Doug Demuro says now is the time to buy an e46 M3, before values sky rocket

[dr_011]

Are you going to move to a location with a significantly lower cost of living in the near future? If so, how far away would that be? You in a line of work to have that sort of flexibility? Or do you own a house in Malibu or something where you could travel 30 minutes away and buy something much much cheaper? Are you a flipper? Or is your planned time to cash out a decade or two away?

1. possibly
2. gotta be west of the rockies for sure
3. yes
4. i "own" with a small mortgage
5. no
6. less than 10 years if things continue to go well

this ain't my first rodeo, i'll be fine.

[EricSMG]

Yes, good point. Same thing with 46…… probably at least break even when time to sell. So it’s not really purchase price, it’s depreciation plus cost to own plus time commitment plus mods relative to fun factor.

[Obioban]

haha yep, had that thought as well but the 46M just continues to pull at me. It's the most beautiful M car ever and I know it like the back of my hand. Plus the 39 prices are getting stupid, too. No way I’m paying 50k for an e39m when a barely used f80z manual is 60k (for me that’s a no brainer ROI contest). Also looking at Mustangs…. But same problem.

So a 46 around 25k is appealing.

Yeah, but from a net cost perspective…

In 5 years that 60k f80 will be worth 30k, while the e39 will be 60k.

[EricSMG]

You’ve never owned the one I feel like most meets your car tastes— e39 M5.

…. which also works great for a family of 4!

haha yep, had that thought as well but the 46M just continues to pull at me. It's the most beautiful M car ever and I know it like the back of my hand. Plus the 39 prices are getting stupid, too. No way I’m paying 50k for an e39m when a barely used f80z manual is 60k (for me that’s a no brainer ROI contest). Also looking at Mustangs…. But same problem.

So a 46 around 25k is appealing.

[Obioban]

When old forum died I lost touch/didn't look.

Pondering because the 46 is a great car for the money (questions about current value prop notwithstanding). There are other great M cars... but some of them are much more expensive. That said, with a growing family (#2 due in Sept) I really don't have the time to tinker much and so I'm questioning if the 46 is actually a good move.

Working from home now (indefinitely) so don't 'DD' much at all anymore, so there's that.

You’ve never owned the one I feel like most meets your car/driving tastes— e39 M5.

…. which also works great for a family of 4!

[EricSMG]

Ha, we’re hiding in plain sight 😜

Why are you pondering coming back?

When old forum died I lost touch/didn't look.

Pondering because the 46 is a great car for the money (questions about current value prop notwithstanding). There are other great M cars... but some of them are much more expensive. That said, with a growing family (#2 due in Sept) I really don't have the time to tinker much and so I'm questioning if the 46 is actually a good move.

Working from home now (indefinitely) so don't 'DD' much at all anymore, so there's that.

[Obioban]

Yo! So THIS is where you guys went.

Timely as I'm considering jumping back in after a multi year hiatus with F80/2 ZCP cars..... and prices are a little steep. Even the early SMG cars (in excellent condition) are getting pricey and so for me, it's a question of value. Yes, the 46M is a great car, but I've got to carefully consider the bang for buck at these new price levels especially knowing that I will want to tinker/spend more money on it. I guess the silver lining is that I was generally most fond of a 'mostly stock' example.... but when you get the itch to mod it's impossible to ignore. For instance, I don't even have a 46 and I'm already looking at superchargers and Recaros.. lol.

Hmmm.

Ha, we’re hiding in plain sight 😜

Why are you pondering coming back?

[EricSMG]

Yo! So THIS is where you guys went.

Timely as I'm considering jumping back in after a multi year hiatus with F80/2 ZCP cars..... and prices are a little steep. Even the early SMG cars (in excellent condition) are getting pricey and so for me, it's a question of value. Yes, the 46M is a great car, but I've got to carefully consider the bang for buck at these new price levels especially knowing that I will want to tinker/spend more money on it. I guess the silver lining is that I was generally most fond of a 'mostly stock' example.... but when you get the itch to mod it's impossible to ignore. For instance, I don't even have a 46 and I'm already looking at superchargers and Recaros.. lol.

Hmmm.

[bjz!]

EAG car though. They are always a little bit silly. Honestly wasn't even really that nice of a spec other than AW.

My opinion is the same.

[Thoglan]

Matt from OG, just got a 65k AW... Insane. Too much.

EAG car though. They are always a little bit silly. Honestly wasn't even really that nice of a spec other than AW.

I'm sure he will do some cool stuff with it though. He always seems to put together a fairly nice car.

[bjz!]

Matt from OG, just got a 65k AW... Insane. Too much.

[newton22]

On the contrary, I've never understood people who are overly concerned with how people drive their cars. Daily drive it, track it, garage queen it...it really doesn't concern me. I take mine out once every few weeks to get the fluids moving and then once every several months for a track day. Some people would call this not driving it/garage queening but I find everyone's definitions to be highly arbitrary. I can just as much say unless you're putting 20k+ mi a year on it, it's not driving it.

Enjoy the car how you see fit. If you enjoy an immaculate 15k mi example in the garage, so be it.

[heinzboehmer]

3 years ago:

I remember that video came out while I was looking to buy a car and I got all worried that I wouldn't be able to find one for a reasonable price.

I'm glad I got mine when I did.

[bigjae46]

Just wait for Spec E46 M3 racing...values for nice cars will be insane. lol

[Obioban]

I think Doug is 4 years too late on this one.

3 years ago: