To sell or not to sell M140i and E92 M3

[Woodies]

Looking for a bit of sensible advice. Probably not the best place to get sensible/head over heart advice on BMW's but I need a bit of honest petrol head advice.
I'm heading overseas for a year (12-14months) and thinking about selling the M140i. I've kind of decided to sell the E92 M3. As much as I love the car, it is just too much of a luxury. Parking space, Insurance and general maintenance is lot for a 3rd car that I don't use very often. I have an E46 M3 that gives me all the excitement I need.
The M140i however I'm very unsure about keeping or selling. Not much else out there that I would like to replace it with, but a new ish car sitting in my garage for a year doesn't seem so sensible. I have been thinking about trading the M140i in for something a bit bigger/more spacious for the family, but we have managed with a baby and the little hatch. I've really enjoy driving a small car.
Now with the working overseas for a year, it just seems to make sense to sell up, but some $$$ in the bank, reduce monthly costs and worry about a new car when I return? But sometimes the sensible choice just seems so hard, I don't want to regret selling these cars. I think I've realized I will miss/possible regret letting the v8 go, but it also just feels too selfish having a 3rd car/toy that I can't really enjoy with the family.
And just incase anyone is wondering, the E46 M3 ain't going anywhere.

 

[Nukleuz]

If it was something special or extremely rare like a CSL or the likes. It would make sense to keep it.

but with a m140, You could buy the same car again, probably with the same spec the day you land back from your trip. Autotrader
has plenty of them. Bomb the car, earn some interest and just get something when you get back.

just my 2c.

 

[individj]

i would sell the M140i and keep the E92...dont feel selfish...your mental health is very important to your family...spoil yourself...have toys that in terms of cost nowadays is actually not too crazy...that E92 is cheaper than a golf GTI....have them parked up....work abroad knowing when youre back you can pull those two beauties out...one day your little kid will enjoy it too....theres one thing better than "i used to own" stories....i own..

 

[TBP88]

If they'll sit unused for 12mo+ just sell all 3 (unless the E46M3 has real sentimental value). Realistically they'll be replaceable. Especially a 140i (unless you have some unique spec one - a manual 140i must be pretty uncommon, for instance).

Plus, if you do sell all 3, put the cash away and come back a year or 2 later you'll be able to afford some pretty serious metal (don't know what your tastes are, so hard to say!).

Also, if your work consideration has even a small (20%?) chance of becoming a permanent overseas thing then the hassle of selling the cars from far afield also needs to be considered.

 

[Dbn540i]

Sell the M140i and keep the M3.

I had an option to sell my car this week, but what do i replace it with, as @individj said, your mental health is more important. Been there done that, still have regrets of the cars that i should have never sold.

 

[tman]

Looking for a bit of sensible advice. Probably not the best place to get sensible/head over heart advice on BMW's but I need a bit of honest petrol head advice.
I'm heading overseas for a year (12-14months) and thinking about selling the M140i. I've kind of decided to sell the E92 M3. As much as I love the car, it is just too much of a luxury. Parking space, Insurance and general maintenance is lot for a 3rd car that I don't use very often. I have an E46 M3 that gives me all the excitement I need.
The M140i however I'm very unsure about keeping or selling. Not much else out there that I would like to replace it with, but a new ish car sitting in my garage for a year doesn't seem so sensible. I have been thinking about trading the M140i in for something a bit bigger/more spacious for the family, but we have managed with a baby and the little hatch. I've really enjoy driving a small car.
Now with the working overseas for a year, it just seems to make sense to sell up, but some $$$ in the bank, reduce monthly costs and worry about a new car when I return? But sometimes the sensible choice just seems so hard, I don't want to regret selling these cars. I think I've realized I will miss/possible regret letting the v8 go, but it also just feels too selfish having a 3rd car/toy that I can't really enjoy with the family.
And just incase anyone is wondering, the E46 M3 ain't going anywhere.

What are the odds of staying longer?

With the current state of SA you might find yourself being in a position where its beneficial to stay longer. If thats the case, sell.

 

[Nick]

Hard choice for sure, my head says the e46 is probly the most special purely because to find a clean one is becoming Difficult.
My heart says keep the e90 because its a boyhood dream of mine to own one.
The 140i is replaceable all day and twice on Sunday.

 

[individj]

well even if he stays longer if he has to come back he has to come back

 

[zabbo]

If they'll sit unused for 12mo+ just sell all 3 (unless the E46M3 has real sentimental value). Realistically they'll be replaceable. Especially a 140i (unless you have some unique spec one - a manual 140i must be pretty uncommon, for instance).

