Evaluation: From the Rudy Mancinas collection. Represented with 16,000 miles, which is that sweet spot of low but not too low. Rod bearing replacement done in 2019. Still presents like a new car other than ever so slight wrinkling on the driver’s seat. A top notch example of one of BMW’s greatest hits.
Bottom Line: The MSRP on a 2001 M3 was $45,400 (about $72k today). Being such a great all-around driver’s car (indeed one of BMW’s best), plenty got driven and used up. Few are anywhere near as clean as the car in Amelia. And if an E46 M3 was ever to break six figures, this one probably deserved to be the first. Laguna Seca Blue is the best color, the coupe is the most desirable body style, the 6-speed manual is the preferred transmission, and the car has just the right amount of ticks on the odometer for someone who wants a like-new M3 but also wants to drive and enjoy it without feeling guilty. The result is the new benchmark for this generation of Ultimate Driving Machine.
