Used BMW M3 for sale near Brea, CA

Car is typical BMW M, plenty of power great brakes high end interior, it was difficult to find one with a 3 pedal manual and sunroof, this M3 did NOT come with cockpit adjustable suspension and it was scary to drive at the limit, I put fully adjustable coil over suspension on which lowered the center of gravity, improved the stance and made it handle more like an e46M3, still not perfect but much better than stock!

I bought this 2016 Mineral white M3 Dct fully loaded with every option except extended leather in 2017 with 6000 miles on the clock. The car has been an exhilarating joy to own and nothing compares to it in its price range. Sure you can buy a Camaro, Dodge or a Mustang for less money but neither have the interior, body design, or finesse the M3 has. The DCT is second only to Porsche's PDK. Yes, I've owned and driven a lot of cars to make these comparisons. Reliability and maintenance 40k miles later has been a positive because things do not break as long as you are routine about your maintenance intervals, but remember this is a BMW so maintenance is not cheap. Would I buy again? Without a second thought I would as I prepare for purchase and the release of the G80 M3 Awd in 2021. Something the M3 is in need of due to torque of the rear wheel drive F80.

Loved this car while I owned it. I’ve had a couple BMWs and this was by far the most reliable and fun vehicle thus far.

The M3 has gotten very luxurious while losing nothing in performance. Choices abound. the car starts in comfort/efficiency mode, if you are just going to the supermarket. But two "M" buttons on the steering wheel (you set them up yourself) can quickly change that. I have M1 set up for sporty and M2 for "to the max". The seats are a bit firm. I can ask the car to cool itself via a BMW app 10 minutes before I arrive. Many things like that. The manual transmission is standard BMW, similar to my 14 year old 1M. Many options are via virtual buttons, menus, and submenus, but I got used to it faster than I expected. Through the app I can check how much gas I have and what the tire pressure is and where I've driven (you can turn that off). It can connect to the dealer for regular maintenance. It's amazing! I'm not crazy over the electric clutch, but I'm getting used to it.

I got a lot of head nods on drive home People seem to like it. May be because the new style is eye catching I have owned other sport car. This one is my favorite.

Cars, much like many other components of modern life, are showrooms for all the latest technology the modern consumer needs. In many ways this is great but at a certain point they lose their car-iness and become tools for abstracting the driver away from the driving itself. I would guess car manufacturers are responding to what the customers are asking for. But I fell in love with cars long ago not because their a tool or a means to an end. I like cars that are meant to be driven and that create a relationship between you and its interfaces. The E36 M3 is a performance car from an era where this relationship still mattered and this is part of why it lured me in in the first place. No WiFi, no Bluetooth, no color touch screen, no digital instrument cluster, no rear-view camera - mine doesn't even have a CD player. But BMW's iconic straight six engine mated to a five speed manual transmission is glorious to drive spiritedly and this is the reason I bought it. There isn't an abundance of assists getting in between you and the driving experience and correspondingly there are less electronic bits to go wrong. The E36 era of M3 is going on 20 years old - even for its youngest model - so a budget for maintenance is something to consider if this car is on your list of possibilities. There used to be chatter of a "$10k rule" on the enthusiast forums, meaning that regardless of whether you buy a $5k E36 M3 or a $8k E36 M3 you'll have to spend the difference between that and $10k to get it into reliable shape. Based on my experience that sounds about right. Problem areas are well documented on the enthusiast forums as are their solutions which make this platform alluring if you're interested in tackling DIY-level maintenance tasks yourself. The E36 M3 isn't for everyone but if you're after an unfiltered driving experience at a somewhat reasonable price it's a strong candidate. Going into it with proper expectations, ownership can be a gratifying experience.

Fantastic does everything car -- kids to school, been camping with it, cross-country drives, autocross / track racing, etc. Amazing sport exhaust sound and multiple personalities -- purring kitten in comfort mode or roaring tiger in Sport Plus!

It could'nt fit our needs better! Perfect both summer and winter. Easy to drive, great sightlines. We use it for day trips and all around commuting.

Given I ordered the car with a cool optional paint color, it gets much attention wherever I go. In addition, the overall look, sound and performance enhance the attention. I have owned many performance cars over the years and to date the 2022 M3 Competition is the best car the I have owned and the most exciting and rewarding to drive.

I’ve been trying to get an M3 for 15yrs now and I finally found the one I wanted with low miles and affordable. I love the performances and handling and the power is mind blowing!