Revisited: 2018 BMW M3 CS w/ 6k Miles in Lime Rock Grey
Here is a 2018 BMW M3 CS for sale (VIN #: WBS8M9C57J5K99907) in Lime Rock Grey (LRG). The sale listing on Lamborghini Houston states the vehicle has 6,211 miles. Please note: If the original listing link does not work, this car has probably sold. Per the attached CarFax report it states the vehicle has a clean title and has had 2 previous owners. $79,999 is the current asking price. Car is located in Houston, TX.
General Observations
This example is equipped with the Executive Package and has the standard steel brakes. This is 1 of 92 Lime Rock Grey examples that were brought to the USA. This example may look familiar as I already reviewed it when it was listed by RPExotics over the summer. The car is now listed by Lamborghini Houston with approximately 30 miles added to the odometer.
Exchanging Dealership Hands
Per the attached CarFax report, it appears the previous dealer, RPExotics, were unable to sell the vehicle and now Lamborghini Houston has the car re-listed it at the same price it was last previously seen.
How this came about? Could potentially be a multitude of things: The previous dealer may have sold it to Lamborghini Houston with the current dealer having hopes of better luck of selling. They might have done a dealer trade that benefitted both parties. The car might have been sent to wholesale auction and Lamborghini Houston was the winning bidder and now re-listed in a new regional market. Side note: The car was previously auctioned off before these series of events on 05/09/2022 with 3,908 miles.
This is something I would ask the selling dealer if its something that concerns you. A car with this type of mileage in combination with the rare and coveted color one would think it would have sold rather quickly, but it hasn’t. If I’m a prospective buyer, I would have my Sherlock Holmes hat on and doing a deep dive investigation before considering.
Exterior Condition
Generally speaking, in photos, the car looks amazing. I’ve actually spoken to several prospective buyers that were interested in this car over the past few months and all have noticed 2 things about this car. The first I will mention here and the 2nd will mentioned later in this post.
There is an unsightly uneven gap between the top of the front bumper and the front of the hood. Per my previous entries this could be a variety of things so I don’t want to assume the worse. It could possibly mean work was done to the car where the front bumper was removed and the technician incorrectly reassembled the front bumper. For many, however, the first assumption is perhaps the car was in a front-end accident. Which could be the case. Again, I don’t want to assume and want to give the selling dealer the benefit of the doubt that this isn’t the case. All that said, this is something I would ask a reputable body shop to verify and share their opinion.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4S Tires and Brakes
The original Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires were replaced with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tires as noted in my last entry. There was also wheel spacers added which look to still be installed on the car.
One thing I am noticing is the condition of the rotors. They appear to have inconsistent discoloration. I could be wrong and it could be because the car was freshly detailed and there may be residue that needs to be burnt off through hitting the brakes a few times. However, it could possibly be abnormal wear for a car with 6k miles. This is something I would look further into when you do a pre-purchase inspection.
Carbon Fiber Gurney Flap Wing
Perhaps its just my eyes, but looking at the photos I’m possibly detecting a common manufacturer defect with the carbon fiber gurney flap wing. The issue being clear coat failure. If you look at the inner edge of the wing it appears the clear coat failure is starting to show. Again, it could be my eyes or it could be a bad reflection, so this is something you will want to verify with the selling dealer.
Interior Condition
As I stated in my last entry there’s not much to critique interior wise. The interior looks great and in like-new condition. The selling dealer provided a nice close-up of the driver side bolster which appear to be in great shape as seen below.
The Alcantara steering wheel on the other hand seems to have abnormal wear for a car with 6k miles as seen below. It appears to have excessive pitting which could mean a variety of things. Could be sweaty hands. It could mean the car experienced heavy track time or heavy spirited driving which forces you to handle the steering wheel often and forcibly thus causing the excessive wear. Without being able to speak the last real owner, its anyones guess at this point.
Things I’d Inquire About This M3 CS
Paint Protection Film (PPF)
Going over the photos, I’m noticing edges of existing PPF. To what extent this car has coverage wise? This is something I’d inquire with the dealership. If you’re going this far, I would ask what brand of PPF was used and if they have a registration card or sales invoice as PPF typically has a 10 year warranty depending on brand.
Undercarriage Rust?
When the car was in possession with RPExotics one of the salesman did a video for a potential buyer and one thing I noticed was what appears to be rusted bolts on the front lip of the car at the 1:28 mark and noticed what appears to be more rust at the 6:09 mark on the rear trailing arm bolts. This is obviously something of concern and as a prospective buyer would do your due diligence by getting the car on a lift and making sure it’s nothing more than surface rust. I would consult further when you get a pre-purchase inspection done or even go as far as asking a reputable auto body shop for their opinion.
Maintenance and Service
Per the complimentary CarFax report there is only 3 entries recorded for service history by 3 different BMW dealerships across the country. I would absolutely reach out to a local BMW dealership to pull up its service history for you to review. Per my previous entries, I would also ask what upcoming services the car needs so you can budget for operating costs.
If you elect to do a pre-purchase inspection, the performing technician or service advisor should provide you with a list of service items that need to be addressed now or in the near future.
Lime Rock Grey M3 CS Hype Warranted?
With the Lime Rock Grey color being the second rarest of all the F80 M3 CS’s produced with only 92 being imported into the US and what seems to be the highest in demand per the forums and people I speak to in general makes this example a true head scratcher as to why it hasn’t sold.
I’ve always been cautious with my words so I don’t want to make any bad assumptions other than what I can observe through photos. I’ve known several people that made inquires about this car and all did not get very far. This is not to say there is anything wrong with this car. I, myself, have not laid eyes on it so I can’t say anything with certainty.
The only thing I can say is this is definitely an example I would have throughly checked-out by a 3rd party via pre-purchase inspection. I would also have a trusty automotive paint meter to verify paint thickness and consistency throughout. From there, you will have to remember this is a used car. Any used car, especially ones without warranty, comes with a level of liability. Without knowing the previous owner(s) its anyones guess the vehicles true history. I hope whoever ends up owning this car gets a gem of a find and enjoys trouble-free ownership.
General Disclaimer
I’d like to first clarify that I am not connected to the seller or platform in any way. When purchasing any vehicle, I highly recommend doing your own due diligence before consummating a deal. My personal insights and opinions that I’ve shared through this post stem from my cautious perspective and carry no responsibility for the actual condition of the mentioned vehicle. I highly recommend arranging a 3rd party pre-purchase inspection with a trusted mechanic. I also recommend researching the vehicles history through a CarFax or an AutoCheck report.
Screenshots of the Original Ad
In the event the ad is taken down, below are screenshots of the original ad:
