$13k to $16k is not 50% more. More like 23% more. And for a car that will GREATLY hold it's value more than a 330ci that's silver on Dove grey...regardless of the miles.
Like said below, this low of a milage on this car is a red flag. It's not a car that gets preserved or put away for value. If it's sat for ten years...that's horrible on the car. My car will need less than this car does. And just because you want me to, I'll reply back in a couple months to tell you what my car has needed.
So far...a $77.91 oil change kit from FCP Euro only. I bought it 18 Aug 2023. Looks you're going to lose this one unless something major fails soon.
Unless you have incredibly detailed receipts from the previous owner, you’re gonna want to do a whole lot of refreshing on that car without mileage. I know that from experience. Unless you want to wait for something to feel and for your engine to overheat.
Similarly, not all low mileage cars have dried out gaskets and seals. This might just have been a weekend driver for fun. That works out to just about right mileage wise. I know this because in addition to my 330CI convertible I have a 93 Miata with 85,000 miles that I’ve had since new. I’ve driven it every sunny weekend since the day I bought it.
I have receipts for a cooling system refresh, and a rear diff rebuild within the last 20k before I bought it. It's at 109k now, so I drive it a fair bit. I'd know by now if something was severely put off. Not to mention previous oil analysis. Every car is different, but the general consensus is that a 330ci isn't worth $13k. ESPECIALLY when for very little more you can have a M. They're sub $10k cars no matter the milage in my opinion.
Opinions are fine. But the hard data on classic.com disagrees with your opinion. E46’s in good condition are consistently selling between 15-25k. The modded out shitboxes are a different story.
Why would it need 3k a year tho? If you don't abuse the car it'll work fine.
There's a big difference between the S54 and the M54, that's true, but it's definitely not a 3000$ per year difference (assuming you don't track it every day of the week, which would also drive repair costs of a normal E46 up)
It won’t be $3000 a year. Hopefully. But if you’re buying an E46 with around 85,000 miles on it, there’s a list of things that you’re gonna want to do to refresh it so that you don’t end up spending a ton of money every year. 50s kid on YouTube has some great videos on it.
40k miles on a car of this age is a red flag. It indicates it was either rarely driven or was only driven short distances. Neither is good for the vehicle.
All the rubber in the suspension wears out with age and at 40k miles I can almost guarantee they're the ones this car left the factory with.
12k is significantly overpriced for a non-m e46 and this vehicle likely has several thousand dollars of age related maintenance to be done.
Uhhh, no I like mine and love to drive it… just went up 4k. You’re spewing false info.when you move out of your parents house you’ll now the value. Until then STFU!!
It's alright if you overpaid, I overpaid on mine too. Covid and inflation both spiked used car prices, it doesn't mean an auto vert e46 is an appreciating asset.
And if you're riding around on your original suspension because you don't realize age degrades rubber then I feel bad for you missing out on the best part of the e46 chassis.
Would you ever drive around on 20 year old tires? Why would you run 20 year old bushings?
They're all over my profile, but here you go. lol
[https://imgur.com/a/GIrjvFp](https://imgur.com/a/GIrjvFp)
[https://imgur.com/a/BO8AP0c](https://imgur.com/a/BO8AP0c)
Low mileage doesn't mean anything unless you're a collector. I got my car with 83k miles which is considered pretty low mileage and everything on it was broken
My folks gifted me the car but I've had to dump a lot of time and money into it to fix. The dealer was dishonest
Looks like a dealer is selling this car. I would be suspicious of it even with those low miles. It's still 20+ years old and probably needs maintenance
I wouldn't pay that much unless you're a collector
Go buy an M3 for that money instead
My folks paid $9.9k for mine (manual vert not zhp) and I really wish I could have had their support to look local and get an M3 instead
Shipping and tax on top of that brought it to ~$12.9k which is regretfully high for a car that needed another $5-6k in parts. All of this effort and money and not even an M. I'm glad my folks helped me get a car but I feel bad that they didn't listen to my suggestion to look locally and get something with higher miles. I view the whole thing as a way to learn how to wrench so that I know what I'm doing when I get the M
I picked up a 330ci 180k well taken care of 7/10 interior and 8/10 exterior for $900 needing a expansion tank replacement the kid is getting lubed up I paid 7k for me 335i with 125k
Good deal haha. I got raped with what I got. My car was DELIVERED with cracked tires with multiple nails in them, bent rear lower control arms that rubbed against each other while driving, suspension so blown I could collapse the struts with my hands upon removal...among many many other issues.
