Hello and about me
Hey Oppo, I’ve been lurking around Jalopnik since ~2008 and really haven’t left. I finally decided to give writing a bit of a go. With everything going on, it looks like I won’t be back in cars for some time. So this should be a good outlet for some of my car energy. Prepare for rambling, tangents and buried somewhere, hopefully good content.
In the coming posts, expect everything from Lemons racing to Porsche Cup Car driving stories. I have many and hopefully will be adding more this year.
Anyway, onto my current car adventure. In a weird turn of events, we sold our house before the market flooded with inventory and moved back in with the parents until early next year. 4 adults and a 1 year old in a 1900 sq ft house is no joke. My FIL and I have a bit of a car problem. Even though the house is small, there are two garages on the property. A two car and a 4 car. As odd as it sounds, we are out of garage space. This means 1 car has to go. I was given the option of keeping my stick E46 M3, but then his track GT3RS would be sold or the M3 goes and the tracking continues. Despite my unhealthy love for the M3, it is obvious taking a 1 year old in and out is not practical and a 4 door should be in the works. Stay tuned for what comes next! We will all be disappointed.
Selling the M3
So I did what every normal person does. Listed the car on Facebook marketplace and Craigslist. I prepared myself for some pain, but not this. It turns out selling a somewhat collectable car significantly narrows down your audience into a very small subset. It also attracts all the tire kickers and people wanting to drive a fun car. I’ve priced it at where I think is fair. It has many miles but has been impeccably maintained, with full records going all the way back to the first owner. You would be hard pressed to find one at this level of maintenance for this cost. The major shortcomings are around the cosmetics. It needs the front and rear bumpers painted as well as a dent pulled in the quarter. I always had the intention of getting that work done when I was done DD’ing it. Then I had a kid and here we are. Anyway I’ve found comps on BAT and craigslist and think what I’m asking is not unreasonable. Basically you are getting a beautiful DD that there is no pressure to garage and preserve. You can enjoy this car to its fullest.
FB Marketplace
As of now I’ve had 21 responses on FB marketplace. None have turned into reasonable offers. A stunning 10/21 or ~50% of conversations go “Is this still available?” “Yes it is.” Then I never hear from them again. How is this a thing? What is wrong with people? Why bother even reaching out?
Craigslist
To my surprise, Craigslist has actually been pretty ok. It has resulted in more in-depth conversations and test drives then any other method. I also almost had it sold, until the bank financing fell through on the poor guy. There have been only a handful of weirdo’s. Some guy came all the way out to test drive it, then stated it has way too much power and he is looking for a show car. I’m wondering if he even bothered looking at the pics, because this could be one of the worst contenders for show car out there.
The side of the road
You heard that right folks, the side of the road has resulted in the most calls and realistic offers. This is probably because people can take their time and look it over without having me talk their ear off. By now, I think the entire town has seen it and results from this method have really tapered off.
The offers
The offers have a huge range. Obviously none have panned out. Only one has been realistic. Starting with the most laughable. I’ve gotten many around KBB pricing on the car. Everyone, if you find a E46 M3 for KBB pricing, call me and I will buy two.
Overall people seem to be caught up on the cosmetics. They love how well it has been maintained, but also want it to be cosmetically perfect. I’ve found those cars for sale. They go for much more than what I have it priced at. You are trying to have your cake and eat it too for the price of wonderbread. If I were to discount it enough to take care of all of the cosmetics, then I’ve just paid for you to get to enjoy a perfect car. So that is not happening. I’ve also got a few “I’ve saved up everything and this is all of my money, will you sell it to me?” I’m not here to judge, but these cars are not for the people who are short on money just buying it. On average I put ~$2K a year into the car in preventative maintenance and tires.
Whats Next
Honestly, I’m not sure what is next. I have until mid-July to clear space in the garage, so I’m not desperate yet. By then, if a reasonable offer doesn’t materialize I may end up having to settle for a lot less. Or there is talks of starting a Lucky Dog/Champ Car team. I may cut a deal with the team mates on entry fees and convert the car into a racecar. Honestly, I’d rather be the one to plant it into a wall then have it go to someone is taking advantage of my timeline running out.
Edit: CL link for those interested