Glad you chose a 328 instead of a E46 OP, just something to consider though. Not trying to be mean but you say you like cars etc yet haven't read into autocross or learned stick? Might want to reconsider definition of liking cars. Again, not at all being mean here

Btw I'm somewhat jelly of being 18 and having parents buy you a car lol, I'm 18 also but I gotta work my ass off and save up for my own DD lol

that doesnt make any sense. He doesun't have to like autocross or a manual transmission to like cars, lol. My gf likes hockey but she doesn't know any of the rules!

Nevermind it's an abnormal obsession :concentrate:

An M3 is not going to be a great first car with a fresh N licence.

Think about all the hot exotics that got busted with N signs hanging on the back. Doesn't it look lame as hell?

Get something generic, mine was a '98 Acura EL. Something you won't cringe if you curb it, or heaven forbid, ding a door panel or get rear ended by some old lady trying to parallel park (which all happened to me).

Then when you have all your little nitpicks about your current car, you have a better knowledge of what you want in your second car. And you'll for sure treat her better than your first. Plus all the years you spend driving your older car is gonna be cheap insurance and work towards earning you a discount with cumulative years.

Didn't read all four pages, but:
-For those who think you can get a mint M3 for $20k .. it better be CPO, or you have a reserve fund of $8k for repairs
-A stock M3 is safe if you're not a douche with the throttle, and your tires are kept in tip top shape
-a E46 330ci ZHP has the looks, but it is a little slower, but much more manageble in terms of maintenance, repairs + insurance costs.. I'm just throwing it out there
-Also, if you are only buying it to impress hs girls.. please leave the good condition cars alone for genuine enthusiasts to buy and to enjoy.. kthxbye

Also, the 328i hardtop vert is dog slow.. For the same price, you can find a 135i vert if you really want an open top that badly?

I had 328xi as my first car, it's a really comfortable/luxurious ride and has enough speed to satisfy you as a New driver (Faster than most average DD's). The xi version is also dependable in the snow, but of course with snow tires on. The only con. I can think of is that the xi rides almost an inch higher than the 328i, you could get the rwd 328i if you cared about those appearances haha. I would prefer the xi though, because of snowy winters in BC and the awd is better choice for a New driver in the snow. Other than that I think the 328i or xi are more than excellent cars for New drivers.

stay away from SMG unless you can find a mint one thats been serviced properly. They are affordable, but doesnt mean its maintenance friendly. Prepare couple grand on the side just in case shit goes wrong.

E46 > E92

The OP should just buy a lower-end E46 coupe, like a 325 or a 328 with a stick shift. Set a budget of say 15K, buy one for 13K, and spend the difference on the inevitable repairs that it will need to get it back into good running condition. He can get used to driving a rear wheel drive car and learn to appreciate German engineering at its finest. In a few years, he could always upgrade to an E92 M3.

Btw, E30> all other 3 series. :troll:

Slight correction: E30 M3 (aka God's Chariot) > all :troll:

dude, get an e46 M3. It is the best $20K you can spend on a car. Not best in anything, but good in everything.

^a $20k E46 M3 is probably going to have very high km's or require immediate expensive maintenance. I think good deals can be found in the $25k range

^ I agree, whatever budget allows, buy the newest lowest kms E46 M3 you can afford. I wouldnt buy one with more than 80K kms though. Also, try to get an 04 or newer (LED tails)

E46 M3 is an awesome car to own but have some extra money in your pocket for repairs
There is a big price gap between the model years (between $16k-40K) ; expect to pay top dollar for a clean well maintained car.

Would you mind sharing your reasons why? I'm curious and it would be beneficial for everybody to learn something new. I ask because I don't know why I wouldn't unless the car was obviously uncared for.

I've had my M3 since I was 18. So fuck all those that never had a M3 when they were 18.
The only thing I would say buying a M3 as first car is bad is that you won't be able to enjoy any regular BMW. You would only want to drive M cars in the future, everything else including the M sport BMWs will disappoint you.


Maintenance isn't really far off than a regular BMW. I only take the car to BMW for the big services, the oil change, I just take it to a regular garage.

My E46 is probably the oldest car I have now, and its still one of the best car I have!

And a E46 M3 is hardly fast nowadays. a 335i can easily beat it in a straight line.

LoL WTF!?

http://www.americansweets.co.uk/ekmp...bag-4292-p.jpg

why isn't Hyde v2.0 banned yet

The E46 M3 seems to have the same issues when it reaches approx. 100k kms

1) Sub Frame - depends if car has been driven aggressively (i.e. burnouts)

2) SMG - hydraulic pump failure

3) Vanos Problems - the seals go and you have to replace the system for $2-4k

4) All Wear and Tear Parts - rotors, pads, bushings, clutch, need replacement

5) 80k Kms - inspection 2 which costs $2.5K

That's why it is worth spending $35K for a 05-06 M3 Vs $20K for a 02 M3 with high kms.

i think this part is pretty true though

I'll play Devil's Advocate and disagree but on a different note.

I would like to over emphasize that as long as you aren't a spoiled rotten, overly entitled lying sack of shit, you can and will find enjoyment of driving a non-M BMW. *coughHydecough*

Coming from a humble E30 325i to an E36 M3, having driven an E46 M3 and E92, I drove an E46 325i and still thoroughly enjoyed it. Sure, it may not have the same power nor suspension design but in the end, it was still a fun and enjoyable car to drive. I can still jump into my old E30 and it will still put a smile on my face no problem.

I think if we weren't lying to ourselves, we can easily tell that comparing non-M cars to an M car is no different to comparing apples to oranges. But then again, some of us here (no names mentioned) like to think of it as comparing a Royal Gala to a Granny Smith. :rolleyes:

this thread is about people's thoughts on the m3, not whether or not OP deserves the car. but like most of these threads, it just ends up turning into a shit storm of people passing judgment on someone they don't know. i've noticed from other threads that you're very adamant on the whole "you aren't shit if you take handouts from your parents" thing, which is completely fine because that's your opinion.

But what makes you think that the OP doesn't "work hard"? Granted, there are tons of kids who just take handouts from their parents and do shit all, but I don't think you can make that kind of assumption simply because his parents are buying him a car.

i know tons of people who are in their late teens/early 20's who still live off their parents and drive nice cars. some are going to law school, some are almost finishing up med school, all while their parents pay for their housing, bills and everything else in between. but once they're graduated, they'll have careers that will eventually make them more money than their parents ever did. IMO the point of parenting is to do the best you can so your kids can use your resources and be even more successful in the end. hence the term, "the rich get richer".

^ real talk.

Of course the E30 puts a smile on your face because, after all, it's an E30. :troll:

M3 stands for "Money X3". Does an M3 really deliver 3 times the performance and fun over a "regular" 330 at an average of 3 times the cost?

I prefer Honeycrisp apples.


This is an excellent vehicle as a first car.