New Member and New 1M owner...

[GimmeanM]

The story of my 1M purchase…

So a little history; my first car was a 1999 E36 Estoril Blue on Dove M3 coupe. It was the car I had wanted since I had my driver’s license. With 240 hp here in the states (versus the european 320hp) it was never an extremely powerful car; yet was touted as one of the best handling cars at the time and the driving experience was one that I’ll always remember and look back at fondly and with amazement for being my first car. Unfortunately this was sold for money down on a house (and being financially responsible and all that crap) and eventually replaced with a Toyota Tacoma and Triumph Street Triple R. Now I know I’m on a car forum, but bikes...I’m sorry...I’ve never had more fun! 3rd gear, 10,000rpm, 60 mph, knee down in the corner...it is, exquisite!! But I crashed pretty bad and am lucky to still be here. So then on to an STi (fast, but doesn’t ‘feel’ like the M3 did). Then back to another Tacoma which I still have today and also got a classic mini. A 1978 Mark III. ….with a Japanese GSR B18C out of a Honda Ingetra. 180hp in a 1500lb car. It was...violently fast! But front wheel drive and 13” wheels, a harsh ride, no heat or AC and off and on reliability and I still didn’t have that ‘feel’ of my old M3.

I knew that the 1M existed but was not in the market when they came out. When I decided I wanted out of the mini I started watching the market and figured that if I could sell the mini for what I wanted, I could probably make it work for a higher mileage base model 1M.

So I finished some small nagging items on the mini and listed it for 22k and within a week it is sold for 21.5 sight-unseen to a buyer in Florida. I was very surprised that it sold that fast! VTEC mini’s are even more rare than our 1M’s and certainly draw less of a demand.

Well, I guess I should also say that I work for a BMW dealer (although was not working here in ‘11 when the 1M’s were being made...and even if I had I don’t think I would have been able to get one as an employee. Our dealership received 3 and 1 was kept by the owner). So, no exaggeration, the exact day...and literally within a few hours of getting the funds wired to me for the mini, I get a call from someone I work with (who knew that I wanted a 1M) to let me know that someone at our BMW store was going to be taking in a 1M on trade the next day. Now if that is not uncanny enough, the fact that my friend got the call and happened to think of me is really quite bizarre. Other sales people now knowing that I got one are astonished that it landed in my lap. A few people on our sales staff have people lined up willing to buy one if our dealership ever got our hands on one. So, had the salesmen who was taking it in on trade simply announced to the rest sales staff that he had one coming in there would have likely been a frenzy to see who would get their name on it first and it probably would have been traded in and sold before I ever knew about it.

The person trading it in wanted MSRP for the car (which we all know is not that big of a deal) but we are a large dealer and just because you work at a dealership doesn’t mean you are an enthusiast who knows the specific market on one of the more rare cars that BMW has made in the last 15 years. So the managers were hesitant to take in a 3 year old car for MSRP because following general guidelines, this NEVER happens. But I got the call and told them that I want the car which allows them to take it in for MSRP and not have any issues.

Now I’m not going to tell how much I paid for the car, but our dealership doesn’t gouge the customer when the opportunity presents. We are a family owned business and actually believe in treating the customer right and earning their business for life which makes this a great place to work. When people found out that 1M production was going to be limited many dealers jacked the prices and I’ve heard people were paying as much as 10,15,20k? over MSRP for them. We didn’t do this. We offered our standard pricing which probably hovered at or just under MSRP for the 1M just as we do for every other new car. I believe that speaks volumes.

So the car is Alpine which is what I wanted. It has premium and HK sound (also what I wanted). The previous owner had two of these 1M’s; one black which was reasonably modified and was his track car and the second white one which was being ‘collected’. Now here is the kicker. It had 29 miles on it when I bought it. Not 29k. But 29 single miles. I was beyond ecstatic! When I drove out of the dealership I was “Wooohooo-ing” at the top of my lungs.

Will I drive it? I was figuring that I would only be able to get my hands on a used example with miles on it in which case I would have driven it as often as possible. But being that I essentially got a brand new one in perfect shape and unmolested, I am more inclined to keep it that way. I will drive it when I want to; occasionally commute to work and weekend fun drives, but probably not more than 2 -3k miles each year. Call it a shame and disagree if you like, but along with preserving the car I also preserve the feeling that I get each time that I take the cover off and take it out of the garage; I get my old M3 back, and more!

Cheers,
Dave

Some photos of the M3, mini and 1M:

[1M SUSI]

Great! Welcome to the club.

29 miles is astonishing. Glad she went to a good home.

[Reedomn]

Welcome...

It's hard not to drive it ALOT !!

[swagon]

Wow, that is such an amazing find. 29 miles! I'd be scared to drive it every day, too, in rain, snow, etc. I like the idea of keeping the miles low and enjoying taking the cover off of such a clean and mint car.

