Your opinions on this E92 M3

[Sibonelo]

year!! the gents aren't mincing their words! where is the holiday spirit crew!? lol I'm joking but yeah its proper advice from people that have been around these "dream cars". my 2 cents don't chase the dragon... the idea of a dream car once u learn a thing or 10 about cars becomes something you really really need to think about.. hell even "normal" stuff is a bitch. had to replace front discs and pads on my M2C and that was R27k, and rear tires and that was 14k. I am in the process of trying to get an E39 M5 back on the road.. parts alone on the regular maintenance are already at 70k plus.. and this is just me poking and pricing what is obvious to the eye! Lawd knows what an expert would say..

 

[TurboLlew]

year!! the gents aren't mincing their words! where is the holiday spirit crew!? lol I'm joking but yeah its proper advice from people that have been around these "dream cars". my 2 cents don't chase the dragon... the idea of a dream car once u learn a thing or 10 about cars becomes something you really really need to think about.. hell even "normal" stuff is a bitch. had to replace front discs and pads on my M2C and that was R27k, and rear tires and that was 14k. I am in the process of trying to get an E39 M5 back on the road.. parts alone on the regular maintenance are already at 70k plus.. and this is just me poking and pricing what is obvious to the eye! Lawd knows what an expert would say..

100%. The E39 (as everyone probably knows by now) is my ultimate BMW dream car but again one I will probably never own. It is the first experience of a proper fast car that I had so it will always have a special place in my heart. Knowing how much it would cost to get some of these supposedly 'good' examples to actual 'good' condition makes no sense any longer though.

The guys that keep these cars mint (and likely won't ever have them up for sale) have deep pockets and it is absolutely a labour of love at this point for any E39, E36, E46, E9x, E6x owners

All this is fine theoretically and even if you put pen to paper. Some of us are biased towards caution and others assume the worst is unlikely to happen... I think OP must note that the reality of ownership needs to be carefully considered as is the possibility of waiting months or even years to find the parts needed for a serious restoration job. There are some guys here even restoring or building newer cars that are YEARS into the project. Some guys are hearing it's the last part in the world available new for certain older cars that somehow we as 'car people' don't consider old

 

[Sibonelo]

100%. The E39 (as everyone probably knows by now) is my ultimate BMW dream car but again one I will probably never own. It is the first experience of a proper fast car that I had so it will always have a special place in my heart. Knowing how much it would cost to get some of these supposedly 'good' examples to actual 'good' condition makes no sense any longer though.

The guys that keep these cars mint (and likely won't ever have them up for sale) have deep pockets and it is absolutely a labour of love at this point for any E39, E36, E46, E9x, E6x owners

All this is fine theoretically and even if you put pen to paper. Some of us are biased towards caution and others assume the worst is unlikely to happen... I think OP must note that the reality of ownership needs to be carefully considered as is the possibility of waiting months or even years to find the parts needed for a serious restoration job. There are some guys here even restoring or building newer cars that are YEARS into the project. Some guys are hearing it's the last part in the world available new for certain older cars that somehow we as 'car people' don't consider old

I agree with you! this very massive hole I am digging myself into with this e39 m5 is crazy. my idea is to make it "good enough" mechanically it needs to 100% and that's priority. body work and the rest can be ok. I fell into the garage queen syndrome with some cars I have owned, where the cars were super mint to the point I didn't drive them as much as I should have. Sure I can appreciate the joy in owning a super mint example of your dream car, there is also driving and enjoying the dream. a bit of balance is always good.

 

[Sapiense-demens]

Thank you everyone for your contributions, especially Lew...

I am going to start looking at the F82 M4...

 

[///Avi]

Thank you everyone for your contributions, especially Lew...

I am going to start looking at the F82 M4...

Dude, buy an E92 M3 if you want one. Just not this one at this price.

Plenty options out there if you’re patient. It’s great to have a detailed service history and preventative maintenance record so that you know how much known work you’re in for. These cars are expensive to maintain but they are great cars to drive.

Just go into ownership with your eyes open.

