Used BMW M3 for sale near Elgin, IL

The 2001-2006 BMW M3 (chassis code E46). This generation of M3, like others was and still is and icon of sport and spirited diving. When new, this set the bar and was the measuring stick by which other cars were evaluated. Sure, it doesn't have all the current tech, even seeming Spartan compared to all the comforts of a large high-end luxury sedan or SUV, but that's never been why we love M3s. Now the E46 M3 is between 14-19 years old and it's performance on paper is comparable to that of a new Civic Si, but it still has something that very few cars have. Dare I say it at the risk being cliche? Soul. The M3 wasn't supposed to be the fastest in a straight line but a well balanced alround touring car. Its the perfect balance of handling, power not too much power, and class while still reasonable enough to drive everyday or just on those nice spring Sundays. It does "fun" VERY well and that is why it still is one of the most pleasing cards to drive. The looks are before a lot of the more controversial later BMW designs. It has that work of art, screamer of an in-line 6 cylinder S54 motor (2001 engine of the year winner and winner of the 3-4 L category for six straight years in a row 2001-2006). Though SMG had begun to increase in popularity, some E46 M3s still came with an honest to goodness manual transmission. This is what makes the E46 M3 one of the best of what seems to be a dying bread of cars and values should hold (or even increase) through the years like most other M cars have done historically. Cost of ownership isn't cheap. It's a BMW, no surprise there. However, failure and repair costs increase when considering SMG equipped M3's. Another thing you should consider is how much money you'll spend washing and waxing it then time sitting there and staring. That's one of my hobbies too... when not driving it. The E46 M3 is in an icon in a lineage of special cars and had become an instant classic.

A remarkable buying experience! Jackson was responsive, informative, personal and NOT pushy. I am enjoying my new ride and have already recommended Chicago Motor Cars to my friends. Thank you for the quick turn around for a memorable Christmas surprise for my wife and family!

BMW's, specifically M series can sometimes get a bad rep for reliability and the markup in service cost if out of warranty. This couldn't be further from the truth...I've owned two f80 M3s and these things are extremely well-engineered and other than the random crankhub issues (typically caused by loose crankbolts from the factory or bad tunes that on-ramp torque too quickly) these cars are bullet-proof. I've put over 70,000 miles on this chassis and have had ZERO headaches, zero mechanical surprises and nothing but a xxxx eating grin from ear to ear each and every time I drive one. BMW did a knockout job mechanically and cosemetically with this generation F8X M3 and they've prooven to hold-up against the test of time. With petrol engines being phased out, this car is sure to continue to hold it's value!!!

I bought my M3 (e92) as a fun car for occasional use on track. It’s a project car really, and I’ll upgrade the car as I can afford to do so. So far I’ve had the car out on track twice, without any modifications apart from better pads and racing fluid for the brakes. The car handles extremely well, and performance in the high rev range is astonishingly good for a car that is so docile around town. The only areas requiring some attention are front brakes and exhaust. The front brakes are perfectly ok for normal driving, but for track use I’ll probably change the callipers and discs. The exhaust is ok, but a previous owner has done something with it to make it more noisy...sounds great but at 110db it fails most race circuit noise tests. There isn’t much about this car I don’t like. If I were to be picky maybe the interior is a bit bland, but it is a BMW, and after 78,000 miles there are no squeaks or rattles.

Bill Jacobs BMW is the best , my service provider Mike Alwin has been outstanding over my years of working with him

What more can I say it's an M3- the ultimate driving machine. Hands down the best M series ever produced and having a manual kept it super fun.

We had been searching causally for a few months for a plug in hybrid suv. We had toured a bunch of different brands and nothing felt right. We made an appt to see one at this dealership and we’re blown away. The team gave us our most in depth tour (over 2 hours ), helped us navigate finances and find the perfect vehicle. We loved working with Wesley and Jazmin. We’re based in the city, but found the dealership so easy to get to. As young professionals, this was our first big car purchase and know it won’t be out last with this team.

Diamond Motorworks is great. They have great cars for sale, they are very honest and fair, and they do what they say they are going to do. I'll definitely be back for another car in the future.

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.

