[Jahjaman]

I had an M3 loaner for one day and it was completely different beast when comparing to M140i. Everything driving related - steering, suspension, gearbox (DCT) is miles ahead. M3 is huge, but that's about the only thing M-lites have better.

This paragraph captures it all in one go.

 

[Jahjaman]

It's a choice between saving money ( a lot ) or just keep having fun with the M3. I'm 25 years old right now, and who knows what happens over two years with maybe a baby or a new house. And having enough savings is always great to have..

The way I see it mate, you're not committed to spending that much on a car. You seem to be in a consistent financial position, but you have other competing priorities and you don't appear have the "excess" financial means to make the M3 purchase entirely and comfortably justified. No offence intended - that's just what I get from that paragraph.

Some people have loads of finances and an M3 would be like chicken feed to them. Others scrabble as much savings as they can together and/or compromise other aspects of their life in order to fund the purchase of an M3.

You can always keep downgrading and downgrading, to a 125i/225i, or a 118i/218i, or even a different brand, a Kia or Hyundai, and you'll double your 15k savings to 30k.

But then at what cost? None of us "absolutely need" a nice car. But we choose to have one - you just need to figure out how much you are willing to spend (your budget), then work backwards from there.

Again, no offence intended, but I think you may have been a bit brash with the original M3 purchase - perhaps an emotional purchase without additional forethought of the future?
I'm sure most people can also pool their savings and purchase an M5 outright - but what fun is it eating instant noodles every day? Lol

 

[Pupples]

Jeepers you guys have my sympathy, I've driven a little around Maastricht and cars are third class citizens compared to bicycles and pedestrians (perhaps even cats). I'm lucky enough to live in Luxembourg and for the moment we don't have any stupid taxes like this Belgian one yet..

"To start with, there is the tax for putting the car on the road, which replaced the ""luxury tax"" formerly applied to high power sports cars. It is now applied to all new cars. Up to 8 break hp (CV) or 70 kilowatts (95 hp din), the tax is low (61.50 EUR), but it climbs in steps right up to 4.957,00 EUR for a car with more than 17 break hp or 155 kW (210 hp din)."

I had a quick look at what you could get here for second hand Ms and found a couple of decent low mileage cars.

M2 for 55k

http://bmwpremiumselection.lu/fr/vehicules/bmw/m2-coupe/details-p5bvgzq3

M4 for 71k

http://bmwpremiumselection.lu/fr/vehicules/bmw/m4-coupe/details-v3bt9lyz

I guess if you tried to import, they would whack a load of tax on?

 

[dannyvdberg]

The way I see it mate, you're not committed to spending that much on a car. You seem to be in a consistent financial position, but you have other competing priorities and you don't appear have the "excess" financial means to make the M3 purchase entirely and comfortably justified. No offence intended - that's just what I get from that paragraph.

Don't worry about the offense. It's has been my own stupid fault to buy the M3 with a high payment each month.. I appreciate your honest opinion. The M3 was indeed a emotional purchase. Before the M3 I had the M2 already and it was a great car, but somehow I got to emotional and just bought the M3..

I think saving like 600 euros every month is quite a lot money, and off course the M240i will be a awesome car.. But is the money it worth it over having pleasure with the car.. Maybe a M2 is a better step back..

 

[MrArthur]

There are just 3 on the world with Ferrari Red..

http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?p=22887151#post22887151

Maybe I should wait until September when the M2 Competition arrives and the M2 LCI will be some cheaper and than eventually trading the M3.. ?

Or you should just trade it in for the new M2 Competition?

That M240i, tell them to put the M Performance Diff on it first, if you buy it (2900 Euro).

 

[dannyvdberg]

M2 Competition not a option, will pay the same month each month.

The next car I should keep for at least 3 years to get my money back and then stop with leasing and buy the next car with a bunch of cash...

 

[dannyvdberg]

Thank you all for your replies!

I will go with the M240i. The F80 M3 will be missed, but I know I could have the some fun with the M240i after all. The only time I enjoy the F80 M3 is in the weekend, but when that's over I still can't stop thinking about the monthly payment and all the other costs that will come with the F80. I have probably overestimated myself. No issue after all, just a hard lesson..

It's full M Performance the M240i, only doubt is that if it's need a LSD?

 

[marco_polo]

If you've been enjoying your F80, I'd say yes an LSD would be highly desirable. One wheel drive would probably feel like a disappointing step backwards.

 

[dannyvdberg]

I have added to the list! Thank you guys!

 

[Sonic1506]

I wouldn't personally go backwards from an F80 M3 to F22 M240i. Especially a Ferrari Red ZCP.

