2003.5 BMW M3 Coupe Six Speed Manual

I am listing this for my brother. The car is located in Sugar Grove IL. His description below:

2003.5 BMW M3 Coupe
VIN: WBSBL93493JR23944
6/10/2003 Build Date (Post Rod Bearing Recall)
Silver Gray Metallic
Black Nappa Leather
32,455 Miles
6 Speed Manual
Cold Weather Package
Premium Package
Xenon Headlights
Harmon-Kardon
Aluminum Interior Trim
19” Wheels

Clean Carfax
All service records are available.

I am the second owner of this car. It is extremely clean! I searched for this car for a year after making the mistake of selling my first M3. I have LOVED owning this thing for the past year. However, I would like to sell it because my wife and I are remodeling our rental property and I need a car that is more baby friendly.

Imperfections:
Two wheels have small curb marks.
Front bumper has some rash on the underside.
Passenger side corner lens has small crack.
Two small scratches on the trunk.
One small scratch on driver rear quarter panel.
One small ding on lower driver door (Not bad, paintless dent could easily repair)
Continental tires have 6/32 up front and 4/32 on the rear.

All stock except:
Eibach Prokit Springs (OEM springs come with car)
Macht Schnell Wheel Spacers
Bluetooth Adapter
OEM Armrest Delete (mint armrest comes with car)

I think the pictures pretty much speak for themselves. The paint is in great condition. The leather, including steering wheel and driver bolster, still has a nice matte texture. The car smells brand new. I’ve posted a few highlight pictures but a comprehensive collection can be found here:

https://www.flickr.com/gp/115414203@N02/3876Fi

$29,500 OBO.
I am willing to discuss the price if the consensus is that I’ve overshot, however I think that I am pretty close considering the condition, color, and options.

Please PM if interested and I will put you in direct contact with my brother.

Thanks for looking!
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Great looking E46! I absolutely love those cars. GLWS!

 

These are great cars when they're equipped with the 3rd pedal, and not the dreaded SMG.

$29K might be a little bit of a reach, these seem to be more like low to mid $20K cars. (Hey, he asked for a consensus, so I think that makes price discussion ok.) But yours is ultra low miles, in nice condition, and not all modded to hell and back.

GLWS, part of me wishes I hadn't just bought the '09 Mercedes as my "fun-ish" car. This would make a nice, MORE FUN, car.

D

 

Second all above. Great condition, not molested, no SMG. Rare these days. Yes a little high, but worth a try. GLWS.

 

I think you are too high indeed. You can get into the next gen M3 for just a bit more. So either you will need to wait to find someone really wanting an E46 (Which could happen considering yours is low miles and a manual..) or id list it at $25k.

 

Great car. It's actually priced very well. Wouldn't be surprised if enthusiast auto buys it at your asking price and mark it up to 40+.

GLWS

 

This is kind of the weird spot E46 M3's are in right now. Good '05 - '06 ZCP cars are trading hands north of $30k, with some going for more than $40k with low miles. You can easily get a V8 M3 for around $25k if you aren't picky. I'm looking to make the move from E46 to E92 for this exact reason - a good E46 is within a few thousand dollars of an E92.

Agreed. $29k for a six speed '03.5 with these miles is a great price. GLWS! If this were an '04 - '06, EAG would buy it and be asking $34,995.

 

Keeping in mind that the OP requested opinions to see if the asked value is overshot:


1) The KBB value for the car (in perfect condition), without taking into consideration the suspension/shocks upgrade is $16,568.00 for a private sale; and $15,541.00 as a trade-in.

Links attached and Good luck with the sale.

a) Private party
Kelley Blue Book

b) Trade-in
Kelley Blue Book

 

Thanks all, I really appreciate the feedback!

 

great looking e46, they have aged very well.

 

FWIW, I actually took the opposite route and went from an e92 m3 DCT to an 05 e46 m3 6 speed. The DCT started to act up a bit at 53k miles and the e46 was like new with 29k miles so I made the move. The e46 feels MUCH lighter and IHMO is just the perfect size. Two very different cars in terms of engine. The V8 sounds more American muscle and needs a lot of top end to get moving, where as the inline 6 is more "euro" and a gem of an engine in its own right.

These e46s are very hard to find in good condition like this one. Don't let her go for less than 25 and try to get even more!

