My dad’s E46 M3 was by far and away the best car he ever owned (though I guess that’s not saying much, since he mostly owned Fords). It was a convertible and, as a result, the chassis was somewhat compromised – the dash would shake at the slightest provocation from a pothole. Still, it was a great car, mostly because it was such a perfect all-rounder. It was fast, handled like a precision instrument and looked sufficiently aggressive without being too shouty. It was also very practical. If you took it down to the shops to pick up a pint of milk, and resisted the temptation to mash the throttle, it could be a very docile car to drive. But if you did open it up, the sound of that 3.2 liter straight six was pretty incredible. There’s nothing else I’ve heard that’s quite like it. It wasn’t a growl. It was a rasp, a sinister, menacing one. I hope that one day I’ll own one too.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2002 BMW M3 on eBay
Year: 2002
Model: M3
Engine: 3.2 liter inline-6
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Mileage: 70,147 mi
Price: $22,000
Unmolested 2002 BMW M3 Coupe
6 Speed Manual Transmission
Steel gray metallic with Imola Red NAPPA leather interior.
(COLD Weather package)
Heated seats, headlamp washers, ski-bag.
Premium Package, Sunroof, Power seats with memory, power adjustable side bolsters, Automatic headlamps, Rain Sensor.
Harman/Kardon surround sound.
Bi-XENON headlamps
19 inch Forged double spoke wheels
Upgraded LED Tail lamps
Fog Lamps
Floor MatsOwners manual included.
Window Sticker Included.
Service Records.
CLEAN CARFAX available.
Two KeysAdult owned, never raced, never modified, all stock parts.
Plenty of service records, thousands spent, records available in detail as per request to serious buyers only. Many bushings replaced, CPV gasket replaced, sub frame is free from cracks, this car has been driven occasionally by an adult.
The hood was previously replaced after a small right front fender bender. Both front fenders and front bumper have been repainted.
This is a non smoker vehicle, interior smells like a BMW should, clean and German.
Cons:
Coolant Temp Gauge works when it wants to, the motor behind it may need to be repaired, I use oil temp gauge.
Front tires do not match rears. Rears match and they are Michelin, fonts are Bridgestone and Continental and will probably need to be replaced soon.
Scratch on rear right bumper.
Pealing clear coat on front bumper and some spiderweb clear coat cracks, front bumper should be repainted.
Driver side mirror paint has faded.
Headliner is starting to come down on the rear.
Driver seat leather has cracks on the back rest, see pictures.
Both front seats have been reconditioned.
There is paint work on the front end, hood has been replaced.$500 deposit required immediately. Deposit is non refundable. Read the description. You are welcome to schedule a Pre Purchase Inspection.
This 2002 coupe comes in exactly the spec I’d want. It has a 6-speed manual transmission, Steel Gray paint and an Imola red leather interior. I’m partial to BMW’s gray palette and I’ve always liked Steel Gray more than the Silver Gray that replaced it in the ’03 refresh. This car also has the cold weather package, bringing heated seats to the party, and rides on the optional and handsome 19″ Fuchs Style 67 rims.
The odometer shows a reasonable 70,000 miles and the car appears to be in good shape inside and out. The exterior looks excellent in the photos, although the seller does note that the front bumper could do with a respray. The front end has already received some paint work, following a “small” collision that claimed the life of the hood (the ad also mentions a “clean” carfax, so it sounds like the accident was never reported). The interior looks similarly neat, with flaws apparently limited to some minor cracking of the leather and a headliner that is beginning to sag.
As long as a PPI doesn’t throw up any red flags, $22,000 seems like a fair price for a clean 6-speed coupe with this many miles. Some may feel its a bit on the high side, though there have been recent auctions pushing $30,000 for lower mile examples. It’s a shame it needs a little cosmetic attention on the outside for such a lower mile car, so perhaps this can be used to bring down the price a bit.
– Craig
