Hey guys, im looking to get out of the mod game and would like to get into something thats fun to drive, looks good, and RELIABLE. This will only be a weekend car (but will be used for long trips)

I know theres a decent amount of BMW owners on here, can anyone comment on how reliable an 01-03 M3 would be? Im mostly concered with costly maintenance like buying M3 then having to pay for a $2000+ tune up.

How many miles is 'too much' for this model. Im seeing alot with 90k and even a few over 60k for under 25K. Stay away?

What are the annoying issues with the car?

How easy is it to work on? Are oil changes/Spark plugs as simple as on a 2JZGTE?

How well do bmw's hold its value? I know it wont be like a Supra TT, but will I be spending $25K+ and only get $10K+ in 3 years?

I think we are all spoiled by the super reliability of Toyota/Lexus. I've had my SC300 for almost 4 years with almost zero problems, and ive been 2JZGTE BPU for over a year, and ive had no problems whatsoever. Looking at other cars like Audi, I realize how good ive got it. But its time to move on. Im also looking at other cars like S2000, IS300, G35, GTO, but im afraid ill catch the mod bug with one of those.

 

The resale value of the M3, like most BMWs, tends to be fairly strong. However, like all M cars, it is more-maintenance intensive than its non-M counterparts (like the regular 3). There's higher consumption overall; it'll likely go thru parts quicker, consume more oil, etc...But that's not to dissuade you since the E46 as a whole is fairly reliable.

The very earliest M3s that came out in '01 had various engine issues, where the motor wasn't quite up to the task of revving 8k frequently. I'm not very clear on this, but avoid the '01s if you can.

60k miles is about right for something that's 5-6 years old. Assume the average mileage is 12k/yr. As for the DIY part, I'm sure it can be worked on, as long as you join the right forums that have people knowledgeable in such stuff. As always before buying a pre-owned BMW, check the service history and Carfax reports.

 

Thanks! I didnt know the 01 had issues. Ill try for an 02+. Any more feedback?

 

Actually, it was more than just 01. It was 01-03 models. The problem was the connecting rod bearings if I remember correctly. Many owners had their engines go kaboom. Early on, BMW was trying to blame the owners and stick them with a $17,000 replacement bill. However, I'm pretty sure they launched a recall in 04 and even extended the warranty for those engines a bit.

Try to find one with good service records. M cars especially tend to be whipped by their owners, so finding one that has been taken care of is ESPECIALLY important. Lowest miles is not always the best. Good luck in your search!

 

It's not just 2001 only issue. Anything below what's known as 2003.5 should have the bearing recall done on the engine and if it is, then it will have 6yr 100k mile warranty on the parts that are lubricated by oil. You can check with the VIN whether it's been done or not. If not done, I would definitely avoid it.

Maintenance are not bad and it's actually easy car to DIY. It's not your put your $1.99 dyno oil and drive for 50k miles honda. Instead the oil will cost you $8/qt+ only at stealors or specialty website and you will need to change at least 15kmiles interval according to manual or more frequently like most people will do.

Check this site - http://m3.madrussian.net/ - Should have some info you probably want. The thing that tend to "break" on these are things like window regulators or weather stripping on the door falling off kind of issue. But since anything older than 2003 will be out of factory warranty, unless owner extended it, it will cost $$ to fix it if you take it to the stealership.

 

but due to the 01 engine issue, I think BMW offer 100K warranty on rebuild motors on 01 m3s, if I remember correctly.

 

If you get it...buy an extended powertrain warranty...

 

Well guys, I think the E46 dream is gone. This thread tells me too much.

http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=156441

 

thanks for that link. I want a E46 M3 but the more research I do, the more it seems like it's not the rational decision and a S2000 seems like a more viable/rational weekend/track car for me.

and holy....

" Originally Posted by altezzabob View Post
Thanks for your insights.

