Are you guys hoarding parts?

[George Hill]

There will be relatively few of these cars left, which are being driven, within a decade.

I disagree. In 2000 think about how many 1975 cars were still on the road. Now compare that to how many 2000 m/y cars are on the road today. Cars are lasting longer now and with the tech in new cars I think more people will be inclined to drive them longer.

[simon_c]

What’s the consensus on the OE rad now? Can we get confirmation if this is still the way to go?

[Cronenberged]

What’s the consensus on the OE rad now? Can we get confirmation if this is still the way to go?

I got one of the new ones, that FCP mislabeled as whatever the popular older brand was. I had no issues with it. I forget who makes them now but it’s a German company who owns three plants, their main is in Germany and two others in china.

[oceansize]

I disagree. In 2000 think about how many 1975 cars were still on the road. Now compare that to how many 2000 m/y cars are on the road today. Cars are lasting longer now and with the tech in new cars I think more people will be inclined to drive them longer.

I'm talking about E46 M3s specifically. I don't think there will be many of them left that are daily drivers in 10 years.

[fattycharged]

Bold to assume there will be water in 10 years.

i thought it was gonna be Waterworld soon


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[bigjae46]

There will be relatively few of these cars left, which are being driven, within a decade.

Drifting and Spec46 will kill off the few E46s that haven't had their cooling system blow up. Then M3s...stupid kids will continue to crash them. Well...if you wants an SMG convertible, those will still be around.

I would horde M3 specific items - especially body panels. Last I checked a hood was approaching $1400 with few aftermarket alternatives - all of which are carbon. None are an OEM copy top and bottom.

Transmissions and engines next. Especially engines. An S52 is worth as much if not more than an S54 if you can even find one. So E36 guys swap in S54s. Swapping in a V8 is quite a challenge and changes the character of the car. S54s have become MUCH harder to find and are probably 2x the cost vs 2016 when I bought mine. And a lot more miles. You likely won't get nearly the life out of a used S54 today.

All of this makes sense as the 2001 models are now over 25 years old.

[simon_c]

Manual verts are on the rise as well so it’s probably only a matter of time before SMG’s go up. Manual swaps are common place now and don’t seem to have a major negative value to factory manual’s (which will always be worth more) but people aren’t worried/scared about well done swaps.

Right now it’s cost effective to do a manual swap vs fixing/replacing an smg unit but if prices on manual transmissions goes up things might change.

[simon_c]

It may be time for me to move on from the platform if I’m constantly thinking about parts availability though. Kinda takes away from the fun but to be expected
as the platform gets to this age

[oceansize]

Every car dies. It will not be feasible to drive this car as a daily in ten years. I’m pretty darn sure that is the case. So it becomes a weekend driver for the vast majority (that’s left) and a never drive for the collector. That is the death to which I refer. Remember, this is a hardcore group of guys that love the platform and not applicable to the wider reality.

Porsche is probably the exception to what I wrote above.

[Cubieman]

It may be time for me to move on from the platform if I’m constantly thinking about parts availability though. Kinda takes away from the fun but to be expected
as the platform gets to this age

Agreed, I bought mine in 2018, when prices were high but not crazy. I have so many spare parts, but you can't have everything. I feel like buying a spare motor would be good at this point, but that's 5k all day not to mention storing an engine.
I also have an E63 M6, very similar situation on that side.

I absolutely love late 90's and 2000's BMW's but I don't make enough money to keep doing this shit, really unfortunate.

I cannot imagine just getting into some other platform all of the sudden but if things continue like this I may have to consider it.

I love my M3 and plann to keep it for life, hopefully that can happen, but its so ridiculous keeping up with these prices.

[Obioban]

Every car dies. It will not be feasible to drive this car as a daily in ten years. I’m pretty darn sure that is the case. So it becomes a weekend driver for the vast majority (that’s left) and a never drive for the collector. That is the death to which I refer. Remember, this is a hardcore group of guys that love the platform and not applicable to the wider reality.

Porsche is probably the exception to what I wrote above.

We’ll see.

I certainly have no intention to stop fair weather dailying, but I guess it’s possible I’ll be forced off.

I do think 3d printing, particularly in metal but also plastic/rubber for trim bits, is going to bring new ways to keep old cars on the road— and this community certainly has the people that can make that happen.

Modern cars are such ass to drive that they’re going to have to pry this from my cold, dead hands…

[oceansize]

We’ll see.

I certainly have no intention to stop fair weather dailying, but I guess it’s possible I’ll be forced off.

I do think 3d printing, particularly in metal but also plastic/rubber for trim bits, is going to bring new ways to keep old cars on the road— and this community certainly has the people that can make that happen.

Modern cars are such ass to drive that they’re going to have to pry this from my cold, dead hands…

Obi, I don't doubt you for an instant my man.

[Bimma360]

I don’t know. If you can daily drive an e30 now, I don’t see how you won’t be able to daily drive an e46 in 10 years.

[oceansize]

I don’t know. If you can daily drive an e30 now, I don’t see how you won’t be able to daily drive an e46 in 10 years.

See back to how I clarified this is a hard core group, we are the exception, not the reality that the far wider audience lives in. What we do, is not what most do.

[Bimma360]

See back to how I clarified this is a hard core group, we are the exception, not the reality that the far wider audience lives in. What we do, is not what most do.

I was really just commenting on the feasibility part honestly.