Despite the rise of crossovers, there fundamentally isn’t much wrong about the family sedan’s form factor. It has a rear seat and doors for rear passengers to get in and out of, there’s almost always enough room for a stroller in the trunk, that low silhouette contributes to decent driving dynamics and sensible highway cruising efficiency, and there’s almost always a price benefit in going with a car over a crossover. However, what if you need a family sedan but don’t want to drive something normal? Well, you could buy a second-hand BMW M3.
For much of the past 39 years, the BMW M3 has pretty much been the answer for a fast car that can do it all. On the one hand, it’s a normal small executive car, one with rear seats big enough for people and air conditioning and a roomy trunk and a badge that wouldn’t stand out in an office car park. On the other, it’s a machine with the pace and agility to keep up with dedicated sports cars.
While a fierce string of naturally aspirated models built the legend of the M3, the force-fed 2015 to 2018 F80 M3 took the model into the modern era, and you can now pick one up for the price of a new Honda Accord. Weirdly tempting, isn’t it?
What Are We Looking At?
For the 2015 model year, a seismic shift occurred in Bavaria that heard ’round the world: The M3 went turbocharged. Like Dylan going electric or video killing the radio star, it was once unfathomable but set things up for another arc of fame and enjoyment. Under the hood sat a three-liter twin-turbocharged S55 inline-six, replacing atmospheric V8 drama with 425 horsepower and 406 lb.-ft. of torque, 101 more lb.-ft. than the old V8 M3. Elsewhere, weight was down, a carbon fiber roof joined the four-door party, and the power steering went electric. Alright, so that last point definitely wasn’t an upgrade, but the resulting figures from the F80 M3 were enough to cement a spot in the pantheon of sports sedans. As Car and Driver wrote:
The numbers are indeed astonishing. Sixty mph from a rest? Dispatched in 3.8 seconds. Zero to 100 mph? Consider it done in 8.5. The quarter-mile? Twelve flat at a scorching 119 mph. Stopping? It’s a master at that, too, decelerating from 70 mph in a tidy 153 feet. The M3 also grips a skidpad like Shel Silverstein’s Yipiyuk, holding on for 0.99 g. These numbers, it must be noted, are just one rung down from those of cars costing three to four times as much, and the 1.9-second 30-to-50-mph passing time actually ties the figure we recorded with the Lamborghini Huracán. Midrange grunt: The M3 has it.
So, the first boosted M3 was weapons-grade quick, and it was well-equipped with options including a heated steering wheel and heated rear seats, and it looked great with its wildly flared rear fenders and still moderately-sized kidney grilles, and the buckets of torque aided real world usability, and it didn’t need special 10w60 oil, and the hard-mounted rear subframe was surprisingly communicative, even if the steering wasn’t. What we have here is a potent, practical, and pretty modern M car on the more sensible-to-run end of the spectrum, and you can now pick one up for the price of a new Honda Accord.
How Much Are We Talking?
If you want an Accord, you’re probably looking at the hybrid, so let’s start with the middle of that pack: a $36,525 Accord Sport-L Hybrid. Can you buy an F80 BMW M3 for that sort of money? Yeah, if you’re okay with one that isn’t perfect. Check out this 2018 M3 Competition that sold for $35,250 on Bring A Trailer. Sure, it might have 119,000 miles on the clock, but not only is it a Competition trim with special seats, 444 horsepower, a revised chassis setup, and those great-looking wheels, it’s also new enough to get Apple CarPlay and updated LED lighting. Okay, it does have a minor hit on the Carfax, but it’s a carbon roof, euro-delivery six-speed manual M3 Competition for Accord money.
Alright, maybe that mileage is a bit scary to you, or maybe you just want an actual color. Whatever the reason, how about this Tanzanite Blue 2016 BMW M3 that sold on Bring A Trailer back in December? It’s a well-specced six-speed manual car with heated rear seats, a head up display, and a sunroof for feeling the breeze. While this example sports a reasonable 78,000 miles on the clock, it does have two damage entries on its Carfax, but it still seems like a solid driver-condition car for $34,250.
