Considering trading my Lotus Exige for an E92 M3, please advise.

[///MPhatic]

Hey guys, long time BMW fan here, but I've never found myself owning one. I'm considering selling my Lotus Exige to fund a nice E92, but need a little advice first.

Before I go further, I want to be clear on one point. You might be thinking that my Exige is a track rat, and that I'm wanting the M3 for the same purpose, but you'd be wrong. My Exige is my fairweather friend, and photography muse, has never seen a track, and neither will the M3. I want an M3 to enjoy, not destroy.

If you know the answer to any of these questions, and don't mind, please take a moment to reply.

Thanks in advance!

1. What is generally accepted as the best (most desired) year, and why?
2. What are the major things to look out for when buying used?
3. What common things go wrong with them, and how expensive to fix are they?
4. Is dealer maintenance required, or can most things be done by a decent shade-tree mechanic?
5. What other questions should I be asking here?

-Andrew


Vapor Trail. by Andrew Thompson, on Flickr

[nah dude]

Don't do it, that car is so much cooler than an M3

[///MPhatic]

I might add that I have done some cursory searches, and found some common issues, but after reading so much about these things, I can't tell if they are really common, or a few have scared everyone else to death over them.

- rod bearings
- leaky trans
- leaky diff
- motor mounts
- throttle actuators
- dsc hydro unit

Sound pretty accurate?

[kb9uwu]

Throttle actuators do go bad, and theres two of them. I've only replaced one in 95k miles. Rod bearings are a fvck up from BMW but there's no evidence replacing them fixes anything other than possibly buying more time. My s65 engine is 100% oem at 95k miles and I have no plans on replacing the bearings.

[///MPhatic]

Originally Posted by noneedlessnoise

Don't do it, that car is so much cooler than an M3

I've had the Exige for 8 years, and will probably keep it, but ever so often I look at other cars to see if there might be something I would enjoy just as much (maybe in a different way). The M3 is just one of the cars I'm considering.

[///MPhatic]

Originally Posted by kb9uwu

Throttle actuators do go bad, and theres two of them. I've only replaced one in 95k miles.

Pretty expensive? DIY?

[kb9uwu]

Originally Posted by VisualEchos

Pretty expensive? DIY?

Throttle actuators are around $800ea, at least when I bought one last year. DIY only took a few hours.

[///MPhatic]

Originally Posted by kb9uwu

Throttle actuators are around $800ea, at least when I bought one last year. DIY only took a few hours.

Ah, not that bad. I think I'm most concerned with the rod bearings at this point, catastrophic engine failure is a bit of a turn off. I guess you guys just live with the possibility that the engine could go at any moment? And the cost to fix it when it does??

[Biggus Dickus]

Originally Posted by VisualEchos

Ah, not that bad. I think I'm most concerned with the rod bearings at this point, catastrophic engine failure is a bit of a turn off. I guess you guys just live with the possibility that the engine could go at any moment? And the cost to fix it when it does??

If they fail on you? Likely 5 figures because in most cases it will compromise the block.

I'm not trying to scare you away. I love my M3 and IMO the rod bearing issue is overblown and beat to death on the forums.

[kb9uwu]

Originally Posted by VisualEchos

I guess you guys just live with the possibility that the engine could go at any moment?

Yes. There isn't an internal combustion engine that is guaranteed to not blow up, break at sometime in it's life. Sort of like getting into an accident, it *could* happen at any time. (you're much more likely to get into an accident than suffer S65 bearing failure IMO)

[yidgyi]

You can just replace the rod bearings for peace of mind I guess. 40k miles on everything stock engine wise. Will probably replace rod bearings around 65k if it lasts that long for peace of mind. Might also SC by that time.

[dparm]

Originally Posted by VisualEchos

1. What is generally accepted as the best (most desired) year, and why?
2. What are the major things to look out for when buying used?
3. What common things go wrong with them, and how expensive to fix are they?
4. Is dealer maintenance required, or can most things be done by a decent shade-tree mechanic?
5. What other questions should I be asking here?

1. There was a mild refresh ("LCI", or life-cycle impulse) that added LED tail lamps, newer navigation system, optional Competition Package, etc. I'd shoot for 2011 or later as the changes after that became very small.

2. See #3 below, but in general I'd just make sure it has the full service history. The car had no-cost maintenance for 4 years/50k so any dealer can pull the records. There's basically no excuse to not have the maintenance done.

