How do you know if you should sell your E46 M3?

[Bimma360]

I know we all have different lives, but how in the world do some of you guys not have "time" to drive the M3?

Grocery store, coffee run, take out pick up, miscl Home Depot run, any random errand, etc etc.

If you have kids, throw one in the car and take it with you. If the wife doesn't like being in it, or can't, then go solo on any of the above. I am sure she'll live.

I don't know man, it sounds like these M3's aren't being driven out of convenience more so than anything else.

[Obioban]

I know we all have different lives, but how in the world do some of you guys not have "time" to drive the M3?

Grocery store, coffee run, take out pick up, miscl Home Depot run, any random errand, etc etc.

If you have kids, throw one in the car and take it with you. If the wife doesn't like being in it, or can't, then go solo on any of the above. I am sure she'll live.

I don't know man, it sounds like these M3's aren't being driven out of convenience more so than anything else.

yeeeeeeep.

I don't drive mine for salt. Otherwise, default.

[terra]

You lost enthusiasm for driving because of some rust...? Sounds like a lot of people are more interested in the image of having a clean/nice/cool car than driving. Nothing wrong with that, but doesn't make much sense to own an e46 when the general public will always be more impressed with something new.

I don't care what anyone else thinks of the car honestly. But I just don't feel like putting more time / money / energy into a car that has an issue that's not really fixable

A new car will happen regardless of what I do with the M3. Though it's a little annoying that there aren't really any n/a manual options asides for the GT3.

[oceansize]

I don't care what anyone else thinks of the car honestly. But I just don't feel like putting more time / money / energy into a car that has an issue that's not really fixable

A new car will happen regardless of what I do with the M3. Though it's a little annoying that there aren't really any n/a manual options asides for the GT3.

That much rust?

[Bimma360]

I don't care what anyone else thinks of the car honestly. But I just don't feel like putting more time / money / energy into a car that has an issue that's not really fixable

A new car will happen regardless of what I do with the M3. Though it's a little annoying that there aren't really any n/a manual options asides for the GT3.

I am with you on this. Nothing wrong with needing a clean/nice car either. Doesn’t mean you don’t also prioritize driving. Also if people didn’t care about “cool”, whatever that may mean to someone, everyone would be driving a Miata.

Rust was also, at least in part, the reason I lost interest in my e36. The time, energy, and money it would take to get it where I wanted, for a color that wasn’t my first choice, just wasn’t worth it to me for the chassis. I chose to spend those things on a different car.

[oceansize]

I am with you on this. Nothing wrong with needing a clean/nice car either. Doesn’t mean you don’t also prioritize driving. Also if people didn’t care about “cool”, whatever that may mean to someone, everyone would be driving a Miata.

Rust was also, at least in part, the reason I lost interest in my e36. The time, energy, and money it would take to get it where I wanted, for a color that wasn’t my first choice, just wasn’t worth it to me for the chassis. I chose to spend those things on a different car.

The other side of this coin is that today's turbos and superchargers are not those of yesteryear. The new M2/M3/M4 are all super fun and available in manuals. N/A then GT350/Mach 1/Dark Horse? Yes they weigh more, but they are absolute beasts with a Tremec transmission that makes our M3's seem stupid bad (as they should, its newer after all). I own a Mach 1 HP and that car is so much fun on Cup 2s its stupid. Just stupid. Its visceral. Nothing surgical about it. My M3 is my favorite car, but I'm not tied to the notion that its N/A or bust. I've got a 2025 Corolla GR manual, super fun. Totally different car. In my mind, having cars that are very different from each other is the move. Every time I get in one of my cars there is a different experience to be had.