so as many of you may know or read, i'm plannin on purchasing a m3 as my first car. i just want to know how many people in this forum have gotten a m3 at the age of 18-20? was it really that hard to handle the car with new driving experience?

reason i'm making this post is to get some info from the younger ones and not the old folks who keep saying it's not a car for first time drivers.

please dont flame! :peace:

Ill be 18 in 21 days :shifty:

but really man, just keep your head when you drive the car.

I think an e46 M3 is a bad "first" car so if this would be your first car ever man I dont really know what to tell ya:clueless:

Lots of threads on this topic in OT. They usually do not end well. people who had to "work" for their cars typically get a bit upset when a young guy gets one handed to them. Tread lightly on this subject.

I'm 20, but it's my second car. I think if you're responsible enough and can appreciate how lucky you are to drive such a nice car, then it's alright as a first car. You just gotta be careful with such a powerful car... it's so easy to get carried away.

My son just got driver licence last week (he is 17).He is getting E46 325.....why?? because I think M3 is to much of a car for 99% of drivers. Learn first on less powerfull and cheaper car, and then get M3. I'm driving 33 years including years on race tracks.Trust me please.:wave:

I'm a young M3 driver, I'll admit it, and I got mine when I was still in college... but it was my second car. I personally wouldn't recommend it as a first car, as it's a lot of car. Granted, it handles well and brakes well... but there's still enough power to spin the car around quickly, and sometimes unexpectedly (esp if you decide to be a showoff and turn DSC OFF). With DSC on, it's a lot safer, and you have to try really hard to get the car to go 'round... but I'm sure there's a way to crash it despite that...

I would venture to say - get an E46 330Ci (pretty good prices these days...) for a year or two, while you start college (?)... then move up to the M3, or even the E92 M3 in 2 years...

But if you're like most people here, you have your mind set on it and no one's gonna change it... so... what can I say but, enjoy the car!

im 21 but ive earned every penny for my e36 m3. in 6 months ill hopefully get a e46 m3. i hope i dont get the evil glares from older bmw owners hah.

im 21 but ive earned every penny for my e36 m3. in 6 months ill hopefully get a e46 m3. i hope i dont get the evil glares from older bmw owners hah.

just glare back

I got an e46 m3 as my third car. i'm gonna have to say i'm glad i didn't learn on that car, its got an amazing amount of power. you've just got to have enough self discipline and be responsible enough to not do stupid stuff. i started with a truck and a mini cooper s, though i also drove my dads 911 carrera. even then, it still took me a while to get used to the power of the m3. i don't think you'd want to start out on one, but its not like i'll change your mind. i'd shoot for a 3 series. but have fun with whatever you choose:thumbsup:


-michael

...i'm 16.

lol..if you want it as your first car..go and get it..but its the little things that will eventually catch up to you..like parking the car and bumping into things, this and that while your trying to get used to driving and getting familiar with it..the FIRST car usually suffers for a first time driver..then when you have experience, your second car usually stays immaculate....now your gonna say that this is not you..lol..believe me..your young and your invincible right..so to each its own..but dont say i didnt warn you...:thumbsup:

It's amazing to hear so many young people buy a car like an M3. I'm sure a small handful buy with their hard earned cash but the majority are getting it from their parents. If you are buying with your hard earned cash here are something to take into consideration: 1) i doubt a lot of insurance companies willing to insured you and if they do it's like $3K+ a year unless you going under your parents but it will still be expensive. 2) it will be expensive to up keep this type of cars 3) if you buying this car for the wrong reasons then you are not going to enjoy life because you might end up hurting yourself or get killed. Use the money on your education because it will paid off and you can always buy an M3 down the line. GL.

I got mine when I was 16. I'm glad this was my first car.

I've got an e36 and I'm 17. This is my second car though, I had a 1992 Honda Prelude to learn the basics on. It was fun to drive, and a good first car despite all of the problems like tranny going out and such. Ended up wasting me a lot of money.

I work for my cars, no help from mommy and daddy.

///Kris has an e46 supercharged and he's 17.

I'll be 18 in June FWIW. The M3 is my second car and the old 911 was my first. Learning on the 911 and then switching to the M3 was kind of a bad idea since the handling on both cars is like comparing black to white. Just be sure to take it easy on the M for a while until you feel confident about controlling it. The M is an awesome car though and I have not regretted one minute of ownership. :dance:

I was 19 when I purchased my e46 M3...working a fulltime job since 16 and going to school all the way since has paid off well. This is my second car, purchased after an IS300. I'm glad I got the IS300 first. I did a lot of stupid things like curbing the wheels a few times and small other things. After a year of driving my IS300, I sold it and purchased M. Since then, I have realized it would not have been wise to purchase the M first. The power is way too much for someone who is learning how to drive. For that matter, how many times have you seen younger kids floor ANY car? The M isn't any car...and it will keep going till you mess up...

