My obsession

[M/Anthony]

Hello,
Ever since I discovered the build journal on the old M3 forum, I have always wanted to start a very detailed and in def build thread. I think build threads are some of the coolest things forums have to offer, beside the knowledge of course. Some background on me: I am pretty young, still in high school and working to be a Corporate/Civil Lawyer. I have two passions in cars: car detailing and making some of the most respectable and well built machines I can. This is my build thread of my old 2002 M3 and A future m3

[M/Anthony]

To begin: I always loved BMW's. Not too sure why I just love them compared to Japense and American Cars. European and German cars are the only cars that seem to truly interest me beside old classics.I organically had got a 2002 M3 not only because I wanted it, but also because I had to get a German car and I had a lot of fun in my brother's 2007 335i. (it now has 700hp). However my choice for an m3 was simple. I love track romance and naturally aspirated engines. the e46 m3 was the car that suited me perfectly. I cannot tell you that within less than a year how much fun owning a stock e46m3 was. Despite it being stressful it was everything I could want. We originally wanted to buy a project m3 for a couple reasons: cost, work, fun, time. However we quickly learned that is not a good idea if you don't have the money to replace a lot of parts. But, me and my dad had faith and we knew a cheaper M3 would mean we could do a lot of smaller modifications that would really improve the car and make it better than OEM.

[M/Anthony]

This was the original craigslist ad for my car. And one of the few photos I still have. Quick facts about it when I went to pruchase it: It was originally and SMG and the previous owner had converted it to an 6mt in a garage.Also it had Enkei ET104 I believe can't remember the actual wheel specs or model. They were 245/265 and had missing one center cap on each side. That bothered me so much. Also it had a CSL bumper that I eventually broke the splitter getting Starbucks for work one morning, a drilled in place CSL splitter, a removal of the M3 badge, some speaker upgrades that kind of worked, not really at the same time, a really messed up shifter (it would take 2-3 tries to get it into some gears) and beside that, and what I can remember it was all stock. We got a really good price for it $8800, serving as a perfect base for a project car. We knew there were issues and we were xctided to find them and fix them. Ive always wanted a project car as a first car, and we almost bough a e36 m3 in greta condition for $4k from a friend, but once he learned we were into BMWs he doubled the price and we didn't reposer him and his offer anymore. I still want a bone stock e36 m3 to this day, the torque.

[M/Anthony]

I had never driven manual, expect once or twice in y brothers 335i, and the lat time I did I forgot about 1st gear and drove it into a porta potty hahha, only a few feet and no damage, I think I was the most scared Ive ever been. So we drove it home, and I had begun to learn manual in a car that couldn't shift properly into gears. I was Able to learn within a day or two, as these cars are easily regarded as some of the easiest to learn manual on. Then we decided to give it to BMW to see all the issues. I had to drive it there along town, at night, with traffic. My average speed was 25. I don't know what could even compare to be more stressful. Regardless, I made it there in one piece, no crash, about 10 times stalling, and freight on my face. We let BMW have a toss and see what they come up with. We had no idea the issue was so big and so many. Here is the detailed report from BMW and of course the labor and the part to put the M 3 badge back on Hey at least my subframe wasn't cracked! thats a plus in y book

[M/Anthony]

Heres a photo from the night we purchased it: it still looked really good, and makes me very sad I don't have one right now,