[Lynxis]

Originally Posted by MrsJames

Well,

when you consider what the car does, with its weight, and the engine it has... the level of service is really understandable. Remember, this was the basic coupe that could take on a Ferrari 360...and win. The CSL was not that much faster than the normal one we got in North America.

Now, if you get one, its as simple as a rod bearing refresh, a vanos rebuild, valve adjustment, repair the pump disk, swap out the exhaust hub (in the vanos unit) for one that has been cryogenically treated. Yes this is expensive, but again, when you find a car that is the same age, weight, and offers as much performance as an M3 coupe...let me know! Nothing else on the market comes close to the way the M3 goes about its business. I never understood it myself until I took my E46 on the track... it is easy. Far too easy to be healthy.

For comparison sake, the only other car that is more rewarding to drive on the track has been my FR-S, but at half the price(new) and with a far lower level of day-in day-out user comfort. People who do not understand the M3 will always knock on it. People who do understand it become hopelessly hooked. From the M3 the only other options are P-Cars. Those are NOT cheap - and you can not sit 4 adults in one.

Definitely not saying it isn't worth it, I'm just not sure I could afford long term ownership of a high mileage BMW.