New Member: I'm looking at several '07 C4. The value appears to be ok; softness in the market is what I need/want. East Coast rides C4 counts are slim. Salesguy says the cost is going to hold but the cars posted 30 + day ago are now down $7k. Suggestions on where or when to write the check ? I'll put 20k miles on a year so the deprec. value of a Certified car is essential.

 

The M3 went through a cycle .
1) At launch theyt were MSRP .
2) Dealers got stuck with them BIG TIME . Then they sold for huge discounts. At that time gas prices went up and on auto trader there were hundreds of listings used M3's.
3) Now dealerships have limited inventory and used cars are present but much more scarce. BMW used M3 values climbed up.

In general the BMW 3 series holds value (except the 335 which has numerous growing pains with the new engine) .

There are those who love the M3 . I just happen not to be one of them .But it runs well and unless I see the car that makes me go Hmmmm . I'll keep it.

 

Cayenne had a program back in May .I can tell you a bit about the car . I'll send you a PM.

 

Your wife has good taste. If I had to pick one Cayenne to own it would be the GTS....love the 6spd SUV!

Jason

 

Sold my 08 M3 DCT with 2.5K miles for 58K just over 6 months ago. Porsche dealer was going to give me 40K in trade-in on a left over 08 997.1. I walked. I have never looked back....

Jason

 

Why do want a C4 ? It's a tough car to buy and an even more difficult one to sell.

 

I see you live in NY which might explain the C4 over C2 desire. However, if you dont plan on driving it through the winter, there really is no good reason to get a C4 over a C2.....

Jason

 

I lived in NY until I was 23 and never had an AWD car . I can understand if one lives in Monticello or Syracuse (upstate) but if within the NYC limits it snows a few inches and most places close . Besides I would not even want to drive a C4 when all the other drivers are sliding on the snow filled city roads.

 

I can vouch for what yrralis is saying about the M3. I gave up my quest last month for the 06 997s and got an 08 E92 M3. The price on this particular M3 was too good to pass at the moment. And like everyone else it seems on this thread, been checking out prices and seeing where they been heading on both the 997 and M3s.

In my area, very light on M3s. But I still see a good stream of 997s here and there, more coming in, and prices dropping. Both on 05, 06, and 07 models.

I'm happy with the M3 (I know yrralis your views on the car, but I'm really happy with it, gets me what I need at the moment and I LOVE the technology it has), but sort of shocked by the free fall of prices on the p-cars.

I been reading the threads of late, and see that a vast opinion feels that the value in 911s are now in the 08 and new 09s. But I would like to definitely give the heads up to people who still want an older 997 (ie 05, 06) not to give up, still some good deals out there....again just speaking to my neck of the woods.

 

Wow deja vu... you are doing what I did. Now all you need to do is change your mind again and go back to the Porsche.

I originally wanted a 05/06 997S. Then managed to get a good deal through Military sales on a 08 M3. Kinda went with it on a whim. Picked up the M3, drove it for 2500 miles. Test drove a 06 997S and put the M3 up for sale a few days later. I have never looked back.

Jason

 

LOL. Well I do plan to get an 911 one day, but I'm totally happy with the M3 for now. To be honest, I drove many 997.1 during my qwest and was quite good going with the M3 at the end (thats all you can do as a buyer, test both and see which one works for you).

I have the M-DCT also, which I'm really enjoying playing with at the moment; and tech wise, the M3 is in a different league from a 997.1 (ie bluetooth, iPod, nav, etc. I like tech in my cars)

But if the prices keep on going with these p-cars, I may have to taste the waters myself in a few months.

 

I had been a BMW driver for 24 years - 2 M3s, an e39M5 - cars with a clutch...the kind with a pedal , and a 550i SMG loaded up were among my last BMW toys. I was really worried about the tech toys too when looking at Porsche, but I could not be happier with the 997.2. BT, Nav, XM, Traffic - I know BMW have improved their bits since my '07, but those I test drove didn't seem like night and day. I think BMWs Logic7 has an edge on the Bose 997.2 in general, but even there: 911 has DVDAudio, the iPod interface is much better (than my '07 anyway) - BMW has HD Radio - hmm - like my Lexus sales guy says "the perfect car is yet to be made". But for me, the 911 is very close to perfect.


But if I were to get another BMW, it would be the M3. That's great car in so many ways.

 

warzilla - you are right on both price and technology (comforts). The M3 premium sound is incredible and the nav has so many features and I have such little patience to learn them .

It wasn't until recent times that big Bangled bloaty odd shaped BMW's filled showrooms with pricetags just as big. Techno this and i drive that and so many attention deficit lease shoppers until they all lost their FICO scores --but kept the attitude.
Many of the old BMW loyalists have jumped ship when the cry of "please don't Bangle" went unheard . when the 7 series got "the butt" it was scary .

I hear you on the M3 . It not that bad of a car and it does get the job done of daily driving . But you'll see .. one day you will be making an appointment just to get an appointment for free service and you'll want to come home. Home for me has always been with Porsche even though over the years I have had quite a few BMW's .

 

Good points, the being said...

I cant speak for the 09 and I realize there were a lot of improvements made to Idrive as of late but the 08 M3's Idrive makes for one of the worst Navi systems in existence, your actually the first to say they actually like the Premium sound over the Logic 7 (which for some reason is not an option on the M3)... either way, neither of them are very good.

BMW "sort of" lost their way with Bangle calling the shots in the design department. Even though, rumor has it he also designed was behind the wheel of many of BMW's best designs, such as the E46 3ser/M3. Sad to say that the E9X M3 will probably end up being like the 996 of the Porsche world...the ugly duckling that managed to do everything better than its older siblings but no one could over its ugly face. Yet, BMW has plenty of red headed step children... the US spec E36 M3 (sad to say because I own one) is sort of an outcast with its bastardized 328i bored out 2.8L (bored to 3.0/3.2L) instead of the gorgeous 321hp individual throttle body piece the rest of the world received.

I really tried to love my new M3... I did, in some ways I guess I did love it. Its the only car I have ever bought completely brand new! Doubt I will do that again, especially considering how quickly these premium car prices drop when you drive them off the lot. Seriously, think about it, a used 08 M3 still costs about 80% of its original MSRP while a Porsche of the same year can be had for what 60% or possibly even 50% of its original price? Crazyness!

Jason

 

Stevepow, definitely the 997.2 has made the jump in the tech department, but unfortunately my budget brought me to the 06 models (and now it seems the 07s).

But again, if things don't stabilize for the p-cars in price, I may be aiming for an 09 next year (or wishful thinking on my part )

Yrralis1, I look forward to the day where I too can have your passion (or maybe 1/4 at least) for p-car. I got time.