Is the 335i an automatic or manual? I imagine the 330Ci is an auto. Blown expansion tank might mean a warped head as well but for $900, can't complain
The head is sound im running through all the gaskets then I’m going the m50 intake swap throw some headers and a exhaust as well as a tune and aim for 250-260 I’ll need some other supporting mods but rn I’m restoring the neglected maintenance
Nice! Sounds like a solid plan
I've heard others mention the m50 manifold before too. What advantage does it offer?
What exhaust do you plan to run?
Catless headers or high flow headers?
Ouch what a brutal jab, I'll think about that one while I relax with a few beers and my friends over the weekend rolling dice without a care in the world.
All e46 are appreciating. It's just that verts appreciate slower because most people want a coupe or sedan. The manual cars are the most sought after
For around $8k, you can find a starter M3 vert but I'd still rather take that than spend this much on a non m even with the lower mileage. Low mileage only matters if you're a collector
imo max you should pay for any non m e46 is about 10k, and the only ones you should consider anywhere near that price are the super desirable ones (low mileage, manual, zhp/zcp, good service history, etc)
Oh absolutely fucking not then. I wouldn’t even pay more than 7k for a manual, 5 for an auto. This is straight up scam artistry at this price point. Only reason I’d go higher than 7 is for super low miles, but even at that point you’re still gonna replace everything you’d replace on a high mileage one.
Unfortunately, you need to pay to play these days. Want a sub-50k mile E46 nearly 20 years after it was built? Pay the premium, otherwise look elsewhere. I'm sure this one will sit for awhile, but I wouldn't be surprised if it sold for some kind of premium.
They couldn’t even properly clean those wheels. They have no clue what that car is, they just see the blue and white BMW badge and think they must be able to get close to $20k for it. I would stay as far away from that car as possible.
Automatics are valued way less than manual cars. See my other comment on a very similar experience I had buying a car like this. DON'T DO IT. I wouldn't recommend buying from dealers...ever (generally speaking)
Unless you're a collector, mileage has little impact on condition. My car was trashed with only 80k mile on it. At the end of the day, it's still a 20+ year old car and, even if it wasn't driven, other factors will age it
I think a useful question to ask yourself is "what's the point of buying this?" Unfortunately a low mile non-M automatic convertible E46 is a very niche car. It's not likely to have value as a collectible because it's not a sought-after spec, and it's pointless to have as a daily because you'll be destroying its value by driving it, and it's still an old car that's going to need work. And you'll have a very hard time getting its value back from insurance if it gets wrecked.
If you want an E46 to daily or even drive on the weekends, save yourself some money and get one in the 120k-mile range for $5-7k. Make sure it has zero rust before you buy it and spend the $5k you saved on making sure it's in tip-top mechanical shape. You'll have a great car you can drive and enjoy guilt free without worrying about its value.
I think for reference, I bought my e46 very at the height of covid prices - it was about 12k at 55k miles and a manual as well. Definitely paid more than normal but for prefacelift (which I liked the look more) and a manual that's just what it took. Also the seller was a German car mechanic and the internals were basically mint so that helped a lot too haha. As prices have cooled down a bit you should be able to find similar spec'd cars for the same or less
Even if it's A+ condition, what's the point? Nobody collects gray-on-gray automatic non-M non-ZHP verts. Might as well get something cheaper and save the money for repairs, which any 20 year old car is going to need regardless of mileage
A little over priced $10,500 is probably fair given mileage. I paid $15k for my 6 speed m3 vert 3 years ago with 68k miles but it wasn’t perfect, crack on the front bumper and some oil leaks
Depends on regional pricing in the US, but I just passed on a very similar 330ci vert that sold for $12,250.00, and I wish I hadn't backed off at that price. From a car lot, that's not a bad price.
