advise you *not* to finance a car like this (unless you are just financing for vibes and still have the dry powder to pay).

Or buy a base-ish 991 911 Manual for around R600K if it's about feeling and not performance. It will cost about the same after all is said and done for any of these options and only one will still be worth that money. I feel like putting 150K into a 350K M3 (now looking at a few of them) is definitely not going to add 150K in value to them come sale time.

One might argue you will still put money into that 600K Porsche, but my argument is more around you having to continue putting money into anything. Reality is many an M car owner has discovered after they had 'sorted' their car there were other things that cropped up (be it 'old car things' or that they went to town mechanically and the rest of it was still trash so they had to invest in the cosmetics, interior etc). I crossed this mountain with my Subaru myself: Mechanically it was great eventually and you get over that one mountain only to see that your tunnel vision had made you miss the mountain of tiny little niggly things and just give up throwing good money after bad.

 

[jayaynikkal]

Or buy a base-ish 991 911 Manual for around R600K if it's about feeling and not performance. It will cost about the same after all is said and done for any of these options and only one will still be worth that money. I feel like putting 150K into a 350K M3 (now looking at a few of them) is definitely not going to add 150K in value to them come sale time.

One might argue you will still put money into that 600K Porsche, but my argument is more around you having to continue putting money into anything. Reality is many an M car owner has discovered after they had 'sorted' their car there were other things that cropped up (be it 'old car things' or that they went to town mechanically and the rest of it was still trash so they had to invest in the cosmetics, interior etc). I crossed this mountain with my Subaru myself: Mechanically it was great eventually and you get over that one mountain only to see that your tunnel vision had made you miss the mountain of tiny little niggly things and just give up throwing good money after bad.

Can you get a 991 for R600K?

 

[TurboLlew]

Can you get a 991 for R600K?

My bad 997.1

 

[Twincam Shark]

Hi Llew

Point taken , and i think i am going to try save up a little and rather get one that needs tlc
Buy it cash and work around the tlc every month, looks like a better option the more i see the costs of these cars and the conditions is just hectic vs the asking prices.

 

[kingr]

This will be an unpopular opinion.

Do not buy these (old) cars from a dealership unless they have a complete record on the car (which I’m willing to bet most of the time they never do). Gaps in years, gaps in mileage. It’s always there. You could get lucky at a dealership but I think it’s rare. If a dealer knows he has a good car it’s R400-R500k.

This is brilliant advice. I'm a victim here, got a mild burn with my MX5. It had a 50 000km gap in service and I still went ahead! The dealer agreed to do a minor service before I took the car. I ended up replacing the water pump, radiator, spark plugs, tappet cover gasket, plugs, air filter, and a few other things at a cost of R22k with me doing all the labour. Now I must drop the gearbox to fix an oil leak on the box, don't do it!

 

[TBP88]

Can you get a 991 for R600K?

I was gonna say that I need to speak to your dealer (cars and drugs)
But in terms of the sub R1m performance car special feel, a 997.1 should be on the list (I discuss it in my thread briefly). The downsides of the 997.1 (assuming you excl the GT3 and turbo):
The auto box is horrible (pre pdk automatic)
The engine has a major weakpoint in the earliest cars, somewhat rectified in the later ones that is expensive (think R50k+ levels) to fix (google IMS bearing).
The interior, even with extended leather and the other bits, simply isn't that special (you can at least get the newer porsche infotainment retrofitted to get carplay etc.).

The biggest downer for most modern buyers is simple though - it's just not that fast. a 997.1C4S was 350ish HP when new, today that's probably low 300s with it being the better part of 20yrs old. That's slightly tuned Golf territory for power.
It certainly feels more an event than even a faster golf (those TCRs are weapons). But for some, robot to robot matters plenty and your modding options on a non-turbo Porsche are pretty slim and very expensive (google what exhaust systems on these things run!).

There are some very good upsides:
1) Usable back seat
2) comfortable ride
3) great handling and stability at speed over uneven surfaces
4) A shape that will age *exceptionally* well (imho)
5) in good colours/spec is unlikely to lose any serious money

 

[MR_Y]

Besides maintaining etc. just from a driving POV the E46, E9x and F8x M3/4 cars are *wildly* different propositions. An E46 is nowhere near as fast as the newer car, an F82M4 will quite literally be a few seconds up the road over any straight line testing, and with some mods you'll be talking about massive gaps. But of course it's bigger, newer, heavier etc. etc.

@OP, my best advise is to go and actually get a test on a half decent example of the cars you're considering. F8x M3/4 are dime a dozen in decent nick, test one (rare in manual though). Because it's unclear what sort of driving experience you want.

Good advice 💯

 

[Crash_Nemesis]

What I may have to say will not make financial sense at all... but it will make your soul very happy.

Get the e46... do it.

 

[Twincam Shark]

Hi Guys
Okay so just a little update if anyone is looking at going to see the car that i had my eye on.
Check up came back it was written off in 2015 by Discovery Insurance and seems like it made its way back on the market.

So one to stay away from.

I dont understand how the banks still offer finance on written off vehicles.

 

[zabbo]

Hi Guys
Okay so just a little update if anyone is looking at going to see the car that i had my eye on.
Check up came back it was written off in 2015 by Discovery Insurance and seems like it made its way back on the market.

So one to stay away from.

I dont understand how the banks still offer finance on written off vehicles.

It may have been written off according to Discovery Insurance but someone didn't follow through on all the paperwork so it wasn't registered as written off/re-built on the Traffic System. As long as the registration papers state Code 2 and not Code 3/4 or Rebuilt, then the banks will happily finance the vehicle.

 

[///Maniac]

It may have been written off according to Discovery Insurance but someone didn't follow through on all the paperwork so it wasn't registered as written off/re-built on the Traffic System. As long as the registration papers state Code 2 and not Code 3/4 or Rebuilt, then the banks will happily finance the vehicle.

Not completely true. The banks are becoming increasingly sticky on what vehicles they finance. A code 2 with salvage history is not easily financed. Its possible but not easy to finance.

 

[Massimot]

2001 M3 is worth around R150k in the book - banks won’t finance R270k - you will need R150k deposit - besides the car is too old for finance - it’s a cash deal…


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[shauwn]

Just to put it u ate ease T ...this is what im doing this week as part of preventative suspension work (Or just being anal M owner lol)

• Control Arms (L+R)
• Control arm bushings (L+R)
• Stabalizer Links (L+R) - BMW on back order for 1 month so opted for Topran so long
• Engine Mounts
• Propshaft buibo (prop to gearbox)
• Prop center bearing
• Front wheel bearings (L+R)
• Tierod links (L+R) - BMW no stock back order 2 months so chose the bbr ones from imcomex
• Rear inner diff bushing (for klunk)
• Rear diff bolts
• Rear swaybar bushings

And these are all OE Lehmforder so no comment on the price hehehe

Suspension was checked at Motorvision in PTA and all good hence the anal comment

PS - Parts for sale soon

 

[shauwn]

had some action today with a new flywheel hehehe, the website stated the flywheel (LUK) was R8590 (NOT BAD AT ALL)

When i phoned they said R10900 HAHAHAHA told him...dude..it says R8590 cmon now.. 5 minutes "Yes sir you are correct we have 1 in stock"

thats what u call getting f'd in a by ur on website