Don’t want to wait for the right auction to come up? You aren’t exactly short on choice if you want to go trawling through the used car classifieds. This 2017 BMW M3 with a six-speed manual transmission is up for sale in Georgia, and it’s going quite cheap. Sure, it’s a lightly-specced car with a damage claim in its history, and the odometer displays 100,607 miles, but it’s also listed for $33,995 for a facelift car.
What Could Go Wrong On An F80 BMW M3?
The F80 M3 hailed from a time when the M division stopped messing around with too-tight bearing clearances and other weird M-specific issues. Believe it or not, this is a more reliable car than an F30 328i, especially on account of the base 3 Series’ timing chain issues. However, the M3 is still susceptible to a handful of typical BMW problems. Let’s start with leaks, because there’s one that could spell bad news if left to worsen. Should the oil filter housing gasket fail badly enough to leak oil onto the serpentine belt, the belt can slip off, wrap around the crankshaft, and get ingested into the engine. That’s a real wallet-ruiner, so if you pop the hood and see any seepage from the oil filter housing, have the car booked it at a specialist sharp.
The other really annoying potential leak that can strand you is the possibility of the expansion tank failing, although it is fairly cheap to sort. A new one is $212.99 from FCP Euro, and replacement is quite easy. Otherwise, keep an eye out for general used car wear-and-tear, including bushings. These cars do like to consume diff mounts.
But wait, what about the crank hub? Fair question. The crank hub on the S55 engine in the F80 M3 is friction-fit, meaning it doesn’t have traditional keyways. This is a perfectly fine and reliable setup at stock power levels, but some owners who’ve modified their M3s and M4s have reported instances of the crank hub spinning and the engine jumping timing. As it stands, it’s not something to worry about on an unmodified car.
Should You Buy An F80 BMW M3 For The Price Of A New Honda Accord?
There are two answers to this big question. If you’re the typical Honda Accord buyer, do not buy a BMW M3, just sign on the dotted line for that Accord Hybrid and enjoy a decade or two without having to worry about shopping for another car. However, if you’re an enthusiast who’s willing to spend some money on maintenance to drive a fun car, why not? If you find one that hasn’t been modified or abused, the F80 BMW M3 is an almost sensible way to get into a really quick sedan. These cars have been shown to be stout enough to last hundreds of thousands of miles, so if you’re down to do some wrenching in exchange for a properly capable daily, this might actually be a solid pick.
Top graphic image: Bring A Trailer
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Get the prior gen for the fabulous NA V8 and the hydraulic steering. BMW still can’t figure out EPAS.
If your budget allows a $35k purchase price, deciding on a 10 year old BMW with 100k miles over an Accord Hybrid is insanity. A true recipe for “broke on the side of the road” with a huge repair bill mistake.
The F8X is a great purchase, new or used. A fantastic one car quiver
It’s not like the original owners bought these to hoon, so they are probably just driven to church on Sundays…
My brother has a white competition like the first one. He works from home and has 3 little boys. He literally drives it to church on Sundays and back for the most part haha
Welp, that’s one data point. =) I have a neighbor who mostly teleworks and his hopped up 2 series doesn’t see much road time either.
I actually think it’s pretty wild how well this generation has held its value. The early cars are 10 years old.
The fact you had to find Carfax faults and high mileage examples to fit the mid-30s budget is crazy.
That means a clean one with reasonable mileage is still $45k, which is where these were 5 years ago.
The standard 5 spokes (pictured on the blue one) were such a handsome wheel design.
I still can’t see a bucktooth M3/4-series and think it looks good. Even the green paint can’t save it. So maybe there are a higher than usual number F80 owners who are holding on to theirs instead of upgrading, or prospective new M3 owners who are not interested in a G80.
I agree, BMW designs tend to grow on me but I never got there with the G80. Shame, because it looks like a great package.
I ended up getting a G87 instead. It has its own flavor of questionable BMW design but I think it really works.
Great username btw
And light, too! Those wheels are made by Fuchs, like an older 911
The steering is by far the biggest problem on these. I know it’s trite now to complain about electric steering, but when these came out, it was new and novel.
Nothing is more expensive than a cheap BMW… Look for good maint records, low mi and no silly mods or tunes…
_Especially_ an M3. If anything, and I mean anything, on that car is not stock, run, do not walk, to the nearest exit. They’re very nice cars if you take care of them, but unless the car is pristine, I wouldn’t trust a second-hand M with my financial security.