I think it can be done but only with extreme caution. It not necessarily that it is a hard car to drive, its just that you need a certain amount of experience in order to drive it successfully. I'm 18 and my E46 M3 is my fifth car. I payed for my first ///M (E36) by myself and it was a real handful when I was first driving, but if you stick with it and act VERY responsibly, I think you'll be able to pull it off. Good luck, the car is amazing!

Damn my first car was an 85 scirocco. I got tired of how slow it was an bought MYSELF a 95 5.0 mustang. Then I got tired of that and I bought an 01 cobra. I went to a pretty well off school and those that got their cars handed to them had little respect and didnt care. I care for my cars because I know its my own time and energy in it so i take extra good care of it. Of course you can say oh i will take care of it and this and that but the truth is its never the same when you buy it yourself . On a real note though I would never buy my kid a car over 10 grand for their first car. I made a lot of mistakes in the 85 scirocco and had I had my rear wheel drive mustang as a first car I think I would be dead. Good luck though!

damn jakillo. u win the lottery or something lol.

Nope, I've been smart and had some lucky deals with trading cars and also some help from the rents, but my first ///M was payed for entirely by me and I know what appreciating a car means.

i bought my 02 325ci with help from myself only when i was 19. bought the m3 a month after i turned 21, on my own once again.

the 325ci is paid off, owe 19k on the m3, but the 325ci is for sale, so im almost outta debt

I will disagree with most people here. I do not think you need a lot of experience to drive M3 as a first car. What makes an M3 any more difficult than a 330i, for instance? If you don't drive over the limit, the car will behave very predictably. Some of the guys on this forum make it seem like M3 is some type of a street legal race car, which it clearly isn't. BMW intended the M3 to be easy to drive and appeal to a broad customer base, my grandma could drive an SMG M3 no problem. Just stay within your limits and don't go crazy, you'll have no problem with M3. My current car though, FF Lotus Elise w/ 300 hp, no traction control, and 60% of the weight in the back is not something I would reccomend as a first car :rofl2:

P.S. I would advise practicing stick-shift on a different car for some time though or your clutch is dead. Even better, get an SMG.

Im only 18 and i got an m3 as my second car. It really is a lot to handle. Just dont lose your head with the car and you will be fine at the begining. You just need to be able to control that much power.

I started off witha 92 318is then when my brother started driving got that handed down and found myself a E36 M3 For a very good deal. Now 21 and finished at my trade tech school and working now i got myself a 01 M3. I guess i would be considered young but i can afford and pay for the car myself :beer:

I will disagree with most people here. I do not think you need a lot of experience to drive M3 as a first car. What makes an M3 any more difficult than a 330i, for instance? If you don't drive over the limit, the car will behave very predictably. Some of the guys on this forum make it seem like M3 is some type of a street legal race car, which it clearly isn't. BMW intended the M3 to be easy to drive and appeal to a broad customer base, my grandma could drive an SMG M3 no problem. Just stay within your limits and don't go crazy, you'll have no problem with M3. My current car though, FF Lotus Elise w/ 300 hp, no traction control, and 60% of the weight in the back is not something I would reccomend as a first car :rofl2:

P.S. I would advise practicing stick-shift on a different car for some time though or your clutch is dead. Even better, get an SMG.

I could not have agreed more....

I got an e46 m3 as my third car. i'm gonna have to say i'm glad i didn't learn on that car, its got an amazing amount of power. you've just got to have enough self discipline and be responsible enough to not do stupid stuff. i started with a truck and a mini cooper s, though i also drove my dads 911 carrera. even then, it still took me a while to get used to the power of the m3. i don't think you'd want to start out on one, but its not like i'll change your mind. i'd shoot for a 3 series. but have fun with whatever you choose:thumbsup:


-michael

...i'm 16.

Damn, how could you have 3 different cars and your still just 16. I cant say to much b/c I have had way more than my fare share of cars, but I think you are going to beat me.

im 19. first car was a 1971 ford mustang mach 1, second was 300zx twin turbo, then a 2007 a4, and just this week i picked up a 95 e36 m3

i got my first e46 back in like mid 02 i was 17 at the time

Must be nice.... When I was that age I had a 94 nissan pickup and was paying for college.
You sure appreciate it a lot more when you have to work for it.

