bmw m3 e92 manual or DCT

[Solaaris]

HI gents im pretty new here but have been reading up alot on your epic builds and stuff.I'm on the market for m3 not sure which to decide on as im not sure which is better between the two

im also not sure whats a decent model and milage to buy them at and i know it depends on budget and so forth. what should i watch out for when looking for one and how are the after market warrantees for these cars

any help do
thanks raise:

 

[Kimeran]

If its on motorplan, get a manual.
If its not on motorplan....get a manual! :rollsmile:

 

[Ratslaaf]

Agreed, you want the manual. Work out a budget and set aside R100k for things that can go wrong and for maintenance. The difference is what you can afford as far as a car goes. R350k cars will need a lot of attention. If you can do it yourself then you can save yourself a heap of money. Nicer 10's with 50k on the clock is knocking on R500k mark.

Whatever you do, get the CIA report from BMW, especially for cars out of plan. And make sure there's a very, very small gap between the mileage on the car and the last time BMW touched the car. This will help with resale. And when you do find a car that ticks all the boxes, pay the R800 for BMW to run diagnostics on the car, trust me on this one

 

[Imraan]

Hi Solaaris. I have one for sale. Haven't advertised it yet. Pm me I will give you more details.

 

[M3KW]

HI gents im pretty new here but have been reading up alot on your epic builds and stuff.I'm on the market for m3 not sure which to decide on as im not sure which is better between the two

im also not sure whats a decent model and milage to buy them at and i know it depends on budget and so forth. what should i watch out for when looking for one and how are the after market warrantees for these cars

any help do
thanks raise:

Both transmissions are great but I would opt for the DCT. Yes a manual will be less expensive if repairs need to be done but if you are in the market for an M3, you need to have a very good cash reserve regardless.

Some BMW guys love manuals and DCT is blasphemy to them but if you drive a manual every day, DCT is something else, a technological marvel. On a car like the M3, I would want a gem of a transmission.

 

[Ratslaaf]

Heh, I disagree for three reasons:
1. An M3 is not a daily car. There's a ritual involved in starting the car, driving gently till it warms up and then bliss when you are 'safe' to go balls to the wall. If driving it daily, the fun kinda disappears.
2. An M3 is special, it should only be driven on weekends and it must be enjoyed for what it is. If you want an easy drive, get an F10
3. A manual let's you do what you want. Yes, the DCT is great but it cannot predict your next move. It's like a nanny, making sure you don't do the fun things these cars can do.

Of course, if you simply want bragging rights it's a different story :roflol:

 

[UpNcOmiNg!]

DCT is awesome and quick.
Three pedals is manly and involving.
///M means the latter

 

[adamr]

I've owned a manual and a DCT ... And I would get a DCT anytime of the day. The manual had a slight wild side to it, (that jiggle from 3 to 2 downshift on the road was also something that makes you go "wtf") ... But the DCT box was phenomenal and for me made the M3 E92 ... The experience is slightly different between the two cars. The manual I felt slightly slushy in gear changes and the DCT always on point and "surgical"

Minimum spec that car must have
-DCT
-19s
-m dynamic
-pdc

Everything else is your preference. I personally would want logic 7 sound (individual is good but a waste). Comfort access and light package


Sent from my iPhone 6 Plus

 

[Solaaris]

thank you thank you gents im abit scared now with what ive heard and to get a 2010 model is out my price range im coming from owning a 6 gti to a m3 will be a big jump

im leaning to dct as the joburg traffic will do my nut in if i get a manual what im sceptical about was the previous e46 issues with smg gearbox horror stories

the car will be driven dail by my SO and she will become a nag bag day by day if i get a manual.

the fun part is will i be able to do all the fun things in a dct for eg. spin occassionally maybe drifting here and there if im in the mood im not old and not that young but also want to njoy the car and not nurse it all the time

another question is tyres what pricing roughly does it cost and petrol on normal driving how heavy is the car. is it wise to buy 08-09 models with milage over 60k from what model does warrantee cover and till what milage can you extend

space and leg room? im pretty tall and buff i doubt anyone will sit behind me.

