[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by Bt31st

I enjoy looking and researching too. Do you think I should consider any non CPO cars?

Well by CPO, I mean something with a warranty, either factory, CPO or both. So in essence, I really only look at cars a few years old when I’m in the market. The BMW factory warranty is 4 years, 50k miles. Then the dealer can “certify it” and add another year or two. The buyer usually pays for CPO indirectly as it’s reflected in the price. The buyer also can have the opportunity to waive the certification years and knock the money off the price. I personally wouldn’t buy a preowned BMW not under warranty. It’s just a safety net when not knowing the car you are buying.

[BMW012]

Originally Posted by Bt31st

Appreciate your thoughts. And yes you are correct. I could technically afford to keep it and buy something else. Especially if I got something a little cheaper than a newer model M550i. And you're definitely correct that just saving a dollar doesn't make you happy in the long term when it comes to cars. I've bought cars in the past that had slightly less options than I wanted for example and you end up unhappy. I've never been unhappy with a car that I ordered how I wanted even if I kept it for a long time.

I've had experience in the past with getting a third car for weekends. Did that with a Porsche Boxster and other cars. Every time I've done that I end up regretting it after a couple of years because I just don't drive the weekend car enough to justify it. It seems that I'm more content having one car that does everything that I need. Before my M3, that was an E90 335i. The key really is that I work 3 miles from my home and we always keep an SUV for travel. If I had to drive a lot of miles, I would have sold the M3 on time ago because it's really not that comfortable on long trips. So I can handle anything with four doors, even if it's pretty hardcore like an M3 or M5 I guess. And before someone tells me to get a 911, I have three small grandchildren so that's not an option unfortunately.

Having said all that, you may be right that I should just hang on to my car for a little while longer and not be in a hurry. I still love driving it. And as you said, it's not going to depreciate much quicker over the next year or so. I've got a guy that would probably pay me 39-40k for for it right now. I also need to actually drive an M550i, as many have suggested on here to see if I even like it well enough to get one. I guess I just don't feel like there are many other options out there. The M550i or M5 are about the only cars I would look at right now. The new M3s are finally coming down but I just cannot deal with the looks and believe me I've tried. I don't ever remember having a car for 8 years and struggling to find something else that I would trade it for after that length of time. Maybe I'll just keep it forever and be like one of these old people we make fun of when we see them driving a Lincoln Town Car LOL. For now, I'll just keep looking and researching I guess.

Me to my wife: my financial advisor told me to keep my M3 and buy a loaded M5. He's the the expert honey so we need to just do what he says.😂

after reading everything about your background. one test drive and i can tell you will already be hooooooked on the M550i. You will probably say you have been missing out. Its just a more mature car with still all the fun and some more. the way i see it, you can go from a m3 to a m550i but you really cant go from a m550i to a m3. its just a progression along with age lol.

if you are a car guy and had some sporty cars in the past its just the next step in your car life/history. Its seriously the one car that can do it all.

whether you keep the m3 or not i think you can think about it more after test driving the m550i. so.... will you be test driving one this week?

[NGT2]

Gosh damnit. Now I’m thinking about M5’s. I don’t know if I should try to drive one or not…

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by BMW012

after reading everything about your background. one test drive and i can tell you will already be hooooooked on the M550i. You will probably say you have been missing out. Its just a more mature car with still all the fun and some more. the way i see it, you can go from a m3 to a m550i but you really cant go from a m550i to a m3. its just a progression along with age lol.

if you are a car guy and had some sporty cars in the past its just the next step in your car life/history. Its seriously the one car that can do it all.

whether you keep the m3 or not i think you can think about it more after test driving the m550i. so.... will you be test driving one this week?

Yeah. He needs to drive one. But he’s going to love it.

OP, test drive one you won’t actually buy so you’re not afraid to test it in sport and sport plus and really test it out!

Given your propensity for the true M feel, the only thing you may prefer is the actual M5. Just depends where your priorities are for the next phase.

[Bt31st]

Originally Posted by BMW012

after reading everything about your background. one test drive and i can tell you will already be hooooooked on the M550i. You will probably say you have been missing out. Its just a more mature car with still all the fun and some more. the way i see it, you can go from a m3 to a m550i but you really cant go from a m550i to a m3. its just a progression along with age lol.

if you are a car guy and had some sporty cars in the past its just the next step in your car life/history. Its seriously the one car that can do it all.

whether you keep the m3 or not i think you can think about it more after test driving the m550i. so.... will you be test driving one this week?

Thanks for the advice. What you are saying about progressing to this type of car at this stage of life is something I have thought about as well. I think you are probably correct. As I said, I love driving my M3 because it's almost exclusively for short distances around town, to the golf course, Etc. But it's not comfortable for more than a couple of hours. And I've had it for 8 years. I've had plenty of time to enjoy the things that make it an exciting car to drive. Probably time for the old guy to move on to a more "mature" ride. There aren't any M550s close to where I live at the moment but I'm constantly looking so I will try one out soon when I see one I might be interested in.

[Bt31st]

Originally Posted by NGT2

Yeah. He needs to drive one. But he’s going to love it.

OP, test drive one you won’t actually buy so you’re not afraid to test it in sport and sport plus and really test it out!

Given your propensity for the true M feel, the only thing you may prefer is the actual M5. Just depends where your priorities are for the next phase.

If the prices were the same, many of us would probably consider the M5. But they are so much more expensive. It makes an awful lot of sense to go with a newer model year M550i with lower miles and more warranty left. That's the other concern I would have about an M5 since I plan to keep it for a long time. I've been lucky driving my M3 for the last 4 years with no warranty. I did have to replace leaking seals on the rear differential last year and it was several thousand dollars just for that. I definitely want something I can have a warranty on for the next several years and that's harder to accomplish with an older M5 which is what I would have to get to keep the price comparable to a newer M550i.

[NGT2]

Yep. 100%. And there are some that actually prefer the M550 to the M5. The crazy people that can put daily comfort ahead of ego.

[Gautam]

Originally Posted by NGT2

Gosh damnit. Now I’m thinking about M5’s. I don’t know if I should try to drive one or not…

I'm too afraid to...too afraid I'll love it.

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by Gautam

I'm too afraid to...too afraid I'll love it.

Both of you, don’t do it. I speak from experience.

[Chappers 71]

lol…You Guys, dilemmas dilemmas. Am glad I scratched the M5 & 540i V8 itches in the nineties & noughtys. Now I’m just content with the beige estate car & can think of nothing that I’d replace it with, at least not while I’ve still got the two dogs

[BMW012]

Originally Posted by NGT2

Gosh damnit. Now I’m thinking about M5’s. I don’t know if I should try to drive one or not…

im taking bets on whos getting an m5 first. you or joe

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by BMW012

im taking bets on whos getting an m5 first. you or joe

It’s Joe, unless Joe just decides he doesn’t want one. If I could do it, I’d think really hard about it. But I can’t pull it off. And I’d be really picky and it would take forever even if I could.