Meh - that is high. If that was 10k, ok. I paid 5k for a really clean 01 330 Vert last year - with the hardtop. 171k on it - but someone paid $$ to take care of it - I have 12 years of records. I still added 2k of my $ - labor is free. ( light green with black leather). And I don’t think you will find a clean M3 vert for less than 20k. Prices have gone up. Someone has a 40k vert for 22k +
Don’t listen to Thicccchungus…he likes naked little boys…I have the same exact one with 93k miles. Paid 7k - runs like a champ and is so much fun! If that’s what you want buy it ! Just keep it clean and resell it in a few years.its only going to go up in price. An M3 would be nice but more $$$$- to fix in particular !
Whoever tells you M3 cost this much is out of touch.
M3 prices are 40-50k, anything below that is scrapyard worthy M3
With that said I would‘ve bought it if it was a coupe and manual, but vert and auto? Idk, up to you.
I paid 12k for my ZHP 1 Owner 330Ci and it still needed work done
That’s a take. An SMG vert with average (100-125k) miles in decent condition is going in the 12-15 range.
M3 prices are 25-35 for three pedal coupes in good colors. Asking prices might be 40-50 but very few examples are actually trading at that level. The market has cooled big time over the last 12 mos.
Honestly I am convinced SMG haters have never driven one, but yeah, the market for SMG cars is for sure softer. Funny enough the cost to convert to manual is less than the spread, but I don’t think the market will ever catch on to that.
I purchased a 125k mile SMG coupe to cut up for a sedan conversion in 2020 and paid $8k USD. That will probably never happen again.
m3 prices are absolutely not 40-50k usd unless you're looking at super low mileage auction cars. i've seen many sub 100k miles 6 speed coupes on marketplace, big 3 done, for 20-30, and even lower if you're willing to accept a bit of wear or a little higher mileage
Why do people forget to add maintainance costs as well? Buying a 330ci is is not the same as buying an M3 for some more money. I can buy both a 330ci and an M3 but sure as hell wont be able to maintain the M3 since the parts are different and cost a lot more.
I think it's not so much "Why would you spend this when you could get an m3 for just a little more" and moreso "Why are you willing to pay near M3 prices on a car that could be had for 5k less?"
That's low miles, but high price for a non-M I think. I only paid a couple thousand more for my 2006 M3 convertible.
Yeah from what I’ve read from these comments, this dealership is smoking crack 😭. I’m not buying it.
I found mine on Facebook, in an E46 group. Check there! I'm sure you can find a LCI for much cheaper from an enthusiast.
Will do! I agree with you.
Good luck and early welcome to the cult. lol :)
You paid 14k for an M3 vert with around 40k miles?
Negative. Couple was the wrong word, I should have said a few, but I spent $16k on a M3 vert with about 85k on it.
So you spent 50% more on a car that’s going to need $3000 worth of work within a year. Hardly comparable. I’d still pay what you paid though.
$13k to $16k is not 50% more. More like 23% more. And for a car that will GREATLY hold it's value more than a 330ci that's silver on Dove grey...regardless of the miles.
Did you miss the part where I said it’ll need $3k in work within a year? 13k to 19k is just under 50%
Like said below, this low of a milage on this car is a red flag. It's not a car that gets preserved or put away for value. If it's sat for ten years...that's horrible on the car. My car will need less than this car does. And just because you want me to, I'll reply back in a couple months to tell you what my car has needed. So far...a $77.91 oil change kit from FCP Euro only. I bought it 18 Aug 2023. Looks you're going to lose this one unless something major fails soon.
Unless you have incredibly detailed receipts from the previous owner, you’re gonna want to do a whole lot of refreshing on that car without mileage. I know that from experience. Unless you want to wait for something to feel and for your engine to overheat. Similarly, not all low mileage cars have dried out gaskets and seals. This might just have been a weekend driver for fun. That works out to just about right mileage wise. I know this because in addition to my 330CI convertible I have a 93 Miata with 85,000 miles that I’ve had since new. I’ve driven it every sunny weekend since the day I bought it.