5 stars was a good place and answered all the questions that I had about the car

This car is sleek, sexy and has more buttons and gadgets than you’ll know what to do with. It handles like it’s on rails. It’s super fast stock. With a few thousand dollars it’s now 600 hp. I hope to have this car until the day I die...which, hopefully is not in this car. ;)

Martin Chevy in Crystal Lake is an AMAZING dealership with AMAZING people working there. From searching the right cars, making the purchase, financing and service, this place rocks it all!!! Highly recommended!!!

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.

Dealt with Mel, stress free car buying experience, very professional. Was a very pleasant experience

If I die tonight and will be given a chance to live again I would buy the same car at the same place.H1 CARS Thats for sure!

We our satisfied with the purchase so far as we just received the vehicle today!!

Easy to upgrade (e.g. DINAN) and can actually fit 4 people. Strong motor from the famous E46 series and stays glued to the road. Though a smaller convertible, it is heavy and solid giving a very safe feeling. Also, you can actually have the top down with golf clubs or groceries in the trunk!

The whole dealership is great. I've purchased several Hondas at Motorwerks and no matter how hard I try to find a new brand to drive, I come back to Honda because of Motorwerks. Kacper, my salesman, was very helpful too.

If you don’t own this far you should .. it has style , class , sporty look , good for the family and it is very comfortable

The dealership had a great selection of quality used cars, all well-maintained and reasonably priced. I appreciated their transparency and honesty throughout the process, including providing detailed vehicle history reports. The financing process was also seamless, offering several options and explaining everything clearly. I left feeling confident and satisfied with my purchase. Overall, I highly recommend Affinity Auto Sales to anyone looking for a reliable used car and a pleasant buying experience. Thank you to the entire team for making this such a positive experience!

The car met and exceeded my needs. I have always wanted to own a BMW M3 because of their reputation and because i am big BMW fan.

I had great experience 👍🏻 All was done really quick and professionally They scheduled repairing near my office I even didn’t need to go to service Highly recommend👌🏻

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.

Had a wonderful experience buying by 2016 Mercedes AMG G63 from Chicago Motor Cars. Seraj “Raj”Abughoush was an amazing sales representative and cares for me start to finish. I was an out of town purchase and Raj walked the car with me twice, did a road test and even fixed an issue he saw with the windshield during our drive together. His manager was very great with his customer service and I will definitely be back to buy another car with Raj and the whole team at Chicago Motor Cars. Was an amazing experience!

The dealership contacted me and followed through on everything I asked and needed of them. Great overall experience.

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 recently had the pleasure of working with Chris when purchasing my new vehicle, and I couldn’t be more satisfied with the experience

Kris was outstanding to work with for the purchase of a used BMW X5. We felt no pressure as he made it clear he didn't work for commissions and steered us into the right car for us. It was a great experience all around. Thanks Kris!

This car is an absolute monster on the street but feels like the safest car I've ever driven. They really thought of everything - I don't think there's a better or more fun car out there.

Chris Antzaras at Ultimo Motors has represented my family for 2 car purchases at Ultimo Motors East. He made the purchase of my Corvette Z06 so easy. He is professional, knowledgeable and easy to work with. I understood everything. He’s honest too. I will never purchase from another agent. What a great experience!

My Fiancé was talking with Brandon, (General Manager)for about a month or so on the Mercedes G Wagon. Brandon was awesome, and a very respectable gentleman. He went above and beyond for us on our purchase. We are from Arkansas, and we drove 578.6 miles to West Chicago, traded in my Range Rover for the G-Wagon. Brandon stayed after hours, patiently waited for our arrival. Everything about our meet with Brandon was very much of a Blessing. Thank you Brandon for all your help and patience. It was a pleasure working with you. The drive back home to Arkansas in my G-Wagon was all so amazing. We did not have any issues with the vehicle. I will be purchasing my next summer car from Luxury Car Outlet! See you soon Brandon and Thanks for the great hospitality and wonderful customer service!!

This is the most no compromise sports car on the market! Analog diving feel with modern features! You can't buy a car like this anymore! Pure driving experience!

Inquired when I located the car online. They responded in a timely manner and we set up an appt. Staff was very friendly. Price point and negotiations were very fair. No pressure sales. They handled all the paperwork, licensing and registration. The entire process was very easy.

Toni Price (Sales Associate) from Heritage Motor Company, was AMAZING! Actually the entire staff was great. Great communication, easy buying process, well worth checking out if you are interested in a vehicle.