This is my Dilemma

[Hans_VanLoch]

Hello fellow e46 fanatics,

I've never posted here before and in fact didn't know this forum existed until about 3 minutes ago. My name is Hans and I hail from Germany, but I'm a naturalized American citizen. Interestingly, I was assisted in obtaining citizenship here when my former band - The Network - found favor with the American band Green Day. (Unfortunately we've since had a falling out, which has - well, it's a long story and I won't bore you with the details).

I have a dilemma that perhaps you fellas can help me with.

After 7 years of infatuation, I believed I needed to move on. My wild girl - the E46, you see - was getting me into too much trouble. Plus my kids couldn't fit into it anymore (I am up to 5, and as a PERFECTLY HEALTHY 37 year old, I see no end in sight).

So, I found a safe woman. An old stick shift Dodge Cummins. Great expense; new long block inline 6; new manual transmission; pretty much full undercarriage restoration, Georgia truck, gorgeous truck. BUT SLOW AF. SO slow. You literally wouldn't believe it. If you use L gear, you shift 5 times by 38mph, and it is *not* a fast tranny.

I sent my s-xy young lass off to an auctioneer. I'd rather have destroyed the car than deal with even a single tire kicker. After 2 months, the car just won't sell for what it's worth to me. Part of it is that I've run her up to 110k miles, but I'd put her internals up against any <30k mile model. (You see, I've put a comical, sinful amount of money it it, too, much like the Dodge).

So.... now, in 2 days......... my girl will be coming home to daddy. I thought I had moved on. But now.... worlds collide. And I wonder what the heck I'm gunna do.

NOT TO MENTION, I have a THIRD woman in the mix - my wife. Hotly enough, she's up for anything. But do I really want to put her through that?


Phhewwww!

Have any of you ever thought of getting out of the game? What decisions did you come to? What regrets do and don't you have?

[Tbonem3]

Wilkommen

A big factor for me, is that no one's going to be making 3000lb 300-400lb stick shift, explosive cars like this again. Enjoy as long as we can imo.

[Estoril]

Family comes first. Do what you need to do. No-one here knows your priorities, challenges and conflicts enough to dispense advice on this.

[Gt4]

They made 84000 E46 M3, not a rare car… Sell it and buy another one when ready

[lemoose]

They made 84000 E46 M3, not a rare car… Sell it and buy another one when ready

*3/4 of which are either smg, convertible, or both

[oceansize]

Have any of you ever thought of getting out of the game? What decisions did you come to? What regrets do and don't you have?

I left cars behind for twelve to fifteen years when my second child was born. I was just too busy being a dad and doing dad stuff, plus I was building a career. Along the way I had the greatest time of my life with my kids (and wife). That time is not repeatable. It is not time you get back. There is no equivalent joy in this world (probably). Time seems to crawl by when they're little and the work is never done, but then one day you walk in and the house is empty and they are gone. I won't lie, it took a few months to re-adjust. Anyways, I'll be blunt, you won't give two shits about what car you drove for a period of time because most all your memories from this era will be dominated by the presence of family. I drove quite a few boring cars in that time frame and guess what? I could've cared less. If you have the time, which usually means you have gobs of money (but if you did you wouldn't be asking this question), by all means do both. If not do family. Don't get me wrong, I've had a lot of hobbies while raising my kids but they were all a result of what my kids were into.

I don't want to leave you with the impression that being a dad and having hobbies is impossible, it most certainly is possible. I picked what to jettison, and what I picked were cars plus a few other more minor interests. There was a nice little side effect of exiting some hobbies during that time, I became debt free at age 40 (maybe 41, can't remember) and I do mean 100% debt free. I was focused on my family and career and not much else.

So zero regrets on my end. I'm in my fifties now and working/driving cars isn't a problem (pro-tip, don't get fat, stay in shape). I just spent 16 to 20 hours this weekend de-striping my latest acquisition from front to rear in all sorts of awkward and unforgiving positions with a chunk of time laying on concrete. Ain't no thing...

*3/4 of which are either smg, convertible, or both

There was still 26,202 manual coupes produced North America, hardly scarce. Even if if you limit it to coupes on or after 2003.5 (and why wouldn't you considering the differences) the numbers are still quite high compared to something like an e30 which is why all monetary value is tied to low mileage, color, and condition. Just too many, unlike an e30 m3. It will be another five to ten years or so before clean ones get hard to find.

Besides parts availability is going to be what does us all in sooner rather than later. We don't even have a completely plug and play no tuner required fuel injector replacement at this point.