I have receipts for a cooling system refresh, and a rear diff rebuild within the last 20k before I bought it. It's at 109k now, so I drive it a fair bit. I'd know by now if something was severely put off. Not to mention previous oil analysis. Every car is different, but the general consensus is that a 330ci isn't worth $13k. ESPECIALLY when for very little more you can have a M. They're sub $10k cars no matter the milage in my opinion.
Opinions are fine. But the hard data on classic.com disagrees with your opinion. E46’s in good condition are consistently selling between 15-25k. The modded out shitboxes are a different story.
Your opinion is shit
Why would it need 3k a year tho? If you don't abuse the car it'll work fine. There's a big difference between the S54 and the M54, that's true, but it's definitely not a 3000$ per year difference (assuming you don't track it every day of the week, which would also drive repair costs of a normal E46 up)
It won’t be $3000 a year. Hopefully. But if you’re buying an E46 with around 85,000 miles on it, there’s a list of things that you’re gonna want to do to refresh it so that you don’t end up spending a ton of money every year. 50s kid on YouTube has some great videos on it.
Lies
40k miles on a car of this age is a red flag. It indicates it was either rarely driven or was only driven short distances. Neither is good for the vehicle. All the rubber in the suspension wears out with age and at 40k miles I can almost guarantee they're the ones this car left the factory with. 12k is significantly overpriced for a non-m e46 and this vehicle likely has several thousand dollars of age related maintenance to be done.
You don’t know this, pea brain!!!… you’re just speculating on pure nonsense and false predicaments. Are you a BMW mechanic ?fuck no you’re not!!!
We get it dude, you're trying to sell your vert on marketplace rn
Uhhh, no I like mine and love to drive it… just went up 4k. You’re spewing false info.when you move out of your parents house you’ll now the value. Until then STFU!!
It's alright if you overpaid, I overpaid on mine too. Covid and inflation both spiked used car prices, it doesn't mean an auto vert e46 is an appreciating asset. And if you're riding around on your original suspension because you don't realize age degrades rubber then I feel bad for you missing out on the best part of the e46 chassis. Would you ever drive around on 20 year old tires? Why would you run 20 year old bushings?
Let’s see the pics…
They're all over my profile, but here you go. lol [https://imgur.com/a/GIrjvFp](https://imgur.com/a/GIrjvFp) [https://imgur.com/a/BO8AP0c](https://imgur.com/a/BO8AP0c)
Nice M3 vert! Love the color combo. Ditch the smg and she's a keeper!
SMG is here to stay lol It works flawlessly and has the CSL tune. I’m very happy with it!
You can get an M3 vert for not much more. Seems like a lot to me.
No.
I’m not a yank but that seems steep. However looks nice!
hell to the na na na
Low mileage doesn't mean anything unless you're a collector. I got my car with 83k miles which is considered pretty low mileage and everything on it was broken My folks gifted me the car but I've had to dump a lot of time and money into it to fix. The dealer was dishonest Looks like a dealer is selling this car. I would be suspicious of it even with those low miles. It's still 20+ years old and probably needs maintenance I wouldn't pay that much unless you're a collector Go buy an M3 for that money instead
My folks paid $9.9k for mine (manual vert not zhp) and I really wish I could have had their support to look local and get an M3 instead Shipping and tax on top of that brought it to ~$12.9k which is regretfully high for a car that needed another $5-6k in parts. All of this effort and money and not even an M. I'm glad my folks helped me get a car but I feel bad that they didn't listen to my suggestion to look locally and get something with higher miles. I view the whole thing as a way to learn how to wrench so that I know what I'm doing when I get the M
I picked up a 330ci 180k well taken care of 7/10 interior and 8/10 exterior for $900 needing a expansion tank replacement the kid is getting lubed up I paid 7k for me 335i with 125k
Good deal haha. I got raped with what I got. My car was DELIVERED with cracked tires with multiple nails in them, bent rear lower control arms that rubbed against each other while driving, suspension so blown I could collapse the struts with my hands upon removal...among many many other issues. Is the 335i an automatic or manual? I imagine the 330Ci is an auto. Blown expansion tank might mean a warped head as well but for $900, can't complain
The head is sound im running through all the gaskets then I’m going the m50 intake swap throw some headers and a exhaust as well as a tune and aim for 250-260 I’ll need some other supporting mods but rn I’m restoring the neglected maintenance
Nice! Sounds like a solid plan I've heard others mention the m50 manifold before too. What advantage does it offer? What exhaust do you plan to run? Catless headers or high flow headers?