3. Very early cars may suffer premature main bearing failures, but it's a very small percentage. It is tricky to detect short of visually inspecting them. Another common item that affects all years is the throttle actuators (part of the individual throttle body assemblies). Again, a small percentage, but it does happen. The parts are expensive, but the actual replacement is not that bad if you're mechanically inclined.

4. Tons of good indie shops for the trickier stuff. Basic maintenance, like fluids and brakes, is no different than any other car.

5. Not really. The cars are quite reliable and built to be driven hard. There's a reason it is so universally-loved by the automotive press: it truly is a benchmark.

[Doc Oc]

Originally Posted by VisualEchos

I might add that I have done some cursory searches, and found some common issues, but after reading so much about these things, I can't tell if they are really common, or a few have scared everyone else to death over them.

- rod bearings
- leaky trans
- leaky diff
- motor mounts
- throttle actuators
- dsc hydro unit

Sound pretty accurate?

My motor mounts were shot at 60k. Many are. No problems with TA's at 72k but it may be coming. DSC has been bullet proof. I'd change the fluid first thing though if you get a higher mileage car. Easy diy. Bearings are kind of a crap shoot but odds are in your favor. They could last forever or be wiped clean in 30k like a member in Brazil just experienced. Changing to some extra clearance coated bearings has so far been successful but personally I haven't felt comfortable pushing the car too much even after the swap.

[///MPhatic]

Thanks for all the info guys, it's exactly what I wanted. The Exige is worth $40K for sure, but I'm not sure I could get a nice enough car for that, knowing that I'm going to drop $5K immediately on wheels/tires/suspension.

Thanks again for the responses!

[jason.wu]

I'll trade you my M3 + cash for your exige in a heart beat. No pressure, hint hint. Please do it.

[BimmerRookie]

Is nobody going to highlight the airbag recall effecting our vehicles?

[Biggus Dickus]

Originally Posted by BimmerRookie

Is nobody going to highlight the airbag recall effecting our vehicles?

Yet another overblown issue IMO. BMW has stated there has not been a single known failure in one of their vehicles. The failure rate is microscopic. No point living in fear.

[kb9uwu]

Originally Posted by BimmerRookie

Is nobody going to highlight the airbag recall effecting our vehicles?

You mean the over 100million vehicles from practically every automobile manufacturer?

[Real Nice Guy]

Originally Posted by kb9uwu

Throttle actuators are around $800ea, at least when I bought one last year. DIY only took a few hours.

$925 is the current price for the actuators.... And going up!

Your car is clearly a better head turner.

Are you outgrowing your lotus, either figurative or literally?
Or do you just need a V8 for other reasons

The airbag "recall" is not an issue. Never would it come up as a problem when selling or buying a M3. My BMW dealer has yet to stock the replacement airbag and doesn't seem to pressed either.

[bkdore]

Originally Posted by Real Nice Guy

$925 is the current price for the actuators.... And going up!

Prices online are under $900, but the shipping will get you. I just paid $900.04 shipped from a dealer.

[Flying Ace]

no

[Iyzmi]

Originally Posted by dparm

1. There was a mild refresh ("LCI", or life-cycle impulse) that added LED tail lamps, newer navigation system, optional Competition Package, etc. I'd shoot for 2011 or later as the changes after that became very small.

2. See #3 below, but in general I'd just make sure it has the full service history. The car had no-cost maintenance for 4 years/50k so any dealer can pull the records. There's basically no excuse to not have the maintenance done.

3. Very early cars may suffer premature main bearing failures, but it's a very small percentage. It is tricky to detect short of visually inspecting them. Another common item that affects all years is the throttle actuators (part of the individual throttle body assemblies). Again, a small percentage, but it does happen. The parts are expensive, but the actual replacement is not that bad if you're mechanically inclined.

4. Tons of good indie shops for the trickier stuff. Basic maintenance, like fluids and brakes, is no different than any other car.

5. Not really. The cars are quite reliable and built to be driven hard. There's a reason it is so universally-loved by the automotive press: it truly is a benchmark.

1. Newer navigation came in 2009. Only point of getting an 11+ IMO would be to get LED tail lights or ZCP. Both of which can be added to an earlier car if you are so inclined.

3. I haven't seen anyone make a connection between rod bearing failure and "very early cars." On the contrary, I remember seeing a thread that showed bearing failures were across the board and didn't have any correlation with model year. Correct me if I'm wrong. As far as throttle actuators go, I wouldn't call that a "small percentage" problem. Seems to be a fairly common issue that can occur anywhere between ~40-100k miles. Certainly not nearly as rare as rod bearing issues.

Other than that, spot on.