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2 questions on purchase/ownership

2K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  Bike nut 
#1 ·
Hi everyone, I’m getting close to pulling the trigger on an e64 M (moving up from e46 manual vert) and I wanted to get some opinions. Looking at ‘08-‘10 models with sub-50k and maintenance history.

1) how often is your car in the shop? I can afford to maintain the car, but that doesn’t mean I want to be visiting the shop every 2 months since that’s a pain.This would be my primary car, but I would only put about 3-4K a year on the car since I work from home and we usually take my wife’s Yukon.

2) How much of a premium would you personally put on a manual? I drove one the other day and, while I enjoyed it and appreciate the rarity, I’ve found an equally well sorted SMG with 12k less miles that’s $7k less. That’s a big difference in price and condition and I’m questioning whether compromising on the manual is the smarter choice here if I could get 90-95% of the enjoyment out of the SMG.

Thanks I’m advance for the input.
 
#2 · (Edited)
I picked mine up almost a year ago, it has only been in the shop twice, both times were scheduled services (rod bearings, brake/clutch fluid). With that being said, I do most of the regular maintenance myself (oil/plugs/brakes/fluids) and have a Carly OBD-II scanner/app. I also have the full INPA/NCS/TIS suite, but I haven't needed it with this car (yet). I have used to Carly to clear erroneous codes that pop up from time to time (mostly in the winter) and help with some ignition troubleshooting when I was replacing (breaking) coils. If you are not a DIY'r and you don't like random dashboard lights on, it is going to be in the shop more often than you would like.

As far as SMG vs 6-speed, I would say that $7k is well worth it if you want a manual (that price gap is not getting smaller). When I was in the market I was ready to pay over $15k more for a 6-speed if need be. Aside from the rarity and future value aspect, having a 6-speed basically cuts your potential for catastrophic repair bills in half, if not more. I would argue that the SMG is potentially more enjoyable than the 6-speed, but you won't save money in the long run - so I wouldn't consider the $7k lower buy-in cost of an SMG as a deciding factor from a financial standpoint.
 
#3 · (Edited)
I have put 4K km on mine and it has been great. I think of you keep up with the maintenance it should not be in the shop all the time. It is a good idea to find a good mechanic and have some mechanical skill as it will save you a lot of money and can be a fun hobby.

My car has the SMG. I think it is a pretty neat piece of technology for its time and is well matched to the power characteristics of the v10. I drive mine in auto on speed three alot. The shifts are lethargic but I believe it’s the easiest on the transmission. If I wanna have some fun just clap the paddle and speed up the shifts a couple clicks and it’s really quite impressive.

Flitzr951 has some good points on the collectabilty. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out. There are far less people that can drive standards every year so the market gets smaller.

Let us know what you get and share some pictures.
 
#4 ·
I have an '08 SMG with 38,000 miles (I drive much like you do). Over 11 years I probably take it in 2-3 times per year. I've spent a total of $13,000 maintaining it-about half for routine things like oil changes, tires, spark plugs etc). However when there's a problem it's a BIG ticket: alternator $1,300; throttle valve actuator $2,000, VANOS pressure hose $2,000. So, all in all I've been pretty lucky. whci

I do prefer to drive in M mode which is essentially manual without a clutch. I do read horror stories about when the SMG craps out, and have a friend that essentially gave his M away rather than fix it.
 
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