The Official Bring A Trailer (BaT) Thread

[oceansize]

I think that there are more low end re-sellers that profit from the prices raise of those unicorns on BAT

E46 M3 isn’t a rare car but with all of them that been salvaged, turned into track/race cars or part out for engine swap into other gen chassis, maybe in another 5 years it will become harder to find cheap example, like E36 M3 these days.

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

[Gt4]

You can still buy plenty of E46 M3s Coupe or Convertible for low price. Higher mileage or more common color like Carbon Black or TiAg are still easy to find at decent/pre-Covid price

[Gt4]

Every sellers are asking top dollars for the cars but most of them are cheap MF that put 0 maintenance, no big 3 done or nothing except engine oil change and brake pads. Not paying top dollars for a car that needs at least 15000$ in maintenance. Just need to be smart when you buy them

[oceansize]

You can still buy plenty of E46 M3s Coupe or Convertible for low price. Higher mileage or more common color like Carbon Black or TiAg are still easy to find at decent/pre-Covid price

Not really. I bought mine, which was in far better condition than many of the 20k to 30k convertible cars I see now, for $8k in 2018. LoL. At that same time there was an 2005 imola/black, manual, 6mt coupe, near me with 63k miles in immaculate condition for $16,500 dollars. I blew that, should have bought it on the spot but who knew? Granted, I have to acknowledge what COVID did which only served to amplify collectors and high end resellers motivations.

[Gt4]

Not really. I bought mine, which was in far better condition than many of the 20k to 30k convertible cars I see now, for $8k in 2018. LoL. At that same time there was an 2005 imola/black, manual, 6mt coupe, near me with 63k miles in immaculate condition for $16,500 dollars. I blew that, should have bought it on the spot but who knew? Granted, I have to acknowledge what COVID did which only served to amplify collectors and high end resellers motivations.

Well I must be the exception than. I bought a 2002 Coupe Tiag/Black 6mt clean title for 12000$ CAD 3 weeks ago. No maintenance done to it, not in good condition but going to fix all this

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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]

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.

[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.

[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.

[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.