E46 M3 vert with SMG- bite or run?

[gr8skyr]

Got a chance to look at a higher mileage ( well not for an E30)
M3 with an SMG tranny.
Price is good and just been through shop with clean bill of health.

But SMG I hear stories that scare me. Should be pick up this clean beast for cheap run for the hills away from it?

147,000 miles but in new shape

[MrBurgundy]

IMO

fuck that.. vert AND an smg tranny... no thanks...

[varg]

You're going to want to know the detailed service history of that SMG, that's for sure.

398-pound weight gain from its power top and various and sundry reinforcements.

(link)

That + SMG = hard pass to me.

[venerated]

I would take it if the price was right. I understand people are scared of the SMG because of the repair bill, but the most I have seen someone spend on an SMG repair was $1800 and that was having a shop do it. The bottom line is do you want a vert? If so, and the price is good, I wouldn't be scared of the SMG. I think the SMG gets an unfair judgement.

[mbonder]

You can always convert the SMG to a traditional 6 speed if the pump fails rather than replacing it.

[DaWildBeast]

It’s about a two thousand dollar swap from SMG to manual is what I’ve heard


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[nrubenstein]

SMG has its good and bad points. The swap isn’t that hard, so if the price of the car is right, it’s not a terrible idea.

[nando]

M3 convertibles just never made sense to me. I guess you get to hear the awesome sounds of the S54 with the top down.

The SMG doesn't really scare me, but I'd probably convert it to a manual when it dies.

BTW, recently saw the most beat to fuck E46 M3 converible I've seen in a long time (many E46s seem to have taken it on the chin by bro-dicks who want to build a 'wide body drift car'). It was about 5mm off the ground, hammered fender lips and ill fitting tires, and the most embarrassing exhaust I've ever heard on a BMW.

Seriously, it sounded like a beater 1995 Civic with the biggest, loudest fart can you can imagine. Even my family, who don't really know anything about BMWs (and defnitely not M3s) were like - I don't think it's supposed to sound like that? No. No it's not..

So at the very least, even though it's an SMG vert - all it has to be is "not a beater 'drift' car" and it should hold it's value. lol