[GuitarDTO]

Hi all,
I'm getting a strong itch for a new M4, but before I'd buy a brand new car that expensive I want to explore all the possibilities first.

Current Car: A CPO 2008 335i, with 80,000 miles on it at the moment. The CPO expires in July. The car has been amazing, I love it, it hasn't given me any problems and it is paid off. Other than maintenance, I've only been to the shop for battery replacement and a couple new fuel injectors that were clogged. The only changes I've made to the car are tinted windows, aluminum pedals, and VMR VB3 CSL style wheels, 18x8.5 and 18x9.5 front/rear. It's how much I like the car that has given me the itch for stepping up into an M3/M4.

Options I'm considering 1. Buy a new M3/M4. I'd get it fully loaded, and practically lick the thing clean daily as I would want to keep the car for years. I love seeing old M3's that are meticulously maintained, and I would love to nurse one from the beginning in a similar fashion.

2. Buy a 2011 or 2012 M3 coupe. This would give me the performance increase over my current car, but in the same body style that I love. I would likely do some mods to this car to make it more unique as well. These are in the $50,000 ballpark currently for CPO, with my current car trade in and cash I have available financially it wouldn't be as much of an impact as a new M3/M4.

3. Wait 3 years and pickup a used F82 M4, and mod my existing car in the near term. I put about 10,000 miles per year on my car so I'm hoping it can stay strong mechanically through 100,000 miles. The mods I am considering are: M3 style bumper, repainting my current bumper and adding an Mtech Aero lip or other front lip (my current bumper has a lot of rock chips, some paint missing/scuffed by the right wheel well so if I don't get a new bumper I'm going to at least have to repaint). M3 style side skirts. MAYBE a rear bumper with diffuser but to be honest I'm not sure I like the look of them over the normal bumper. Finally a set of coil overs to lower the car a bit. I like the appeal of modding because it would make me feel like the car were new and unique to me to scratch the itch, and it would also be the least expensive route as for $4k (or 4 monthly payments!!) I could do quite a bit to the car.

Sorry this is long, but I'm just curious if other members have gone through a similar progression once becoming BMW owners? Which of these routes seem preferable in your opinions and experience?

Thanks for any advice, suggestions or tips you could give. A few pics of my current car:

[Kevin52]

Your current car looks stunning. I would keep that one since it is paid off and mod it.

[GuitarDTO]

^^Thanks. Are the mods I am considering "tasteful" ? I don't want to just start slapping stuff on it to be different. This will be my first rodeo tweaking a car if I go this route.

[straightcashhomie]

DEFINITELY KEEP. it is paid off, it'll be cheaper to maintain/fix then pay a damn monthly for a vehicle.

[Garcia909]

Keep it

[Averdi]

keep it for sure, put a few grand into modding it, and it'll beat the m3 since it is paid off i would keep it and wait a few years to get the m4 when its half the price.

[theblackmamba]

FFTEC that bitch!

[AughtOcho335]

How much money do you bring in a month? That would be the determining variable in my answer.

Current car looks brand new as is. I have the same car in alpine white and people are always shocked to learn it's 6 years old.
I just got mine though and only have 35000 miles. However, I'm already pricing cars and calculating depreciation to see what I'm going to buy 4 or 5 years from now.


Options I'm considering 1. Buy a new M3/M4. I'd get it fully loaded, and practically lick the thing clean daily as I would want to keep the car for years. I love seeing old M3's that are meticulously maintained, and I would love to nurse one from the beginning in a similar fashion.

If I had the resources this is what I would do. That would be incredibly rewarding to me. Knowing that you have been the sole owner would be a cool feeling. One day I'll be able to experience this. It's almost like it's your child.

[M.a.r.k.u.s]

You're in a unique situation most people aren't lucky enough to be in where you can't make a bad decision. Keeping the car and modding it with the M4 down the line or getting that new M3/M4 now is a tough call. I agree with AughtOcho335 about it being a great feeling buying a brand new car and it not having been touched by anyone else. (I'd do the European delivery if you go that route). The major drawback, which I experienced when I bought my 335i, is that you tend to worry about that brand new car getting dinged, hit, scratched, etc. everywhere you go. That's in my opinion the only drawback to a new car other than depreciation but if you plan on keeping it for a long time then that doesn't matter.

[E46driver]

Is your car lmb? Because Msport + lmb looks too good! I'd opt for the m if I could afford it but if I could live more comfortably with the 335 I'd probably just hold off on the m at least until they work out all the kinks on the early models.

[techwhiz]

Buy an extended 3 year powertrain warranty and keep it.
Even if you need to fix something it will be cheaper than a car note.
Or the 2011 M3.
Not a fan of the M4, but your money.

My car goes off CPO in a month. Buying the powertrain warranty for another 3 years.
It also covers water pump and HPFP.