Must be nice.... When I was that age I had a 94 nissan pickup and was paying for college.
You sure appreciate it a lot more when you have to work for it.

+1:beer:

this car comes with airbags and you are surrounded by a cage. you will be fine.

There are many ways to look at this:
First of all, the mechanical problem: The M3 is a powerful car, it can get you in alot of trouble, but at the same time, the power can save your ass on the entrance ramp.

Eitherway, the power comes from you, without responsibility you will go over your head and crash. Any car can kill you and more importantly other people, so stay responsible.

The second problem is a monetary thing; as you may have seen, many of the older members get very mad that children basically get these cars handed to them on a platter. The second part of this is, ask yourself, do I really want this expensive of car as a first car? As a youth, you are likely to crash, likely to get it dinged at school, your friends will egg you on to do **** and generally, the rest of the world will look down on you for what you have.

The second part of the monetary view point is. What the hell do you upgrade to when you purchase your own car? Mommy and daddy can't always help out with a car (if they do, that is just plain dumb). Plus, it would suc* to downgrade to a Civic after an M3.

But sooner or later, you need to figure out how to spend your hard earned money and prioritize. Some day, when your on your own, with the car of your dreams, you will go back onto this site and see how foolish some kids can be.

Best Regards,
Chase

It is very fortunate that you young guys can have such a nice, high performance car at such a young age. Be thankful and respect the car. I am 36 years young and pay $1150.00/year (good driving record) on full coverage car insurance from State Farm, so I am guessing that you young guys/gals (<25) are paying at least twice that per year. Congrats! I am happy for you!

It is very fortunate that you young guys can have such a nice, high performance car at such a young age. Be thankful and respect the car. I am 36 years young and pay $1150.00/year (good driving record) on full coverage car insurance from State Farm, so I am guessing that you young guys/gals (<25) are paying at least twice that per year. Congrats! I am happy for you!

I would say that even twice that is too low!!

I just turned sixteen in March. I've had my license for one week and I've had no problems with my M3 yet haha. I'm just gonna have to try hard not to get carried away with friends in the car or when my friends' slow Hondas and Toyotas etc. are driving next to me. I'm going to try to be classy in my car and not a "young punk" when driving around town.

I am 18 =] depends on the person driving it!

I just turned sixteen in March. I've had my license for one week and I've had no problems with my M3 yet haha. I'm just gonna have to try hard not to get carried away with friends in the car or when my friends' slow Hondas and Toyotas etc. are driving next to me. I'm going to try to be classy in my car and not a "young punk" when driving around town.

:thumbsup:

before my m3 i had an e39 528i 5 speed for about 3 months. i got my m3 when i was 17 and had it pushing 390 bhp before i was 18 3 months ago, and still no accidents or tickets (knock on wood) but yeah its just a matter of how responsible you are and how aware you are of what you have in your hands. its a tough car to learn with because of how easily it revs up but other than that good luck.

I just turned 20. I got my '06 M3 when I was 18... almost 19. This is my 4th car, 2nd brand new car.

My only advice is to keep the DSC ON. Don't be stupid.

And please don't use the M3 to learn to drive a stick!

yeh its a nice problem to have - took me till i was 37, but all happy now

i guess i am one of those people who despises those people who drive new m3s. suffice to say, i drive an e36 myself...and i paid for it. its my second car. i paid for both and i am 18. working for 3 years. blah blah.

i've got this deep (possibly jealousy) that pisses me off when i see someone my age or younger who has an e46. i wont say names, but basically every young person who posted in this thread pisses me off. sorry guys!

...and yes i know, i am bitter.

chase

i guess i am one of those people who despises those people who drive new m3s. suffice to say, i drive an e36 myself...and i paid for it. its my second car. i paid for both and i am 18. working for 3 years. blah blah.

i've got this deep (possibly jealousy) that pisses me off when i see someone my age or younger who has an e46. i wont say names, but basically every young person who posted in this thread pisses me off. sorry guys!

...and yes i know, i am bitter.

chase


I like that :haha:.

I'm 35 and I think it's great that you can get one so young.
Don't give in to peer pressure and you'll be fine.

But don't expect me to give condolences on the thread where you've smacked it in to a tree at 100+ and killed you and your girlfriend.

i guess i am one of those people who despises those people who drive new m3s. suffice to say, i drive an e36 myself...and i paid for it. its my second car. i paid for both and i am 18. working for 3 years. blah blah.

i've got this deep (possibly jealousy) that pisses me off when i see someone my age or younger who has an e46. i wont say names, but basically every young person who posted in this thread pisses me off. sorry guys!