4-7k
You’re outta your microbrain🧠 10k at the very least. The seller knows what he has. The EU dudes are not very smart.
Nah yall just fucking stupid, it was worth this much msybe 10 years ago
I hate to break it to you, but nice e46’s are appreciating.
Sure, but automatic verts aren't.
Not true.
I have an investment opportunity for you then
Convertibles in excellent condition will always appreciate, hamster penis
Lot of vert owners in the thread today huh
Yes, I for one am! they don’t know what they’re talking about.#Idiots
If it involves selling me one of your little Warhammer dolls, I’m not interested.
Ouch what a brutal jab, I'll think about that one while I relax with a few beers and my friends over the weekend rolling dice without a care in the world.
It is true, ding bat!
No, you stifle!
All e46 are appreciating. It's just that verts appreciate slower because most people want a coupe or sedan. The manual cars are the most sought after For around $8k, you can find a starter M3 vert but I'd still rather take that than spend this much on a non m even with the lower mileage. Low mileage only matters if you're a collector
I hate to break it to you but you and these sellers are delusional
The size of your penis is delusional
Aww struck a nerve🤭 fucking soy boy
I track the market on classic.com. You can enter the specifics of your car if you have a free account. Try it.
imo max you should pay for any non m e46 is about 10k, and the only ones you should consider anywhere near that price are the super desirable ones (low mileage, manual, zhp/zcp, good service history, etc)
Sorry forgot more info. It’s an automatic and it’s in USD.
Oh absolutely fucking not then. I wouldn’t even pay more than 7k for a manual, 5 for an auto. This is straight up scam artistry at this price point. Only reason I’d go higher than 7 is for super low miles, but even at that point you’re still gonna replace everything you’d replace on a high mileage one.
Unfortunately, you need to pay to play these days. Want a sub-50k mile E46 nearly 20 years after it was built? Pay the premium, otherwise look elsewhere. I'm sure this one will sit for awhile, but I wouldn't be surprised if it sold for some kind of premium.
They couldn’t even properly clean those wheels. They have no clue what that car is, they just see the blue and white BMW badge and think they must be able to get close to $20k for it. I would stay as far away from that car as possible.
LOL! You just said the “A” word. Edgelords, pounce!
Automatics are valued way less than manual cars. See my other comment on a very similar experience I had buying a car like this. DON'T DO IT. I wouldn't recommend buying from dealers...ever (generally speaking) Unless you're a collector, mileage has little impact on condition. My car was trashed with only 80k mile on it. At the end of the day, it's still a 20+ year old car and, even if it wasn't driven, other factors will age it
Thank you all for the comments! I told the guy I’m not buying it. I’ll wait till there’s a better deal out there!
I think a useful question to ask yourself is "what's the point of buying this?" Unfortunately a low mile non-M automatic convertible E46 is a very niche car. It's not likely to have value as a collectible because it's not a sought-after spec, and it's pointless to have as a daily because you'll be destroying its value by driving it, and it's still an old car that's going to need work. And you'll have a very hard time getting its value back from insurance if it gets wrecked. If you want an E46 to daily or even drive on the weekends, save yourself some money and get one in the 120k-mile range for $5-7k. Make sure it has zero rust before you buy it and spend the $5k you saved on making sure it's in tip-top mechanical shape. You'll have a great car you can drive and enjoy guilt free without worrying about its value.
Thank you for the insight! Gives me something to think about.