 

[TBP88]

Yeah, there are good E92s out there, but I do think the majority are priced like 911s of similar vintage. And I can't see a universe where an E92M3 is a superior car to a 997C2/4S at that 8xx k mark.

IF these guys are getting even close to asking on their rides, say R650k for a sagging headline pre LCI car then you're just better off looking elsewhere, you can get a similar driving experience for relatively little (20-30% more) money in a more reliable car? Does not compute. Only 2 ways - either E9xM3s get cheaper, or everything else gets more expensive, as it sits now, the market is not in equilibrium.

 

[TurboLlew]

Dude, buy an E92 M3 if you want one. Just not this one at this price.

Plenty options out there if you’re patient. It’s great to have a detailed service history and preventative maintenance record so that you know how much known work you’re in for. These cars are expensive to maintain but they are great cars to drive.

Just go into ownership with your eyes open.

Yeah look step #1 is to go and drive an F82 and E92 and preferably also a 996/997 911 C4S or Turbo. IIRC OP didn't even drive an E92 yet (probably changed now or I may be confused with someone else).

If the E92 is the one, and the budget is R750K, go and buy a nice LCI as original as possible for R500K which is about the 'right' amount to still have enough of a safety net for issues and preventative work and to then have some fun yourself. You can't be on the edge of affordability and buying a 17 year old M car (or any other supposedly legendary status car - plenty to choose from across many brands that are just as hyped). I am still on some of the S2000 groups and (having owned one for 7 years and nearly 100000km) they are smoking something VERY strong. This is the thing with 'legendary' or 'cult' cars - E39s, Evos, STIs, E30s, air cooled 911s, classic american cars - stupidity takes over. I get that someone might be nostalgic for 1985 or 1995 or 2005, but recently I've seen people born shortly before these points in time talking about cars as though they were there to experience it and these were not ALREADY slow or flawed things in their time . I

Yeah, there are good E92s out there, but I do think the majority are priced like 911s of similar vintage. And I can't see a universe where an E92M3 is a superior car to a 997C2/4S at that 8xx k mark.

IF these guys are getting even close to asking on their rides, say R650k for a sagging headline pre LCI car then you're just better off looking elsewhere, you can get a similar driving experience for relatively little (20-30% more) money in a more reliable car? Does not compute. Only 2 ways - either E9xM3s get cheaper, or everything else gets more expensive, as it sits now, the market is not in equilibrium.

Nobody is actually getting these asking prices on the dodgy cars. I still find it absolutely shocking that they are asking for R750K with a straight face on this car. It would be easy to make it present 'like' a 750K car in pictures at least, and they haven't had the headliner professionally removed and replaced with OEM, fitted OEM rims and removed the non-OEM carbon. At the very least have the steering wheel changed for brand new OEM. Cars tend to sit at Dadas and similar dealers for a long time. Not sure if some ever sell.

These little bubbles spring up and pop all the time. It's happened with bikes and classics. That isn't to say there aren't cars out there worth the asking prices and that are still in a collectible condition - that will always be true. The hype that drives near-shitbox grade stuff up beyond the point where restoring them would cost more than just buying a new one will (inevitably) end.

 

[modocrat]

I am looking at this car on Autotrader and would like to know your opinions/insights, what I should ask, etc.

BMW M3 Coupe Auto for sale in Benoni - ID: 27814393

Used 2008 BMW M3 Coupe Auto For Sale - R 799 999 - ID: 27814393

www.autotrader.co.za

Now you have to pay R50k more for it

 

[TurboLlew]

Now you have to pay R50k more for it
View attachment 26699

 

[General.Massacre]

Now you have to pay R50k more for it
View attachment 26699

This is Dadas "Snooze you lose" policy. they treat their cars like wine in a cellar, the longer you keep it, it ages, and becomes more desirable *cough... and then as it becomes more of a classic, its worth more... *COUGH...
Its simple dealer math. COUGH COUGH... if you buy it at R799k, you could easily sell it in 2years for R1.1m, its a no brainer, like the Dadas owner, also no brains.