M3 or (and?) GTS 4.0

FC · 09-27-2021, 02:44 PM

I debated posting this, but I've posted waffle threads on less consequential decisions, so here it goes...

First, a quick reminder that the M3 was bought after waffling between it and a GTI (we now own both), and was bought as a car I could pamper while commuting 4 miles to work. It's also worth noting that at the time I was still driving my kids to/from school.

Even then I struggled with the M3 vs Boxster decision. In part because I knew the "need" for a great sedan would be short-lived. My kids would walk to school in a couple of years, as they do now. I no longer need to drop them off on the way to work. But newer non-turbo Boxsters, be it a new Spyder or nearly new '15 GTS, were way too much money for a toy at the time and there was no end-of-life urgency. I also already had a Miata. So I went for a new M3 due to, much like today, a fear of "now or never" for a MT M3, wanting a great family trip, and wanting to put more money towards a daily driver car than the toy car. No regrets about that decision.

But circumstances have changed. Two jobs later, I now have a 23 mile drive consisting of 95% highway, and the money for a Boxster is not as big a consideration as it was. Then there is the "now or never" element to the Boxster. I wasn't about to commute with the M3, LR4, or Miata everyday year round, and with my wife WFH 100% now (and at least half the time in the future), it made sense to swap the Miata for the GTI. No regrets there either. It's a fabulous commuter. But the M3 is now effectively the toy car.

I've looked at it from two perspectives:

1) Applying the logic of "starting from scratch, what would your fleet look like?"

In this case, I would probably get the LR4 as family car and and the GTI as a commuter/swiss army car. In fact, that is all we actually need. As a fun third car, the Boxster would be great. The only unmet role is the niche one of "fancy+nice+quick family car," which logically is a ridiculous reason to keep an M3. That would also imply the right move is to replace the M3 with a Boxster.

2) What if I had been able to see the future before buying the M3?

Easy. I would have bought the GTI without much debate, saved my pennies and eventually upgraded the Miata to a Boxster. This also suggests I should swap the M3 for a Boxster.

But reality is that I already own the M3. Is a Boxster that much better than an M3 as a fun car? What if I complement the M3 with an ND?

I really like the M3. It's a great car, it's fairly practical, and I (and the whole family) is attached to it. I'd be fine keeping it, but it's not the right fit. Commuting in it, it piles on miles that are not all that fun (though there good moments) and it's a nice break from driving the GTI everyday, but that's a weak use case. If not used for commuting, it would be used sparingly when not used as a toy car. Our new GTI or the mint-condition LR4 can take the family places in comfort.

Normally I would say that the M3 being only 3 years old will take too big a depreciation hit and coupled with the attachment to the M3, I would just hang on to it and get the Boxster later. Except of course, there won't be a later. Also, the crazy market conditions may allow me to get an abnormally high amount of money for my M3 (we'd need to see about that).

The other part is that IF I do pull the trigger on a Boxster AND decide to keep a 4th car, I am not sure the M3 should be it long term. It just makes sense to get a decent EV if we are going to have that many cars, even if it's down the road. And there's certainly plenty of time for that purchase. But buying a GTS AND keeping the M3 doesn't make sense financially and my wife would object to that one for many valid reasons. She already doesn't drive the M3 and likely would not touch the Boxster, so two very expensive cars would be for my use only.

I guess right now I am nervous about a) selling a special car like the M3 and regretting it later and b) buying an expensive car like a GTS 4.0, and the idea of both has me pretty unsettled. I know I'll never selling the M3 except to get a car I deem very special.

Right now I see three options:

A) Sell M3 and order GTS 4.0
B) Keep M3 and buy ND, or overpriced used Boxster, or other fun toy car as a 4th car.
C) Keep M3 and add GTS. This is a dumb move now, but what if things change and I find myself wishing I had kept it? Again, if I need a sedan, I could get an EV a that point. Also 4 cars is a tough psychological line for my wife and logistics become more of a PITA.

It also just so happens that the M3 is worth (~60k?) enough that it plus what I had earmarked for a Boxster originally (~50k) add up to a new GTS. I have a minor fear about selling the M3 and despite assurances, somehow ending up without a GTS due to supply or other nonsense.

You guys have lived all of the FC car drama over too many years, so you know me well. What are your thoughts?

