C32 a Rare Car, Check Out These #'s
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C32 a Rare Car, Check Out These #'s
Some friends of mine who own an older C series were checking out my car today and mentioned how they'd never even heard of the C32 model before and how it must be rare. That got me thinking and I pulled up national searches for 2002 model year cars on autotrader and found what I thought were some interesting numbers:
2002 Car / Quantity Advertised For Sale Nationally
BMW Z8 13
C32 37
Dodge Viper 58
BMW M5 80
BMW M3 276
Lexus SC430 401
As expected the Z8 is more 'rare'. Even though I saw one today its super rare around here and its only about the 3rd or 4th time I've seen one in the flesh. The Viper being less 'rare' (using this informal gauge) really struck me as I only see Vipers about once per week and they've had a decade long model run. Same with the M5 but they probably pass by unnoticed more often than Vipers. The M3 numbers feel about right since I see one of the newer style M3s in traffic around me almost every day. The SC430 figure really stunned me because I feel like I see them only about as often as the new M3s.
A really wacky figure we can quote to friends is that our cars are nearly 8X rarer than Dodge Vipers. When all model year C32s and Vipers ads are compared there are only 59 C32s and 464 Vipers!
I'm not sure how this extremely un-scientific measurement compares to actual production numbers but I'd bet its fairly similar ratios.
Kevin
2002 Car / Quantity Advertised For Sale Nationally
BMW Z8 13
C32 37
Dodge Viper 58
BMW M5 80
BMW M3 276
Lexus SC430 401
As expected the Z8 is more 'rare'. Even though I saw one today its super rare around here and its only about the 3rd or 4th time I've seen one in the flesh. The Viper being less 'rare' (using this informal gauge) really struck me as I only see Vipers about once per week and they've had a decade long model run. Same with the M5 but they probably pass by unnoticed more often than Vipers. The M3 numbers feel about right since I see one of the newer style M3s in traffic around me almost every day. The SC430 figure really stunned me because I feel like I see them only about as often as the new M3s.
A really wacky figure we can quote to friends is that our cars are nearly 8X rarer than Dodge Vipers. When all model year C32s and Vipers ads are compared there are only 59 C32s and 464 Vipers!
I'm not sure how this extremely un-scientific measurement compares to actual production numbers but I'd bet its fairly similar ratios.
Kevin
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From: Diamond Bar, CA
W206 PHEV AMG
it's pretty similar.
in 2002, approx 2500 units of C32 were shipped to the states. The M3 were three-four times that amount.
But sadly and true, our C32 yet has less resale value compare to the comparably equipt M3. Can't blame'em tho, M3's definitely more popular than the C32 amount the young crowd like us. Also, I think part of the reason is that AMG's badging i.e. 32, 43, 36, 55 for the C-class kept on changing unlike the M3 name which has stayed the same for it's 14-15 years since the first E30 M3 hit the market.
in 2002, approx 2500 units of C32 were shipped to the states. The M3 were three-four times that amount.
But sadly and true, our C32 yet has less resale value compare to the comparably equipt M3. Can't blame'em tho, M3's definitely more popular than the C32 amount the young crowd like us. Also, I think part of the reason is that AMG's badging i.e. 32, 43, 36, 55 for the C-class kept on changing unlike the M3 name which has stayed the same for it's 14-15 years since the first E30 M3 hit the market.
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Yep, all true. And really when you think about the young people who want fast cars, having 2 doors is cooler than 4. Its not until you're older that you go "wow! I can have that speed and its got 4 doors? Cool!". Also, younger buyers want people to know that they have a fast car. The styling of the M3 portrays that a bit better than the C32. I've been into fast cars since way before I could ever afford one. I've had subscriptions to the major car mags for years and the C32 never really got much in the way of a marketing blitz that I can recall. It shows up at the applicable comparos only to place toward the back of the pack. I like the M3 a lot but if I was testing out a car with two more doors that could do nearly everything the M3 could do I'd have to rank it higher just based on that massive leap of functionality. When you look at straight line performance stats, price and status levels the two cars seem appropriate to compare. When you look at who will likely buy the cars they really should compare the M3 to other performance coupes & open air cars that appeal to similar buyers (996 Carrera, 350Z, S2000, Boxster S). The C32 can stand comparison to the M3 but I think people know weather they'll be buying a 2 door or a 4 door way before they step on the lot so the two cars probably don't appear together on that many people's car shopping lists.
Kevin
Kevin
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From: San Francisco, CA
1996 C36 AMG, 1995 Volvo 850 Turbowagon
that rareness should help on the resale... but it seems like there should be more...see quite a few here...in fact...never seen a viper here...just one (not track, but on the street)... and it's the old model...5 years ago...
just wish there was much more to visually differentiate between a normal c and an amg c....
btw...bmw sold even less 540i wagons than the z8...
just wish there was much more to visually differentiate between a normal c and an amg c....
btw...bmw sold even less 540i wagons than the z8...
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From: NYC
C32 AMG, C300 Sport
2500 to states...???
I heard the actual number was 996. I read there were only 3500 built in 02 and only a small fraction came here. The target was between 1000 and 1200 but the actual number was around 996. Any additional info would be apprecialted.
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From: The Magic City
C63
Re: 2500 to states...???
Originally posted by vinmanc32
I heard the actual number was 996. I read there were only 3500 built in 02 and only a small fraction came here. The target was between 1000 and 1200 but the actual number was around 996. Any additional info would be apprecialted.
I heard the actual number was 996. I read there were only 3500 built in 02 and only a small fraction came here. The target was between 1000 and 1200 but the actual number was around 996. Any additional info would be apprecialted.
yeah, i was thinking the same thing, i've heard that number, but i always thought that it was North America ( USA + Canada).
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There's at least six M3s and four C32s at my university. I see C32s more often than a lot of other cars. On the other hand, I live in an affluent area so seeing any AMG, especially during the winter, isn't something to be have a fit over.