 

[M3KW]

thank you thank you gents im abit scared now with what ive heard and to get a 2010 model is out my price range im coming from owning a 6 gti to a m3 will be a big jump

im leaning to dct as the joburg traffic will do my nut in if i get a manual what im sceptical about was the previous e46 issues with smg gearbox horror stories

the car will be driven dail by my SO and she will become a nag bag day by day if i get a manual.

the fun part is will i be able to do all the fun things in a dct for eg. spin occassionally maybe drifting here and there if im in the mood im not old and not that young but also want to njoy the car and not nurse it all the time

another question is tyres what pricing roughly does it cost and petrol on normal driving how heavy is the car. is it wise to buy 08-09 models with milage over 60k from what model does warrantee cover and till what milage can you extend

space and leg room? im pretty tall and buff i doubt anyone will sit behind me.

DCT will allow you some freedom, it is after all an automated manual transmission. The SO will also appreciate it in traffic I would assume.

Tyre cost varies but I had Michelin Pilot Sport 2's, cost 4.5k per tyre in the front and 5.5k per tyre in the back. Maintenance can only be extended while in MP, up to 7 years (two yearly extensions) at a cost of about 11k per year. You can extend either km or years.

Space wise, not very roomy, back seats can accomodate adults but will also depend on size of driver and front passenger. Try sedan M3 if space is a priority.

As long as 08-09 models have been serviced and taken care of, they should not present a problem. I would however take for an AA 100 point test or similar before purchase.

 

[444YYY]

Is your SO a motoring enthusiast?
Tyres will be 20k for Michelins.. And the E92 M3 should have Michelins, otherwise u can't enjoy the full potential of the car! Consumption is 15l per 100km. Expect that on average for budgeting purposes.

 

[M3KW]

About 400km per tank if you drive conservatively

 

[Maljan]

If you intend keeping the car for a long time, I would say get a manual and avoid expensive gearbox repairs. Otherwise, get the DCT and enjoy it.

 

[UpNcOmiNg!]

Coming from a G6 GTi to a RWD M3 and you "intend" drifting and having fun, I would take the car to the track and the skid pan and possibly an advanced drivers.
RWD isn't as easy as it looks on video and A LOT of people coming from FWD to RWD end up overestimating themselves and underestimating the car and end up making a complete arse of themselves trying to show off.
Don't fall into that trap.

 

[Ratslaaf]

^^^ +1

I also ended up with a near death experience on Sunday because I was having 'fun'. These cars have no mercy when you do something stupid

 

[Solaaris]

cool cool thanx for the pointers gents all this info really making me rethink buying one with out bmw motorplan . ive heard the horror stories about bearings and shid. how would you compare these to pehaps a 63 or a m6 in terms on maintenance .im looking at around 400 to spend max.

i love the sound of a m6 but thats buying an even older model than a m3 and the c63 pricing is almost on par with the m3 but i find the seats and suspension to be harder as ive driven both cars and prefered bmw.

the m6 on the other hand ive never driver but love the v10 tone with exhaust its epic.

 

[Kimeran]

When you say 400k, is that your absolute limit for a car? Or do you mean 400k plus extra cash for things that could go wrong?
As said previously, if you are buying out of plan or close to the end, make sure you have between 50-100k spare to throw at the car if something goes wrong

 

[Ratslaaf]

Truth be told we're making it sound worse than it is, but it's better to be careful than ignorant about possible issues.

Do you have a mechy that you trust? MP is great, but eventually that expires and you end up paying exponentially more for the car than you have to. That being said, R400k is low and you will surely not get a 'get in, drive and forget' car for that kinda money. And I seriously doubt you'll get a car with MP for R400k, but who knows, maybe you lucky

 

[Webmaster]

3 lower appendages - 3 pedals. Nuff sed.

 

[Drama]

Coming from a G6 GTi to a RWD M3 and you "intend" drifting and having fun, I would take the car to the track and the skid pan and possibly an advanced drivers.
RWD isn't as easy as it looks on video and A LOT of people coming from FWD to RWD end up overestimating themselves and underestimating the car and end up making a complete arse of themselves trying to show off.
Don't fall into that trap.

Indeed! :blueCry:

But I'm much better now :rollsmile:

---

While I have not owned an ///M, I do have a 135 DCT (ex modded Focus ST)

I would say get the DCT. It is a phenomenal gearbox + a blessing to drive in traffic. And when you want to have some 'fun" , slip it into manual mode and Bob's your uncle!