1999 M3. Good buy?

[BigMass]

Hey guys, i wondering if i could get some opinions on the following car that my father is looking at. It's at ZRAuto

1999 M3 with 20,000km on the clock
http://www.zrauto.ca/modules/mod_carDetails.cfm?numCarDetailID=304

He's looking to maybe get it for $35,000. It's fairly low KMs and i trust ZRAuto since they deal with high end cars and im sure they dont want to ruin their reputation over an M3. Any particular worries that this year may have? Is it a good deal? etc. Just a general opnion would be cool. Thanks!

[Mr. Burns]

That car has been there for a really long time... perhaps there is a reason?

[sputnik]

Originally posted by mrburnsvw
That car has been there for a really long time... perhaps there is a reason?

Maybe because it is purple.

[C4S]

Actually, that "purple" is a very nice colour !! too bad BMW don't make that colour for E46 M3 .. :zzz:

[ACS-e36]

techno violet is friggan hot
dont question the purple!

[Mr. Burns]

I like it, it's really more of a dark blue with hints of purple.

[tapout]

man the leather in it is hot very nice car.if ur dad really wants it then spend 140$ on an inspection at bmw and ask them if the price is fair.if as for the history of zr check out amvic for any bad stuff good luck :thumbsup:

[Loose]

You think 20,000km is "fairly low". Uh ok...

Why fret about money so much? If your dad wants it, he shoud buy it. You can't put a price on happiness.

:thumbsup:

[Clem]

Originally posted by C4S
Actually, that "purple" is a very nice colour !! too bad BMW don't make that colour for E46 M3 .. :zzz:

Isn't Techno Violet an "Individual" colour now? I know I've seen pics of TV E46 M3s in Europe before. I love TV.

This is just hearsay and not something I've experienced for myself but I haven't heard a lot of positive things about ZR Auto

For a 99 you're almost better off spending a bit of extra money for a CPO.

[Def_3]

i sat in this car and checked it out, mint condition but I can think of ALOT BETTER things to spend 40 gs on

[JordanLotoski]

Originally posted by Loose
You think 20,000km is "fairly low". Uh ok...

Why fret about money so much? If your dad wants it, he shoud buy it. You can't put a price on happiness.

:thumbsup:

20,000 is low for a 1999, considering most people put 24 on a year, iam sure this one hasnt seen a winter so even say 10k a year, 6 years old thats 60,000, 20,000 is nothing

[Weapon_R]

20,000km is very low.

40k is a LOT for that car, especially that one with only 240HP. It would suck to pay almost as much for that as a 350z/G35/S2000 and have a slower car.

[Kaos]

You can get another M3 for 6-7 g's less.
Dont get me wrong, the Km's are very low but I'd would see if they would lower the price bit.

[robpark]

It is a HOT car, but $40 000 seems a lot for a '99 that has been on the lot for a few years....

You could probably get something newer, or spend a little more and get a newer M3!

GOod Luck.

[FiveFreshFish]

Originally posted by BigMass
He's looking to maybe get it for $35,000.

This car has been there since last summer. Asking price was about $48k back then. If you can get it for $35k all-in price, go for it.

This car looks to be 100% factory original from the photos. When shopping for an E36, an aftermarket wing or even a dealer installed wing doesn't look as good a factory wing. The factory wing is a bit more curved across the top and you have NO 3RD BRAKELIGHT in the rear window. That said, I prefer no wing if given the choice.

[Z24_3.1]

i think its fine 20km damn that car will go for ever

[BigMass]

Thanks very much for the posts guys. I'll consider all opinions and relay them back to my dad. I know for 35,000-40,000 you can get something that does 0-60 quicker than the M3. But that's not really the point of an M3. A lot of people do agree that the price is too high either way, so i will let my dad know to be firm at 35,000. That way he's assured for a good deal.

[Weapon_R]

What is the point of the M3? Track car? There are better track cars. There are faster drag cars. There are better built.

Status? Perhaps thats what your dad is looking for, and the M3 is it. Although I imagine a newer m3 is where the status would be today.

[FiveFreshFish]

It isn't a status symbol. It's cheap enough now that just about anyone can pick one up. It's also the least conspicuous M3. Most people won't be able to tell it apart from a 328 if you took its badges off. E30 M3 and E46 M3 stand out more from their respective 3-series counterparts.

The E36 M3 is a great all-around car. You can track it, race it and drive it home and then to work the next day.

[PrezeS_PL]

Originally posted by Loose
You think 20,000km is "fairly low". Uh ok...

Why fret about money so much? If your dad wants it, he shoud buy it. You can't put a price on happiness.

