Hi,

I currently own a MY02 S2000 but ever since I was a teenager (it's awhile ago now) I've lusted after the M3.
Prices of them seem to have dropped lately to just about within my price range and I can't get them out of my head when it comes to what car I want next.

I'd be looking at an E46 MY03/04 with about 40/45K on the clock for around 16k.

I don't earn massive sums of cash but i have no dependants and whilst the S can be a little expensive to run sometimes (Honda dealer prices) Its never broken the bank and I have still managed to put some away for a rainy day.

So is an M3 within my grasp?

I would like to know if anyone here, has been/is in, the same (or similar) situation and what the average annual running cost are?
I know my fuel bill is going to go up (but I only do 6-8k a year) and insurance will no doubt increase also, but realistically how expensive are they to keep on the road? Is it going to kill me or is it a realistic goal?

Any advice would be appreciated, even if it shoots my dream down in flames.

Cheers

 

Some of the M3/Z4M etc owners will be along to give you chapter and verse but if you find the S2000 expensive to run at times it is likely you'll find the E46 M3 eye watering...

It does, of course, depend on what mileage you do and how long you intend keeping it.

The subject has been discussed on a regular basis in the past - a search of this forum might offer you some opinions...

 

When i fancied on one, i found the insurance was no different to that of the S.

Servicing is going to be you main problem, authorised dealers will charge several times what your S costs to service. Indies might be about the same as Honda charge?

You need to go get some quotes for insurance and servicing.

 

Wait till you see BMW dealer prices...
My rule of thumb : if you cannot afford to buy it new don't buy it 2ndhand

 

certainly often true when it comes to more expensive cars

you can get lucky with an M car, but it's more likely you coudl be looking at running costs three times higher than running an S - certainly £1000 a year (before fuel, insurance, tax)

yes, you can use an indie, but it will hurt the value of the car if it's only a few years old with low mileage and a good history

 

I'm not sure that works as a rule, maybe only for supercars and very top end cars with massive running costs etc. If you are sensible about the car you buy then there's no reason why more expensive cars cant be run for sensible money, including M3s.

 

They're great cars, am trying to decide between one of them and a 350z myself.

Only thing is, if something goes wrong - it will be expensive. I'd highly recommend taking out an extra warranty on it if it's not currently covered.

Friend of mine had an M3 CSL and just to be on the safe side he spent £1k on a warranty after he bought it. In the first year alone, the car needed £8k of work - puts things into perspective!

 

you cant afford it.

give up.


get a vxr500.

 

It's all very well to say you can afford the running costs, but can you afford it when something big goes wrong? That's the main issue when deciding on buying a performance car.
Nice car though.

 

That's it in a Nutsert.

If you blanch at the S2000's running costs (and explodey engines are only a couple of large to replace) then forget being a Beemer bummer - it's too rich for you. You'll just have to stay a Honda whore.