Non Performance FAILURE:
Both window strips falling
Rear View Mirror Hazing up
Gas Cap Strap Breaking
Drive door armrest paint peeling
Speaker Cover coming apart
Door Seals Seperating (heat)
Seat Buckle not latching
Washer Pump Replacing
Window Trim falling off
Rear View Dimming FAILURE
Power window switches FAILURE
Front window Regulators FAILURE
Bluetooth/assist module
Sunroof Visor
HK AMP FAILURE
Side Blinder
Air Conditioning FAILURE
NAVI defunct
Inner Door handle peeling
Hood Pin switch FAILURE
A-Pillar Sag
Rear Bumper Sag
Sunroof FAILURE
Hood Release Cable Malfunction
Moonroof Shade
Door Lock Actuator FAILURE
Rear window Defroster FAILURE
Headlamps, Xenon/HID ballasts FAILURE
Steering Wheel Airbag FAILURE Deployment while driving
Back Flooring Crack
GPS Antenna FAILURE
Power Seat Motor FAILURE
A/C Evaporator

Performance FAILURE:
SMG Shifter malfunction
PS Pump FAILURE/Leaks
High Pressure Steering Valve FAILURE
Drive Belt premature wear
Rear Diff (hex bolts backing out. Improperly manufactured)
Pinion Seal on Rear Diff
TPS FAILURE
Throttle Actuator FAILURE
Starter FAILURE
Alternator FAILURE
O2 Sensor Premature FAILURE
Fuel Sending and suction unit FAILURE
Ignition Coil FAILURE
Premature wear on all Wheel bearings
Shifter Carrier Bushing wear
VANOS FAILURE
RTAB’s
Driveshaft
Shock mount Separation
Brake caliper FAILURE
Exhaust mount breakage
ABS/DSC Module FAILURE
SMG Relay
Rear subframe mounts
Brake Master Cylinder
3rd & 4th Synchro FAILURE
MAF sensor FAILURE
Both Rear axle FAILURE
Throw Out Bearing seizure
Catalytic Converter FAILURE
SMG Slip
Valve Cover Gaskets
No Starting
Crank Sensor FAILURE"

I'm not worried about interior stuff like pillar cover sagging but crank sensor failure? synchro failure? VANOS? brak caliper? SMG? Lexus would consider that kind of a car as a lemon probably

 

I see you mentioned GTO. These are pretty reliable despite being an American car. the 05-06 model year had the LS2, which is an incredibly popular and reliable engine. Plus, they will still be under warranty.

My friend had one, and drove it to the point where he was only looking to get about 5-7k miles out of the car (Flooring it off of every stop, drifting, delayed shifting, leaving it at high RPMs). His dad just bought him an SRT8 jeep. But, yeah, he didn't have any issues with the car, so i would say they are very reliable.

 

If you like BMW's rico, you should also consider the E39 M5....V8 6MT monsters dude...

Reading all of those problems on that forum makes me feel uneasy about BMW M cars....I'd still rock one for a little bit though...

For me, a C6 Z06 does it for me

 

And what makes you think an E39 is much better? haha

Keep in mind guys, that people who post there only represent a small overall population who own these cars, and chances are they may even only be there, in some cases, because of issues. I know of 3 people who have/had E46 M3s without any issues aside from a rattle coming from the convertible top which was fixable.

 

I really don't agree with this. The M3 does hold its value at lower mileage better than other vehicles, but it drops off steeply after not that long on the odometer. Just check M3 resale values after 30k-40k mi. The high maintenance and absurdly high insurance costs don't help either.

 

There is nothing that makes me think the E39 is better or not. To be honest, they might be worse! LoL...I was just giving the man another option if he is considering a BMW M vehicle.

All vehicles will have some sort of problem at one point or another. I guess one should ask themself if they'de be willing to put up with the maintenance costs when buying a particular vehicle.

I know there are BMW M purists out there that will shell out anything to keep their car rolling. I'm the same way with my Lexus

 

Thanks guys. I'd like to cap my budget at around $30k, and I really want something free of any serious maintenance. My first choice is an IS300 but finding one I want is hard (red or white 5 speed, black interior) Im just very worried ill slap on a turbo kit or have the urge to do something crazy. I want something I wont have to touch, besides regular maintenance.

I got deep into the Audi world a few months ago, only to read even more horror stories than the E46. I think its the most practical thing to get an IS, I know it will never fail me. Us Lexus owners got it good.