Should I get an M in the mid to long term?

[Fred Smith]

I love my cheap high mileage Z4 Coupe and am considering it's mid or long term replacement with something nicer - lower miles, nicer colour scheme inside and out, etc etc. The question is, should it be an M Coupe or same again?

Pros of an M?
Faster
More desirable and more likely to be desirable in 5 or 10 or 20 years time

Cons?
More expensive to tax, insure and maintain compared to a non-M?

My priority is having a car that is fun to drive on the road, and my concern is that there is a sweet spot for road use in terms of how fast a car is. I do not for one second believe that a formula one car would be fun to drive on the road, any more than a generic budget automatic underpowered mini-SUV is. The last thing I want is to trade up to a car I enjoy less.

 

[bigwinn]

I ask this question probably monthly.

I still haven’t resolved it yet! I’ve sought counsel from many who have had both and the general consensus I think is that a 3.0si coupe is 80% of what an M is…

If you figure it out let me know

 

[pvr]

The price of the M is falling, and I suspect after the budget to be even more the case. I am just waiting to see an M come up at a reasonable price and will get one then. Probably come December / January, there should be some nice ones coming along with the right miles and spec.

I have had a 3.0, an M and an si and the M is more than the sum of the parts.

 

[buzyg]

Reading what you perceive as the Pros of an ///M over a 3ltr Z4, You should go for another 3ltr car.

I you want an ///M then only an ///M will do. That is not what I read above. :wink:

 

[pvr]

Insurance is not true by the way, my M was way cheaper to insure than the si

 

[Fred Smith]

Reading what you perceive as the Pros of an ///M over a 3ltr Z4, You should go for another 3ltr car.

I you want an ///M then only an ///M will do. That is not what I read above. :wink:

I am open to learning more! Sell me an M! What am I missing!

 

[mmm-five]

Please consider that if you believe a non-M is 90% of an M then also consider that your girlfriend/boyfriend/mistress/wife shares 98.8% of their DNA with a chimp

I think in that case, even that 1.2% makes a huge difference (to me - your choices may differ).

 

[Lynchy]

Get an ///M, I’ve had lots of E85 3.0si’s and an E89 35i and although they are brilliant cars and I loved driving them the biggest and longest smile on my face was always when I drove my ///M. If you manage to get a well sorted one then running costs will be ok. Road tax on the other hand is ridiculously expensive but if money isn’t a problem then it doesn’t really matter. I sold my ///M and 35i recently to maximise our house buying budget but still have my 3.0si and I’m happy with my decision. As PVR has already said my Si cost more to insure than my ///M. Get one and if it’s a good one you won’t regret it.

 

[taz1966]

Just get one, it is worth every penny in my eyes if not just for that glorious S54.
Cheapest way of getting in to a vehicle with that engine.

 

[Ed Doe]

If you've got the money it's not really a question. The saying goes 'the si is 80% of the M for 50% of the money'.

I had my old 3.0si coupe for a smidge over 5 years and did about 55k in that time, I adored it. Perfect combo, a joy to daily drive, decent mpg, looked mega, felt special on the weekends on trips away etc and was a delight on track (albeit more so with some choice powerflex bits, Bilstein b12s and a quaife diff).

The M is much much more of a singular vehicle. It's more tiring to daily, its a lot less economical, the engine feels a lot more like it's straining at the leash if that makes any sense - just wants to be let loose at any opportunity!

The running costs (or ruining costs more like) are significantly more, even if you get a well cared for example. Vanos and timing chain is over 1100quid, rod bearings are 1200+, the valve adjustments on the service schedule make an inspection 1 and 2 service significantly more expensive than a non-M. Parts all have 'M-tax' on them too. Discs are over 500 a pair for oe fronts as an example.
Tax is hideous - over 700 a year now.

So don't be fooled, M ownership ain't gonna be a cheap experience, and you will absolutely not insulate yourself from the running costs against future values - they simply won't rise fast or high enough to offset the annual cost of routine maintenance to keep them in decent fettle.

