RE: BMW M3 (E46): PH Carpool
Discussion
Leins said:
Krikkit said:
Are BMW still fixing the rear subframes, or has that time ended now?
Lovely cars.
10 years goodwill, so only the very late cars still covered. There are a few companies out there doing preventative work though, plating the likely stress area (either welded or bonded in place) and/or injecting the whole area with a foam resin like BMW do in their repairLovely cars.
Watch out for leaky self-dimming interior mirrors too, a manufacturing fault - again another cheap preventive solution worth doing IMO
I'd shop around but also check on forums to see who is recommended as I'm sure cheapest isn't always best.
BenGB said:
It can happen on any e46 of any age and power - it seems to be luck of the draw, although lots of racing starts won't help. Prices I've been quoted range from £800 up to around £2200 inc VAT. Some places make up the plates themselves, some use the Redish Motorsport kit. Damage can range from small cracks to the boot floor pretty much dropping out, but it tends to be caught before it gets that serious.
Yes I think some effort had been made on this particular car to hide the problem with filler and gaffa tape 
so I suspect most don't get this bad. It just seems from the chap's explanation of the problem that it's an inherent design/manufacturing issue caused by weld failures and the resulting flexing of the panels. Can anything less drastic and costly be done to an unaffected car to pre-empt this, and ensure it doesn't occur?
rtz62 said:
Leins said:
Krikkit said:
Are BMW still fixing the rear subframes, or has that time ended now?
Lovely cars.
10 years goodwill, so only the very late cars still covered. There are a few companies out there doing preventative work though, plating the likely stress area (either welded or bonded in place) and/or injecting the whole area with a foam resin like BMW do in their repairLovely cars.
Watch out for leaky self-dimming interior mirrors too, a manufacturing fault - again another cheap preventive solution worth doing IMO
I'd shop around but also check on forums to see who is recommended as I'm sure cheapest isn't always best.
BenGB said:
Limpet said:
The axle carrier panel and boot floor cracking issue is a worry. Seems the factory welds, and panels are woefully inadequate 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMptH7FMOw4
This is shocking. Are they all a ticking timebomb in this respect?
I could look after the oily bits myself, and I have successfully done simple MIG repairs to MOT standard, but these kind of repairs would be well outside my skill level. This must be many thousands of pounds worth of work.
It can happen on any e46 of any age and power - it seems to be luck of the draw, although lots of racing starts won't help. Prices I've been quoted range from £800 up to around £2200 inc VAT. Some places make up the plates themselves, some use the Redish Motorsport kit. Damage can range from small cracks to the boot floor pretty much dropping out, but it tends to be caught before it gets that serious.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMptH7FMOw4
This is shocking. Are they all a ticking timebomb in this respect?
I could look after the oily bits myself, and I have successfully done simple MIG repairs to MOT standard, but these kind of repairs would be well outside my skill level. This must be many thousands of pounds worth of work.
Edited by Limpet on Monday 4th April 13:44
I do miss my E46 M3 - but a house purchase forced it's sale back in 2005. Mine was dogged with rattle-a-plenty, and had a lot of warrantly/recall work done in the year I had it - crank bearings (recall); parcel shelf; heater controls; speakers; centre console all for rattles. My two XFs I've had have had far superior build quality, so I'll probably head back to the petrol world with another Jag this year.
Limpet said:
Yes I think some effort had been made on this particular car to hide the problem with filler and gaffa tape so I suspect most don't get this bad. It just seems from the chap's explanation of the problem that it's an inherent design/manufacturing issue caused by weld failures and the resulting flexing of the panels.
Can anything less drastic and costly be done to an unaffected car to pre-empt this, and ensure it doesn't occur?
You can buy a resin injection kit which involves squirting an epoxy type gunk into the gap into the boot floor which then cures solid to provide reinforcement and to spread the load over a wider area. so I suspect most don't get this bad. It just seems from the chap's explanation of the problem that it's an inherent design/manufacturing issue caused by weld failures and the resulting flexing of the panels. Can anything less drastic and costly be done to an unaffected car to pre-empt this, and ensure it doesn't occur?
I'm taking mine up to Parkside Autos in Worksop to have the work done - I've been recommended to use them and they have been very helpful on the phone. Neil at Allgears just down the road is doing some work on the gearbox at the same time, but that's another story!
