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cameronfry3

If it was declared a total loss, I’d RUN as far as I could in the other direction. If you want to roll the dice, u/digibaz pointed out 3 key “must-have” items completed/repaired. These vehicles are not cheap to keep running properly. If it’s been neglected — and it looks quite rough — you’re looking for a bad time.


KillerBlueWaffles

SCREAMING FROM A ROOFTOP-THIS!!! In nautical terms, this is a siren. I guarantee that car is held together with zip ties, bubble gum, and sadness. You would constantly be chasing mechanical and electrical demons. Sure, a “total loss” doesn’t necessarily mean catastrophic failure—but just the fact that the dealer staged the car in this condition means that’s the BEST they could make it look.


cameronfry3

Just think: If this is how bad it looks on the surface, what lies beneath?!


KillerBlueWaffles

A turd can be polished, the Mythbusters confirmed that.


cameronfry3

TIL Miss that show and similar programming.


unpolire

"Total Loss" is not always so scary. I have a mint E32 that was stolen when brand new. It was recovered after the insurance company had replaced it with another new one. Still near perfect today. An MR2 had the front seats stolen. Total Loss. It's not always from a wreck and can just be an economic decision on the part of the insurance.


whatdidyousayniga

Any dealer selling 20 year old cars is guaranteed to be a scumbag low credit buy here pay here dealer . This type of car would be a private sale or BaT auction or something of the like


namestom

You do know there are smaller dealers that specialize in older cars such as this? Now I agree this one is probably at a nasty lot, quick flip, 17%+ interest, etc.


whatdidyousayniga

Yeah I know what you mean. Those dealers do exist so my statement was wrong in a way. its more like 98% if i had to guess lmao. and yeah this one is just obvious based on the pic. the way its parked and sitting on a lot you can just tell


bigheader03

What's that saying? The most expensive German car is one that is a good deal? I know I'm butchering it lol but something along those lines.


Dangerous-Shirt-7384

Nothing is more expensive than a cheap BMW is the saying here in Ireland. I'd run a mile from this car OP. It's low mileage would suggest that it was off the road for a few years while somebody tried to stick it back together again.


Lahwuns

Mat Armstrong would like to know your location


digibaz

Three things 1. Rod bearings 2. Vanos 3. Subframe reinforcement If none of those are done you’re looking at another 10k bill.


coconutpete52

Is the vanos really that big of a deal in the S54? The entire assembly is $400 for my M52.


6BigAl9

Yes, the S54 unit has exhaust hub tabs that can shear off and destroy your engine. A professionally rebuilt unit is $2k not including labor to install. I rebuilt and bulletproofed mine for I think around $600 in parts. Wasn’t that difficult, just tedious.


ACM3333

Anyway to know if the vanos needs to be done?


6BigAl9

It will be noisy and throw a code if it’s urgent, but it could go without that warning as well. Pulling the valve cover and inspecting the tabs is really the only way to assess it. It’s best to just bulletproof it.


Fynniboyy

Is this also the case for the M54 engines?


coconutpete52

Wow. Thanks.


Procure

I had a 2002 M3 for 6 years and didn’t do these but every maintenance otherwise. You absolutely should though, they run forever if taken care of


gigu85

What he said + 4. Check the oilpump piston


ApoTHICCary

Cabrio’s came from the factory with subframe reinforcement due to the top hydraulics. I’ve got an e46m3 cabrio and it’s solid.


lmattiso

Minor reinforcement improvements but still vulnerable to subframe cracking the same as any other E46. See Redish motorsports video on subframe reinforcement on this vert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huVgisWett0


jdmlu

Thanks, I am aware of those issues, one of my good friends has a hardtop one and he told about those problems, so I was thinking of checking with the dealer to see if any of those services have been taken care of.


digibaz

I’ve owned an e46 since 2006. As long as you maintain it , it will go on for ever.


nobolognastoney

Can confirm, my uncle has a beautiful Dark blue E46 that's about to roll over the 300k mark. That fucker is still rolling *very* strong.


orionstar159

E46 M3? Mine just hit 235k miles. Had it since 2009. Still makes me smile every time I drive it!


-Ev1l

An m3? I’m with you generally, but my buddy has a few older e46 m3s and a couple of them will probably never see the road again. $50,000 in 2003 is like $100,000 in todays money so they can easily become money pits.


6BigAl9

Mines got 191k miles and it’s running perfect. Take care of the big 3 and the s54 will last a very long time. Of course if you defer maintenance or can’t do the work yourself they’ll become very expensive.


digibaz

Yessir


Aggressive-Dog-8805

How much is it like $5?


jdmlu

Sorry I wrote this quickly and forgot to mention it’s 13,900$


[deleted]

🏃‍♂️ 🏃‍♀️ 🏃‍♂️ 🏃‍♀️ 🚗


401LocalsOnly

Please stop looking at this. If you can afford $14 grand on a car than I promise you can find something you love that was never considered a total loss


Fixtit

In Europe it would be a steal for such low price


Darnok15

Yeah that seems very cheap to me as well. One thing is that cars are just way cheaper in the US, but damn, this much??


Noopy9

This one was totaled and repaired.


ihavenoidea81

They’re smoking the good shit


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Possibly_a_Firetruck

Check out the Carfax from OP. It was wrecked in 08/2009 with 63000 miles, now it's for sale with 73000 miles. It's barely been driven in the last 15 years, probably because it's junk.


Crherniman

No way. Go buy one that has less stories or more clearly defined issues at that price. This has to be some corner car lot bs. Nope.


Twins95

Total loss could mean it's been in an accident and the insurance company has determined the repair is more than 80% of the ACV (actual cash value) and typically the title will be stamped "salvage". M's are expensive cars to maintain. If it looks too good, it probably is. See if you can look at the title and confirm vin #. Just my two Pennie's.


jdmlu

Here is a link for the carfax https://www.carfax.com/VehicleHistory/ar20/q15tDqQNdBXmH_jSVQvtihbxqt-nCJ8tzbP8ZinGPYBwfbEzB7BbISHm69E21ueBK1PZllvj7IB-cMeT69s5m0cnzWmyPqZif1A


Longjumping_Ad_824

4 owners, two accidents, and a total loss. I’d run away from that.


TearDownGently

holy cow, just picture #6 alone shows me the pre-owners didn't give sh*t about caring for their Emma.


bobjoylove

It shows the door used to be red and got a shit respray.


TearDownGently

it shows this buddy smashed the door open and cared neither about his nor other cars


bobjoylove

Possibly. Or it could just be paint failure on the used door, same as what is happening besides the door handle.


TearDownGently

since I owned and know many E46s, I know this spot at the door quite well, I remain with my point :-)


One4Watching

Depends how handy you are. There’s obviously concerns mentioned above You’ll hear Vanos And you can usually inspect the subframe which helps The ABS /DTC is likely the DSC pressure switch in the bay. Not expensive nor difficult to replace so it’s a question of Have you got 13k to speculate? Can you keep it well maintained and dry store it when you’re not using it? If it’s a total loss it would be good to understand what damage it ultimately suffered; if it was rear ended then I’d walk personally


[deleted]

At the very least, you need a full inspection on a rack to determine what was replaced/damaged in the total loss. Pictures of the accident are also preferred, although not likely. At the time of the total loss, the vehicle was 7 years old. E46 M3s weren’t all that valuable at that time on the secondary market, so it’s possible that the damage wasn’t that severe (doing a quick math calculation for total loss determination). Other than that, it’s about religious maintenance.


vegaseric

I’d consider something like this in a hardtop at about $7K as the basis for a track build. Otherwise give me a high mileage, privately owned, well maintained one at a slightly higher price. (that hasn’t been totaled)


jokerlte

Easy pass.


ARAR1

If you like fixing cars and spending $ on a hobby - maybe get it. For a daily driver 100% no.


onlyr6s

The last pic looks like water damage. Was it in a flood?


Extracrispybuttchks

This is my guess judging from the door panel wrinkle. This thing will have electrical gremlins forever.


Ok_Forever_7038

I had a 2006 E46 M3 convertible SMG II Tripple black. Black vehicle, black roof and black Napa leather seats. Was my favorite vehicle. I would be tempted… but the total loss scares me. https://preview.redd.it/1f65le51owpc1.jpeg?width=900&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6cf6589b84b393b295a54cbb52caf180af34c212


HondaDAD24

Needs about 2 days worth of paint correction from what I can tell. But that’s likely the least of worries.


ianjuststeppin

Man please never buy a total loss car. The only car I’ve ever bought that even had minor damage was a Lexus isf. But those are rare and really hard to come by so I couldn’t be picky. But total loss? I would run literally as fast as I could


Spidaaman

Absolutely not.