These are pretty darn reliable. Off the top of my head I can’t think of any other 5-seater that offers similar performance (or better) for similar money, that is more reliable.
And the first repair? The price of a new Accord!
Eh, you go first…
It’s not hard to afford a $30,000 Accord to rely on for every day transportation needs. It’s much harder to afford a high mileage, pre-crashed $30,000 BMW, no matter the model for the same. Let’s see the author put his money where his mouth is. It might be a fun series of articles (worked for DDM with the Range Rover, right?)
If you want one of these I think it’s worth it to keep saving your money and get a really nice one. Many M cars live hard lives, but there are also plenty that are bought by rich middle aged men who baby them. Those are the ones you want. You’ll pay a good deal more, but it’ll almost certainly wind up being less than you’d have to pay to keep one with six figure mileage that’s had 4 different owners on the road….
I totally agree – M cars are amazing but they can attract the wrong type of owners.
The problem with buying a pristine F80 is the pricing gets dangerously close to the G series cars – which are much younger and more modern. They’re still turbo 6s so it’s not like you’re getting an overly special powertrain by picking the older car.
This is true. The issue is that it quickly gets to the point where payments (lease or loan) becomes the better option. There is a reason the majority of these are leased initially. $1200/mo for a new M3 with full warranty doesn’t look too bad when you add the cost of a warranty for the used version and the higher interest rate for used cars. You might end up with the same monthly outlay for a new model and a used one that costs $50k.
I’ll take the Accord.
Have they though? Genuinely curious if any commenters are rocking a 200k+ F80 M3 and how it’s been going for you.
My E36 M3 had like 120k on it, and it was “reliable” in the sense that it never left me stranded, but it did seem to always need something fixed: a persistent coolant leak that left like a drop a day of coolant on the garage floor just to spite me, radiator fans that only felt like working under a full moon, etc.
I’ll take the Accord. Actually I’ll save money and hunt down a manual 10th gen.
I was so close to buying a manual 10th gen 2.0T.
Same
I ended up with a 2.0T with the 10 speed at least. My wife didn’t like the idea of 2/3 of the cars in the house being stick.
Same challenge here, haha. We are on the cusp of getting a third car so I don’t have to drive my BRZ in the winter but it’ll probably wind up an auto so the wife can occasionally drive it. I drove one a 10 speed and they drive waaaay better than they seem like they should, haha.
I do really enjoy it- makes good power and the 10 speed seems to work well; this is my second car with that combo (first was a TLX A spec) and I liked the powertrain enough to get it again.
A tune and exhaust seem to do wonders for them as well; want to get that done at some point so the car is a bit more entertaining, but its still good stock.
I had a loaner RDX with the 10-speed and it actually annoyed me, shifting as often as it did. My ’17 Accord V6 seems to be calmer (but plenty fast).
I have to admit I have never got the concept of these articles, and yet I can’t stop reading every one and enjoy them. It might be the fact that they never really do a comparison between the two vehicles. I think if you could list the particular elements of each vehicle so there is a real comparison it would be better. But then it may be too similar to shit box show down, my 1st read on Autopian and favorite feature. Not that the one off articles aren’t entertaining as well.
You favorites aren’t when Torch smokes a blunt and chainsaws a battery like He-Man; BY THE POWER OF AUTOPIA, I AM THE POWER! or writes some treatise on the seedy taillight sub-sulcture?
How about David Tracy Mad Libs? I have _____ (Hours) (Days) (Minutes) to fix _____ before ______.
Then Mercedes will right some encyclopedia on something you never knew you wanted to know about and can’t stop reading; the recent wedge truck article.
These articles make me sad because it makes me want to buy something bad for me, like a BMW M3.
I know that you probably meant “write some encyclopedia”, but I’m entertained by the notion that you really did mean to use it as “right [verb]: to correct or restore”
*hangs head in shame* The grammar police have caught me. I did indeed intend it to be write.
Save 12k and buy a 2017 or newer 440i. All the power you could ever want and the reliability of the B58 engine. As a bonus, the engine can easily handle upgraded power doodads.
If all you want is the power that’s decent advice but you’re missing out on loads of chassis upgrades and finding a manual will be much more difficult if you want one.