[lemoose]

There was still 26,202 manual coupes produced North America, hardly scarce. Even if if you limit it to coupes on or after 2003.5 (and why wouldn't you considering the differences) the numbers are still quite high compared to something like an e30 which is why all monetary value is tied to low mileage, color, and condition. Just too many, unlike an e30 m3. It will be another five to ten years or so before clean ones get hard to find.

Besides parts availability is going to be what does us all in sooner rather than later. We don't even have a completely plug and play no tuner required fuel injector replacement at this point.

Sure but unlike an e30, the e46 is modern enough to be practical enough while keeping up with modern cars reasonably well.

[ugaexploder]

I would say it depends on your E46. If it's a fine fine example of one, keep it. But if you know you can get a better spec and all that, push it.

Regarding the big girl, I would take a loss on her. It's probably an emotional thing, but you have to remember the time you are spending caring for it, thinking about it...it occupies your mind.

Sounds like you are in store for a nice Toyota Sienna ...all jokes aside, they are badass minivans, even took it on the dragon's tail and it did great.

[maw1124]

Do what you need to do, these cars will be around. You can always drop your price, take some money off the table, use it for kid stuff, not the least of which will be education, invest it, whatever, buy back in later. Maybe you go with a Porsche later. Similar experience, many of those around too. Maybe you get back in with your kids, show them the game (which was what I did). Now they know “real” cars. It’s all in a life. But make the car fit the life, not the other way around, is my advice. My son is into Audi wagons now, courtesy of all the scouting, camping and soccer trips the thing served while he was growing up. It’s a hobby you can share.

Cheers,

maw

[WestBankM4]

.....even took it on the dragon's tail and it did great.

You did WOT mate?

[gaiakai]

You did WOT mate?

Anything can be a racecar if you're brave enough.

[Hans_VanLoch]

"Anything can be a racecar if you're brave enough."

Ahhh, here I am among good company. I don't know whether it's from vice or virtue, but I feel you gents. I feel you. Some time, perhaps, if I feel like censoring the words, I will share with you an email I just fired off to a group of friends on this matter. You might find it cathartic.

[Arith2]

You can fit 4 kids in an E46 M3. 6 if you put the seats down. I do fit a baby, a toddler and a 10 year old in my car.

[nyc951]

I left cars behind for twelve to fifteen years when my second child was born. I was just too busy being a dad and doing dad stuff, plus I was building a career. Along the way I had the greatest time of my life with my kids (and wife). That time is not repeatable. It is not time you get back. There is no equivalent joy in this world (probably). Time seems to crawl by when they're little and the work is never done, but then one day you walk in and the house is empty and they are gone. I won't lie, it took a few months to re-adjust. Anyways, I'll be blunt, you won't give two shits about what car you drove for a period of time because most all your memories from this era will be dominated by the presence of family. I drove quite a few boring cars in that time frame and guess what? I could've cared less. If you have the time, which usually means you have gobs of money (but if you did you wouldn't be asking this question), by all means do both. If not do family. Don't get me wrong, I've had a lot of hobbies while raising my kids but they were all a result of what my kids were into.

I don't want to leave you with the impression that being a dad and having hobbies is impossible, it most certainly is possible. I picked what to jettison, and what I picked were cars plus a few other more minor interests. There was a nice little side effect of exiting some hobbies during that time, I became debt free at age 40 (maybe 41, can't remember) and I do mean 100% debt free. I was focused on my family and career and not much else.

So zero regrets on my end. I'm in my fifties now and working/driving cars isn't a problem (pro-tip, don't get fat, stay in shape). I just spent 16 to 20 hours this weekend de-striping my latest acquisition from front to rear in all sorts of awkward and unforgiving positions with a chunk of time laying on concrete. Ain't no thing...

snipped

oceansize Well said sir, well said.

[Hans_VanLoch]

Well, today I go and pick the car up. I'll drive it back across the state, and I wonder very much how it'll feel. I've only driven it twice since July.

I appreciate all your voices and ideas. For me, it's not really about the money (all my vehicles are paid off; insurance really isn't that much; we have an SUV the whole family can fit into, and I need a powerful work truck to haul stuff; ie, my skidsteer - I bought the Dodge to replace an old single cab Ford diesel I'd kept), so much as the feeling of waste from owning so much 'stuff.' There's also the factor that I want to witness to my kids that 'pleasure and joy are two very different things, and joy cannot come from 'stuff''. But I just don't know; I don't have any answer. PLUS - I have a perfect driving record since age 18, which I cannot believe after owning that M3 for 6 years and putting 60k miles on it. How many of those miles were in some kind of infringement? Phew. I just don't know.

I'll drive it today and see how it feels. It's opened up with an airbox, cam, stepped V2s and street exhaust. It's a gorgeous machine if there ever was one.

Thanks, gents.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAmulKjcHoo