E9x M3 Maintenance/Repair costs and higher mileage?

[Precision]

I have a friend who thinks he is in the clear because he got approved for a $40,000 loan and can get an E9x M3 with 50-90k on it for under what he has. I am telling him he should stick with an E46 M3 for low to mid $20s.

Can someone please lay out the costs of maintenance, repairs and or inspections for one of these?

I am saying he is in over his head because he has NOTHING in his savings and believe that ONE single repair can throw him off the deep end.

Thoughts?

[Foodle]

Seriously? This is even a question?

Has Start a Stupid Thread Day been extended though the weekend?

I stand by my earlier statement:
Car nearing end of production. Lots of cheap used models on the market. Average owner IQ dropping rapidly.

[Alicate]

Ignore the insulting comments. Your friend would be making the wrong decision if he's going to get that much in debt for a car, when he has no financial cushion. Yes, maintenance and repairs are expensive on these cars and DIY repairs are more difficult. Hopefully he'll follow your advice.

[m3an]

Do some research noob. E46 m3 is in same league if not higher as it requires more maintenance.

[Grail05]

I have 70+k miles on my car and the only maintenance i did was oil change every 7k miles. replaced rotors/pads, actually still on the process not started yet due to still have 20% rear and 70% front since new had never replaced them.. (driving habits) ...

I had replaced my Low pressure Sensor for 70bucks and brake fluid change and steering fluid change all DIY cost me less than 50 bucks...

also did my Tranny Fluid, Diff Fluid for less than $230 DIY as well...

unless your friend bought an M3 that had many issues previously then who knows... that 40k might turn into 80k worth of maintenance or whatever issues that may come up...

[Precision]

Originally Posted by m3an

Do some research noob. E46 m3 is in same league if not higher as it requires more maintenance.

That's bullshit. What do you think posting a new thread with the questions are? Recreation? Asking questions in search of answers is research.

[LucWerkz]

Originally Posted by Sean05

I have 70+k miles on my car and the only maintenance i did was oil change every 7k miles. replaced rotors/pads, actually still on the process not started yet due to still have 20% rear and 70% front since new had never replaced them.. (driving habits) ...

I had replaced my Low pressure Sensor for 70bucks and brake fluid change and steering fluid change all DIY cost me less than 50 bucks...

also did my Tranny Fluid, Diff Fluid for less than $230 DIY as well...

unless your friend bought an M3 that had many issues previously then who knows... that 40k might turn into 80k worth of maintenance or whatever issues that may come up...

How many miles are you at now Sean? I have 70,156.

[rjd598]

Originally Posted by Precision

That's bullshit. What do you think posting a new thread with the questions are? Recreation? Asking questions in search of answers is research.

He's right though the e46 had higher maintenance prices

[W Cole]

Originally Posted by rjd598

He's right though the e46 had higher maintenance prices

Really? That doesn't make sense to me. Its less technologically advanced. Are you referring to the E46s numerous common failures? Subframe, cam gears, transmission, etc?

I have read tons on the e46M and feel confident that I could DIY most, if not all repairs, significantly decreasing the maintenance and repair costs. The knowledge base is not out there for the e9Xs because most of them are still under warranty.

[m3an]

Originally Posted by W Cole

Really? That doesn't make sense to me. Its less technologically advanced. Are you referring to the E46s numerous common failures? Subframe, cam gears, transmission, etc?

I have read tons on the e46M and feel confident that I could DIY most, if not all repairs, significantly decreasing the maintenance and repair costs. The knowledge base is not out there for the e9Xs because most of them are still under warranty.

Valve adjustments. The e9x uses hydraulic lifters. Those e46 require inspection 1/2 whereas the newer BMW are now cbs condition based service

[gatorfast]

If your friend has no savings why is he even looking to buy an expensive BMW? Sounds dumb to me.

[Foodle]

Originally Posted by Sean05

I have 70+k miles on my car and the only maintenance i did was oil change every 7k miles.

Don't forget the cost of replacement tires. I doubt your tires lasted 70k miles. A set of PSS or PS2 is going for north of $1k and only last 5-10k miles depending on driving habits.

[Foodle]

Originally Posted by Alicate

Ignore the insulting comments.

I disagree. Anyone considering such a poor and irresponsible financial decision should be insulted and mocked as much as possible in the hopes of shocking back to some semblance of reality. Going into debt to buy a car you can't afford to maintain? Why is this even a discussion?

Your friend would be making the wrong decision if he's going to get that much in debt for a car, when he has no financial cushion. Yes, maintenance and repairs are expensive on these cars and DIY repairs are more difficult. Hopefully he'll follow your advice.

See, you agree that this is utterly ridiculous.

[Foodle]

Originally Posted by gatorfast

If your friend has no savings why is he even looking to buy an expensive BMW? Sounds dumb to me.

[rjd598]

Originally Posted by W Cole

Really? That doesn't make sense to me. Its less technologically advanced. Are you referring to the E46s numerous common failures? Subframe, cam gears, transmission, etc?

I have read tons on the e46M and feel confident that I could DIY most, if not all repairs, significantly decreasing the maintenance and repair costs. The knowledge base is not out there for the e9Xs because most of them are still under warranty.

Yup you named alot of the common problems and there are a bunch of little technical things I think too. There definitely is a cost repair to owning the e46 no question asked but it definitely can be lowered by DIY. For e9x I think the issues are much less and more routine maintenance things

[Rich_Jenkins]

Financial advice notwithstanding, I would estimate maintenance intervals as below.

Oil service either per the condition based service interval (15-17k) or if you are old school like me every 7,500: 9 quarts oil plus filter ($150?) plus labor

Diff and MT fluid every 30k.

Cabin Air Filter annually, Air filter every 15k. The four M3 charcoal cabin filters are about $100 at the dealer.

PS fluid every 30k.

Poly rib belts every 60k.

Pilot Super Sports - every 25k rear, every 35k front. Set of four for my car is $1,158 on tirerack.

Plugs every 30k.

Annual brake flush, bi annual coolant fluid flush.

Fuel filter every 60k.

I put estimates where I knew, perhaps others can post cost numbers but I would say these are the realistic maintenance actions. I'm old school as I said.

Anecdotally, these cars seem among the most reliable, if not the most reliable, that BMW currently makes.

[IFX]

Originally Posted by gatorfast

If your friend has no savings why is he even looking to buy an expensive BMW? Sounds dumb to me.

Thats the way most do it nowadays, imo. Everyone wants to be seen.

[Z K]

Originally Posted by Foodle

Don't forget the cost of replacement tires. I doubt your tires lasted 70k miles. A set of PSS or PS2 is going for north of $1k and only last 5-10k miles depending on driving habits.

I really don't know where people get these tire mileages... My PS2 have over 20K miles on them and still look to have another 5-8k left of life in it. I have autocrossed them many times and used it for a track day too. I can only imagine the PSS lasting much longer because it wears better.

[Foodle]

Originally Posted by MMME30W

Pilot Super Sports - every 25k rear, every 35k front. Set of four for my car is $1,158 on tirerack.

Wow. My tires don't last anywhere near that long.

[MKE_M3]

tire wear ∝ driving habbits.

[Sunggin]

Originally Posted by Sean05

I have 70+k miles on my car and the only maintenance i did was oil change every 7k miles. replaced rotors/pads, actually still on the process not started yet due to still have 20% rear and 70% front since new had never replaced them.. (driving habits) ...

I had replaced my Low pressure Sensor for 70bucks and brake fluid change and steering fluid change all DIY cost me less than 50 bucks...

also did my Tranny Fluid, Diff Fluid for less than $230 DIY as well...

unless your friend bought an M3 that had many issues previously then who knows... that 40k might turn into 80k worth of maintenance or whatever issues that may come up...

Well said.

[Harry Da Hamster]

E46 M3 routine maintenance costs are probably about the same at the E9x, however reliability of the E46 is nowhere near that of the E9x. Rear subframe tear, VANOS, exhaust cam bolt, SMG pump, window regulators, A/C evaporator are common problems with the E46 M3 and very expensive to repair.