The chassis “upgrades” that are great for the track but which make it too harsh a ride around town – especially any place with potholes and frost heaves?
To me the F8X cars are the only F chassis 2, 3, or 4 series worth having at this point. They are reasonably reliable, but I’d add watch out for intercooler leaks. The crank hub thing is a bit overblown, I wouldn’t worry about it on an unmodified manual car. I would give it some thought on a tuned DCT car.
I don’t think it’s even a bigger issue on DCT cars. I’ve looked at a few surveys regarding them and yes, there are usually twice as many “it happened to me” responses for DCT cars. But BMW sold four times as many DCT cars so math would suggest they’re actually half as likely to experience it.
Good point on the DCT sales volume. I have a DCT M2 and I have not been nice to it on high RPM shifts, and it’s held up well. It’s bone stock though.
Am I crazy or was every single example listed a previous crash victim?
I don’t typically like the phrase “If you have to X you can’t afford that car”, but if you need to stretch your budget such that you can only afford something that’s been in an accident or two, you can’t afford that car.
I agree but also not a fan of people kicking puppies. LOL
Just those that shoot puppies, mmkay.
M cars specifically are notorious for this, at least here on the east coast. Between rich kids getting them as teenagers and amateur street racers, an alarming amount have been in accidents. There’s a particularly revolting trend in NYC called “swimming” where dipshits are swerving through traffic at track speeds and filming it for clout. M cars are mainstays with that crowd. Don’t Google it unless you want to get mad on your Thursday afternoon.
Suffice to say, I agree. If you can only afford a sketchy M car you can’t really afford an M car, and that’s fine. Too many of them are ridden hard and put away wet…and examples that aren’t beat to shit/sold by dealerships/certified/etc. don’t really depreciate unless they’re one of the SUVs.
A nice example of an F80 M3 is still a $60,000 car. There’s a reason for that. I personally am a bit of a sucker for the M brand, so I get the appeal of trying to find the nicest one for (x) amount of money. But unless you’ve got a $50,000+ budget you’d be better served by just getting a new GRC or WRX or whatever. Golf R maybe? They keep jacking the prices of those up but if you’ve got $40,000 burning a hole in your pocket and simply must have a German car it’s probably a decent bet…and definitely a better one than an M3 with 90,000 miles and two hits on the CarFax…
That seems to be depressingly common with performance cars. When I was looking at AMG S 63 Coupes earlier this year, a good half of them had at least minor accidents on their respective CarFaxes.
My little BMW has been hit twice in the past 8 months. Sideswiped 8 months ago and hit on the other side in a parking lot 2 months ago. If I ever go to sell it, it’s going to look scary even though it’s still pretty much perfect.
On a side note, I’ve had my fill of people ramming into my “new” car. I keep getting the privilege of driving random, new, economy cars (Malibu LT, Jetta Sport) and honestly, I’m good on that too.
I had a gray/blue E39 and then a gray/green E46, and both were dent magnets. A friend’s hypothesis was that the colors were too close to the color of the pavement so they blended in. But every year I would have an insurance claim – usually from when the car was hit while parked. The first week I had the E39, my first new car ever, a deer ran into the side of it going down the work driveway on a dark Friday night. According to the coworker behind me, after crashing into my car and doing $3k of damage, the doe got up and ran into the woods. At least I didn’t have to figure out who I could get to help me butcher the deer, which had me worried until I got out of the car and didn’t see a deer.
My ’17 Accord is a dent magnet too. On a dolly being towed from TX to WA, someone managed to inflict a door ding that I can only imagine did some decent damage to said door.
Since then, a mirror, two scrapes on the passenger side and a dent to the right front fender delivered at an airport parking lot. At what point does one consider NOT having comprehensive coverage?
I’m posting this without reading the article, is the M3 cheap or Accord expensive? I’ll guess the Accord being expensive, will come back and see if I’m wrong or right after reading the article
Maybe unfamiliar with the feature article
Having owned a “cheap” used BMW and a couple of Accords, the Honda is a much less expensive solution. Sure, it’s not the uber ultimate driving machine sports sedan fun, but it’s not THAT far behind and it’s more fun than a Camry and about as reliable.