E46 running costs and depreciation - bearable

[mzp]

Some background:

I work for a car retailer, and as such have access to trade price cars (not to mention cheap parts and servicing). I reckon this means I may well be able to justify an M3 at the sub 20k mark, so long as I buy right and swap at regular intervals.

I;m trying to get an idea of what the real costs are in running one, so:

1) Roughly, how much woudl one depreciate a month?
2) Whats a realistic MPG (note thorneys name on here, I live in MK and used to get 30 in my VX220...)
3) Is my plan madness?
4) Should I jsut buy a 996?

Head says buy a 330, heart says M3

An advice much appreciated.

[spants]

just bought a 330ci but have had 3 x m3s (e30, e36) in the past.
Didnt like the servicing/warranty costs of the m3 and do a fair few miles so a 330ci clubsport was the one for me!

tony

[espresso]

I did huge mileage in my M3 and used to get about 25mpg.
Every third service was extortionate (about £1000).
The others weren't bad though (a couple of hundred quid) and they only need doing every 15 or so thousand miles.

Other than that it wasn't bad, and was great fun.

[laingy]

just allow lots for depreciation, the value will continue to fall. A friend spent about 29k for a nice convertible, sold after 9mths and with depreciation and all costs lost about 1k a month.

[lund3486]

I have an e46 m3 53 plare. Driving it round the town I usually get roughly 20 mpg. on the motorway about 30 - 35 mmpg. A service from my local bmw garage costs £700 every 15000. You should also think about the tyres. For the 19 inch m3 wheels you are looking to pay for a good brand tyre roughly 200 - 300 pound per tyre.

Edited by lund3486 on Sunday 8th July 11:34

Edited by lund3486 on Sunday 8th July 11:37

[housemaster]

An E46 M3 or a 996 are not cars that can be run cheaply. Most people forget that though both can be had for reasonable money compared to their list prices, the associated running costs do not diminish that much if at all, and not if you have them serviced or fettled at a main dealers. Tyres on an M3 for example, on 19's will cost you £800 for a set of PS2's, and the rears will last between 6000 and 12000 depending on how you drive it. An oil service is around £200 a service 1 around £400 and a major service will set you back around £800. Then there is the warranty, which is stupid money really, and why there are so many cars around 3 years old for sale right now!

If you can just about afford the car price, you will not be able to afford the car in my opinion, though I fully understand why you might want one, they are good cars, I had 2 from new and in over 100K miles returned 24.3mpg, but the cost money to run, especially if you use them like I did.

[jezzaaa]

laingy said:

just allow lots for depreciation, the value will continue to fall. A friend spent about 29k for a nice convertible, sold after 9mths and with depreciation and all costs lost about 1k a month.

Deutscher - where are ya mate?! ;-)

[Deutscher]

Ho, ho!

I don't think we need to start that one again!