why has this not sold? E46 M3 CS

[nzodea 25]

https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/bmw/auction-2061402595.htm?rsqid=653fa062e2404cf39a1b34e4dd024855-001

given the asking price of E46 M3's at the moment, I thought this would have sold by now

any thoughts on this??

[M3AN 4016]

Thoughts...

1. Most people will run a mile from red leather (or any unusual colour for that matter)
2. SMG - for better or worse, most want a proper manual
3. Since the gauge picture is ~70k kms old I wonder how recent the rest of the pictures are
4. It's from the UK, needs a deep inspection for rust
5. Imported and no info on subframe or VANOS mandatory repairs - bottom end should be fine because it's a 2005

Otherwise, I reckon it's a good buy at ~$30k if you're looking for an SMG and don't mind the red.

 

Edited May 17, 2019 by M3AN

[Eagle 1662]

Yeah id say red interior + service history but poor and pointless photos(such as #9) don't exactly inspire the wallet to open either.

[LemonHunter 583]

@M3AN I agree with your points except 3, he's converted it to KM for the listing, 107mi being around 172k.

 

For me, Red Leather would be fine if it was 6spd, or SMG if it was black... but both together are a no go.

[qube 3570]

3 hours ago, Eagle said:

Yeah id say red interior + service history but poor and pointless photos(such as #9) don't exactly inspire the wallet to open either.

take my 30k for heated seats!

[Michael. 2313]

7 hours ago, M3AN said:

Thoughts...

1. Most people will run a mile from red leather (or any unusual colour for that matter)
2. SMG - for better or worse, most want a proper manual
3. Since the gauge picture is ~70k kms old I wonder how recent the rest of the pictures are
4. Imported and no info on subframe or VANOS mandatory repairs - bottom end should be fine because it's a 2005

Otherwise, I reckon it's a good buy at ~$30k if you're looking for an SMG and don't mind the red.

 

Its done 107,540 Miles which is nearly 173,000km as advertised :p 

[M3AN 4016]

Noted and updated. ?

[coop 261]

Pet hate, people that list E36-E90 M3s as manual, when they aren’t. 

I guess they are trying to increase views? 

As an opportunist buyer, I don’t bother viewing auto/SMG M3 listings. The only time I see them is when the seller advertises it as manual. 

[LemonHunter 583]

I do miss the flame wars back when SMG became a thing. 

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

Yeah, let’s not go through all that again, please.

[LemonHunter 583]

You know you want it.

[Eagle 1662]

Get enough people complaining to tardme and they may add a DCT\SMG category. Knowing them im sure they would happily add it if they thought it would generate more income.

[KwS 2425]

"just an extra 50c to change the transmission type. Increase your chance of sale by 59.3%!"

[3 SERIES 93]

The red seats are a deal breaker for me. Oh and SMG but thats my preference and maybe not others.

[nzodea 25]

Interesting discussion, seat colour takes precedence over it being a limited edition CS 

Pretty sure all CS are SMG like all CSL 

 

[integrale 40]

I understand most, but not all were SMG.  

[KwS 2425]

I love it, interior (excl alcantara wheel, thats nasty) and SMG included. 

Google says they were available in manual and SMG was an option. The CS certainly has some nice to have bits, if you were in the market it would tip the scales for me over a standard M3.

Sounds like no subframe work has been done, which probably means to bearing or vanos work either.

[Driftit 2078]

Funny.  100K miles in the US is still considered low mileage.

Kiwis:  Cars done 100K Km's.  Will probably blow up now.  Better sell it.  Whats everyone on TM listing theirs for?  Advertise it for the same price...

 

[KwS 2425]

Thats because NZ gets flooded with the Japanese rejects that have a claimed sub "100,000km" on them.

Its a dumb mentality.

[Driftit 2078]

It is something I didn't realise until I lived in the US though.  I started catching on when I had my E60 530d which had done 217,000kms and still drove and looked better than most that had done sub 100K.

Though on this M3 with that many KM's no history of some of the import repairs is not good.  Nothing a PPI from a BMW indi couldn't sort I guess.

[nzodea 25]

My E61 has  240,000Kms, my prado 295K,  go well and if used and maintained work out good value running

[M3AN 4016]

My mate's e36 M3 Evo has 250k miles (400,000 kms)... and the VANOS has never been touched.... distance travelled isn't always gloom and doom.

 

[Jacko 2154]

Cars are cheap in NZ, maintenance isnt.

[nzodea 25]

1 hour ago, Jacko said:

Cars are cheap in NZ, maintenance isnt.

agree. you have to factor that in when you buy. However with overseas shipping now, I buy most parts ex germany 

www.carondo.com  and they arrive faster than NZ or aussie ordered stuff and cheaper for sure

[Karter16 404]

At the risk of being told again that I'm being too harsh about this car I think that the following probably counts against it.

1: Being a UK import it would need to be checked very carefully for rust. A quick watch of Redish Motorsports Youtube channel shows what salt on roads does to cars.

2: At 170k it will need the rod bearings done.

3: As above it likely also needs VANOS done.

4: I know that in the Q&As the owner says that the shops its been in haven't raised any RACP issues, but unless you drop the subframe and clean the RACP and inspect it in detail you don't actually know what condition your subframe is in.

Unless you know your E46M3s you wouldn't really know that the CS was "special". If you did then you'd probably be concerned about the above things.

I'm surprised at the number of comments about the Imola red interior counting against it. I think the red interior is pretty cool, but I realise that's completely personal preference. I think probably the fact that it's a CS is offset by the mileage and the fact it's a UK import.

I think it would be a cool car for the right person who was willing to spend some money on it/had checked carefully what they were getting into. Certainly a pretty special spec to own in NZ.