Hey man, totally qith you here...
Also seen this sitting for awhile. I know why after knowing these cars back to front. Reason this is sitting is because it's a base model asking Shadow edition price so it has sat. But I have personally through my BMW contacts witnesses 5 m140s that went to market all from R649 000 upto R699 000 that sold and sold fast, 3 of them weren't even shadow editions and limited extras.
The 140i has one of the lowest amount of 'M' models for sale in the market. As you said there are +-33 where if you look at the M2, M3, M4 categories there's well over 50-60 for sale there. Not as many were produced either.
Agreed that there's gonna be replacements but what's making this car so lucrative is the fact that it was said to be the very last straight 6, rear wheel 3L 1 series. That and the mere fact that if you've driven one of these as a BMW enthusiast you will understand why it grabs ahold of you and just how unique they are. Watched many guys jump from and M3 and M2 to the M140i. Sheer drivers car. That's why I loved it..
Agreed it's hard to see the value of these rise any higher I guess there's just know way we can know. But to know that the value from when I bought to now has gone over R100 000 is quite something. As for future value I guess you can't say, even if the prediction was that they would be collectors (full Shadow with extras and low milage)
I want to keep mine so badly but now given recent petrol prices, everything else will go up again too. Alot to consider here so I'm a little torn.
As for repair, it is a BMW ARC known to be the best accident repaired shop for BMW so I have faith in that, and the reinstatement of the maintenance plan. Have had extensive and thorough conversations with the workshop manager about it. So it'll be completely all new replaced parts, no panel beating and short cuts because of BMW's quality system and honor to their cars on the road. They won't pass anything to roadworthy if anything on the vehicle doesn't fit the maximum measure requirements.
Others have covered some of the points, but the other irrational reason for holding on to this which BMW owners all do to some degree:
Their favourite one is always the "last true one". Last one with RWD, Last one with Manual, Last one with an NA motor, Last one with a 6 cylinder... I get that these cars are nice and there are reasons some will appeal to certain people but it shouldn't be the reason to hang onto something with a nearly 400K repair bill. If you really feel that strongly, then definitely get another M140i (shadow edition or not). Nobody is knocking the M140i and I think we are in agreement that B58 is a gem. As others have said though, there is nothing particularly special about the shadow edition beyond a well specced M140i.
The fact that there are more M2/3/4s for sale vs. the M140 really means nothing if you don't take the total volumes of each sold. If you think any of those M cars is inferior to the M140i, then I don't really know what to say. Personally it makes me doubt you have driven one of them. I certainly have heard a few M140 and 240 owners say the jump to an M2 was not enough for them (but never that there wasn't a jump).
As I said that increase in value is LESS than other cars have increased in the same time frame. In extreme cases, values are sitting at double what they were 12-18 months ago.
The view of fixing it if you're keeping it over an even longer time frame makes even less sense. Regardless of whether this car appreciates in value or not (and by this car, I mean the M140i in general), you are better off putting in an extra R80-100K now and buying a clean one. If you want to play that game, at least play it properly. If you are right about it then you will have a properly valuable car - not one that literally everyone is going to try to get for nothing (far more of a gap than the money you're going to add in now)
The ARCs can bring a car back to within specification. Whether that spec is acceptable to you or not is another story. You'd be amazed at how loose that spec is... Whether that accounts for repairs invisible to you is another on top of that... and of course whether psychologically you will ever be comfortable again is yet another layer. Speaking to the manager will tell you exactly nothing except repeating the party line. Does anyone really expect him to say "well we work within looser than factory tolerances and sometimes cut corners because we are in business to make money like every other auto body repairer?"
BMW will re-instate plan based on what the ARC says was done. Who was it on here that literally had the car catch fire when collecting from an ARC? Can someone tag them? What about all the guys with shock tower issues? Can they maybe chime in? Side impact and other side not checked for buckling (however slight) - these things are all considered 'in spec' when you complain. Paintwork... OMG the paintwork... how many stories are there? Myself included... How do you get ALPINE WHITE wrong? Yes they will repaint it but then you're out another week or two... and you have to decontaminate the rest of the car from si
