Is this a joke?

[topnotchrally 95]

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/bmw/listing/4199021312

There's nothing M3 left on it. It's a bare E46 body shell... you can buy a whole working E46 for $3000...why would anyone buy this? What am I missing?

 

[Cement 782]

Comes with the X5 ? 🤷‍♂️

[KwS 2373]

M3 plates and tags aint cheap, homie

[topnotchrally 95]

8 minutes ago, KwS said:

M3 plates and tags aint cheap, homie

This homie doesn’t know what that means. Or is this sarcasm?

[BM WORLD 1258]

from 2017 

 

[KwS 2373]

3 hours ago, topnotchrally said:

This homie doesn’t know what that means. Or is this sarcasm?

Someone buys/obtains a car that is dead reg/stolen/not an M3 and wants it to be a road "legal" M3... buys shell with reg, plates and vin tags, puts said identity on dodgy car.

Very illegal, but still happens. I think they call it ringing in the UK.

[topnotchrally 95]

4 hours ago, KwS said:

Someone buys/obtains a car that is dead reg/stolen/not an M3 and wants it to be a road "legal" M3... buys shell with reg, plates and vin tags, puts said identity on dodgy car.

Very illegal, but still happens. I think they call it ringing in the UK.

Thanks for the explanation, I understand now.

However, this car has been written off (according to carjam) so would it still serve this purpose?  If you put the vin on another car it would need a re-cert to be road worthy.  Hard to hid the changed vin, wouldn't it be?

Edited June 28, 2023 by topnotchrally

[KwS 2373]

48 minutes ago, topnotchrally said:

Thanks for the explanation, I understand now.

However, this car has been written off (according to carjam) so would it still serve this purpose?  If you put the vin on another car it would need a re-cert to be road worthy.  Hard to hid the changed vin, wouldn't it be?

AH, i didnt check the rego, so just presumed it was live. If its dead, its not even good for P&Ts (as the cool kids call it) 

[M3AN 4015]

Heck, I have no idea what it's worth but keep in mind that an e46 M3 shell is not the same as a bog standard e46 coupe shell, it has different guards front and rear, additional reinforcements, lighter panels (roof, doors, and bonnet IIRC?).

Does that make it worth ~8k? Not sure, but I am sure you'd need to be proper keen.

Edit: even the cosmetically identical e36 M3 body is vastly different from the standard coupe/sedan version. 

Edited June 28, 2023 by M3AN

[BM WORLD 1258]

https://vehicleinspection.nzta.govt.nz/virms/light-vehicle-repair/general-repairs/water-damage?fbclid=IwAR3HFtH8f7qmbE6i4wl9DbxI-lFq5BXvmlHbZie64BDhncFyplMFWlI1x-E#tab2

[twisted 45]

Internet tells me that the only differences between a completely bare E46 M3 shell and a completely bare e46 non M shell are the wider front and rear guards and rear inner wheel arches. You can fit more rubber under the rear of an M3. All M specific reinforcements are bolt on from what i understand. There may be slight differences in threaded mounting holes etc. Might be a good option for a solid cost no option track car build? Wider tubs might be worth 8k to some people?

 

[Vass 701]

The M3 boot floor is different as well, basically there's no spare wheel compartment to accommodate the quad tip muffler running all the way across the rear. What that might be worth to anyone is anyone's guess. 

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2915]

On 6/28/2023 at 11:23 AM, KwS said:

Very illegal, but still happens. I think they call it ringing in the UK.

Trying to take the VIN / identity of one car onto another used to be referred to as ringing yes, but re-building a car is not illegal unless either of the cars used is stolen. If you’ve got a crashed car with nice bits on then they can be swapped into a different shell. No different to replacing parts over a period of years as they break or wear out.

What would the M3 shell be worth if it was fully be built up to a full M3 with all the bits.. who knows? Take off the cost of the parts and the re-cert process, would probably only stack up if you already had a few of the big bits and did it all yourself.

On 6/28/2023 at 4:11 PM, topnotchrally said:

 If you put the vin on another car it would need a re-cert to be road worthy.  Hard to hid the changed vin, wouldn't it be?

If you try to put the VIN from this shell onto another vehicle, then yes that would be illegal. Better to bolt the bits on to this shell.