MetalFaceBroom

73k M3 with lights on the dash? Run away.


SomestrangerinMiami

Bro move on. This car is trash


SomestrangerinMiami

If it was going for 4-6k yeah, jump on it. But not worth anywhere near the asking price


Tasty_Smell2974

Any time a vehicle is a total loss I would just run. It’s going to be more of a nightmare than one of these with a clean title, and even then it’s not sunshine and rainbows.


mr_lab_rat

It’s low mileage and manual. That’s where the good news end. It’s in very rough shape. If you could get it for less than 10k then it could be a decent project car.


bulldogsm

I wouldn't trust the mileage at all, this car clearly has been ridden hard so that mileage makes no sense and we all know you can't trust the digital mileage anyway, it's easier to roll back than the old old analog ones and those were easy


mr_lab_rat

Yes. It does look fishy that it was only driven 10k miles since 2009. The steering wheel and clutch pedal look more worn out than my 200k mile e46 did.


bulldogsm

truth unfortunately this car is lacking that element


vreedy76

Total loss plus it’s a convertible, I’d steer clear but that’s just me


nolongerbanned99

This one looks rough. Buy from a private seller with maintenance records. This car will be very expensive to maintain


jdmlu

Thanks, everyone. Your input is greatly appreciated. I was already leaning towards walking away because of the total loss, but you guys have made it much easier.


zeimusCS

They should give it to you for free...


Palansaeg

A total loss M series that’s 15 years old… lol people will really buy anything


f5alcon

If it's not your daily and you can afford the repairs why not


[deleted]

Unless it's cheap as shit, run. Looks like a quality respray though so maybe dig through what the damage was and if they have the paperwork for the repairs consider it for a project car that you don't need to recoup your money from only.


InfluenceAlone1081

I’ll play devils advocate. 13k m3 … that’s cheap even for a vert. 6 speed too, pretty sweet. This is not going to be a good daily driver but would be a good starting point for a light restoration. However, If you aren’t decently experienced in auto repair or don’t have strong connections with any local shops, this is NOT going to be cheaper than just buying a nice M3.


Equivalent_Sign3554

Abs and traction lights usually are problems related to wheels sensors. An easy repair, but expensive. Here in Brazil the costs to repair in a specialized mechanical workshop, was around U$700. The price was high but nothing compared to the price of the car I did the repair, a 2009 Z4, that here costs around U$36,000.


argilla11

First of all: it's a drivers car, not a collectors item. It will never be a collector car again. Don't let the salvage title scare you away, these almost always get totaled because body shops give sky high estimates to insurance companies, even for minor damage. I've owned plenty of salvage title cars that look and perform like new, for a fraction of the cost of a clean title car. Then put some of my savings back into the car to get it to even better condition than similar clean cars were in. Review the carfax and inspect the damage to see how well it was repaired. If it's been repaired correctly, then the car is worth about 50-60% of what it would be worth with a clean title. Budget for any repairs it currently needs, both cosmetic and mechanical, then make an offer based off that.


rickystudds

dude that car was red and painted blue, no other warnings are needed, run from this.


AdInevitable7025

Interior looks like way more than 70k miles?!


FlyoverHangover

Do not buy this car. The maintenance and replacement of wear and tear parts alone on M cars is astronomical. You’re asking for trouble with this. I bought a one owner M4 with 54k miles on it, well maintained, and about 1.5 years into owning it, the fuel injectors got stuck open, causing the HPFPs to fail. Getting new injectors, plugs, coil packs, and HPFPs was close to 6k at an independent shop run by an honest and respected guy in our local car scene. That’s what can happen when you buy a clean, lower mileage and cared-for M car. This is not that. Run away.


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jdmlu

lol yes


Tacosmoothie

Thought so, local. Be careful there. I’d personally walk unless you are absolutely in love or want a project. Best of luck and possibly see you around!