They are however one of the most exciting driving experiences imo you can get. I am of course biased, but get one on track with the tc off and it's a proper wild ride, and utterly addictive. Even on the road it's the sort of car which will feel like it's goading you to use more and more throttle all the time. I'm smitten, I'll never get rid of mine if I can help it.

Summary, if you can do it, do do it! But for goodness' sake go in eyes open and make sure you've got a bit of a slush fund to address the bits that do and will go wrong (even on a cherished example)

 

[buzyg]

Reading what you perceive as the Pros of an ///M over a 3ltr Z4, You should go for another 3ltr car.

I you want an ///M then only an ///M will do. That is not what I read above. :wink:

I am open to learning more! Sell me an M! What am I missing!

Forget to future value, forget how fast it is or isn't, try and forget the ///M tax( Hard that one). Just get in one on a rainy wet day and do a few donuts at an Airfield. Then try keeping up with an aging Renault Clio on a bumpy, muddy, off camber, B road. Then realise you actually can and wonder where that 3ltr vanished to. They are just so much fun. Did I mention midnight, in a tunnel pinging the sound of that amazing S54 off the walls.

Of course you will first need to buy one.

 

[Zedebee]

You missed a pretty big elephant off the “con” list, that is they cost significantly more to buy.

You can buy an M cheap, but I reckon you will be taking a significantly bigger risk than buying a 3.0Si cheap.

Given your car buying history (on this forum alone, you have bought one of the cheapest 3.0Si ever) and what I know of your previous/current cars, you will not be fishing at the top of the market.

Until you are ready to commit to a well sorted (and reassuringly expensive) car, then stick with what you’ve got.

 

[Mr Tidy]

Like Ed I had 3.0Si Coupe for just over 5 years, but I found I had got used to the performance and that itch for an M just needed to be scratched.

After I got a decent unaccompanied drive in one local to me that someone else on here was thinking of buying I just knew I had to have one, even though I knew it was a heart over head decision having been on here for years.

As I had turned 60 that year and decided it was "now or never" so I found mine a few months later in 2019 and love it.

I still think a 3.0Si is 80% of an M for 50% of the money, but I was prepared to pay that extra 50% for the extra 20% experience knowing that I'd get most of the extra back if I somehow changed my mind.

For some reason 3.0Si prices seem to be holding up better than M prices recently and to be fair the M isn't that much quicker, but for me it's all about the soundtrack, 8,000 rpm red-line and sense of occasion every time I drive it. The hydraulic PAS helps too.

But you have to pay to play! I had an Inspection 1, new front discs, calipers, pads and A/C drive belt a few months ago at RBM Hampshire for just over £1,700. Road Tax is painful, but like others I've found the M slightly cheaper to insure than my 3.0Si.

You are pretty local to me so just PM me if you fancy a ride in an MC.

 

[Pondrew]

You missed a pretty big elephant off the “con” list, that is they cost significantly more to buy.

You can buy an M cheap, but I reckon you will be taking a significantly bigger risk than buying a 3.0Si cheap.

Given your car buying history (on this forum alone, you have bought one of the cheapest 3.0Si ever) and what I know of your previous/current cars, you will not be fishing at the top of the market.

Until you are ready to commit to a well sorted (and reassuringly expensive) car, then stick with what you’ve got.

This is one those posts where I wish there was a 'like' button.

M BMWs are not for the cheap-of-pocket. The M tax is a reality and it is a heavy tax.

 

[Simon 3.2M]

Personally having had the majority of Z's the M is just so much more special, whilst they are not massively different to the SI, there is something intangible that makes it feel so much more! As for costs, a sorted M isn't a massive jump in price especially when some are asking 12k+ for a 50k mile SI!!!

As Ed says, the key is getting a sorted one however, don't run yourself through the mill over the rod bearings and vanos. They are jobs that need doing at some point admittedly but I wouldn't let it put you off!! I'd budget for the rod bearing first or do a deal on the purchase price. Essentially you just need to drive one and you will see.

