Sooooo I put in an order for a 2023 BMW M3…..

[Cobra Jet]

I loved my M3 (had it 20 years) Because it was my 'fun car' and not a year round daily driver, the miles climbed slowly, but every 8 - 9 years ALL the plastic under the hood needed to be replaced radiator, coolant bottle, PS reservoir, etc., including the intake manifold. After 10 years, there was some monthly failure of something, and thankfully never had a VANOS failure. Then there was the near complete delamination of the interior.............. It went on and on, and I kept the car pristine.....

Still I loved the car, had a custom Conforti intake and Tune, and it was a beast.

My wife drove BMW's (wagons) exclusively till 2010 when I made her buy an Outback, and in 2015 she bought a GLA 350 with AMG package.

For me, all was equal when under warranty, but as my goal is long term 10+ year ownership, and retirement in a year or two, I wanted a stable financial position and not wanting to waste $$. The entry price of the Bullitt, low cost of extended warranty, AND low cost of maintenance and upkeep compared to the Porsche and BMW cars I was looking at, left a ton of greenbacks in my pocket.

I ran a simple spreadsheet that compared things like waterpump, starter, sparkplug, AC compressor changes, as well as brake rotor/caliper/pads, wheel bearings, suspension components, clutch replacement, and the Mustang was PENNIES on the dollar compared to the EURO brands.

In the end it is what you want and need. If I had 10+ years of working, and expected not to keep a car much past warranty expired, I'd be in an M car or 911 right now.

ENJOY! Looks like a great car, beautiful color, and the buck teeth are growing on me.... lol

I also owned a prior E36 M3 (1995/Cosmos/Dove Gray Vaders).... In 2004, I had traded it in on my 94 Cobra. The M3 was and is an extremely fun car and it handled very well in stock form.... Been a member over on binmerforums for years, still lurk there but don't post as much tech there as I used to though... The prices on used 95-99 E36's today is still reasonable considering inflation rates. I've looked a few times into getting another E36 M3.

EDIT:
This was my 1995.

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[Balr14]

I had a couple BMWs (335i and 550i). They can both be made to perform extremely well with minor tweaks and better intercoolers. They were both excellent all around driver cars. But as mileage got up there, they got expensive. If I was younger and drove more, I would certainly consider buying another.

 

[jtmat]

And I’m really torn about the model I picked. I went with the base model, in a pretty neat looking dark red color….and….the 6spd MT
I am concerned a bit, that the 6MT is slower than many modern day autos, including the M3 Comp Xdrive……but, I want a fun daily driver, and this may be the last 3 pedal ICE M3.
I plan on lowering it, slight tint, and spacers - for the exact look below.
Thoughts?
- I’m currently in a 2014 GS350FSport for a DD.

I picked up a 2015 435 hard top vert many years ago.... fun car. I can keep door to door with a vert Mustang GT, at least to 60 (not tried beyond that). Even get a jump on a Hellcat off the line... they are gone once they catch second gear (I think it was second... maybe third).

I thought about trading up to an M but my car (with a tune) is quick enough for street driving.

I still don't like the grills of these new cars in pictures. In person I'm neutral. I also didn't like the huge grills on the Japanese imports many years back (and still building, I guess).

 

[Bulldog9]

I also owned a prior E36 M3 (1995/Cosmos/Dove Gray Vaders).... In 2004, I had traded it in on my 94 Cobra. The M3 was and is an extremely fun car and it handled very well in stock form.... Been a member over on binmerforums for years, still lurk there but don't post as much tech there as I used to though... The prices on used 95-99 E36's today is still reasonable considering inflation rates. I've looked a few times into getting another E36 M3.

EDIT:
This was my 1995.

Beautiful. Mine had the Modena standard seats, no Vaders. For my fun retirement project car, I want a convertible. So many options out there...... Will have to be on the small side so my wife can drive it, but an E30-E36 Vert is on the list, along with old Vettes, Triumphs, MG's, and so on.

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