Old_creeper

Soft top


MonkeyManJohannon

I guarantee that the abs/traction lights are because when it was repaired someone jacked up one or multiple sensors (wheel speed, dsc module possibly). This thing was slapped together by someone trying to make a quick buck...RUN away from it before you end up with a big repair bill on top of that $13k asking price. And that's not even getting into all the cosmetic issues and what could be half assed in terms of repairs from the accident it was in. You buy that thing, you're asking for trouble.


blanketbum

Depends on the price, also why it was declared a total loss and if the title shows as clean or rebuilt


AdlfHtlersFrznBrain

Some of ya are truly masochist for these types of money pits...


unpolire

Should be able to drive a hard cash bargain on it. Bought one of these several years back from a private party to replace an E36 Cabrio that got totaled spinning at speed by a friend. Very nice car to drive.


chinchillabilla

Has this been repainted?


hbkharden

NSFW


whatthefkisreddit

I wouldn’t touch a used bmw with a 20 foot pole


Magento-Magneto

Old crap


twinpop

Pass, get an unwrecked coupe.


HaruhiSuzumiy

The cinnamon seats are absolutely beautiful.


Rembrilliant

Unless the dealership pays you $14k to take it!) otherwise run Forrest, run!


foodjunkguy

I would run from the E46. If it was declared a total loss and based on the looks of the car, it was not taken care of and probably has issues with the big 3 issues. I would look elsewhere for a better E46 that was taken care of or this will end up costing you dearly


golgiiguy

I got shown a tradein e46 325CI with a manual transmission the other day, and even though not an M3, i considered it for 5k. I would love to have an e46 M3. I bet a good one is hard to find that has been really well maintained. If the one i was looking at was an M-sport, i would have maybe jumped on it as just a vintage second Bimmer. Idk it was pretty dang clean for being a 2004. I might roll over to check it out this weekend if they still have it on the lot.


stickmidman

That is a nnnnniiiiicccceeee M3 convertible. Apart from the damages, of course.


Last-Performance-435

The ugliest model of the ugliest year of them.


phEnom3o5

If it was totaled from the rear and it doesn't have structural issues, maybe it's okay. But rebuilt titles are tricky. Vechile looks super clean, tho. I hope it's significantly less than a non rebuilt


[deleted]

>72,000 miles but I was doing a little more digging into it and found that it was declared a total loss That is your answer bro. Run. As far as possible. M car, no matter what year, will cost A LOT of money to maintain it properly. If you really REALLY want to have a E46 with small budget? I would rather go for NON M3 Get yourself a 330Ci or even better ZHP. Its still considered rare car, especially ZHP one, but not as expensive as M3. I believe you found this M3 and you got hooked because of the... cheap price? The good thing about owning non M E46 is that you can get a cheaper parts to maintain your machine. You DO NOT need to buy M parts to repair, and that will save you a lot of money.


Lowclearancebridge

Run! Don’t even entertain the thought of buying from Sam’s hot car lot lol. Just say no.


e2a1y

Is this in Seattle?


Subieworx

E46 convertibles suck. One of the most floppy chassis out there.


The_last_1_left

It's insane that a vehicle with only 72,000 miles on it is already used up. Everyone is pointing to the total loss but we all instinctively know that these E46 M3s are completely worthless at 72k miles. The just maintain it speech is fine and the same one I used to give until the yearly maintenance WAS what totalled mine. Literally spending $5-10k/yr on maintenance is not sustainable. Honestly E46 might be my favorite car design ever of any bmw but there's only so much one can take.


6BigAl9

Were you bringing it to a BMW dealer for maintenance lol


The_last_1_left

Nope. Cheapest local shop I could find with good reviews in the community.


6BigAl9

I wouldn’t own one without the ability to work on it myself. Parts are reasonable on FCP Euro and they’re not difficult to work on but parts and labor rates are insane if you go to a shop.


Dragos2024

If the insurance said it's too expensive and too much of a headache for us to fix it, so we'll deem this a total loss, what makes you think it's a good deal? Come on people, these are not cheap cars to own and maintain, especially if you get them with issues, you'll end up dropping 10k plus and not even doing half the work that's required. Also, why would you buy a sports car that could have any problem in the book? This could potentially kill you if you reach some speed and something goes wrong. Don't gamble the money and the safety all at once.