BMW M5

[Tiamat]

I am not going to reply since we heading off topic, other than to say I have obviously lead a slightly different life and not found my experiences to be the same as yours in terms of the reliability of older cars. I still maintain though, the more stuff you put into a car, the more there is to go wrong.

[CM1GT]

if you're considering an e46 m3 i'd seriously suggest looking at a newer E90 non m spec 330 or 335, i have a few mates who have e46s, 328s, 330s, m3s and then another who's just bought an e90 330 touring, let me tell you its a different world, i'm a lover of the e46 shape but inside and underneath the e90 shows it to be as old as it, i-drive, all the toys you could want, best part of 280bhp through a 6 speed box and handling that'll have you smiling all the way to the runflat fitters

[JJ]

Everythings relative to age and milage if you're focusing on reliability ... also depends on quality too ! In my years of car ownership ( 20 ), I've had a few.. and the most reliable cars have been Hondas FACT. French cars have been 5hoite in my opinion.. and I had a new megane coupe a few years back... broke down 3 times !! Fortunately, the company picked up the repair bills.

I have a 12 year old Accord V6 with 120k miles on it, its only needed discs and 2 rear silencers... not even a weap of oil leaking, water leaking or anything... the cars worthless but brilliant ! Even other hondas I've owned have been excellent.

Whilst I've seen nightmare bills from M3's - single Vanos systems (£2500) replacement which is Beemers variable valve timing.. I've also been shocked at the older M5's with a twin Vanos system ( £4K to rectify ). 3 Series tends to suffer from worn bushes, broken springs... but other than that, quite a reliable platform.

I've had my M5 nearly a year now ( bought with 22k on the clock )... Its been excellent and all its needed is a service which was £400. Modern day BMW's have conditional based servicing, so theres the idrive that monitors what needs changing or doesn't.. keeps servicing bills down !! That £400 included oil and filters change.. if you take into consideration to 18k miles oil service change intervals, your overall servicing costs are actually reasonable.... Dont get me wrong, I got quote £400 to change out the front pads

I still maintain though, the more stuff you put into a car, the more there is to go wrong.

Agreed - theres usually a reason behind it also...
My X5 was 6 years old when i got rid of it... The electrics on it became a bit of a pain...

The error thing constantly lit up saying I needed a bulb in one of the rear lights... Light cluster seemed to accumulate damp and corrodes

Rear Parking sensor failure - Well...can't talk my way out of that one - Probably too much jet washing !

Rear parking sensor loom failed - Premature corrosion due to water ingress.. the mounting position of the loom retained water.

Electric boot was opening all the time whilst driving too ( faulty switch - part of the whole number plate light assembly too £ 150 + paint ) Usually water related !!

Air suspension failure.....

Its goes on tooo...... other than the problems, great car though ... 62k when i got rid of it !

if you're considering an e46 m3 i'd seriously suggest looking at a newer E90 non m spec 330 or 335

Agreed... similar prices.. 335i coupe ... 335D if you do alot of driving !! Boosted up 335i is quicker, faster and more refined than the old M3...

[jasongtr]

if you're considering an e46 m3 i'd seriously suggest looking at a newer E90 non m spec 330 or 335, i have a few mates who have e46s, 328s, 330s, m3s and then another who's just bought an e90 330 touring, let me tell you its a different world, i'm a lover of the e46 shape but inside and underneath the e90 shows it to be as old as it, i-drive, all the toys you could want, best part of 280bhp through a 6 speed box and handling that'll have you smiling all the way to the runflat fitters

i had an E90 330i, great car, suspension was too soft but mine was a sport one, but quite quick no issues and cheap servixcing - that said nothing went wrong in the 2 and half years i had it.

[matt_mr2t]

Malcolm - when I said dont buy a dog as it'll cost you I meant purely on an E46 basis.

Parts will cost the same, bill will be the same whether it's a 2001 or a 2006 E46 M3.

The difference is, a 150k mile 2001 car is more likely to throw a hissy fit than 35k mile 2006 car.

Not to mention ones that have been in prangs, had bad repairs done.
Even BMW's arent invincible, they have weak links in them and some people chose to paper over cracks rather than repair them.

[Steve-O 2007]

But when you're spending potentially a grand a year on a services (or more) a substantial amount on insurance, tax (post 01 cars are £450 IIRC) and anything else that may arise it's less fun.
.

Its not that bad, been talking to a M3 owner at work and people make it out worse than it is, you might be spending that sort of money if your doing stupid miles a year in it and most stuff can be done yourself realy, oil, brakes etc just take it in when you need a big service done and take it to a indi specialist as its half the price or less. Tyres are expensive but your not going to chew them up every few months unless you track it, think about the unlucky CSL owners, the tyres on them when new were on the legal limit near enough

Oh and its actually something like upto 1st March 2006 thats the cheap tax (something like £245), 1st March 2006 onwards was the expensive one or around that

[JJ]

Oh and its actually something like upto 1st March 2006 thats the cheap tax (something like £245), 1st March 2006 onwards was the expensive one or around that

Yip.. Thats right... mines a 1st of march 2006... cheaper tax... those registered at the end of the month £450+

Every little helps !

[Ekona]

The whole tax increase thing is a load of b*llocks. It's the equivalent of buying an extra pint a week, which is hardly breaking the bank. I really don't see why people get so hung up on it.

That's not a direct dig at you JJ, more a personal hate of mine.

[Quigonjay]

it doesnt work like that though does it?
come tax time, it will cost you either an extra £100 or an extra £200, some people just dont have that sort of extra cash, i know i dont

[Ekona]

Put it away over the year? It's peanuts.

[un1eash]

I pay the £435 for my 350Z GT as i wanted a 2006+ facelift car with the better interior. I just put my car tax along with my insurance on the credit card and pay it of when i have spare cash, usually paid of with a month or two.

[hygt2]

Just a second thought but wouldn't a M5 be a safer bet second hand than a M3?

M5 maybe less likely to have been thrasted / crashed / Cat C/D and because it has so much power, the engine would essentially be less stress than M3 during its life.

Also, from experience, once you are living with c.300 bhp cars daily, the power is actually not that special or scary on the road. However, I find 400 bhp+ to be scary on the road so you may get more satisfaction out of it.

My favour M-cars are still M5. I find M3 a little dull, but very competent, except for the E30.

You may find the last of the line 2001/2002 E39 M5 to be the best compromise - less electronics, proper 6-speed manual and a torquey V8, it is cheaper than the same year M3 and more likely you will find something in good condition.

[matt_mr2t]

My friend bought an M5 last week - he lives at the other end of my road so hoping to get a spin in it ASAP