Enjoy it to the fullest.

Do you also have black exhaust tips or are they just dirty?

[IEDEI]

29 miles!? MASSIVE WIN!!!

drive the pants off of it. don't worry about the mileage.....congrats on finding it! ENJOY IT!

[Nkc]

Excellent read and great find. I believe that it's the car that chooses their owner and you two are well fated for each other. So jealous of the 29 miles. I'd happily pay $10k over msrp for one like this.

[mike@x-ph.com]

Welcome

[GimmeanM]

Originally Posted by swagon

Wow, that is such an amazing find. 29 miles! I'd be scared to drive it every day, too, in rain, snow, etc. I like the idea of keeping the miles low and enjoying taking the cover off of such a clean and mint car.

Enjoy it to the fullest.

Do you also have black exhaust tips or are they just dirty?

It's NEVER dirty! Hahaha! They are plasti-dipped. Crappy I know, but wanted to be able to reverse easily.

What I've done so far has pretty much been for protection and or easily removable:
1. Full mask including rockers, A-pillars and behind the rear wheels. The side mirrors are vinyl wrapped in 3M CF along with the side markers. The roof has plain gloss black vinyl wrap. Full 30% tint.
2. Hardwired a V1 with an add-a-fuse so no wires are actually tapped.
3. Put in a Broadway 270 convex mirror.
4. Philips Diamond Vision H8 for the eyes.
5. Plasti-dipped the rear M emblem.
6. Original BMW cover (where it spends most of it's time)

The previous owner was actually the 2nd owner. He also purchased from a collector. The first owner put in the black kidneys and H&R springs at the dealer when he purchased it.

Thanks for all of the compliments! I am really excited.

I may eventually do exhaust and a Cobb. Anyone know of someone running the Megan exhaust? Seems to be the most economical and curious of some first hand experience...

[craina]

Congrats and nice find!

You must have a lot of self control. My 1m is currently my only car so I drive it nearly every day, but that does not stop me from looking for any excuse to drive it.

I am actually planning on adding an e36 M3. A friend of mine has a low mileage Estoril/Dove (best combo IMO) that he never drives, exactly like yours but with DSII's. He has been hinting at letting it go in which case I would more than likely become the next caretaker.

[Artemis]

Welcome !

Originally Posted by GimmeanM3

Now here is the kicker. It had 29 miles on it when I bought it. Not 29k. But 29 single miles. I was beyond ecstatic! When I drove out of the dealership I was “Wooohooo-ing” at the top of my lungs.

Now that's a rare gem.

The car must be happy that it can now finally shine its true colors.

[1'M Blue]

Congrats !

Welcome aboard !

[GimmeanM]

...

[CarJunkie]

Looks good!

[1'M Blue]

Lovely pics .

[Artemis]

Now change your forum name to "Gimmea1M"

[LuuZ]

Black & White always a great combo, but now you need black wheels imo.
Have fun !

[VMRWheels]

Beautiful ride.. love those last pictures

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by Reedomn

Welcome...

It's hard not to drive it ALOT !!

Drive it a lot! You've got a lot of catching up to do. :-)

Congrats.

I met a fellow 2 years ago at high plains raceway that owned/ co owned a black 1m that he had at the track that weekend and he also said he had a white one as well that was a collector.

Sounds like it may be the same fellow!

Congrats and make sure to do an HPDE with it. I think Schomp has their own track day events at HPR as well. I believe they were there in advance of the BMW CCA event I attended

[MrRoboto]

Man I would love to find a 1999 E36 M3 in the that condition.

[Dackelone]

Welcome to 1Addicts!

Man... what a great story!!

Originally Posted by Artemis

Now change your forum name to "Gimmea1M"

^^+2.

@GimmeanM3 let me know if you need help on this "mod".

[GimmeanM]

Originally Posted by M3 Adjuster

I met a fellow 2 years ago at high plains raceway that owned/ co owned a black 1m that he had at the track that weekend and he also said he had a white one as well that was a collector.

Sounds like it may be the same fellow!

Yes, must have been him. He traded in the 1M and a 2013 M5 for a Frozen Blue Alpina B7. I met him when he was there to do his deal. He said he was trading it in was because his wife told him if he was going to get another car he needed to get rid of some. I owe her!

Originally Posted by MrRoboto

Man I would love to find a 1999 E36 M3 in the that condition.

Thanks! Yes, I did/do miss that car sometimes. It was very clean.

Originally Posted by Artemis

Now change your forum name to "Gimmea1M"

Haha...I've used GimmeanM3 for a long time now. And that E36 will always be my first. I think I'll keep it in remembrance.

[Marioh]

Gorgeous car and you're in the neighborhood too! I just picked up my AW 135i. How do you like the H8 bulbs for the eyes? Deciding on that + coding voltages or doing LED.