[d_crome]

Ok - as far as I'm concerned (for my purposes anyway - I'll never track it) these cars are a near dead heat - besides the fact that I prefer the aggressive lines of the E46 vs the E92.

Given that 2007 335i coupes are now going for 30-34k and 2005/06 E46 M3's are going for very similar prices - in the next few years, say a range of 2 to 5, which would be the "wiser" investment. I.e. Which one would give you a better resale in that time?

The 2007 335i example has lost approximately 25-30% of it's value under 18 months (assuming an initial purchase price of $45k and a resale of say $33K) - how much more will they depreciate and would the E46 M3 depreciate at a lesser speed?

My problem - I'm looking at purchasing one or the other. My head says 335i, I can get a car that's 18 months old, has a full factory warranty, has the most current chassis design (2006 vs 1999), is more efficient, more power at lower rpm's, etc....

The E46 M3 has always been a favorite of mine - the advantage with it being it is an "M", not a sports coupe but a sports car, prices have dropped substantially so I feel the price may not depreciate as much as the 335i, handling is potentially better, has classic lines and styling, however is potentially looking dated so a future sale may prove more difficult.

I know you're all sick to death of the comparisons - so if I can get a response for the entire post, awesome, if not, could the discussion focus on the financial aspect?

Cheers in advance.

[TwinTurboXI]

i'd say your depreciation numbers are pretty accurate. The only advice i can offer is to drive both and figure out which one you like better. You already discussed the pro's and cons of each. So decide what is more important to you and then get that car. Both are awesome rides.

[BMW F22]

I would think that the M3 would depreciate less. I mean an M3 costs more to start out with but a used one would have already lost most of its depreciation. The E92 335 is pretty new still and we just don't know how much it will depreciate in 2-5 years down the road. I mean we could base it off the RV that BMW has but it may or may not be accurate.

[BK]

The M3 has gotten a little more depreciation out of its system, so it will depreciate less in, say 3 years. The 335i still has another year or two of "big" depreciation, then the rate of depreciation for it will slow down, too.

Regardless, IMO you shouldn't worry about how much value it will hold. Both will lose a ton of value over the next several years. Buy the one in better shape. Or if they're both in good shape, buy the one that feels better to you.

[rooster3.0]

The M3 will hold it's value better. It's also got an awesome interior. Go Carbon black/Cinnamon if you can.

[d_crome]

Rooster oddly enough that's one I recently test drove - that Carbon Black paint work sure is pretty...

[John 070]

Why is depreciation a concern unless the OP is looking to get another car in 2-3 years? And even if it is a concern, why is the main concern? Either car will cost a lot to own and operate forgetting about resale value. The Honda Accords, Nissan Altimas, maybe even Mazda 3 in 4 cyl. formats will offer serious bang for buck and low cost of ownership.

Anyhow, imho the cost of owning and operating a E46 M3 will trounce the 335i six ways to sundown, not to mention the cost to insure. Just call up any authorized dealership and ask what a service runs on the M3, and then the 335.

[rooster3.0]

Originally Posted by d_crome

Rooster oddly enough that's one I recently test drove - that Carbon Black paint work sure is pretty...

It looks like peanut butter and grape jelly! How long are you looking to keep the car for? It seems like both cars your looking at will still have the remainder of the new car warranty. You'll be thrilled either way.

[MrSteak]

Don't forget to include maintenance (M car vs Non-M car) somewhere in your figures...

[achenator]

also the M is holding its own right now because there aren't too many e92 m3 out there yet. after a few more new Ms hit the road especially some used e92 M3s, the value of the e46's will drop fast. same as the e36's did

[yoyeewee]

M3 would depreciate less than the 335i in the long run. M cars will always have a higher appeal and demand than a regular BMW. I foresee 335s to have turbo malfunctions after the car is 4 or 5 years old after the warranty runs out.

Here's another example...I know of two people who recently bought old M3s. They were both the E36 body style. One paid $9k for a 1997 coupe w/over 100k miles and another one paid $15k for a 1998 sedan w/49k miles. That's a lot of money for cars over 10 years old!

[phrozen06]

Originally Posted by yoyeewee

M3 would depreciate less than the 335i in the long run. M cars will always have a higher appeal and demand than a regular BMW. I foresee 335s to have turbo malfunctions after the car is 4 or 5 years old after the warranty runs out.

