I hope to buy an E46 M3 one day .......the new one just doesn't quite float my boat. I wouldn't call it unreliable, because I'm sure cars like the Merc C32/C55 AMG aren't much better. But like most high-performance cars, you pay more to keep it in good shape.

 

Folks who purchase M cars, AMG, Ferrari, Porshe, seldom keep these cars beyond 60k on the clock. I would not purchase any of these cars (m3 included) if the odo is beyond 60k. These purpose built cars are very high strung and experience wear and tear quicker than standard issue vehicles. If you can't afford to maintain these cars, look elsewhere..

 

For a lot of people it's not about being able to afford to keep it running but its the time and hassle. My friend loved his S class but got rid of it because of problems and not because he was short on cash to repair it. Time and convenience, IMO, are the determining factor for most.

 

I just had a thread on this. Can we merge?