chilled

Currently I have 1 car. BMW E46 M3 coupe, 2003 with just under 90k miles on it.

I do 15k miles a year for business. And probably 20k miles a year in totla. If I can't get to work, I don't get paid so I need to have wheels all the time.

The M3 has had a few niggles recently, some of which has caused me to miss a days work or whatever. So something has to change.

Option 1. Keep M3 for best, buy a beater.

Option 2. Sell M3, buy new(ish?) car with warranty to do majority of miles. Have a really cheap and impractical track car (circa £3k purchase price) but can still stand in for road duties when necessary.

Option 3. Replace M3 with new car under warranty costing under £500 a month that allows me to do the odd track day and 20,000 miles a year and at the end of three years can either be handed back because it's on a pcp arrangement or will have decent residuals and easily sold.

Option 4: similar to option 2 but replace M3 with something more track focused.

Options 5,6,7....

Both cars must remain road legal, so if one breaks I can use the other. 3 cars, due to space, isn't an option.

I'm looking for ideas really. Anything I'm desperately missing?

It's important to note that I detest the whole process and hassle of selling cars. So changing cars every 6 months is not an option for me. Unless there's a hassle free (and I mean hassle free, not only a little bit of hassle) way of selling cars without losing lots of money and time.

chrisr111

I would maybe go for option 3 or 4.

What would the outright purchase price of a £500 a month car be?

I have no idea when it comes to finance.

Chris.

ge2

You do need two cars.

I'd replace the M3 with something tamer, maybe something still half decent like a low mileage 325i? Just something no too depressing and mega reliable. Perhaps something Japanese would be better (wanna buy a Legacy? ) .

No need to spend a fortune.

Then I'd get an E36 M3 like the one you were looking at before and throw all your money at that instead.

Easy

MB

From what you describe Mark, you need something like a 330D sport as a daily car, and a track toy to go with it. Or do the opposite and get a relaible beater, and use the M3 as the track car. It's mileage will obviously limit it's selling price so might be worth hanging on to it? It would only need brakes and suspension I guess?

I don't think there are many reliable combined track / road car options tbh, as there's always a risk it will let you down.

Putting those miles on an M3 is always going to hurt too!

So I don't think buying anything new is a good idea as it will drop heavily with miles.

Rob88

2 cars is a good option.
For the daily drive I’d go for something overly practical and verging on boring.
Big, 4 doors, big boot, cruise control, armchairs and comfortable suspension.
35-45mpg for long distance motorway boredom.

For the second, get a road going track toy – preferably a convertible.
I can recommend the fantastic S2000, but others are available.

If the weather is sunny then take the toy to work for a few days, if it’s raining or dull go back to the commuter box.
In short, have a fair weather car and a foul weather car.

Penelope Ptistop

I'm in exactly the same position as you Chilled. I totally agree with Rob88.

My beater idea (in combo with the s2000) hasn't worked out too well, because I spend too much time fixing it! Bit of a false economy. Or as MB said get a "reliable beater".

MarkB

When I went to beater plus track car I never went back.

One car can never do it all. Not properly.

However, why not spend £3k on the daily driver (it's easy to get something reliable for £3k) and spend the majority on something fun for the weekend and track. I'm thinking Exige here, in case you hadn't guessed.

Edit - I can recommend something like this as a daily driver - the most reliable yet abused car we've had.

Nottm_S2

it depends how much money you want to burn and how you want to spend your travelling time - burning backroads or cruising the mway

i commuted for 18 months with a 150 mile round trip and used a diesel vectra, it never broke down once and cost me bugger all - it was great in traffic, decent sound system, light clutch etc and not temperamental and it cost me so little it was laughable - 50mpg and depreciation minimal

i cant face big miles after a long day in an exige/elise etc - i used my bike occassionaly for the commute but it wasnt an option when tired etc

i'd buy two cars if you're missing work. the M3 - if you love it, keep it and wrap it in some cotton wool, if you dont then move on

chilled

OK, here's a really stupid idea for you:

Exige or Elise R, plus brand new Hyundai i30. You know, the one that looks a bit like a BMW 1 series.

Going to test drive one tomorrow maybe. Why? 5 year warrant. Even if it depreciates a buckload. Over 5 years, that still makes it less than 3k a year if it's worth nothing at the end.

Or Elise/Exige plus something like a 1.8 focus.

Nottm_S2

if you want reliable buy jap



maybe not toyota though