Used BMW M3 for sale near Hillside, IL under $50,000

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

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.

Recently bought a S580 from this dealership and I was blown away by their professionalism and their attention to detail. Chris made sure my experience was TOP NOTCH. They also made sure my purchase was to my liking and they had no issue in making sure my vehicle looked fresh off the showroom floor. The whole transaction was very smooth and I do intend on purchasing from there again very soon! So if you want a good experience and a good deal, definitely give them a try, you won't be disappointed.

I fell in love with the E46 M3 back in the days of high school. The styling, the handling, the aggressive fenders -- it was something to drool over at the time and age. I could not be any more proud of happy to own this car.

I'd been driving 328i's for over 10 years but always wanted an M3.  I only wanted an E92/S-65 version and took my time to find the right one.  I found it two years ago (in 2018) at a dealership 900 miles away from where I live:  It was a 2013 with only 27,800 miles on it.  I flew down to check it out.  It was Space Grey and had the competition package and cold weather package.  Another interesting feature I discovered when I got there, was that it also had the Dinan exhaust system as well.  The dealer never mentioned that and the web pictures never showed it.  He had no idea of the added value.  The car was spotless and I was impressed. The test drive sealed the deal.  What a machine. I felt I stole it for $34,000.  It has the 7 speed dual clutch tranny.  I've always driven sticks, and my previous 328's were all sticks, but at 61 years of age, and with the idiot drivers in NC, I actually preferred a slushbox at this point.  The dual clutch tranny is outstanding.  The shifts are tighter than anything I could ever do with the manual, but if I want to go into sport mode, I can do it grabbing the console shifter or by tapping the paddles.   While the M3 is more known for its speed, it is also incredibly comfortable to drive.  The leather seats are well cushioned and just hug you from the side.  I have a bad back, and driving this home from Miami to NC straight through, I had no additional pain at all by the end of the trip.  The interior trim is fairly simple  but well appointed.  Mine has the wood grained dash, and also has the rear window power sun screen.  Also has the recessed GPS and the premium sound system.  This car is the last of a rare breed - a naturally aspirated V-8 with a sound that is simply glorious.  It has three tones: a low smooth rumble at idle, a growl with normal acceleration, and an absolute roar if you jump on it.  According to my 21 year old son (who owns my previous 328i coupe), I drive it too gently, though he's  not always with me.  :-)  I let him drive it a couple of times and his face lit up as he put it through its paces in sport mode.  I probably do drive it too easy most of the time.  I don't track it, but I've certainly had some fun with it.  It is nice to know I have the power there when I want it, especially on the interstate.  Going into "M" mode is a real treat.  The car just takes off like a rocket and it pins you to the rear of the seat.  It's handling is firm, but not uncomfortable, and it takes corners with ease. Beyond its power and handling, this is simply a beautiful car with incredible lines, my favorite being the flared rocker panels.  I originally figured I'd keep it for a couple of years until I "got it out of my system".  I still haven't, and can't imagine I ever will.  I still look forward to driving this every day.  The newer M3's are admittedly even faster, but they sound like crap.  I rarely even listen to music in mine.  The sound of the S-65 engine as it goes through its paces is like a symphony to me. It now has 55,000 miles on it, and those are predominately interstate and back road miles to and from work.  I'm getting ready to retire, so the yearly mileage will be even less now.  I don't plan to sell it.  It's just too much fun to drive.   I recommend this car wholeheartedly.  As the last of the naturally aspirated M cars, is destined to be a classic and I believe it will hold its value very well.

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.

Alex was great to work with. He communicated well and kept me in the loop during every part of the process. I'm now waiting for my vehicle to be shipped

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!

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

This is by far the best car I’ve ever driven and owned. I purchased it in 2009 and the most reliable car as well. The BMW M3 is the Ultimate Driving Machine!

Pete Fotops was great. Best car buying experience I have ever had. Answered all my questions, facilitated delivery and Camaro was exactly as advertised. This is a great dealership and Pete is true professional. Highly recommend, will buy from again!

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.

In late September, my wife and I stopped to look at an Audi R8 and a Porsche 911 Targa 4S. We met Abed, Mir and Jimenez when we walked in and immediately felt like we could trust these guys. We test drove several cars and ended up trading ours for the Porsche. The experience was smooth, professional and really enjoyable. I would buy from these guys again in a heartbeat! Great experience. I had some questions post-purchase and they respond immediately and helped completely.

runs great and like a new one, well worth the trip to Texas to buy it. This has all the options available and what I wanted

Owner of the company reached out to me and take care off all issues even it was after work hours. Good customer service.

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!

Easy transaction with excellent two-way communication. The car was exactly as described (no surprises). Since it was an in-state transaction, the Diamond team made it super easy: the car was delivered with new plates and tags. All I have to do is wait for the title to arrive from the state. There was zero pressure to buy the car or hurry up the transaction. Tyler took the time to point out the few flaws in the car such that I wasn't surprised upon delivery. I would not hesitate to buy another car from Diamond Motorworks.