 

[coldel]

Like Ed I had 3.0Si Coupe for just over 5 years, but I found I had got used to the performance and that itch for an M just needed to be scratched.

After I got a decent unaccompanied drive in one local to me that someone else on here was thinking of buying I just knew I had to have one, even though I knew it was a heart over head decision having been on here for years.

As I had turned 60 that year and decided it was "now or never" so I found mine a few months later in 2019 and love it.

I still think a 3.0Si is 80% of an M for 50% of the money, but I was prepared to pay that extra 50% for the extra 20% experience knowing that I'd get most of the extra back if I somehow changed my mind.

For some reason 3.0Si prices seem to be holding up better than M prices recently and to be fair the M isn't that much quicker, but for me it's all about the soundtrack, 8,000 rpm red-line and sense of occasion every time I drive it. The hydraulic PAS helps too.

But you have to pay to play! I had an Inspection 1, new front discs, calipers, pads and A/C drive belt a few months ago at RBM Hampshire for just over £1,700. Road Tax is painful, but like others I've found the M slightly cheaper to insure than my 3.0Si.

You are pretty local to me so just PM me if you fancy a ride in an MC.

Well, I have a theory on the pricing:

There were a lot more Ms made than SIs - and as mentioned you get a lot more car per £ for the SI than the M
Then there is the running costs, and cost of living nowadays is a big subject, especially with the budget incoming new government etc.

You can climb into a decent SI and get a fast car, cheaper to maintain, same M sport interior etc. for a lot less and this will mean that demand will always be there whereas the buyer pool for the M (where there are more cars) is much smaller.

 

[plenty]

My Z4MR has proven surprisingly cheap to run, but I was lucky to find a robust example with good history, and I DIY quite a bit. If you're paying someone's labour rates for everything, I'm sure it adds up.

80% of the car for 50% of the money - but you're still only talking about £5-7k cost to change, most of which you'll get back on resale, and which isn't a vast amount of money when you consider what people pay for new cars or used 911s etc.

The "20%" adds up to more than 20% if you're a really keen driver, but let's be honest many owners just want a nice-feeling car to smoke around in, and won't notice the difference the likes of an LSD and proper hydraulic steering make.

While I'm spouting unpopular opinions, going from an 3.0Si to an Z4M is, um, a bit boring I'm afraid. There are so many interesting cars out there to experience - why replace an E85/6 with another E85/6?

 

[beanie]

All good stuff

I think Ed has it spot on.

I’ve spent thousands and thousands on mine over the last 12+ years, without taking in to account tax. Some was typical routine stuff like brakes, fronts twice rears once, and some was ‘preventative’, Vanos and rod bearings.

On the other hand, no one gets out of this life alive, so if you want something a bit more ‘mental’ than the 3.0si and can afford it, I’d wholeheartedly recommend it.

 

[coldel]

My Z4MR has proven surprisingly cheap to run, but I was lucky to find a robust example with good history, and I DIY quite a bit. If you're paying someone's labour rates for everything, I'm sure it adds up.

80% of the car for 50% of the money - but you're still only talking about £5-7k cost to change, most of which you'll get back on resale, and which isn't a vast amount of money when you consider what people pay for new cars or used 911s etc.

The "20%" adds up to more than 20% if you're a really keen driver, but let's be honest many owners just want a nice-feeling car to smoke around in, and won't notice the difference the likes of an LSD and proper hydraulic steering make.

While I'm spouting unpopular opinions, going from an 3.0Si to an Z4M is, um, a bit boring I'm afraid. There are so many interesting cars out there to experience - why replace an E85/6 with another E85/6?

I went from an E86 to an E85 and there are plenty of new things to experience...but then again the Z4 wasnt my first sports car (look in signature lol)

 

[Beerman]

The Z4C and Z4M have been predicted to rise in price and be future classics long before I bought my first one. Prices are now dropping and will probably go below pre coronavirus levels.

They are Euro 4 emission level. I suspect when low emission zones get rolled out in more cities and the emission regulations get tighter I suspect older cars will be less desirable.

There are too many people hopefully expecting the values of their cars to go up.