Is this $14,500 2004 BMW M3 Convertible a six-speed steal? – Jalopnik

According to the dealer advertisement, the current Nice Price or No Dice E46 M3 pulls “strongly.” Let’s decide if the price tag means they’re trying to pull our collective leg.

Like any smart automaker, Mazda offers a healthy selection of crossovers and SUVs these days. If we ignore hybrid variants, the company’s current range consists of five models, a few of which strangely seem to fit into the same weight class. Notably, the company also offers a single sedan – the Mazda3 – for fans of the brand looking for something lighter, shorter and less obtrusive.

Mazda has always had one or more models that go against the grain, with the 1994 MX-3 Precidia V6 coupe we looked at yesterday being a great example of that practice. At 1.8 liters, the V6 engine was the smallest offered in any modern car, and paired with a cool ’90s coupe body, it could be the heir apparent at any Radwood gathering. Our car had an asking price of $8,500, but since it’s being offered in Canada, that’s in Loonies. Converting to US dollars means it’s just over $6,000 here, a figure that gave the Mazda a solid ‘Nice Price’ win of 71%.

Let’s talk about the national car colors. You know that’s a thing, right? British cars must be green, British Racing Green to be precise. Italian cars, on the other hand, should rightly be red.Racing red in Ferrari language. French cars are blue, and when it comes to cars from Germany, silver is the expected armor.

That’s all well and good, but far from the truth. Ferraris look just as great in Fly Yellow as the traditional red, and as many of us remember, around 80% of all British cars built in the early 1970s were turd brown. People really liked that color. Likewise, not all German cars are simply silver.

Today 2004 BMW M3 convertibleis in fact painted in Imola Red, a specific shade that BMW introduced on the E46 edition and named it after the venerable Italian race track. In combination with the black canvas roof and Style 164 double parallels it looks beautiful. The ad gives us a full tour, and aside from a small scratch on the lower left side of the deep front hatch – most likely the result of a losing battle against a steep driveway – there doesn’t appear to be anything wrong with the body beneath that striking paint job.

In the cabin it’s an equally solid performance. It appears that the front bucket seats were reupholstered at some point, as they show no wear whatsoever, even on the bulbous side bolsters. Additionally, the center sections are covered in perforated material, while the rear seats (and most M3s in general) feature heavy-duty leather upholstery. Regardless, all upholstery appears to be in top condition.

There are a few problems here, just to name a few. One of these is the missing ashtray cover at the back of the center console. That’s a common fault with these cars, to the extent that replacements are easily available from places like Amazon. The other is the pair of paddles behind the steering wheel. According to the ad, the car was swapped into the car’s current six-speed Getrag 420, replacing the original SMG-II gearbox. The required third pedal was added for the switcheroo, but the flappy paddles for the automatic manual box were left in place as a cruel reminder.

Luckily, the transmission shifter is a plus, as most of us would rather row ourselves in a car like this. What also has a good reputation is the fact that the engine seems to have been left alone. That is BMW’s stiletto in a silk bag, the S54 DOHC six-cylinder in-line engine. In its U.S. market form, the 24-valve engine would produce 333 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque.

According to the ad, that engine has driven this M3 135,000 miles and is currently described as “very healthy,” with the selling dealer claiming it still “pulls strong.”

That’s essentially all the information we get about this M3. No history, no ‘approved inspection’, no ‘how to do it’. It’s a bit of a red flag for a car like this, as delayed maintenance or the heavy hand of a previous owner can spell doom for any new owner. A full pre-purchase inspection is warranted if the selling dealer is willing to grant the request. On the plus side, the car comes with a clean title.

It also comes with a price tag of $14,500 (tax and driver’s license extra), and if you do a little digging you’ll see that price reflects the car’s mileage. There are examples with lower mileage, but they have significantly higher asking prices. Running a PPI and perhaps plugging the car’s VIN into Carfax or a similar service would go a long way toward getting to know it before you take the plunge and buy it.

So, what to do? Is this M3, which at first glance appears to be in very nice condition, worth a roll of the dice at that $14,500 price? Or do you think this red car is too big of a black hole to ask that?

You decide!

Facebook Marketplace from Upland, California, or go here when the ad disappears.

H/T to Jim Hueur for the connection!

Help me with NPOND. Contact me at robemslie@gmail.com and send a fixed price tip. Don’t forget to include your comment handle.