Buying used? Be aware of BMW M Performance School cars for sale

[Fugly M3]

Originally Posted by glennQNYC

I do cringe at the thought a shady person could buy these just to flip and not disclose its origin to an unsuspecting buyer.

This could be partly why BMW reconditions them and sells them through BMW dealers. At the rate they go through these M cars, doing anything else could make for terrible stories.

[DataNerd]

Like many of you, I'm also interested in the reliability of a PDC vehicle. So I bought one, at a steep discount. I'll post updates on this forum about issues that may arise.

I personally think that these cars aren't horrible purchases. I know people that have had more problems from gently used cars than cars that have been driven as they were meant to be. How an engine should be "seated", or "broken in", is divisive.

We shall see.

[Dog Face Pony Soldier]

Originally Posted by E46M54325Ci

This could be partly why BMW reconditions them and sells them through BMW dealers. At the rate they go through these M cars, doing anything else could make for terrible stories.

I wonder if any reconditioning is done to the brakes.

[///M4ster Yoda]

We beat the shit out of these cars at 2 day M school in Thermal. The instructor laps were even worse. I would NEVER purchase one of these cars.

[DataNerd]

Originally Posted by ///M4ster Yoda

We beat the shit out of these cars at 2 day M school in Thermal. The instructor laps were even worse. I would NEVER purchase one of these cars.

Stock cars on a track with supervision from BMW M instructors.

Have you read the forum? Firmware mods, bolt-ons, and piggybacks...which have not been driven gently and most probably tracked. If buying a used car, those are better purchases than a performance school car?

Maybe, but I'm doubtful.

[Thescout13]

Originally Posted by DataNerd

Stock cars on a track with supervision from BMW M instructors.

Have you read the forum? Firmware mods, bolt-ons, and piggybacks...which have not been driven gently and most probably tracked. If buying a used car, those are better purchases than a performance school car?

Maybe, but I'm doubtful.

People that mod their Ms are absolutely the minority. I would say less than 20%. Being on a forum always makes it seem like so much more but maybe less than 10 or even 5% of owners post here. So you have an 80% chance of getting a used stock car, or a 100-% chance you get a car that was beat to shit and was at the very least painted, had substantial repairs, parts replaced, or worse. Idk that seems more risky to me.

[DataNerd]

Originally Posted by Thescout13

People that mod their Ms are absolutely the minority. I would say less than 20%. Being on a forum always makes it seem like so much more but maybe less than 10 or even 5% of owners post here. So you have an 80% chance of getting a used stock car, or a 100-% chance you get a car that was beat to shit and was at the very least painted, had substantial repairs, parts replaced, or worse. Idk that seems more risky to me.

I like the random percentages. Who knows the number of people that mod their M cars...and if you do mod, then more power to you.

Parts break, better they break and be replaced before ownership than after.

[DataNerd]

Not trying to change the topic, but what would be interesting to know is the number of visitors vs the number of active members. I do agree that the number of active members isn't representative of M owners as a whole, but I wonder how many come here for advice and then mod accordingly.

[Thescout13]

Originally Posted by DataNerd

I like the random percentages. Who knows the number of people that mod their M cars...and if you do mod, then more power to you.

Parts break, better they break and be replaced before ownership than after.

Yeah they are random, but Im willing to bet a decent amount of money that I am in the ballpark. Hey if you want to go ahead and be the cool guy who buys a beat to shit track car, be my guest. It is not my money.

[DataNerd]

Originally Posted by Thescout13

Yeah they are random, but Im willing to bet a decent amount of money that I am in the ballpark. Hey if you want to go ahead and be the cool guy who buys a beat to shit track car, be my guest. It is not my money.

Cool guy? Nah, more like guinea pig with a full factory warranty. Happy to update the forum with outcome though.

But hey, if you want to pay full price for a new car and take that depreciation hit, then be my guest. It's not my money.

[noone]

Originally Posted by DataNerd

Cool guy? Nah, more like guinea pig with a full factory warranty. Happy to update the forum with outcome though.

But hey, if you want to pay full price for a new car and take that depreciation hit, then be my guest. It's not my money.

I'd rather be the guy that buys a like new used car with 20k on it that was not used at M School that has been CPO'd for around 55k. Or buy privately from a fellow car enthusiast that owned the car. But that's just me.

[///M4ster Yoda]

Originally Posted by DataNerd

Stock cars on a track with supervision from BMW M instructors.

Have you read the forum? Firmware mods, bolt-ons, and piggybacks...which have not been driven gently and most probably tracked. If buying a used car, those are better purchases than a performance school car?

Maybe, but I'm doubtful.

I know your a newbie and all but have you read the forum/this thread? Those cars from the performance centers are beat to hell.

Just to clarify. I wouldn't purchase an unknown used car either. This is why I lease. Well that and Euro Delivery every 3 years

[DataNerd]

Originally Posted by ///M4ster Yoda

I know your a newbie and all but have you read the forum/this thread? Those cars from the performance centers are beat to hell.

Just to clarify. I wouldn't purchase an unknown used car either. This is why I lease. Well that and Euro Delivery every 3 years

I wondered how long it would take for someone to call me a newb, unfortunately I don't think that is valid in discrediting my opinion. This is my 5th BMW - and yes, I've read the thread and I've also been to the M driving school as well as M track days. I'm aware of how the cars are driven.

I'm simply offering another point of view to the bashing with the purchase to back it up. I, as well as others, are probably curios to see how it turns out. It is fully warrantied so I'm not concerned about mechanical issues.

Worst case it gets traded in for something else.

[CleanKM]

Never buy a car from a rental store/driving school. That's like going to a whore house looking for a wife. Anything that's been ridden that hard, by that many people, is not worth it.

[Zayzel]

Originally Posted by CleanKM

Never buy a car from a rental store/driving school. That's like going to a whore house looking for a wife. Anything that's been ridden that hard, by that many people, is not worth it.

hahaha solid analogy

[DataNerd]

Originally Posted by CleanKM

Never buy a car from a rental store/driving school. That's like going to a whore house looking for a wife. Anything that's been ridden that hard, by that many people, is not worth it.

Ha. Good thing I'm not marrying my car.

... and I'd definitely be scared to own a rental M car!

[someguywithanm3]

Originally Posted by CleanKM

Never buy a car from a rental store/driving school. That's like going to a whore house looking for a wife. Anything that's been ridden that hard, by that many people, is not worth it.

Well put LOL!

[noone]

I think this video properly embodies what these used M School cars go through mile after mile on the odo. Imagine, 7K miles of this type of driving. I wouldn't want to knowingly buy a used car that was driven like this every single mile on the odo. Anyone that says they would is insane.

[Alpine300zhp]

Originally Posted by JSTDR1V

No way... you must have never been to PDC or m track days. The "everyperson" doesn't know how to handle these and they are literally tortured.

These are well maintained yes but abused... Think a constantly beaten Rottweiler that was just groomed and put through a day or two of obedience school.

They should have deep discounts beyond CPO depreciation

Yep. And I have been to several M track days to see what is done to these cars. I would never buy one.

[Dog Face Pony Soldier]

Originally Posted by Alpine300zhp

Yep. And I have been to several M track days to see what is done to these cars. I would never buy one.

For the right price every one of us would buy one.

[Alpine300zhp]

Originally Posted by glennQNYC

For the right price every one of us would buy one.

Ok. True. But they will never sell for what it would take to get me to buy one. Some unsuspecting fool will pay more.

[///M4ster Yoda]

Originally Posted by glennQNYC

For the right price every one of us would buy one.

Ya. Half price