The e46 m3 in one of the last of the real Bmws, classic bmw handling and a manual trans. Built like a rock and extremely easy to drive and enjoy. Maintanance is also classic Bmw so be prepared to feed its hunger.

I bought a 2020 Tesla Model X at Baha after seeing it on Cars.Com. The listed price was really good so the only issue was the value of my trade-in. Mason made me a reasonable offer after I emailed pictures, then emailed me a Bill of Sale so I knew all the costs before I arrived. When I got there they took my 2016 Tesla Model S for a test drive and upped their trade-in offer by $2000 without any negotiation by me. They look like a typical corner used car lot with cars packed in, but they have a lot of nice cars. They listed my trade-in at a very attractive price. It will be a great deal for someone. Pro Tip: If you're coming from the north, don't get off I-94 at Cicero. Take the next exit east and enjoy a more relaxing drive to North Avenue.

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.

Bought a car for my Daughter, needed radio / GPS integrated system replaced. We took the car and they stood behind the repair of the car. The car is great and my Daughter is extremely happy with her car. I brought the car in for service and they said I didn’t need some of the services I requested which saved me money. They are honest and very nice to deal with.

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.

Dennis Bedka is AMAZING. Got an amazing car with the best customer service.Had specific needs and they were met. Financing part, he explained things very well & answered all of our questions. Patient and very professional! Thank you Dennis!

This is the most powerful, elegant, fully equipped super car you can get for the money. And not the mention the sound of it. Beautiful inside and out!

Had a fantastic experience with Motor Cars of Chicago, Seraj “Raj” Abughoush was amazing to work with. He was attentive from start to finish. I am an out of town buyer and Raj worked with me to make sure I was satisfied before and after purchase. He followed up timely and walked the vehicle with me via FaceTime twice. He took me on a drive via FaceTime and even found a chip in the window and had it fixed before delivery. I will definitely buy another vehicle from Motor Cars of Chicago, they have a customer for life. The manager was also highly engaged And customer focused. I highly recommended and customer friendly. Thanks Raj and team.

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 came in here looking for purchase a new Toyota rav 4. The associate there name mark was super helpful and patient. You could tell he enjoyed his job, even though I i didn’t purchase a vehicle when I come back I want marky mark(nickname i gave him yeah so what)

In the last twenty years my Wife and I have owned about 15 BMW'S , but the M3 is a street legal Race car , and i love it.

Talked on the phone, and the second I walked in, very laid back and honest people, best car buying experience I’ve had, Ryan and the whole crew in there are amazing!

The E92 BMW M3 competition introduced in 2011 is a magical sweet spot in sports cars and the M lineup in particular. THREE circles overlap. ONE. The S65 engine is bespoke, only introduced in the 2008-2013 model. The normally aspirated 4.0L V8 weighs less than the inline 6 it replaces from the E46 and revs to 8300 rpm with 100 more hp. Literally the international engine of the year during every year of its production. Importantly it has no turbos. 8 separate throttle bodies, and a lightweight fly wheel. It will teach you what throttle response really means and overlaps with.. TWO. In the ZCP competition variant of the E92 this mates with a Getrag dual clutch. A manual lover, this made me switch religion. Odd/even transmissions and millisecond shifts with no gap in power pair perfectly with the race revving v8. And THREE.. sublime MDM traction control. All newer M models with turbo engines and comparatively sluggish throttle response include this. This is the final overlap. Instant throttle plus instant transmission plus instant handling equals the car dancing in and out of its performance envelope like a trained show dog. Buy one and good luck. I have several Ms. Not selling this one. Oh.. Minuses: Eats expensive tires like popcorn, sell your clutch foot to pay for brake platters. Head gaskets ooze around the 100k range. Worth it.

Recently purchased a barely used 2025 Honda from City Werks. Their price for the vehicle I wamted at the time was one of the lowest in the country. Steve A was my contact there and made the sale as painless and as easy as possible. They honored their price and didn't xxxxxx around. It was a relief to buy a car that was what I wanted but wasn't hassled and had to play the dealership game.

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!

Purchased my Jeep Grand Cherokee from Jim and James. Truly amazing individuals. Very straight forward, honest dealership. Financing was a breeze and my vehicle was very accurately described.

Love this car. timeless design, fast, best inline 6 ever made in my opinion. Only negative I have to say while owning one is the price of repairs. But that comes with any older euro car. I would buy another one.

These guys were absolutely amazing!!! They were directly upfront and also caught USAA's mistakes throughout the process. They are honest and upfront. Great company and even better customer service. thank you for the hard work!

Amazing car highly recommend to anyone, the car is driver’s experience car, last v8 naturally aspirated engine for the bmw m3 highly recommend E90, E92, & E93 platform wont regret it!

We bought a Lexus NX200t from this dealership, a truly no-pressure experience and we got an amazing deal. We worked with Chris, who explained everything inside and out. No surprises like some of our previous purchases from other places. Definitely will come back for our next car, thanks Chris!

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