[bomiheko]

+1 on keeping the car. I was also deciding the same thing, but ultimately decided to keep my car and started modding it. Already got JB4 and DCI installed and waiting for a few cosmetic parts to come in. I am not a fan of the new M3/M4, it basically uses the same engine as the one we have. If you want the power, just get a tune like I did. In the future though, I do want to buy a E92 M3 and keep it as a collectors car. It is the last V8 M3, but waiting for the price to go down a bit.

[GuitarDTO]

wow so many great opinions, thanks! I'm sensing strong lean towards keeping it, and to be honest that's how I feel about it as well considering there is nothing wrong with the car! Financially I know that is the "smart" thing to do as well. To answer AughtOcho's question though, my wife and I bring enough to where a new M4 can be done with no issues. It wouldn't come at the sacrifice of anything except disposable income that could be put towards stocks or other hobbies and traveling. We don't have children, and may not end up having them anyways. If I did buy it about the only thing it might do is prevent us from buying a house (we live in a townhouse currently), but even the house we don't really want to do since we enjoy our townhouse and have started to fix it up. Nice cars are one of our bonuses for living within our means house wise in addition to having good income. If I buy an M4 I'd be doing the delivery in South Carolina like we did with my wife's X3.

Techwiz, are you able to buy the 3 year power train warranty through the dealer? I wasn't even aware that was an option. I may be interested in that if I decide to keep the car.

E46driver, what is lmv? EDIT: OH Lemans Blue. Yes! My car is LMB. I agree I like the look of the Msport kits, at a minimum I want the front bumper to be a bit more aggressive and also the side skirts.

[GuitarDTO]

Thought I'd post an update to this. I've been getting a real itchy trigger finger lately. My 335 is still great and still no issues with it, but it is now out of warranty. I went and looked yesterday at a 2013 M3 Coupe, and the dealer also had a new M3 in stock. My impressions of the 2013 were, MEH. This coupe was a little bit riced out and over done with Carbon Fiber, and overall the interior didn't really impress me any more than my current car. I've definitely dropped any thoughts of getting an E9X M3.

As for the new M3, all I can say is holy sh#$. Pictures don't do it justice just how aggressive and mean the car looks in person. I actually think the rear fender flares were TOO aggressive on the M3, and would prefer the M4 from that standpoint. Even so, I feel like the M3/M4 is the most aggressive looking car they've ever made. It does not just look like a refined 3/4 series to me in person, and to be honest if anything I think the styling might actually be a tad bit overdone, but it was still a good looking car.

The interior of the car was the most impressive to me though, it is a huge step up from the E9X cars. Quality throughout, it feels like the interior of an $80,000 car instead of just a slightly spruced up 3 series. I know the sound is a hot button issue, and I'm not stating this to be a troll, but I was not at all impressed with how the car sounded (just idling, and then revving in park). I actually prefer the sound of my 335i more.

With that said, at this point I am leaning towards hanging on to the 335 for another year, saving like heck, and ordering a new M4 likely next year's model.

[Fitz335]

If you can afford it, M4, and mod the M4 and bask in 500 hp

[rick100]

Originally Posted by Fitz335

If you can afford it, M4, and mod the M4 and bask in 500 hp

and void warranty on a new car ....

Personally I would keep it and modded , but it really depends on you. We all have a different financial situation.

Just keep in mind that modding your current car also comes with more maintenance cost

[ef11]

I think you should keep the car and put a couple of thousand into it. I like the way you're thinking about it.

Tune, M3/Mtech front bumper, Get trim painted to match exterior color, get new suspension you mentioned. I think this would give you a totally different feeling car (both power and handling) and the M3/Mtech bumper looks great. I think color matched trim makes the car look quite a bit nicer too.

Keep it for a couple of years and then get the new M4 if that is what you really want. I can't imagine taking the initial depreciation hit on a car, so that's what I would do.

[Manoah]

lol, i have the same dillema. i always come back to the simple fact that i want an M. drop $20G's to get the 335 where i want it, or eat the $10K upside down on my loan, and start with an M that has most of what i want, and will only require minor upgrades to be where i want. pretty much i'll pay the same, but i want the M.

[evoix]

sell it quick lol. M3 is sick and no warranty is a death wish with these cars. know from experience lol. You will end up paying thousands in repairs for the stupidest sensor or brake module. I was in the same boat and my car was paid off for. Never had a problem then everything went wrong. Brake module 2500, injectors 1000. Water pump 1000. Im not saying it will definitely happen but use your money wisely.

[Andrewah05]

M4

[talyler]

It's a tough decision...those new M3/4 are damn sexy, however a few grand into your current car will give you similar performance while keeping that extra 50k+ in your pocket. Like others said you really can't make a bad decision. And life is great without car payments lol.

I want the new M3 but I'm too cheap to pay that much for a car. I'm waiting a few years until they drop closer to 50k used.

[Narcosis]

If it were me and $$ wasn't an issue, I'd go M3 all day and all night.