09-27-2021, 02:44 PM	#1
FC Solving problems Join Date: Oct 2003 Carmudgeonly Ride: M5 / 718 GTS / Cooper S / GTI / LR4 Location: Metro Boston Posts: 25,264	M3 or (and?) GTS 4.0 I debated posting this, but I've posted waffle threads on less consequential decisions, so here it goes... First, a quick reminder that the M3 was bought after waffling between it and a GTI (we now own both), and was bought as a car I could pamper while commuting 4 miles to work. It's also worth noting that at the time I was still driving my kids to/from school. Even then I struggled with the M3 vs Boxster decision. In part because I knew the "need" for a great sedan would be short-lived. My kids would walk to school in a couple of years, as they do now. I no longer need to drop them off on the way to work. But newer non-turbo Boxsters, be it a new Spyder or nearly new '15 GTS, were way too much money for a toy at the time and there was no end-of-life urgency. I also already had a Miata. So I went for a new M3 due to, much like today, a fear of "now or never" for a MT M3, wanting a great family trip, and wanting to put more money towards a daily driver car than the toy car. No regrets about that decision. But circumstances have changed. Two jobs later, I now have a 23 mile drive consisting of 95% highway, and the money for a Boxster is not as big a consideration as it was. Then there is the "now or never" element to the Boxster. I wasn't about to commute with the M3, LR4, or Miata everyday year round, and with my wife WFH 100% now (and at least half the time in the future), it made sense to swap the Miata for the GTI. No regrets there either. It's a fabulous commuter. But the M3 is now effectively the toy car. I've looked at it from two perspectives: 1) Applying the logic of "starting from scratch, what would your fleet look like?" In this case, I would probably get the LR4 as family car and and the GTI as a commuter/swiss army car. In fact, that is all we actually need. As a fun third car, the Boxster would be great. The only unmet role is the niche one of "fancy+nice+quick family car," which logically is a ridiculous reason to keep an M3. That would also imply the right move is to replace the M3 with a Boxster. 2) What if I had been able to see the future before buying the M3? Easy. I would have bought the GTI without much debate, saved my pennies and eventually upgraded the Miata to a Boxster. This also suggests I should swap the M3 for a Boxster. But reality is that I already own the M3. Is a Boxster that much better than an M3 as a fun car? What if I complement the M3 with an ND? I really like the M3. It's a great car, it's fairly practical, and I (and the whole family) is attached to it. I'd be fine keeping it, but it's not the right fit. Commuting in it, it piles on miles that are not all that fun (though there good moments) and it's a nice break from driving the GTI everyday, but that's a weak use case. If not used for commuting, it would be used sparingly when not used as a toy car. Our new GTI or the mint-condition LR4 can take the family places in comfort. Normally I would say that the M3 being only 3 years old will take too big a depreciation hit and coupled with the attachment to the M3, I would just hang on to it and get the Boxster later. Except of course, there won't be a later. Also, the crazy market conditions may allow me to get an abnormally high amount of money for my M3 (we'd need to see about that). The other part is that IF I do pull the trigger on a Boxster AND decide to keep a 4th car, I am not sure the M3 should be it long term. It just makes sense to get a decent EV if we are going to have that many cars, even if it's down the road. And there's certainly plenty of time for that purchase. But buying a GTS AND keeping the M3 doesn't make sense financially and my wife would object to that one for many valid reasons. She already doesn't drive the M3 and likely would not touch the Boxster, so two very expensive cars would be for my use only. I guess right now I am nervous about a) selling a special car like the M3 and regretting it later and b) buying an expensive car like a GTS 4.0, and the idea of both has me pretty unsettled. I know I'll never selling the M3 except to get a car I deem very special. Right now I see three options: A) Sell M3 and order GTS 4.0 B) Keep M3 and buy ND, or overpriced used Boxster, or other fun toy car as a 4th car. C) Keep M3 and add GTS. This is a dumb move now, but what if things change and I find myself wishing I had kept it? Again, if I need a sedan, I could get an EV a that point. Also 4 cars is a tough psychological line for my wife and logistics become more of a PITA. It also just so happens that the M3 is worth (~60k?) enough that it plus what I had earmarked for a Boxster originally (~50k) add up to a new GTS. I have a minor fear about selling the M3 and despite assurances, somehow ending up without a GTS due to supply or other nonsense. You guys have lived all of the FC car drama over too many years, so you know me well. What are your thoughts?