 

KBB is way off on more special cars like the e46 M3, e36 M3, Acura NSX, Toyota Supra, etc etc.

I've been keeping an eye out on these cars for some time to pickup a dream car from when I was in high school for nostalgic reasons and ~$25-$30K is where I'm seeing low mileage MANUAL e46 M3's listed at.

OP if you were in California I'd definitely be interested!

 

These are such great cars... So well balanced. I can still pull away from more modern, more powerful cars except on the straightest of roads. More torque would be nice but one can't really argue against the S54 engine... the last development of the BMW NA inline 6 - it's a howling, sheet-ripping gem of an engine!

KBB prices are totally misleading for these cars IMO. Good, unmolested ones are rare now. 17k will get you a 100k mile car that needs work. After 6 months searching last year I found only one good, low mileage car on the north east coast - also a 2003.5. Private sale, mid-20s, I still think every day that I stole it at that price

Good luck with the sale. This looks like a great example... I think you may need to wait to find the right buyer at that price i.e. someone wants an E46, not an E9x and is prepared to pay for low miles/condition (and doesn't mind grey). I'm sure they are out there... I was. If you want a quick sale, it will have to be low 20s to undercut E9x prices.

 

This is a gorgeous M3!

I can offer some insight on your ad as you requested. You've asked for market data and opinions... This is what's got. Ive done a bit of research in Mannheim, and I dont think you'll like it... Sorry

Even adjusting for a 37k mile car, Manheim doesn't estimate more than $18k retail for that M3. Here are some screen shots from Mannheim. I can only post one pic per post so my apologies for the multiple posts/pics.

This pic shows a recent wholesale sale for a m3 @ 130k miles.....
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Next screen shot showing adjustments made for low mileage. Not a huge bump from much higher mileage m3....
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I don't know, Enthusiast Auto in Cincy doesn't have a single e46 M3 coupe at less than the low $30's and you are well off that so ... I've had both a e46 and an e92 m3 and they were both great fun cars. The e46 was more visceral and engaging. The e92 was more refined and had that wonderful exhaust note. You can't go wrong either way.

 

It will bring the $$$

 

If you haven't already, put it on one of the BMW forums- I bet that would bring the best match up for an inforemd enthusiest buyer and best price for you!

I love the E46- 4 years ago I bought my wife a 2006 330ci w/sport package as a weekend toy (yes not as hard core with a slush box and convertible, but she can't drive stick otherwise I would have gotten an M3 convertible)- 2006 was the last year of the pre-bangle 3 series I had problems finding a low milage car, and found one I bought the car sight unseen from a mercedes dealer 1,000 miles away- it had 36K miles (now up to 47k) vs. most 3 series at the time that had 100K. We love the car- fun to drive and such a classic look inside and out! M3 is another animal (in a good way)

 

Enthusiast Auto has lost their minds with their pricing. Don't get me wrong, they have some pristine examples of 6MT cars, but they are 10-20G's HIGHER then anything private party. I drive by there every once in a while just to peek as I miss my old 03. Sadly im a year out from another....

 

I concur that the price is to the higher side of average, but its an above average car with low miles, in a desirable color combo and in good condition so for overall it seems about right to me. Why not start high and see what you get if you're not in a hurry? Best of luck.

 

KBB/Mannheim, lmao, you guys are crazy if you really think this is a 15-18k car, that's what they bring approaching 100k miles.

Very nice car and color combo. It might be -slightly- high but a reasonable ask. Would bet it easily sells at 26k+

 

I think the price is pretty fair. I've sold a lot of E46 M3s in the past year from my dealer and they all were in the 20s regardless of mileage or condition. I would be listing this car for 29k as well. Expect to get somewhere between 27 and 28.

 

I have a 2001 330CI, 5 speed with 50K miles. Sport package and all options in perfect condition. Black with tan leather. KBB says $5600.

Nobody drives it much but at that price it can just sit there.

 

Hard to gauge a price because so many E46s out there are junk. This one I would pin as an outlier from the normal spread just because of condition, options and mileage. I'd suggest keeping this as an OBO, and seeing what the OP gets in the way of offers. It might also help if someone could chime in as to what a bank would finance, and I would add 10-20% on top of that.

 

True that. We have a 05 ZCP with 62k and it takes $30k. to own it.
These cars are appreciating every year.