The Official Bring A Trailer (BaT) Thread

[Duck360198]

Lots of great points in these past few pages. Having experienced several M cars and having owned 8 E46 M3's, I can honestly say that the E46 M3 has always been my favorite. There are two ZCP E46's in the garage right now with about 8K miles between the two. Got one in 2013 off the old M3 Forum, which was 98% dream spec for me. Got another from Canada in 2022. A couple hundred miles a year is accurate. They're exercised, they're serviced, and they're enjoyed....albeit maybe a bit differently than what many on here would consider "enjoyed." I find time capsules amazing. When the Canadian one showed up and was being sold by the original owner with the original rubber on it and all documentation, even if it was a more pedestrian spec, I was completely blown away and had to pursue.

I will also say that I don't wrench on my own cars. Not that I don't "want" to, I just don't feel I'm mechanically inclined and I'm not one that will just dive right in. I do know the E46 on paper, but I'll never pretend to know more than I actually do. I don't contribute at all because I feel I have nothing to contribute other than my opinion (who cares?!), but the wealth of knowledge is amazing and certainly appreciated. Yes, my preference is to have the cleanest possible example and let someone else maintain it. That makes ownership enjoyable to me. Yes, having a dedicated daily does take away from putting more mileage on the cars, but getting out of the daily simply makes the E46 driving experience even better even if it's not thousands of miles per year.

I consider myself an enthusiast. Others may not based on their definition, and that's fine. I certainly wouldn't call myself a collector. Again, others may disagree. Fact is, all the cars that have gone through the garage have simply appreciated naturally and not one was bought saying "I'm going to hold onto this and watch it skyrocket." I don't know, I feel like maybe the natural appreciation simply validated my initial desire to own each car in the first place.

I don't know who will end up with the LSB/Cinnamon. Could be an enthusiast. Could be a collector. But it's amazing to watch it all unfold. Sorry for the long post.

[Maxima SE]

I remember that auction. what a steal of a price back then.

[oceansize]

An 8000 mile car was just listed. Already at $55k. Sold for $36k in 2019. Same mileage from then to now. https://bringatrailer.com/listing/20...-m3-coupe-223/

[inlinesix123]

I think 95% of the people who buy the high spec cars at a premium don’t want to work on the car themselves. They pay a lot to buy a nice one, and then they pay someone else a lot to maintain it, and the cycle repeats.

The people who buy an e46 M3 for cheap and can’t or don’t want to work on it themselves, I just hope those poor bastards know what they’re in for.

A cheap example ends up being most expensive anyways

[liam821]

That LSB on BAT just passed $110k with 3 days left. Wowzers.

Agreed, I can't prove anything for sure. Let me ask you a question, do you think the guys who spend $70k plus on an ultra low mileage e46 m3 drive their cars anywhere close to regularly and accumulate more than a few hundred miles per year? My guess is that the vast majority do not drive their cars regularly.

Also remember I'm discussing only the low mileage high end cars, broke people aren't buying those and if they do, they darn sure aren't driving it. They can't afford to.

Anybody paying $70k+ on an e46m3 probably has the funds to have another car (or many!) to daily drive. Nobody is spending $70k (or $110k in this case) on an e46m3 to put a million miles on it.

[oceansize]

I don't think sales price averages on BaT "proves" your point. You don't know the buyer make up, income, status as a "collector" etc etc. BaT is also not a history of all cars sold.

Tons of commenters and tire kickers commenting on BaT who have no intention (or means) to win a car. Talk is cheap.

Just my 2c.

Agreed, I can't prove anything for sure. Let me ask you a question, do you think the guys who spend $70k plus on an ultra low mileage e46 m3 drive their cars anywhere close to regularly and accumulate more than a few hundred miles per year? My guess is that the vast majority do not drive their cars regularly.

Also remember I'm discussing only the low mileage high end cars, broke people aren't buying those and if they do, they darn sure aren't driving it. They can't afford to.

[discoelk]

If you're saying that only collectors are bidding on mint 20k mile LSBs, I tend to agree, but using that for some sort of broad market assessment about any non POS E46M is a big stretch.

[discoelk]

I'm not following. BAT is the proof. People, and this is nothing new, are paying big money for cars due to a color (and mileage, assuming 6mt and coupe). I can't prove if these cars sit in a garage, but I'd bet most do.

I don't think sales price averages on BaT "proves" your point. You don't know the buyer make up, income, status as a "collector" etc etc. BaT is also not a history of all cars sold.

Tons of commenters and tire kickers commenting on BaT who have no intention (or means) to win a car. Talk is cheap.

Just my 2c.

[oceansize]

A silly thought, lets stop and consider the LSB that's on BAT right now, it is most definitely awesome. It really is, cool combo. There are people saying "its a slick top", boys, that car is never, ever, going to see a track. You know why I buy cars without a sunroof? Less potential problems should I decide to keep it, but that isn't what is being discussed around this car and others like it, its a race car that isn't ever going to race. So yes, that is silly. The "spec" is what the collector is worried about so they can discuss "rarity" and "worth". I understand the goal, or at least I guess I do, buy the car, sit on it and hope it appreciates. That slick top is going to sit in a garage and collect dust, yuck.

[oceansize]

I think 95% of the people who buy the high spec cars at a premium don’t want to work on the car themselves. They pay a lot to buy a nice one, and then they pay someone else a lot to maintain it, and the cycle repeats.

The people who buy an e46 M3 for cheap and can’t or don’t want to work on it themselves, I just hope those poor bastards know what they’re in for.

100%. But I think the high end cars sit in a garage, remember the value of an M3 isn't its rarity, it is mileage (biggest driver), plus color combo, with usual caveats, coupe, 6mt, etc.
Ergo, since mileage is the biggest factor and a person paid 60, 70, 80, or 90k for a car, they can't drive it. Nobody is going to give huge dollars for a 100k mile LSB (unless there an idiot).

Edit: The only exception is the CSL and we can't get that here, yet.

[oceansize]

Do you have proof of this? Seems like an anecdotal take. Most "cheap" FB marketplace or Craigslist E46es are busted and need tons of work IMO.

I'm not following. BAT is the proof. People, and this is nothing new, are paying big money for cars due to a color (and mileage, assuming 6mt and coupe). I can't prove if these cars sit in a garage, but I'd bet most do.

[Nate047]

I think 95% of the people who buy the high spec cars at a premium don’t want to work on the car themselves. They pay a lot to buy a nice one, and then they pay someone else a lot to maintain it, and the cycle repeats.

The people who buy an e46 M3 for cheap and can’t or don’t want to work on it themselves, I just hope those poor bastards know what they’re in for.

[discoelk]

Possibly, but it is the collectors and high end resellers driving big price deltas.

Do you have proof of this? Seems like an anecdotal take. Most "cheap" FB marketplace or Craigslist E46es are busted and need tons of work IMO.

[Gt4]

Plenty of E46 M3 for sale don’t have big 3 done or any kind of maintenance. Lots of them on factory fuel filter, spark plugs, …

If you are able to work on them yourself, they are super easy to restore.

[oceansize]

No maintenance done to it, not in good condition but going to fix all this

I think that explains why you're the exception. In 2018 you could buy a nice car for decent money. They were probably a little under valued at the time.