:thumbsup:

Just today I saw 99 M3 for sale with 7000 Km - man thats low for 99

[FiveFreshFish]

Some great E36 M3 articles here.

http://www.eventpersonnel.com/car%20stuff/bmw.htm

[CBRComet]

that is a bit expensive for an e36 m3 but if you can get one with only 20000km for the low thirties, thats not bad. there are decent ones for under 30 but will have close to 100000km on the clock.
not that the m3 is a drag car but on the street i would put the bimmer ahead of the 350z/g35/s2000.

[Glenn 328is]

I sat in that car when my bro was looking at a blue M3 at ZRAuto. It has been there a very long time. $39k may be a bit high though...

[E36M3]

The E36M3 is the best car i've ever owned/driven, and I've driven cars that cost 20 times as much.. I would say that it is just about the best balanced car ever made. It feels fast, has fantastic brakes, excellent handling and a very comfortable interior. I drove mine for 24hrs straight (minus gas and a couple short naps) with no complaints, and couldn't have had more fun.

I drove my car as hard as it would let me and it is still on its original clutch at almost 300,000km.. it is pretty unbeatable as an overall package.

I think that a 99 M3 with 20,000km is a fantastic car for $35k, and I completely agree that 0-60 times and other statistical data is pointless.. it is really the feeling that a car like this gives you. It is a luxury purchase.

If you do want to make it faster, you can add a turbo or supercharger or just do basic modifications to add a ton of power. Intake/chip/exhaust does wonders for the car and can make it feel again even after years of driving it.


Originally posted by Weapon_R
What is the point of the M3? Track car? There are better track cars. There are faster drag cars. There are better built.

Status? Perhaps thats what your dad is looking for, and the M3 is it. Although I imagine a newer m3 is where the status would be today.

[ponchoyu]

I've looked and sat in this car last week. Its a Ontario car (you can tell from the drill holes in the front bumper) and woman driven. Yes the price is a little steep but its in immaculate condition! The white leather is in perfect condition and has a factory alarm on it. The only body defect on it is a small indent of a circle on the rear bumper. He didn't know what that was from.

[CokerRat]

Originally posted by E36M3
The E36M3 is the best car i've ever owned/driven, and I've driven cars that cost 20 times as much.
Is that so?.... and which car have you driven that costs $800,000 that is not as good as an M3?

To the original poster: $35-40K for extremely low mileage is reasonable IMO, though I personally wouldn't target a vehicle in that mileage segment. If you're willing to accept 50-100k km on the odo, then you can find a number of '98-99 M3's across Canada with asking prices in the $25-35K range, ranging due to condition, history, and maintenance. There's a '99 with 52k km asking $30,900 in Kitchener, Ontario that caught my eye. Think about it.

Do be suspicious of any used car dealer, especially in upper-echelon cars. Take it to a bodyshop and pay a trained eye to inspect it for signs of repainting or body work.

If it all checks out, it sounds like a nice car if your dad is willing to pay a premium for the exceptionally low mileage. If it were me, I'd think nothing of buying an M3 with a few more km and pocket ~$10K in savings.

[E36M3]

Originally posted by CokerRat

Is that so?.... and which car have you driven that costs $800,000 that is not as good as an M3? .

Current value of a 1995 M3 is about 15k, so my math brings it to about 300k. I've driven a few cars in this range and own a couple that are close to the 300k mark (one a bit below, one a bit above). If you doubt it, that is your own problem.

Say what you want. There are faster cars, cars that handle better, cars that brake better, etc. but for an all around package, at the price it is, and as a real, everyday car, it is unbeatable.

[Redlyne_mr2]

Alot of guys on the Porsche board own e36 m3s as daily drivers and I can see why. They are quick, awesome handling, super reliable, very practical and look great. If I was spending $30K on a car it would be an e36 M3.

[Impreza]

Is maintenance really as expensive as everybody says it is for an E36 M3?

[Glenn 328is]

Originally posted by Impreza
Is maintenance really as expensive as everybody says it is for an E36 M3?

These engines are quite easy to work on yourself - if you feel like saving a few dollars. If they are maintained, they will run troublefree and not be expensive. If you blinding go in to the dealer and ask for an Inspection II, they will gouge you 800-1000 and that includes them checking your air pressure and seeing if you lights work...:nut:

[2m0a0x2]

Maintenance, if anything goes wrong, IS quite pricey, but then again, I haven't really had the chance to really compare with other cars (the M3 is almost my first car). However, it should be comparable to all other european cars. I service all my stuff at the dealership, so naturally, it'd be more pricey than if you go to somewhere else that does just good of work.

I have test driven some of the new cars (albeit, not great cars, but some examples are the new A3, my dads 545), and those cars don't even feel nearly as glued to the ground and driver involved as my car. It's basically, you wanna go there, turn your wheel, punch the throttle, and you're there.

As for the price on this car, I say go for it. Good condition one of these cars are very rare, and this is a very special car.