...and yes i know, i am bitter.

chase
Damn you...you stole my name, and my alias (in your avatar message).
-Chase :peace:

Damn you...you stole my name, and my alias (in your avatar message).
-Chase :peace:

haha yeah im chase too.
how old are you?

I don't recommend an M3 as a first car. I drove a new E46 325i for 3.5 years as my first, then got my M3 at 21. The 325 was great to learn to drive on ... now the training wheels are off. No accidents, tickets, etc. so far. :D

i definitely would NOT recommend it as a first car...because chances are, you'll crash it or hurt it. these cars don't deserve that :P

my first car was a mid 90s nissan sentra [sold], then i got a '98 Mercedes E320 [sold it], then a 2000 Volvo S40 [totalled it], and now i'm driving an '04 Volvo S60R [lease], and the M3 will be my fourth car. I'm 23. I've worked for my cars, and all have been used [doesnt make sense to me to buy a new car, making what i make, and considering how fast i get tired of cars]...I finished college, and will graduate with my MBA in December. Provided I can keep my job and get a raise after i graduate, or get a better job, that M3 ive been lusting for since...forever...will be in my future :D and i can't wait.

you really need to learn the basics of driving (and im not talking steering, braking, signalling, changing lanes, and accelerating), but you need to learn how to read the other idiot drivers on the road.

cars should be treated like bikes...i've had bikes before, and i wont get one for a very long time [too many close calls...and insurance!]..anyway, just like a bike, you really need to start with something that wont kill you..on a 600cc or literbike, your newbie mistakes are amplified about 10000000x. just because you can drive a car, doesnt mean that you can handle it. hell, i've piloted f-cars and l-cars and other exotics..and i was NOT comfortable driving those cars, because I know they're unforgiving; theyll bite your head off if you make a mistake, assuming you're at their limits...which I was not, but driving one from point a to point b, on the fwy and all...i still wasnt comfortable with so much power (and money).


so go ahead and get it, but if you crash it, just know that you'll probably be downgraded to a beater honda, or if you're lucky a "Normal" 3 series. so you'll be like...double sad. :( Seriously, how much would that s*ck? It's like driving a ferrari. you're hooked. (sadly, i cant have one [yet] but one day, i promised myself i'd have one) Coming from a ferrari or lambo into a normal car...you realize how inadequate your own car is :P But really, if you get the M3 and smash it, what do you have to look forward to? the next car won't be as fun, and you'll HATE it.

get something nice to learn on [it doesnt have to be a POS], but hold off for at least 3 years before you get the M3 :) most car and bike accidents happen within the first 3 years.

Now, I also come from a very affluent family, but my parents made me appreciate money..and where I think they went right, is paying for my education [yes, all of it..i will graduate from gradschool with $0 debt...they are also currently putting my little sister through undergrad at berkeley and will pay for her medschool] as opposed to a nice car. My education definitely costed more than an M3 would have, but will last far longer [and look much better] than an M3 ever will. :D

To all those who get upset when irresponsible parents give their kids a car such as an E46 M3: stop worrying about what others have and what they do with it and you'll lead a much happier life.

To all those who are driving an expensive sports car such as an M3 they haven't paid for themselves (no, your allowance doesn't count): understand that you haven't achieved anything by driving that car as it's not really yours. Driving a nice car isn't an achievement unless you've actually earned it, and anyone showing off a car they had bought for them is only fooling themselves. If you can live with that, enjoy your car, flaunt your wealth and try to not to kill other people when you do something stupid with it.

I think you will probs smash it up as you won't have the experience to handle it, you might be able to say to your parents "im not gonna thrash it" but you dont buy an M3 to drive like your nan,

Ive just bought a 318 coupe and to be honest im only 19 and its brilliant (although lacking in power abit) although I think that if this was my first car I would be seriousely scared of braking it.

Oh and yes people on the road willl hate you, I get glares in mine from people in toyotas and crap like that, but just smile back if it happens :D

A kid in my school (16) got an E46 m3 for his first car.
I'm 16 and i'm looking into an E36 4-door for my sec. car.

I think its a great first car. I got my m3 a year ago when I was 17. I am 18 now and everything is great. Never had a crash, ticket, etc... I even learned to drive stick shift on the m3 ( wasn't that bad ) .. The only damage that came to my car was during a storm when a tree fell on it... haha