[dbills56]

Backstory: I currently drive my high school car which was a 1999 E46 328i 5-speed. I bought the car with 212k miles for $3k (Maybe not the best decision, but I wanted a manual and it was either this or a neon in my price range). The car is currently at 243k and the clutch has started to slip. I would rather invest in a new car then put more money into my E46, and the 135i is definitely what I want.

Question: Working with a budget ~$15k, would you recommend using the full budget and purchasing a 135i with 45-60k miles which would be very close to the warranty expiration. Or spending $11-12k on a car with 80-100k and using the extra money to purchase a Route 66 Extended warranty plan? Another option would be to take the cost of the warranty and put it aside for maintenance costs. I am only looking at 6-speed coupes. I did almost all of the maintenance on my E46 myself and I am prepared to do the same if I do not opt for the warranty.