Y’know what’s fun? The BMW M3. The E90/92/93 generation especially, the last of the naturally-aspirated cars, with its V8 that revved well over 8,000 rpm. You might think that such a beautifully-styled design — the peak of the Bangle era, without question — with such an interesting motor would make for an expensive proposition, but it doesn’t! There’s just one little catch. One tiny itty bitty little catch that barely even matters and is for sure not a dealbreaker.
This M3 sedan, the E90, can be had for under 20 grand. It’s available on Facebook Marketplace out on Long Island asking just $19,000, and the seller claims it’s in true Theseus condition: “Every single part on the car has been replaced.” So, really, the catch shouldn’t even be that much of an issue. If everything’s been updated, how much does it really matter that this 14-year-old high-powered, high-strung German performance sedan has 224,000 miles on the clock?
It’s totally fine
Sure, yes, okay, 223,873 miles is a lot for any car. It’s especially a lot for an M car with an 8,300-rpm redline and a penchant for eating rod bearings, but the seller claims those bearings have been replaced to mitigate the issue before it ever rears its head. A well-maintained higher-mileage car is often better than a low-mileage model that’s been neglected, and this may be the ultimate test of that thesis. It’s not even like the engine could have been revved out while cold — this era of BMW had a redline that slowly raised as the car warmed up.
You should buy a 224,000 mile BMW M3. You will certainly not regret buying a 224,000 mile BMW M3. In fact, you should make it your daily — it’s a perfectly practical sedan, why not use it every day? It’ll be fine. Trust me. Would a Jalopnik writer ever encourage bad buying habits in our readers?
