[spudt24]

Since nearly everyone on here is more knowledgeable than me, I figured I'd get some good advice.

I have a 2003 e46 with approx 63k miles and 1.4 years left on an extended warranty. The inspection II is due which will cost roughly 1.7k$. I have about 3 years (of 5) left on the car loan. The car is in very good shape (not great).

I was looking at 06 M5s which seem to be 40-48k$. Should I sell my M3, take the profit, and the money saved from the inspection II and put it towards a down payment on a M5??

The v10 5.0 engine, lesser miles, most likely better condition, and newer features/technology seems quite appealing. Any thoughts on the m5 vs m3? I've yet to test drive but am intrigued. Thoughts are appreciated.

[AmirsM3]

If it's what you want, then go for it. If you're going to do the same thing in 2-3 years with the M5, you should sit down and rethink what you really want.

[RSM333]

The money you think you'll save by not doing the inspection II, will be a wash when you sell it. Unless you plan on not divulging to the new owner the necessity of one. People will pay top dollar to well documented/maintained vehicles. And IMHO if the cost of an inspection II is an area of concern dollar wise, then a M5 out of warranty should send you over the edge. Not to mention the mpg hit between the two.

[minh]

Originally Posted by spudt24

I have a 2003 e46 with approx 63k miles and 1.4 years left on an extended warranty. The inspection II is due which will cost roughly 1.7k$. I have about 3 years (of 5) left on the car loan. The car is in very good shape (not great).

I was looking at 06 M5s which seem to be 40-48k$. Should I sell my M3, take the profit, and the money saved from the inspection II and put it towards a down payment on a M5??

how much "profit" would you really make? you've got 2 years of "equity" (i hate calling what you've put in a car "equity") but there's depreciation and you'll probably get maybe a little more than what you owe. profit would be selling it for more than what you bought it for. and then there's another loan for the M5. I'd vote no based on that.

[AmirsM3]

I was going to bring up being upside down, but since I have no clue what he owes vs. what the car is worth, I left it out.

[Krehtan]

Step 1) Buy a wrecked e60 m5 and take what you need for an engine swap
Step 2) ?
Step 3) Profit

[vndkshn]

Yeah, don't see any real profit on a 7 year old car you have 3 years of payments left on.

[Mookster]

Simple answer here is NO

[JordanPemberton]

(This is what I have gathered from my fathers owning of one (E60 M5), compared to my owning of the E46 M. In reality, the best way to go about this is look at your finances and test drive a comparable M5 to what you would be buying. Then, sit back and see if it's worth the extra (roughly) $20,000)

Pros:

- Newer technology

- A litte more trunk space

- It's a little faster than the M3 on take off (barely, but none-the-less 0.1 sec 0-60 faster in all Indy Magazines).

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Cons:

- Not as driver connected

- Not as agile

- Take your average MPG rate and cut that in half

- The technology in a fair amount of cases becomes nothing but dysfunctional until is completely replaced. After that, still not guaranteed... (My father had to spend over $10,000 on replacing the computer banks, of which for months making the following non-functional: Radio, CD, Navi, whole iDrive system period, and dynamic steering... A couple things I am forgetting to add as well... A tall toll for a car that cost more than some peoples houses ($100,000)

(I have ran into 2 others in my city that have had the exact thing happen to their M5's. One having just moved here from California. Maybe it's the air here? I don't know if there are a TON out there like this, but I know there are enough to bother me...)

- Cost more in general maintenance

- Really not much more than a different body, a lot more to worry about, two more doors, a little more trunk, and barely quicker (In my opinion.)




Personally, to me, it's a black and white situation.

A: I can sit 4 (including myself) in the car comfortably. The M5 can sit 5 (including the driver), but 3 of those five will be uncomfortable due to the one riding the hump, cramped, making the other person on each side cramped. (I have had to sit 5 once, to be honest, it wasn't more of a hassle than expected.) (This is strictly my opinion on comfort. As I don't need a lot of space to be comfortable. Where my mom is smaller than me and her 750LI is the only thing she isn't claustrophobic in... To each their own.)

So, space seeming to be the most obvious reason one would want an M5 over an M3, to me, is no gain what-so-ever. More of a hassle with a bigger car to park in tight places and harder to maneuver/not as maneuverable.

B: I like the drive and feel of my M3 much better. I just feel more connected, no other way to put it. I enjoy the car more than I would an M5.

C: I am 16 and have an iPhone 4, so you could say I stay pretty current on technology, and I don't see any need for any of the "newer" technology that's in it. It's certainly a lot more to worry about and lower quality. The only real difference between the Navi in the E46 and the iDrive with Navigation in the E60 is the layout and electronic car settings can be more precisely tuned with the iDrive.

They both have :

AM/FM
CD
Navigation (if optioned)
Bluetooth (if optioned)

Which for me is all I really use at all, and 99% of the time I am not using Bluetooth.

The E46 Navi has the advantage of having more reliable and sturdier track record.

You have to really think how much you use modern "technology" in cars.

I use the A/C, Radio, CD, Heated Seats, and sometimes Navi.

Sure I would dabble around in the controls of the M5, but it wasn't but dabbling and it was from the passenger seat ONLY.




To me, it is a waste of $20,000+ to get a car I wouldn't enjoy as much and have a lot more of potential headaches.

For example, a different, but somewhat similar situation I have more recently faced than the whole M3 vs M5 deal:

My car is racking up the miles, so, I am going to sell mine and get a lesser mile '05-'06 E46 M ZCP (40-50,000) , when I have the financial option of getting an '08 E92 M with 24,000 on it.

I just have driven E92 M3's and I just like the E46 over the E92. Period.

I'd rather put $12,000 in my bank and drive the same car I have with lesser miles. It's still turning heads, quite often, too. The E46 M3 is a masterpiece and feels a lot better to me than almost any car I have ever driven. It's definitely the best in my price range by miles and miles. It's a true beauty.

My advice is to keep your E46 and get everything fixed the exact way you want it and save the money.

Or if you're just itching to get a new car, sell your E46 M3 and buy a different E46 M3.


My 2 cents

[JordanPemberton]

Oh, and I also think that financially if you have 3 years left on a 5 year note and you'll be taking out another 5 year note, with a higher amount, it's just getting you in more debt and taking you longer to pay it off...