2005 BMW M3 Competition Package

It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly 8 months since we looked at a E46 M3 Competition Package, but we spend so much time playing catch-up on popular models that sometimes we don’t look at the models that will be classics of tomorrow. Amongst those potential future classics, few shine quite as bright as the E46 M3. As a car that’s affordable and still fairly new, the E46 M3 offers performance levels few sports cars reach. It’s also one of the last BMWs mere mortals can work on, the last offering of the S54 motor before the M division switched to twin-turbocharged inline-6s and V8s. To some, the E46 was a mass-produced marketing tool; but to me, the E46 M3 corrected many of the perceived faults of the E36 M3. Of course, the motor was a large part, but outside the M3 was now really set off by flares, quad exhausts, bulges, gaping intakes and vents that really made it look as special as it was. Denied the CSL, for U.S. customers the most special of the breed were the late run ZCP “Competition Package” cars like today’s Interlagos Blue example:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2005 BMW M3 Competition Package on eBay

Year: 2005
Model: M3
Engine: 3.2 liter inline-6
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Mileage: 61,125 mi
Price: $26,447 Buy It Now

2005 BMW 3 Series M3 Competition

TAKE A LOOK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL HARD TO FIND INTERLAGOS BLUE METALLIC 2005 BMW M3 COMPETITION PACKAGE WITH 61,125 MILES, HAS BEEN DEALER MAINTAINED AND SERVICED, AND HAS A CLEAN CARFAX REPORT! THIS BMW M3 IS EQUIPPED WITH A 3.2L I6 333HP ENGINE, 6 SPEED MANUAL GEARBOX TRANSMISSION, CRAY LEATHER INTERIOR WITH ALUMINUM CUBE DASH TRIM, M/// LOGO IN HEADREST, POWER SUNROOF, KEYLESS ENTRY, POWER/ MEMORY/ HEATED/ LUMBAR/ BOLSTER SEATS, NAVIGATION SYSTEM, PREMIUM SOUND HARMON KARDON AUDIO SYSTEM, AM/FM RADIO, CD PLAYER, POWER WINDOWS/ LOCKS/ MIRRORS, 19” BBS CSL FORGED SPORT RIMS, CLIMATE CONTROL, HID PROJECTOR HEADLIGHTS, FOG LIGHTS, DSC TRACTION CONTROL, AUTO DIM REAR VIEW MIRROR, COMPASS, REAR M3 LIP SPOILER, SPORT MODE, MATTE BLACK KIDNEY GRILLES, KONI YELLOWS STRUTS WITH EIBACH LOWERING SPRINGS, ALCANTARA STEERING WHEEL/ HAND BRAKE LEVER, QUAD EXHAUST TIPS, SIDE DOOR AIRBAGS, AND MUCH MORE! MAKE SURE YOU TAKE A LOOK AT ALL OF THE IMAGES IN OUR GALLERY TO SEE HOW THIS IS THE PERFECT BMW M3 FOR YOU! ***** ATTENTION! AS A HIGH VOLUME DEALERSHIP, MANY OF OUR VEHICLES SELL VERY QUICKLY. PLEASE CALL US FOR AVAILABILITY AND EXPLANATION OF INTERNET PRICING. *****

This isn’t the best condition M3 we’ve looked at; so why is it here? To me, it’s the right package. It’s a special color combination, it’s got the special wheels, it’s the special Competition Package, the miles are right where you want them and the price is about right where you’d want it for this car. But best of all, unlike a fair amount of the ZCP cars that were SMG semi-automatic transmissions, this car has the manual gearbox. To me, I can live with some minor faults like curbed wheels in order to lose that SMG option in favor of the 6-speed long term. It does point towards less-than-careful ownership, but I have to admit even as careful as I am I’ve occasionally scraped a curb as well – so perhaps it’s not the end of the world. What this E46 does represent, though, is one of the great performance packages that is affordable but still somewhat overlooked. Perhaps it’s the next 944 Turbo, but my guess is in a decade we’ll be doing the E30 dance all over these cars. They’re great looking, go like a scalded cat and turn like a race car. But when you want them to be a luxury GT car, they pull that off as well. Are there better cars? Not many at the price point!

-Carter