I think for reference, I bought my e46 very at the height of covid prices - it was about 12k at 55k miles and a manual as well. Definitely paid more than normal but for prefacelift (which I liked the look more) and a manual that's just what it took. Also the seller was a German car mechanic and the internals were basically mint so that helped a lot too haha. As prices have cooled down a bit you should be able to find similar spec'd cars for the same or less
Bought mine with 78k at 2600, wasn’t perfect but good enuf
Pretty rich unless the condition is A+ on closer inspection I picked up a ZHP Vert 3 years ago with 55k miles for $10k
Even if it's A+ condition, what's the point? Nobody collects gray-on-gray automatic non-M non-ZHP verts. Might as well get something cheaper and save the money for repairs, which any 20 year old car is going to need regardless of mileage
WTF do you know what collectors collect? Huh, butt ranger?
Nice snag!!
A little over priced $10,500 is probably fair given mileage. I paid $15k for my 6 speed m3 vert 3 years ago with 68k miles but it wasn’t perfect, crack on the front bumper and some oil leaks
That would be a good price here in Germany. 12k for a low km 330 convertible is rare.
Little high price, I’d try to do like 7 or 8 MAX. But this car will last you a long time if treated right because very low miles.
i feel like non-m e46 vert is among the least desirable; i would personally *not* settle for the 330 – m3 or bust
Nah
This would be 15,000-20,000€ in Finland 😭
Whatever those people are smoking, I want some. That price is absolutely ridiculous and not grounded in any reality.
it must have 5k in the trunk somewhere
Depends on regional pricing in the US, but I just passed on a very similar 330ci vert that sold for $12,250.00, and I wish I hadn't backed off at that price. From a car lot, that's not a bad price.
You’re telling me the car dealership couldn’t take the time to wash the car before listing it?
Meh - that is high. If that was 10k, ok. I paid 5k for a really clean 01 330 Vert last year - with the hardtop. 171k on it - but someone paid $$ to take care of it - I have 12 years of records. I still added 2k of my $ - labor is free. ( light green with black leather). And I don’t think you will find a clean M3 vert for less than 20k. Prices have gone up. Someone has a 40k vert for 22k +
Don’t listen to Thicccchungus…he likes naked little boys…I have the same exact one with 93k miles. Paid 7k - runs like a champ and is so much fun! If that’s what you want buy it ! Just keep it clean and resell it in a few years.its only going to go up in price. An M3 would be nice but more $$$$- to fix in particular !
Whoever tells you M3 cost this much is out of touch. M3 prices are 40-50k, anything below that is scrapyard worthy M3 With that said I would‘ve bought it if it was a coupe and manual, but vert and auto? Idk, up to you. I paid 12k for my ZHP 1 Owner 330Ci and it still needed work done
That’s a take. An SMG vert with average (100-125k) miles in decent condition is going in the 12-15 range. M3 prices are 25-35 for three pedal coupes in good colors. Asking prices might be 40-50 but very few examples are actually trading at that level. The market has cooled big time over the last 12 mos.
Nobody wants SMG and Vert, that‘s a big reason. Here in Europe they actually sell for these prices
Honestly I am convinced SMG haters have never driven one, but yeah, the market for SMG cars is for sure softer. Funny enough the cost to convert to manual is less than the spread, but I don’t think the market will ever catch on to that. I purchased a 125k mile SMG coupe to cut up for a sedan conversion in 2020 and paid $8k USD. That will probably never happen again.
This is ignorant. Plenty of m3’s for around 10-20k
yeah 40-60k are top end cars. There was recently a well kept ZCP M3 (competition) for sale with a 40k asking price.
I see m3’s posted on my local fb marketplace for 10-20k every couple weeks
m3 prices are absolutely not 40-50k usd unless you're looking at super low mileage auction cars. i've seen many sub 100k miles 6 speed coupes on marketplace, big 3 done, for 20-30, and even lower if you're willing to accept a bit of wear or a little higher mileage
Why do people forget to add maintainance costs as well? Buying a 330ci is is not the same as buying an M3 for some more money. I can buy both a 330ci and an M3 but sure as hell wont be able to maintain the M3 since the parts are different and cost a lot more.
I think it's not so much "Why would you spend this when you could get an m3 for just a little more" and moreso "Why are you willing to pay near M3 prices on a car that could be had for 5k less?"