[norMcal]

Originally Posted by M2audioman

This has to be among the most ridiculous things I've ever read. Why would someone's wife have this much control over their husband's car purchases? Get a divorce. Problem solved.

And yes... I am married and my wife couldn't care less about my car purchases.

I backed out of the deal because I set my sights higher, not for any other reason. You may be reading too much in to me mentioning the spouses approval. I've bought a dozen cars in 17 years of marriage.

Originally Posted by STK

This might be crazy, but have you considered a used, dedicated track/race car? This is going to be just a track car, right?

Otherwise, P car all the way. It's obvious that's what you want.

Yes, it mainly is for the track, but I also would like to use it ~1 day a week to enjoy. My main objective is to have a car that is a step up in performance from what I have now. Otherwise, I am pretty content with the set up I have, meaning, a practical DD and a 2nd car that is a HPDE/weekend car.

Originally Posted by dmk08

On the converse and not wishing this on anyone you could be dead tomorrow.

There will be a new M2 in a couple years like some said. There will also be a new GT3. I live by YOLO as long as it's not financially irresponsible.

Originally Posted by ChrisK

YOLO! Agreed. You only get one ride on the merry go around (Depending on Religion)

Yes, there will always be other cars. YOLO feels like a good attitude in your 20's and 30's, but once you get a bit older you realize life is a balance of enjoying the fruits of your labor and not living above your means. Retirement is a lot more enjoyable when you have enough set aside. I have definitely not deprived myself of many things I wanted, but need to be smart about it when thinking about spending 6 figures on a car.

[twin fed]

Just throwing this out there, GT3 Touring??

[dmk08]

Originally Posted by norMcal

I backed out of the deal because I set my sights higher, not for any other reason. You may be reading too much in to me mentioning the spouses approval. I've bought a dozen cars in 17 years of marriage.

Yes, it mainly is for the track, but I also would like to use it ~1 day a week to enjoy. My main objective is to have a car that is a step up in performance from what I have now. Otherwise, I am pretty content with the set up I have, meaning, a practical DD and a 2nd car that is a HPDE/weekend car.

Yes, there will always be other cars. YOLO feels like a good attitude in your 20's and 30's, but once you get a bit older you realize life is a balance of enjoying the fruits of your labor and not living above your means. Retirement is a lot more enjoyable when you have enough set aside. I have definitely not deprived myself of many things I wanted, but need to be smart about it when thinking about spending 6 figures on a car.

I said as long as it doesn't hurt you financially. IE not hurting retirement savings. .

[dmboone25]

Originally Posted by twin fed

Just throwing this out there, GT3 Touring??

Dream car for me.

And on another planet entirely (from both a cost and ability perspective).

[twin fed]

Originally Posted by dmboone25

Dream car for me.

And on another planet entirely (from both a cost and ability perspective).

Yeah I seriously love that car. Would take that in a second. So stealth.

[mtoosexy]

Originally Posted by norMcal

Well, I came to the same conclusion. Just told my dealer to refund me my deposit. Backing out of the M2 C! I will set my sights on a 991. The T would be close to perfect. Just need to decide if it is worth $100k+ new, when there are used GT3's for another $20k. A used T, although hard to find I'm sure, would be a great compromise, if I could find one for ~$85k.

Passing on the M2C boiled down to these 3 factors for me:

1. Giving up too much (nice e46 M3 + ~$40k), for something that might not be better in every way I hope for
2. Being committed to a car for possibly longer than I want to
3. Big uptick in business this year allows me to potentially set my sights higher

The fact that the M2C is heavier, doesn't come in any colors that I really love, and those hideous wheels only contributed to my decision.

I backed out as well. NONE of the colors thrill me. I didn't like that they say November will bring more options? I figured out some financials that make more sense to go for the Porsche next year.

I have been quiet over the past month and a half or so, I have recently picked up another rental property and am closing on another in two weeks. Looking for a "company car" I am going to try to work a 911T into the picture, or wait for the GT4 next year.

[norMcal]

Originally Posted by mtoosexy

I backed out as well. NONE of the colors thrill me. I didn't like that they say November will bring more options? I figured out some financials that make more sense to go for the Porsche next year.

I have been quiet over the past month and a half or so, I have recently picked up another rental property and am closing on another in two weeks. Looking for a "company car" I am going to try to work a 911T into the picture, or wait for the GT4 next year.

It really is a huge disappointment that BMW can't offer better, and MORE, colors for this car. Why?