Here's another example...I know of two people who recently bought old M3s. They were both the E36 body style. One paid $9k for a 1997 coupe w/over 100k miles and another one paid $15k for a 1998 sedan w/49k miles. That's a lot of money for cars over 10 years old!

[alan93rsa]

The M3 will hold it's value better. It's also got an awesome interior. Go Carbon black/Cinnamon if you can

I've seen this combo. Had a clean '05' in that combo been available when I purchased my 335i coupe I probably would have gone the M3 route. That said, I am very happy with the 335.

I think the longevity of the turbos has yet to be determined on the 335i. They could prove to be an issue down the road.

[McLuVan]

Originally Posted by MrSteak

Don't forget to include maintenance (M car vs Non-M car) somewhere in your figures...

+1

[d_crome]

My main interest is my career takes me a lot of places - so the ability to sell the car quickly and for a reasonable amount is my paramount concern.

I certainly see a common thread in that some people think that if you want a BMW and are concerned with financial's that you should just go buy a Toyota etc - hate to say it but you CAN drive a BMW and still have some financial sense...much like saying you CAN drive a BMW and not be a complete w@nker too.

That said - I think that being an M will certainly mean it'll be more marketable should I need to sell it.

As far as maintenance is concerned with the 335's turbo's - they're Mitsubishi so they'll be good for at least 100K - granted they'll probably need a full replacement but still, if you want turbo I can't think of anybody than Mitsubishi that I'd want doing it after their near 30 years (still remember wanting an Evo 2 way back in the day!).

How much of the future servicing does the CPO do? Also, how much coverage the does the 4 year/50K mile 335 warranty cover? What are the pitfalls of both? How good are 3rd party extended plans when compared to the demands of an M series or bi-turbo engine??

[voltron1011]

M parts are typically twice as much as their non-M equivalent ones.

Also, I've owned several cars with Mitsubishi turbos and I've never had any issues with them... I had a '90 Mitus Eclipse GSX with 190k on it, and the turbo was one of the few things that was STILL working on the car.

[dmz]

This is just not true at all. Show me a equivalent part that cost 2X for an M. The only additional maintenance on the M3 is the requirement for valve adjustment. Other than that the M maintenance is almost the same as any non M 3-series. The only advantage of a e92 is that you will have a longer warranty and maintenace plan and that can worth quite a bit if you had to pay maintenance out of your own pocket.

Originally Posted by voltron1011

M parts are typically twice as much as their non-M equivalent ones.
Also, I've owned several cars with Mitsubishi turbos and I've never had any issues with them... I had a '90 Mitus Eclipse GSX with 190k on it, and the turbo was one of the few things that was STILL working on the car.

[voltron1011]

From realoem.com:

2003 BMW M3 front brake pads: $130.00
2003 BMW 330ci front brake pads: $82.00

2003 BMW M3 front brake disk rotor: $199.00
2003 BMW 330ci front brake disk rotor: $77.28

Originally Posted by dmz

Show me a equivalent part that cost 2X for an M.

[voltron1011]

Also, clutch:

M3: $390.00
330ci: $267.00

Waterpump:

M3: $231.00
330ci: $90.00

Originally Posted by dmz

Show me a equivalent part that cost 2X for an M.

[Aija]

so many variables...
Here are the key points to take in consideration.

E92:
-GAS
-New Chassis
-Free maintenance
-Less maintenance than M3
-New Technology
-Sound System
-Headlights Xenon (the turning unit)
-Leather
-Anti Roll forward/backwards for stickshift
-Twin Turbo (fix these baby's up and you will HANG with the E92 M3)
-Better Transmission (for automatics)
-The list goes on...
-More sex appeal for the general Public


E46 M3:
-Aggressive Appeal
-SMG
-Better handling
-Rough drive (can be seen as a positive or negative thing)
-LED taillights
-More sex appeal to Enthusiast


In my opinion, I would go for the E92. When more E92 M3's are on the roads, it will make the E46 M3 look more dated. Its already an outdated look IMO (although still a very nice looking car).

[slick101]

the only reason y i would pick the m3 over an e92 would be because of it's sporty performance... other than that the E92 335 out classes it in every way...

[StarrDlux]

get a 7'er they cost as much as a 335i after 4 years