s54 Swapped Touring on BaT

[Obioban]

Same, I want smaller not bigger. I'm not driving spiritedly with family or others in the car either.

I can see the utility in it but I'd rather drive something totally different like a truck or range rover.

The wagon is smaller— the M3 is longer and wider.

The e46 wagon chassis also has significantly greater torsional rigidity than the e46 coupe chassis.

[jet_dogg]

Not to mention uglier.

[puma1824]

Not to mention uglier.

We all have our subjective opinions. I agree with you, trucks and Range Rovers are definitely uglier....oh wait you think the opposite lol

[stephen]

How does one insure a S54 swapped car like this? On paper and to insurance companies, if it's not BAR'ed, it's valued as a KBB E46 Wagon.

What others have said, agreed upon value insurance. If you get a proper appraisal you probably don’t even need to go with a specialty insurer like Hagerty or Grundy. My M3 is insured through State Farm at an agreed upon value.

[ra2fanatic]

Buddy's car. Have seen it in person. His attention to detail on that build was phenomenal. Paid quite the penny for the detail job that was chronicled on his IG at the time when he was going through the swap and all that. Crazy amount of work done to it. I didn't think he'd beat me to posting on BaT, but then again, he goes through cars every other month it seems...lol

[sapote]

I see Kaiv did the swap in that wagon. 👍🏻

I'm interested how much it will be sold for. Owner paid $28K for the donor M3 + labor + the wagon. This is a tough way to make money.

[jet_dogg]

I'm interested how much it will be sold for. Owner paid $26K for the donor M3 + labor + the wagon. This is a tough way to make money.

Some people get excited at making a few grand and it's worth it to them but like you imply I can think of quite a few easier ways.

[Rkymtnrider]

I'm interested how much it will be sold for. Owner paid $26K for the donor M3 + labor + the wagon. This is a tough way to make money.

I would think that making money isnt what drives wagon swaps, its the love of the wagon.

[Obioban]

Not to mention uglier.

You're certainly welcome to your opinions.

I will say that of all my cars (e46 M3 coupe, e46 M3 wagon, e39 M5, e60 M5, i3), the one that gets far and away the most comments, people rolling down the windows to talk to me, random thumbs up, etc-- is the wagon. And there's nothing that visually gives away that it is an M3-- so people are having those reactions thinking it's a 325i. So... I'm not sure yours is a majority opinion.

Personally, I think the wagon looks great.

[puma1824]

I am in the opinion the Touring looks great...again completely subjective and everyone has their own tastes. If we didn't the car world would be a boring place.

My favorite e46 "M3" Touring pic (from Racing_Bernd):

[jet_dogg]

Guys no need to get your panties in a bunch. I said uglier not ugly. Yes the coupe looks better and the comments you get don't matter because it's the rarity causing people to comment. The market demonstrates which is superior.

The reason the wagon looks great in your eyes is because it's 95% e46, the rest, well, is what provoked the comment 😎

[puma1824]

Guys no need to get your panties in a bunch. I said uglier not ugly. Yes the coupe looks better and the comments you get don't matter because it's the rarity causing people to comment. The market demonstrates which is superior.

The reason the wagon looks great in your eyes is because it's 95% e46, the rest, well, is what provoked the comment 😎

lol I'm picking them out of the crack now lol

[maw1124]

The market demonstrates which is superior.

The “market” just demonstrates consensus. And consensus tells a lot of fairy tales.

For wagons and Clownshoe cars, you’re either a fan or you’re not. Same for GWagens and Rovers. My vote has always been for performance wagons, simply because they give virtually the same utility (if you have the right one) AND you can drive them closer to the way you drive your M, AMG, whatever else you love to drive.

As stout as these drivetrains are, I personally think BMW missed an opportunity to have the E46M be available in ALL formats, which would have been really sweet. People would have one of each, or at least 2 of them. For me, that would be a convertible and a wagon. MB has the sedan category sewn up for me.

My $.02, which is worth about what you paid for it (deeply discounted for car forums).

maw

[jet_dogg]

Unfortunately for your argument the market drives what models bmw decides to produce hence coupe >>> wagon numbers.

[Obioban]

Coupe is the third worst body style e46 IMO (after verts and compacts).