The T or the GT4 are both excellent choices in the ~100k price range, especially if you are leasing, which it sounds like you will, since it will be a "company" car ;-)

[stefan]

Please.. please don't sell your E46 M3. Particularly if it is clean, 6mt, and not modded. I don't know if you said that already but I got that far in your post and felt compelled to immediately respond. DO NOT SELL IT. This is a huge mistake even from a purely financial perspective. I miss my E46 dearly. Biggest mistake I ever made.

edit; you backed out. Smart man. Also you could always do an M2 LCI at a big discount with low mileage. Trust me when I say the S55 won't be worth the massive over MSRP markup and fanboy hype. Thanks to volume, a used GTI is amazing value as well.

[dmk08]

Originally Posted by stefan

Please.. please don't sell your E46 M3. Particularly if it is clean, 6mt, and not modded. I don't know if you said that already but I got that far in your post and felt compelled to immediately respond. DO NOT SELL IT. This is a huge mistake even from a purely financial perspective. I miss my E46 dearly. Biggest mistake I ever made.

edit; you backed out. Smart man. Also you could always do an M2 LCI at a big discount with low mileage. Trust me when I say the S55 won't be worth the massive over MSRP markup and fanboy hype. Thanks to volume, a used GTI is amazing value as well.

Who is paying over MSRP for this? I have only seen MSRP.

E46s are like the most overrated car ever IMO. I used to drive my roommates brand new (in 05) 06 E46 ZCP Manual all the time and was never that impressed.

[KevM2]

Originally Posted by norMcal

I don't know if it was divine intervention, but something happened the other day that is making me second guess my decision to buy the M2 Competition...............and just to be clear, it has less to do with the M2 Comp's shortcoming/concerns, than with my own personal struggles.

Here is my situation. I am first in line at my dealer for an M2C. My wife, not a big fan of me changing/buying cars, gave me the OK to go for it, but no payments. In other words, sell my e46 M3. So with the necessary equity (if I sell the M3) and spousal approval there, I listed the car for sale on the M3 forum. FWIW, it is very clean, pretty low miles, and totally dialed in for HPDE's. It would not be easily replaced unless I spend even more than what I did on mine.

I should also mention, that I really want a 991 GT3. To me that would be the ultimate (streetable) track toy, but of course way more money and also a way bigger challenge to get the "spousal unit" to agree to. And if I get an M2 Comp now, the GT3 dream is out the window for many years to come, because she would insist that I keep the M2 for at least 3-5 years, I'm sure!

With my ad for the M3 placed, and starting to get second thoughts about letting it go, coupled with concerns about how a heavier M2C will compare, and the dream of a GT3 fading away, this happened:

I'm driving home from work in my DD. I live in semi rural area and my drive home is mostly FWY, but has a couple of lights shortly before I get to my house. At the last light I had to stop, and opposite of me I noticed a GT3. Keep in mind, this is only the second time I have seen one of those in our area, so not a common occurrence. As I am waiting, I lowered my window, so I could take in the sound of the engine when he takes off. His light turned green before mine, as there were cars turning left in his direction also, but not in mine. Secretly I was hoping he would step on it and give me the full symphony of 9k RPM, but I figured it was a long shot. But the driver did not disappoint. He flogged the car and went through the first 2 gears at WOT. Each time he shifted there was what sounded like a mini explosion, just a glorious sound of pure performance. It really made my day. As the GT3 faded off in the distance and my light turned green, I took off in my back to reality GTI thinking to myself, NOW THAT WOULD BE WORTH SELLING MY CAR FOR.

So was this just a coincidence, or was this divine intervention? Should I keep the e46 M3 and just be happy with it for another year or two and save up for a GT3, or do I get instant gratification now and get the M2C, but possibly regret it in a couple of years, wondering what could have been.

Save up for the GT3, no regrets

[norMcal]

Originally Posted by stefan

Please.. please don't sell your E46 M3. Particularly if it is clean, 6mt, and not modded. I don't know if you said that already but I got that far in your post and felt compelled to immediately respond. DO NOT SELL IT. This is a huge mistake even from a purely financial perspective. I miss my E46 dearly. Biggest mistake I ever made.

edit; you backed out. Smart man. Also you could always do an M2 LCI at a big discount with low mileage. Trust me when I say the S55 won't be worth the massive over MSRP markup and fanboy hype. Thanks to volume, a used GTI is amazing value as well.

I know, I finally came to the same condlusion. Yes, it is 6mt, 46k miles. I do have lots of mods, BUT I have all the original parts neatly stored and it can be put back to stock when the time comes

I think I am starting to realize that the only thing worthy (to me) is a Porsche GT car, and if I really would go M2 at some point, then you are correct that (for what I want out of it) a LCI might be the smarter choice.

I don't know if you mentioned the GTI because you saw it in my profile, but that is exactly what my DD is, and I agree, the best kept secret out there. Such a great value.

Originally Posted by dmk08

Who is paying over MSRP for this? I have only seen MSRP.

E46s are like the most overrated car ever IMO. I used to drive my roommates brand new (in 05) 06 E46 ZCP Manual all the time and was never that impressed.

