How do you explain the E46 M3 to non-car enthusiasts?

[MTiz]

Friends and Family just can't seem to grasp why I want to buy a car that is basically as old as I am. I've gotten comments like "why would you want someone else's headache?" and "only buy cars brand new" which is straight-up terrible advice financially.

I got into a debate with a buddy who isn't a car enthusiast over the new M3/M4 launch who claims that both cars are gorgeous. His argument was that "An iPhone 3 is a classic but why would you ever buy that over an iPhone 11". I was trying to explain that I want a raw sports car, not a super-computer with 4 wheels and fake engine noise pumped through the speakers. And I'm going to daily it until the wheels fall off.

Thoughts?

[wsybert]

Friends and Family just can't seem to grasp why I want to buy a car that is basically as old as I am. I've gotten comments like "why would you want someone else's headache?" and "only buy cars brand new" which is straight-up terrible advice financially.

I got into a debate with a buddy who isn't a car enthusiast over the new M3/M4 launch who claims that both cars are gorgeous. His argument was that "An iPhone 3 is a classic but why would you ever buy that over an iPhone 11". I was trying to explain that I want a raw sports car, not a super-computer with 4 wheels and fake engine noise pumped through the speakers. And I'm going to daily it until the wheels fall off.

Thoughts?

If they are comparing a car to an iPhone.... you can't get them there. To many, a car is a means to travel from point a to b. For most of us on here, it's about a lot more.

[Zack]

Never comes up for me. People in their 30's seem to understand some of us were car nuts. The younger generation seems to have a much smaller percentage of car enthusiasts,thus making those enthusiasts seem weird in comparison to the "norm" for that generation.

[SteelGreyM]

Your friend helped you out. There’s something to take from his iPhone comparison before throwing it all out the window.

He said the 3 was a classic. These cars are not classics. They existed in the best era of cars IMO (1998-2008). The era where it was old enough that you don’t have modern nannies and weight and extra crap (weight). But new enough that you’re not dealing with carburetors.

Bmw really went all out with the e46 m3. ITB’s, rocker arm setup, very well ported factory heads, forged internals, airbox from the factory, oil cooler, 50/50 weight, RWD manual, and of course a straight 6. This is some real racecar shit!

It’s also easy to work on, tons of mods, and once you take care of the 3 major bulletproofing areas, it’s a reliable car. Is it a CHEAP car? Not at all. Will it break down on you and leave you stranded. Nope.

[Lip]

I stopped justifying why I do the things I do with other people. This is something you learn as you mature as an adult.

[Cbouts]

I stopped justifying why I do the things I do with other people. This is something you learn as you mature as an adult.

lol exactly. I just tell people I have an old BMW, then wait for them to change the subject because they dont care

[oceansize]

I only discuss my car with other enthusiasts. Everyone else sees a shiny old car.

[heinzboehmer]

Yup, echoing what the last few posters above me said. Everyone thinks I'm crazy for spending so much time and money on an old car, so I just don't talk about my car with non-enthusiasts. Its been made pretty clear to me that the average person will not care.

[Inizes]

At the end of the day it’s a hobby. Not too different than collecting baseball cards.

Why is this baseball card from Wade Boggs better than a baseball card from Mike Trout? It’s all just subjective. They don’t make Wade Boggs baseball cards any more, maybe they were printed differently than they are today because of EPA regulations on ink. “But why not support and follow the current talent.” I don’t know, I like the old stuff more. The league was different, players were different, strategy was different.

Maybe that’s a bad analogy, I don’t know anything about baseball cards.

[sina]

The only thing that matters is how it makes you feel. If you like it, if it makes you happy that is the only explanation that matters. Sure you can go into the tangibles about what it is that you like, steering feel, NA, revvy, manual, etc. but 99% of people won't relate to that.

[Obioban]

a) someone things the new M3/4 look... good? Does he have eyes?
b) I don't think this situation you're describing has ever come up for me.

[BearDeXPS]

I just tell people I have an old BMW, then wait for them to change the subject because they dont care

yup... and I'm caring less and less these days as well. other hobbies and interests are starting to take over - home improvements, investments, watches, bourbon, etc

[rbg]

Lets admit it, we just all a bunch of losers here who cannot afford a new m3 (or whatever number they put there right now). haha 😂

[S14]

I stopped justifying why I do the things I do with other people. This is something you learn as you mature as an adult.

bingo

[Nihilation]

If I was asked, I would answer with something along the lines of "The E46 M3 is the summation of decades worth of BMW's endurance racing program, where races were up to 24 hours long. That race car engineering and technology trickled down into the E46 M3, resulting in one of the most engaging driving experiences short of a real race car with reliability better than most new vehicles (let them argue) and resale value that has been on the rise. It's far more than just some old car and a smarter financial buy than most any new car."

But I'm just winging it