In the USA, a lightly used base M3W comes close to being a reasonable value at around $25k, and one or two usually come to market every year.
However at over $50k, a new, well optioned M3W is a fairly poor value purchase considering the build quality and reliability. Cracked exhausts, blown compensators, screaming/gummed up bevel boxes, broken timing belts, paint drips, and squeaks and rattles galore are more reminiscent of a project someone assembled in their garage, and not a luxury niche product.
I think people are letting MMC off the hook in regard to the M3W's build quality and value with the excuse that they are a "low volume manufacturer" lets examine that premise a bit:
The new Plus 8 appears to be fairly well made, with a BMW engine, lots of quality interior touches, and and a modern aluminum chassis, and if you cruise the Plus 8 forums here - they appear to break far less that the M3W. The Plus 8 retails for 85k British Pounds. The M3W is 25% of the car that the new Plus 8 is, and it retails for ~30k British Pounds...I think the Plus 8 represents a far better value proposition than the M3W.
I still love my M3W, and have no plans to sell it, but I often feel like a chump for paying what I did for it...
I'm not sure that the M3W will be sustainable product at the present price point over the long term. I think the car will need a significant price drop to maintain it's viability.
Last edited by Crowbar; 23/11/14 07:59 PM.
