Alright. So I've been procrastinating on starting this thread.
Sorry for the word vomit - I started this on a Word document and just went at it
Anyway, RS, as some of you may know, my E46 330Ci got rear ended this month. Write off limit is 70% of Actual Cash Value, body shop estimated at the very minimum, I'm at 132%. I heard from ICBC last week, and it’s official - the car is a write off. I'm alive, I'm a little sore in the neck, lower back, shoulder area, and weirdly left wrist. And yes, you can have my parts (just need stock + cash).
I have already started this topic in two other threads, but I think it needs its own thread. I will be quoting the previous posts about it here so that it does not get lost or repeated. There are two parts to this, firstly what car should I get next and secondly, how do I proceed since my car is a write off.
What car do I get next?
I know car buying is very subjective, so here's what I had done to my now dead E46 330CI. I had done all preventative maintenance even the most minor issues. Suspension was Bilstein B8s + H&R race springs, new MeyleHD control arms, and all new MeyleHD suspension bushings (I used Z4M RTAB if anyone’s curious). I had Revshift 95a poly engine mounts and trans mounts (NVH doesn't bother me) so that I could pair it to my RTD solid mounted shifter with DSSR (No cutting required CAE shifter).
Capability
My 330CI was a very good dual duty car. It was ok for track and ok for dailying. Obviously, sacrifices were made but ultimately my car was dialed in for cruising back roads while still looking good for cars and coffee. I'm looking for something I can do the same with, a car that can perform at the track while still being able to show up to business meetings with/drive my family around. Surprisingly, my 330ci has more rear leg and head room than my 2015 Civic sedan.
Another aspect that I now have to consider is my commute. As mentioned in RE thread, if I do end up doing a 80-200Km commute, this is going to suck. Originally, my plan was to use my 330CI as a strict track car and buy a beater. Obviously, that's not going to work now.
Maintenance
A common question to car buying is tolerance to maintenance. Yes, I am familiar with European “reliability” and fortunately I can turn a wrench now with this very expensive 330CI experience. Part of me doesn’t want to repeat that experience and spend the next 4 years and at least 13K doing maintenance again
(LINK TO MY E46 SPREADSHEET). However, I did learn I am somewhat of a masochist, I enjoy taking cars that aren’t meant to handle the best and push them beyond what the automaker intended the average consumer to use it for. This will be outlined in the sections below.
Aftermarket Support
Another aspect I’m concerned about is aftermarket support or track focused aftermarket support. I’m probably wrong, but I think that if a car can perform at the track, it’ll be fine for the street. That’s kind of the whole ethos behind my E46 330CI, I can almost guarantee that it will never break down on the road after all of my preventative maintenance mods. Well, aside from windshield wipers not working in the middle of a rain storm on Hwy 1, but that’s a story for another time.
Budget
This would likely be around 15-20K cash or 30K finance on a used car. Depending on how much ICBC gives me for the 330CI, I could consider a car that’s 40K finance/lease, but I think I would be overextending myself.