Plus, if you do sell all 3, put the cash away and come back a year or 2 later you'll be able to afford some pretty serious metal (don't know what your tastes are, so hard to say!).

Also, if your work consideration has even a small (20%?) chance of becoming a permanent overseas thing then the hassle of selling the cars from far afield also needs to be considered.

You can't argue with this logic! Although I am loath to say sell the e46 because I know what a pain it is to replace with with a decent example. Selling the 140i is a no-brainer so if you decided to keep one of the 140i and the M3 as you initially stated - I would then say keep both M's. You'll be happier on your return

 

[TBP88]

well even if he stays longer if he has to come back he has to come back

Fair enough, but lets say it's 12mo away paying for insurance, storage, making sure somebody he trusts can take the cars out every few weeks just to keep them operating nicely etc. etc.

All that mission for? A few BMW coupe's and a hatchback? Unless there's emotional attachment to these specific cars (not even the models, the actual cars themselves), I don't see why you'd hold on. And again, you may well find your employment overseas extends/you actual emigrate and then you'll have physical assets here to dispose of with a huge mission.

M3s are not so rare that you won't be able to find another *should you so wish*.

 

[TurboLlew]

Sell them IMHO. The headache of managing things remotely is another thing to take into account. You might find yourself having to maintain and repair the things before you can even dispose of them vs. "cleanly" selling them now. I have become a huge fan over the last few years of disposing of items (even giving some away) vs. keeping/storing them. The main reason for this is that they deteriorate over time to the point of potentially becoming worthless or at least significantly less valuable.

We all have cars that we regret selling... doesn't mean it wasn't the best possible decision at the time that they were sold.

 

[///Avi]

Hi Peter, chuck the 140 and E92. I would even say chuck the E46 but I know how much you love that car so that is most likely staying.

In reality you can replace every one of your cars but there is something to be said about sentimental value.

If you ever do decide to make your stay more permanent then ship your E46 over.

Start your for sale posts so you can tie up sales before you have to leave the country.

 

[KarshS]

Sell the 140 and the V8M.....Keep the e46M.

 

[Salt]

If financially viable keep the two M3's for sure and sell the M140i. But from very recent experience I can tell you that low mileage, in plan, taken care off and most notably well spec'd M140i's are not that easy to find - plenty 140i's...not so many that are well spec'd.

 

[modocrat]

Listen to your heart, not your head. Keep both Ms & sell the M140i. 😁😁

 

[NBN]

Sell up and bring back home an E30 M3 Evo or Skyline R34 if/when you return to S.A

 

[MoeM2]

If manual sell the E92 and E46M , willing buyer right here …

On a serious note though the m140i should be the first to go, suspect the insurance premium is greater on this car alone compared to the other two combined.

Next would be the v8 - as mentioned by earlier, you can still find some clean ones around. Then again a manual will be an absolute dream Sunday cruiser in a few years time considering how scarce manuals are these days (don’t know if you have DCT or manual)

The E46m should be the keeper.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Eust]

Sell M140i for sure.
That alone would free up circa R450k-R550k.
Selling the V8, would add another R500k or more, pending specs, so you have circa R1M.
Great time to sell cars at the moment so I would sell the M140i most definitely, cash that out and then it all depends on the spec of the V8 as to whether I would keep it.

 

[Eust]

If it was an E90 M3 I would say sell it and I would be the one buying it 🤣

 

[Scott021]

I have an e92 M3, a 2 y.o. and another little one on the way, which means little to no time to indulge my passion. The car has done 4k - 5k kms in the last 2 years. I've probably spent more money on electricity for the trickle charger than I have on fuel. But... I don't feel 'guilty' for having the car sitting there doing nothing after dreaming of ownership for 6/7 years. For the majority, my self included, there is always a better way to spend money than on anything to do with cars. In my case though, my 2 y.o.'s face doesn't light up in unbridled joy when I login to my share portfolio like it does when I take the cover off the M3; and similarly the car is more than the sum of its parts for me.

In practical terms, for 12+ months of storage I imagine it would be worth looking into best practices re. preserving tyres, fuel, oil, seals, etc, since there is no substitute for driving the car to keep things in good working order.

It depends on a lot of things and only you will know whats best for your situation; all you can reasonably do is settle on a balance between head and heart/risk and reward/practical and impractical.

Sent from my SM-N770F using Tapatalk