Author Topic: My 2002 M3 - Updated: 12/12/10 (Read 3054 times)

Stanae86 · « **on:** 02-Dec-2009, 07:46:40 »

Sold the RSA during summer time and had been looking for the right E46 M3 since. The RSA was never really for sale, but if someone wanted it for the right price, I would let it go. I did not like the fact that my $35k car was now $55k after the motor rebuild. At that price, it was a hard car to get rid of if I needed the money. So I listed it on RSAmerica.net and just let it sit. I had a few tire kickers that told me I was overpriced. Yeah? Fukk you. I'm sure you'd love to have my car for the same price as another car without the motor rebuild. Go fukk yourself and buy that one instead. If you wanted mine, it would cost you $55k or damn close to that. Otherwise, go get the $35k car and pay $20k on the motor when you blow it like I did. In any case, a guy from Texas offered me darn near $55k for it, so I let it go.

After getting rid of the RSA, all I had was the Audi S6 Avant. A great car, but one that was nickel and diming me on repairs lately, like a doorpin that cost $700, the transmission that cost $3400 and shit like that. Thankfully, I had an extended warranty and each of those only cost me $100 for the deductible. Still, I worried whether this was just the beginning and my pocketbook would quickly go empty after the warranty expired this year. Plus, it's a big car and simply isn't as tossable as a smaller car and it was an automatic. I wanted a stick shift. The only real car I was interested in as my "everything car" - take the kids around and still have fun driving, was an E46 M3. So I started looking. I looked at the Competition Package car, but the ones in my price range were too high on miles. It was a shame, because if I had about $6-$8k more, those cars in that price range had much less miles and were much more taken care of.

I ultimately settled on this:

2002 model is a little older but only 14,500 miles. Yep, 14,500 miles only. The owner was an older gentleman from Texas, whose daily driver was a 4Runner, and he simply did not drive the M3 that much. The nice part is that he was still doing maintenance according time, rather than mileage. So at 14,300 miles, it just got oil service, radiator flush, and a brake flush. Not bad. Most people would not do the radiator or brake flush until much higher miles.

Not too many bells or whistles on this one, unfortunately. Sunroof, HK Sound, power seats with memory, and that's it. I wish it had the Homelink for the garage door, maybe I'll add that later.

The exhaust was driving me nuts, so I immediately got a Dinan exhaust. Quiet when cruising and nicely louder when you're on it harder. I may do suspension in a little while, but it handles fine. I could use new tires...it's got the original tires on it and they're all hard. No traction at all. I've hardwired my V1 radar and have an appointment for a clearbra install this Friday. The shipper parked a car too close to the back and the car's license plate rubbed my bumper, damaging it. Shipper paid for a new paint and I took off the front license plate and repainted the front bumper too. So, now I want to clearbra it to keep it nice.

It feels much quicker than what I expected. I think I will enjoy this car for a while.

spanky · « **Reply #1 on:** 02-Dec-2009, 08:12:52 »

Fantastic car Stantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thats gunna be awesome fun to chuck around when your on your own!!!!

Put some interior pictures up when you can dude!!!

Go and enjoy it! Find some hills and take it for spin...

yeckmohr · « **Reply #2 on:** 02-Dec-2009, 09:21:48 »

A new supercar in the TAU parking lot !!
Congratulations Stan, great deal, only 14.500 miles from grandpa, good find. I think this Dinan exhaust is driving anyone nuts, maybe you can add someday a Dinan Exhaust youtube video.

momodels · « **Reply #3 on:** 02-Dec-2009, 10:06:11 »

Great catch

ARMAN · « **Reply #4 on:** 02-Dec-2009, 11:00:33 »

wow cool toy Stan

Saadie · « **Reply #5 on:** 02-Dec-2009, 13:12:07 »

one of my fave's ...

more pics please

Stoffie · « **Reply #6 on:** 02-Dec-2009, 14:07:28 »

Awesome! Cherish it (but also use it!)

Svensson · « **Reply #7 on:** 02-Dec-2009, 14:58:52 »

That's awesome Stan! One of my dream cars

I bet you'll have lots of fun with it

danidmas · « **Reply #8 on:** 02-Dec-2009, 15:03:03 »

With 14k miles on the clock... that car is almost brand new!!