I'm sure there will be plenty of dealers trying to charge over MSRP, but so far you're correct, most of them are paying around MSRP.

Maybe you weren't impressed with the e46 M3 because you didn't get a chance to really push it extensively. It is one of those cars that does not feel special until you really drive it like it was meant to be driven. For DD it is no where near as good as a M2, that I am sure of, but at the limit, it is close to perfect.

[Obioban]

Thread seems relevant to your interests
https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1513081

[norMcal]

Originally Posted by Obioban

Thread seems relevant to your interests
https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1513081

Read through it. It touches on some of the same concerns I have. Thanks.

[ZPrime]

Originally Posted by COChris

Simple - just tell your wife that the M2 Comp is just to hold you over till you can have the GT3.

3 years at $3k per month saved is $36k. A nice chunk to put towards that 991 when its value settles down.

I wish I could afford to save $3k/mo.

[Thescout13]

Originally Posted by ZPrime

I wish I could afford to save $3k/mo.

Can't tell if serious...

[Isty]

Originally Posted by stefan

Please.. please don't sell your E46 M3. Particularly if it is clean, 6mt, and not modded. I don't know if you said that already but I got that far in your post and felt compelled to immediately respond. DO NOT SELL IT. This is a huge mistake even from a purely financial perspective. I miss my E46 dearly. Biggest mistake I ever made.

edit; you backed out. Smart man. Also you could always do an M2 LCI at a big discount with low mileage. Trust me when I say the S55 won't be worth the massive over MSRP markup and fanboy hype. Thanks to volume, a used GTI is amazing value as well.

As this man says: do NOT sell a Clean MT M3 e46 for a M2, you will regret it.

[dmk08]

Originally Posted by Thescout13

Can't tell if serious...

I would guess he's serious. Saving 3k a month is 30% of 10k a month take home which requires over 200k a year salary. Is that the average demographic for an M2? I doubt it.

[Thescout13]

Originally Posted by dmk08

I would guess he's serious. Saving 3k a month is 30% of 10k a month take home which requires over 200k a year salary. Is that the average demographic for an M2? I doubt it.

Depends on the state. 200k in a no income taxes state is >$11k/mo (at least that's what I recall, too lazy to go do the math), I guess I would never consider a car with this payment if I was not able to save at the very least $3k a month after taxes. I guess I thought the demographic for a $60k car was that income level (given from those I have met). But to each their own.

[dmk08]

Originally Posted by Thescout13

Depends on the state. 200k in a no income taxes state is >$11k/mo (at least that's what I recall, too lazy to go do the math), I guess I would never consider a car with this payment if I was not able to save at the very least $3k a month after taxes. I guess I thought the demographic for a $60k car was that income level (given from those I have met). But to each their own.

My old SA told me his average M3/M4 buyer made 150k and the average build was 85k. You cant even buy a loaded Yukon for 60k anymore.

[Thescout13]

Originally Posted by dmk08

My old SA told me his average M3/M4 buyer made 150k and the average build was 85k. You cant even buy a loaded Yukon for 60k anymore.

Interesting. Then again, a lot of people do live way above their means for a depreciating asset. I know I did when I was younger. I remember being fresh out of the military in law school with a semester stipend of $8k and having a $600/mo payment for a 335i. I had like $200/mo for food after rent and expenses haha. Man was I stupid then. Hell, even now with the money I make, an M5 makes me queezy at $1500/mo. Can I afford it? Yeah technically. But there are some other things I rather do with that $500 extra a month. Then again I grew up dirt poor, so I like to hoard as much cash as possible but still leave room for something stupid like travel or a $5k exhaust for my M2C. I'm a complicated guy.

[ZPrime]

Originally Posted by dmk08

I would guess he's serious. Saving 3k a month is 30% of 10k a month take home which requires over 200k a year salary. Is that the average demographic for an M2? I doubt it.

Exactly, I was serious.

I feed into my 401k with every paycheck, and I put a bit into savings as well, but $3k/mo is roughly 75% of my monthly post-tax pay. (I have no qualms talking about money; my salary is around $105k/yr right now.)

My situation is somewhat different from many though, because my wife makes less than half of what I do, and it's especially frustrating because we do both have 4-year undergrad degrees.

Could be in a much nicer house and/or have a nicer car if I wasn't paying for almost all of it myself.

I have no debt other than my mortgage and (72 month / 3.25% APR because my dealer screwed me - should've been lower) car loan though - no student loans, and my credit cards are generally zeroed out every month.

[dmk08]

So.. after a lot of thought I canceled my M2C order over the weekend. Decided its time to move it up to a P car. Currently searching for a 997.2 TT.

Biggest factors were S55 sound and recent BMW depreciation.