 

[dannyvdberg]

I understand that a lot of people will think the same, but why keep hurting myself with the monthly payment. I'm getting older and other things in life going to be more important than just the BMW. Over 3/4 years I saved a lot of money and I will be able to buy one of the cars again I will love at that time..

 

[docwra]

For me, if you arent tracking an M3 you arent getting the best out of it anyway. Youll miss it, but the 240 is hardly a bad car.
However, there are a lot of similarly good cars available for a lot less money too.

My biggest issue would be walking up to it each morning, its not going to do what the M does in your pants

 

[Jahjaman]

For me, if you arent tracking an M3 you arent getting the best out of it anyway. Youll miss it, but the 240 is hardly a bad car.
However, there are a lot of similarly good cars available for a lot less money too.

My biggest issue would be walking up to it each morning, its not going to do what the M does in your pants

I have both F80 M3 and F21 M140 and things that the M140 lack:
- Proper suspension (KW CS is on order), in stock form to me its too soft after spending time in the M3
- LSD (at home just need to fit it), once you are used to it not having one is really something you miss
- Sound (decat will be fitted soon), can see if still too quiet to put aftermarket rear section
- Power (we'll work on that as well later on),

You missed one critical thing, Peter: wheelbase.

You'll never achieve the same handling feeling in the Fxx 1 series as you would in the Fxx 3 series simply because the wheelbase is too short. The 3 series is so much superior in that sense.

I love my 140 though. Great car.

 

[ASB1960]

Another thing to consider is how much does it cost to get out of the lease? Presumably you cant just hand is back and any shortfall between its value and the remaining finance needs to be factored in (obviously it may be easier to that in NL).

There is also the question of the commitment going forwards. The M3 has 54 payments remaining untill it is yours. The replacement will have 60.

It seems conceivable to me that the trade down may actually end up costing more over the period ow ownership.

 

[dannyvdberg]

I already made that up in a sheet. Presume that i will own the M3 or the M240i until mid 2021 it will save me around 30k with costs. To get out of the lease with the M240i over three years will cost me around 7.5 a 10k, so I still have earned 20k. Keeping the M3 until mid 2021, the remaining value will be higher than the M240i but I probably saved something around 12k..

 

[dannyvdberg]

No, keeping the M3 I'm able to save around 300 a month. Downgrade to the m240i and I will save around 800 a 900 euros a month.

It's saving 300 a month with the m3 300 * 36 = €10.800
or
It's saving 900 a month with the m2 900 * 36 = €32.400

So by guessing the remaining value you may save around 12k spread over the coming 3 years? Thats like 4k per year that it would save you? That's around 330 a month you "may" save by driving the M240 til mid 2021. Things you need to mod on your M240:
- Suspension: 3k
- LSD: 2.5k
- Power mods: 1-2k?

For 330 a month I would stick with the M3 really. As you will be spending 50-70% on it on mods anyways and probably sell the car before mid 2021 (going by your history of cars over the last few years).

 

[docwra]

Yes the wheelbase is shorter but this gives it a more cart-like feel which i like as well. The F80 feels much more mature and stable A small car like the M140 to play around with is also nice

Ummm ....... yeah.. Id take a 1 over a 3 any day of the week as its much more nimble and wieldy, 240 is also 100KG lighter than F80.

I can only really speak for 1M vs E92 M3 fromm personal experience but the difference in how much they actually want to turn is very noticeable, its the main reason why I bought a 1 and not a 3.

 

[dannyvdberg]

That's one thing for sure!

However it's still keeps me thinking every minute of the day about it haha.. I recalculated all the numbers again this evening. The M3 I should keep the next 36 months to get out the lease without adding extra money. The M240i I should drive 6 months longer than the M3, add spend like 5 a 7k to get out the lease with it. I will save something around 20k, so €550 a €600 each month the next three years.

Sorry guys for probably making you even crazy about this.. :?

 

[kriszty]

That's one thing for sure!

However it's still keeps me thinking every minute of the day about it haha.. I recalculated all the numbers again this evening. The M3 I should keep the next 36 months to get out the lease without adding extra money. The M240i I should drive 6 months longer than the M3, add spend like 5 a 7k to get out the lease with it. I will save something around 20k, so €550 a €600 each month the next three years.

Sorry guys for probably making you even crazy about this.. :?

yes you did

 

[roncee]

Keep the m3 as every time you drive the 240 you will pretend you were still driving the m3. No long term experience of the m3 but have driven them on a bmw track day and have access to other fine machinery so i think you will regret it.

Unless its just going to and from work/ferrying family and kids around (like I do) i.e little opportunity to drive it hard for sustained periods then its ok.

Would you ever go from a proper amg car to an amg-line car (sub brand) and be happy no matter how much you were saving?