It's sad to see such a nice car like the RSA go... but as an everyday fun car to drive, the E46 M3 is pretty much the best choice! Congrats!

stradale · « **Reply #9 on:** 02-Dec-2009, 15:17:38 »

Excellent choice, Stan!

What was the problem with the (I assume to be) original exhaust?

sentra_dude · « **Reply #10 on:** 02-Dec-2009, 21:01:35 »

Nice choice, these are fun cars! That's some damn low mileage too for a 2002.

sameerrao · « **Reply #11 on:** 02-Dec-2009, 22:32:40 »

Congrats Stan. Sad to hear the RSA has gone - she was a real beaut! But looks like you now have a sporty and yet practical amalgamation of the RS and Avant.

How much does a used E46 M3 retail for now - in the $20-30k region?

Maybe I can do something about my S4 as well in the future. Only thing is I want a 4 door - so basically its the E90 that is in the target horizon. It'll take about 4-5 years for the price to fall into my range for that. I used to lust after a M5 but am not sure now .. I think the small sport saloon (S4/RS4/M3/C55/C63) are just about perfect for me size wise and handling wise.

Guyon · « **Reply #12 on:** 02-Dec-2009, 22:54:09 »

It's amazing! Keep it in good shape but rag it often!

DMF · « **Reply #13 on:** 02-Dec-2009, 23:11:26 »

Nice! I was really thinking hard about picking up a E46 before I got the 944.. They were ranging from $16k-29k when I was looking at them earlier this year.

Looks like you found one of the best used E46's in the country! Pretty hard to find a M3 that was well taken care of with low miles... but I guess you can say that for any used car.

Shame about the RSA though.. that was one hell of a car!

wackary · « **Reply #14 on:** 03-Dec-2009, 01:01:25 »

Too bad about the RS America....damn I would have loved to have taken that off of your hands!!!! Very nice replacement ride though

Fantastic that you found such a low mileage car!!!

I have often considered an older M3 as a daily driver....may do it yet.

goodduck · « **Reply #15 on:** 03-Dec-2009, 04:35:52 »

congrats on the new sled! thats a car we would all love to own. i cant believe the low miles. must be the best example in the country as dmf stated.

Stanae86 · « **Reply #16 on:** 03-Dec-2009, 05:19:50 »

Thanks for all the great compliments guys.

The original exhaust is very tingy/respy in the upper revs. Annoyingly so:

http://www.uucmotorwerks.com/raspx/RASP-X_SHOOTOUT.mov

That's a UUC product they developed to get rid of the sound, but you can hear in the video how annoying it is.

I used to have a 2001 S4, moved into the S6 when I had the kids and needed more space. It was fine because at the time, I still had the RSA. With the RSA gone...I wanted something that was more fun than the S6.

I'll try to upload a few pics of the interior in a bit...Imageshack seems to not be taking uploads at the moment.

Thanks again for all the compliments!

sentra_dude · « **Reply #17 on:** 03-Dec-2009, 05:51:17 »

Quote from: Stanae86 on 03-Dec-2009, 05:19:50

Thanks for all the great compliments guys.

The original exhaust is very tingy/respy in the upper revs. Annoyingly so:

http://www.uucmotorwerks.com/raspx/RASP-X_SHOOTOUT.mov

That's a UUC product they developed to get rid of the sound, but you can hear in the video how annoying it is.

I used to have a 2001 S4, moved into the S6 when I had the kids and needed more space. It was fine because at the time, I still had the RSA. With the RSA gone...I wanted something that was more fun than the S6.

I'll try to upload a few pics of the interior in a bit...Imageshack seems to not be taking uploads at the moment.

Thanks again for all the compliments!

I always thought that M3 rasp sounded kinda cool, but I guess it gets old pretty quickly...

Stanae86 · « **Reply #18 on:** 03-Dec-2009, 06:14:07 »

It's too sharp. It sounds like a Civic revving the crap out of it's motor, and the muffler is totally hollow. It's awful.

The Dinan unit, is still a little raspy at the top, but not nearly as bad...it sounds like what I'd imagine a high spinning 6 to sound like. I'll see if I can do some video of the Dinan muffler.

DMF · « **Reply #19 on:** 03-Dec-2009, 14:32:04 »

I always thought that rasp sound is a characteristic of the S54 inline 6... even with a nice exhaust/muffler it will still have that hint of rasp.. The CSL is a rasp monster!