2004 Bmw M3 Homepage

Question: Hay i am 16 and i have a rsx type-s and i have a chance to get a 2004 bmw m3 should i buy it why/why not?

(Posted by: john v on 2008-05-04 18:33:02)

And are they really very expensive to maintain and fix

Posted by: Miles K on 2008-05-04, 20:02:50

If you are able to respect the car, such as regular maintenance and good judgement while driving, it's probably one of the best "driver's cars " you can ever get. If you follow the maintenance schedule and proper care, they are actually very reliable cars and not very expensive to maintain. If you are very busy and don't always have the time for maintenance, the repairs will get very expensive and very frequent later on. If your driving is a bit on the reckless side, you would probably be safer with your current car which is nice and also more affordable in the long run. Repairing damage to an M3 will probably be about 2-3 times more expensive than an RSX. Lots of people overestimate their driving ability and a high horsepower rear wheel drive car is not very forgiving. I know of many stories of people not just damaging their M3 but destroying it, as well as getting their license suspended for over a year. This is the biggest part of the choice and it is entirely up to you to choose. The same applies to many other high performance sports cars. If you can follow the maintenance schedule and be a smart driver, I would say full heartedly to pick the M3. Best of luck!

Posted by: eddie on 2008-05-04, 18:44:51

Yes, go for it! why? because your going to waste the same amount of gas, your 16 with an rsx, i bet your racing and hauling a$$ all the time. i dont blame you, its a honda! with the bmw youre going to be more careful and wise about it all. Parts are waaay more expensive so you might cut back on crazy stunts, steping less on the gas since the bmw waste waaay more gas, and its a way nicer car so more chicks for you dude!

Posted by: C7S on 2008-05-04, 19:37:55

They are VERY expensive to maintain and fix. And they require premium gas and get bad gas mileage. The insurance is also doubled compared to the RSX Type S insurance. And it is not a reliable car. But it is faster and handles better than the RSX Type S.

Posted by: David C on 2008-05-04, 20:16:38

Seriously is this a question? i have a 328is and everytime i see a m3 go by i cant stop staring, now i love my car but that thing is a beast. if you got a rsx and are looking at a m3 im guessing gas money can be found if it needs to be. look at the specs of both and if possible test drive it. mine can do 0-60 in 6.8 stock so the m3 is probly a good 1.0-1.5 faster. as nice as bimmers are they know how to make a fast car, if you think your rsx can corner youll be blown away, i took a 90 degree turn doing 40 and it gripped fine, and mines a lesser model AND a 99. go for the m3. as for maintainance/ fixing i have this to say, there like spoiled women, look great, ride better, but if you dont keep them to the standard of living there used to, they get bitchy...

Posted by: Nicholas N on 2008-05-04, 23:36:49

Yes, BMWs are expensive to maintain and fix. don't do it unless you (or your parents) have serious cash flow. worry about making money (ie studying, working, starting a dot com. whatever) rather than spending money at this point

Posted by: andrew*debbie on 2008-05-05, 04:52:08

M Cars are VERY expensive to keep running. Parts that are unique to an M car are often 10 times the price of the identical part on a normal BMW. For example, the water pump for a 2004 M3 (Part # : 11 51 7 838 159 ) is $ 449.95 The water pump for a 2004 325i (Part # : 11 51 1 744 243) is $ 56.95 Expect to need $thousands to keep your M3 on the road and happy. Also the S series motors in the M cars just don't last as long as the regular BMW engines. Rebuilds are crazy expensive. Still interested? To properly enjoy and you should also invest in driving school. -- Driving school is track instructions with a professional driver.

Posted by: Andreas V on 2008-05-05, 08:54:36

The BMW is an exponentially "cooler " car - however you are correct in thinking the repair and maintenance costs will be much higher! I am driving my 4th BMW (325i, 540i x 3) ...so I know what I'm talking about. My advice is, keep the RSX because you are 16, and race it and do silly things .....and once you can appreciate the M3 and not attempt to make a perfect machine better by "tuning " - then buy the M3 kiddo

Posted by: take_it_off on 2008-05-05, 12:53:03

I own a 2004 e46 M3 so let me tell you what it's like from an owners perspective. First, depends on whether you get the 6-speed or the SMG. I have SMG and love it. I wanted a 6-spd when I bought the car new but once tested the SMG I knew that was the future of high perf sports cars. If the car is under warranty, your maintenance costs are basically $0.. you pay for gas and new rubber and anything you personally break, everything else is covered 4yr/ 50k from day it left the dealer. I have 45,000 miles on mine (been up and down the west coast twice) and have not had 1 major problem with the car mechanically or otherwise. The S54 engine is solid, its not less reliable than the M54 up to say 70-80k miles. But by then who cares, the performance was worth it. As far as driveability this car is fun as hell to drive! Beware that everyone and their grandma wants to step up and test the M3 so dont feel like you have to just because they want to. But if you do, expect to win at least 9/ 10. Fast, can corner like a mother, stable, solid braking and sounds choice. Some / / / M fans dont like the raspy whine from the stock exhaust, some love it. I love it. As far as modding, it doesn't get any better than the e46 M3. It's expensive to mod, no doubt, but your selection of mods is limitless and quality is usually 1st rate. And finally, as a 16yr old you probably want to know what the curb appeal of this rig is: people either love it and appreciate its performance and style or they are jealous haters. Either way, everybody stares or at least glances at you coming down the road, fwiw. And yes, the / / / M3 does pull mad trim. But I will say that if I had this car when I was 16, I wouldn't have been mature enough to appreciate the type of care and upkeep this car requires and would've probably wrecked it or trashed it. But I cant speak for you.