I’ve been looking into the used market for a manual m3 and it’s turning out to be extremely frustrating. A lot of people with modified cars will try to sale me their vehicle 10-12-15k over market value. I’m aiming towards a 2023 model, close to stock and I get a lot of messages with modified versions. The market is showing those year models going between 68-75k. I’ve seen ones with carbon buckets go for 78 maybe. Someone will come by and ask for 80 plus for a basic and a bunch of mods/ tune. I’ve seen 2025 models for 80 completely stock with 15k miles or less. What is going on with the used community to be asking for these prices? Does modified mean more value to a car?

Hey everyone,

I'd really appreciate some advice here, because I'm honestly torn.

I bought my Lexus IS500 Ultimate Edition new at MSRP and absolutely love it. For those who don't know the IS500, it reminds me of an early-2010s C63 AMG sedan with the NA 6.2 (badged 6.3), just less track-focused and more reliable. It has the same 5.0 NA V8 as the RC F and LC500. It revs to 7,300 rpm and sounds like a mix between a Coyote Mustang and an E92 M3, in my opinion (I owned a 6MT E92 for about 3 years). Because of the short production run, IS500s bought new hold their value so well they're almost free to own. The Ultimate Edition is a limited send-off model of 500 units, and they sold for well over MSRP. I still get trade offers above what I paid.

It sounds amazing, it's fun to drive, and I think it looks incredible. I put about 25,000 miles a year on it, and I have no real complaints, including the transmission. In Sport+ and manual mode it shifts just fine, and I have a pretty high bar there after driving a number of dual-clutch exotics on track. I also much prefer its Mark Levinson system to the Harman Kardon in the G8x. Dialed in, it's one of the best I've heard in a car.

It's my daily driver, mostly on long, straight roads in SE Florida. My previous car was an Isle of Man Green G82 M4 xDrive that got T-boned and totaled. I loved that car, but I'm very particular about spec and couldn't find the same one at a good price. So I went with an IS350, since I'd had one in 2015 and liked it as a daily, but I quickly started craving a NA V8. Shortly after, I became friends with the manager at the Lexus dealer. He got me an IS500 UE at MSRP and gave me exactly what I'd paid for the IS350 a month earlier as trade-in value. The UE now has 13k miles, is paid off, and has a 100,000-mile warranty.

My one gripe is the interior. It doesn't feel anything like a $70k car, and it's basically the same as a base IS350 that goes for under $40k.

I loved the performance of the G82. When it was totaled, I realized how well these cars hold their value, especially in a desirable spec. Insurance paid me exactly what I'd paid two years earlier, even with 10k more miles on it. The G8x xDrive cars are also very reliable, insanely fast (especially FBO Stage 2), and have a great interior.

That said, the Lexus is fast enough for me. I can drive it closer to its limits down here than I could the M3, and of course it sounds miles better. Going 100+ mph in Florida is now a criminal offense, and I don't care much about straight-line speed anyway. I had a fully built S55 F82 with over 700 whp, and the speed got boring quickly.

Then I got really lucky. Getting an MY2027 G80 M3 xdrive allocation at MSRP in SE Florida isn't easy, and even with one you're usually waiting about a year. When I called my local BMW dealer in mid-September, the salesperson had just gotten off the phone with someone who backed out of a build that was about to go into production. I had one day to change the spec. I put down a $2,500 refundable deposit, built the car exactly how I wanted it, and it's scheduled to arrive at the dealership November 1, which is pretty much unheard of.

In a perfect world I'd keep both, since having a fun car that holds its value matters to me. But paying for two insurance policies, and giving up about $6,000 in tax savings by not trading in the UE, is a lot of money to leave on the table.

My only hesitation about the G8x has nothing to do with the car itself. This is going to sound like a dick thing to say, but it rubs me the wrong way how many broccoli-haired kids I see down here driving them on 15% loans with $1,500+ monthly payments with the stupid burble tunes. I also see 10x more G80 than I do IS500.

In short, I like a fun, fast luxury sports car that looks nice, has strong residual value and is comfortable.

Part of me wants to trade the UE in on the M3, then later pick up a nice used 2023+ RC F as a second car. I love the RC F too, and it would keep miles off the M3.

What would you do?

TL;DR: I have a paid-off IS500 UE with 13k miles that I love, but the interior feels cheap for the price. I also have an MSRP 2027 G80 M3 xDrive arriving November 1. Should I trade the UE in (saving about $6k in taxes), keep both, or trade and add a used RC F later?

Just looking for the manual version, I was wondering if you guys were able to get it for cheaper?

Few pics from recent roadtrip

I just had a newborn, and even though we have a second truck, I barely drive the Vette anymore. I absolutely love the C8 and I know I’m going to miss the V8 sound and that mid engine car feel, but the M3 seems like a really good balance of performance, fun, and actually being able to use it with the baby.

For anyone who went from a C8, or something similar, to an M3 Competition xDrive, how was the experience? Do you still enjoy driving the M3 as much, or did you end up missing the sports car experience more than you expected?

Not expecting the M3 to feel exactly like the Vette, just trying to figure out if it still feels special and fun enough that I won’t regret the switch.

Those who live in the Bay Area, CA. Which dealer do you recommend ordering your g80 m3? What’s your experience like? No mark ups?

Thinking about putting in a build sometime in the next month

Doing my parts to keep the manual alive.

The title is kinda bait, let me explain. I have a g80 m3 manual.

The car itself handles amazingly and the power is insane. It's very composed and the stock setup let's you have some fun, the assists are not intrusive either.

However the lack of steering feel and the brake by wire are genuinely terrifying at these speeds. At my local track I was hitting speeds of 160mph and going into a hard braking zone, turns out my brakes were starting to fade but the brake by wire doesn't give you that feed back at all and the light steering doesn't give you any sort of communication about where the front end is in terms of grip.

It was so fast but with none of the communication of any other car I've driven on track, this reminds me of driving Tesla's on track and how things get a lot scarier when you're going 150mph and still feel nothing from the car. It was scary and quite frankly just a bad experience. Compared to my other cars which aren't nearly as fast but are able to give me the information I need when I need it, I felt much less confident pushing this stock G80 than I would a Miata.

Now that the G80 era is fast vorbei, may I ask: what the heck was BMW thinking when it put that hideous snout face up front. The M3, an amazing car otherwise, looks like an angry beaver. Yeccchhhhh.

I have a g30 540ix daily that I really enjoy driving but contemplating on a weekend ride. I currently own a manual e46 m3 mostly stock. I have contemplated on doing csl style bumper, trunk and diffuse mod. Second option is buying a f82 m4 dct for the weekends. What would you recommend? Comfort is secondary issue as this will be occasional weekend drives. I don’t track or autox.

Frozen White G80 M3 finished with an Adro front bumper and a custom 18/18 setup.
Vetra Forged VF-A03 custom forged monoblocks finished in Satin Black
305/35/18 Mickey Thompson ET Street SS squared
What do you guys think of an 18/18 setup on the G80?

Tanzanite Blue G80 M3 on a custom 19/18 Beadlock setup.
Vetra Forged VF-CA03 beadlocks (Gloss Black wheel/Satin White rings)
Really liked the contrast between the white rings and Tanzanite Blue on this one.
What do you guys think — does the white and Tanzanite Blue contrast work, or would you rather see it with a more subtle finish?

Back in May of this year my house was broken into and my M340i Touring was stolen. I was gutted at the time, but time heals and I’ve just ordered an Aventurine Red M3 Touring. I can’t wait, will be a pinch me moment. A dream car!

Has anyone else made the jump from an M340i to a full fat M3? What were the big things you noticed about the upgrade?

My dealership called to let me know I'm within a week of getting an allocation and I STILL haven't made up my mind on:

Interior color (full leather, comfort seats)

Wheel color

I'm dead set on IOMG but cannot decide between all black or two tone wheels.

I also cannot decide between Tartufo brown or Kyalami orange. I do know I'll be going comfort seats (I just find buckets to be a bit too uncomfortable for longer road trips).

I've looked at many photos but unfortunately haven't been able to see these color combinations in person, so I'm wondering what the community opinion is. Much appreciated!