BenGB said:
You can buy a resin injection kit which involves squirting an epoxy type gunk into the gap into the boot floor which then cures solid to provide reinforcement and to spread the load over a wider area.
I'm taking mine up to Parkside Autos in Worksop to have the work done - I've been recommended to use them and they have been very helpful on the phone. Neil at Allgears just down the road is doing some work on the gearbox at the same time, but that's another story!
I'm taking mine up to Parkside Autos in Worksop to have the work done - I've been recommended to use them and they have been very helpful on the phone. Neil at Allgears just down the road is doing some work on the gearbox at the same time, but that's another story!
hope all goes well. Hmmm I've got 10k set aside for an s2000 but this has got me intrigued!
Had an 02 s2000 before and miss it terribly but have just let my m135i go and think another s2k will feel a bit anemic.
Although it looks like m3 maintainance will be be significantly more expensive and there's serious problems that can occur.
Had an 02 s2000 before and miss it terribly but have just let my m135i go and think another s2k will feel a bit anemic.
Although it looks like m3 maintainance will be be significantly more expensive and there's serious problems that can occur.
Limpet said:
BenGB said:
You can buy a resin injection kit which involves squirting an epoxy type gunk into the gap into the boot floor which then cures solid to provide reinforcement and to spread the load over a wider area.
I'm taking mine up to Parkside Autos in Worksop to have the work done - I've been recommended to use them and they have been very helpful on the phone. Neil at Allgears just down the road is doing some work on the gearbox at the same time, but that's another story!
I'm taking mine up to Parkside Autos in Worksop to have the work done - I've been recommended to use them and they have been very helpful on the phone. Neil at Allgears just down the road is doing some work on the gearbox at the same time, but that's another story!
hope all goes well. 
rallye666 said:
Although it looks like m3 maintainance will be be significantly more expensive and there's serious problems that can occur.
VANOS issues can be pricey to rectify too at circa £2.5k for new from BMW, including gears (although there are again companies who will refurb the existing one rather than replace with new OE parts). I also decided to swap the conrod bolts, oil pump & shells on mine when approaching 60k miles, although that was only for peace of mindI would also advise to get a compression and leak-down test performed on any prospective purchase if at all possible
Probably worth pointing out that, even though I generally don't bother with extended warranties, I am a little risk averse
Edited by Leins on Monday 4th April 15:54
Here is mine
Silver Grey with Imola Red leather and Manual gear stick.
I have spent a lot of money bringing it back up to a very good cosmetic and mechanical standard. It is my daily driver (apologies for the dirty exterior).
I am finding it extremely hard to decide what to replace it with. Will I ever sell it? God knows...
It's such an amazing piece of engineering. Everyday is an enjoyable experience.
But maintenance can be eye watering.
Is the noise worth it mate?
Silver Grey with Imola Red leather and Manual gear stick.
I have spent a lot of money bringing it back up to a very good cosmetic and mechanical standard. It is my daily driver (apologies for the dirty exterior).
I am finding it extremely hard to decide what to replace it with. Will I ever sell it? God knows...
It's such an amazing piece of engineering. Everyday is an enjoyable experience.
But maintenance can be eye watering.
Captainawesome said:
I had 2. One with an evolve carbon box and one with a supercharger bolted on.
The one with the evolve box is the one car I genuinely miss. I absolutely loved my old M3. Now driving an S5 and while the V8 is lovely I miss the s54. I believe by the end of the year I will have swapped back to an M3.
Enjoy her.
How was the evolve box? Did you have the map also? The one with the evolve box is the one car I genuinely miss. I absolutely loved my old M3. Now driving an S5 and while the V8 is lovely I miss the s54. I believe by the end of the year I will have swapped back to an M3.
Enjoy her.
Is the noise worth it mate?
Edited by HannsG on Monday 4th April 16:01
Blackbird425 said:
Why blank reg plates out in pictures? I presume to mitigate the risk of cloning, but wouldn't it get more exposure just being driven for a couple of hours?
I always said that, but my car was cloned a couple of months back. Got charged going over the Dartford crossing, police didn't want to know, DVLA said put something in writing and the will look at it in 12-16 weeks, and in the end I just said 'f
k it'. Presumed as it was going southbound it would probably be in a ferry by now anyway. Then got a bill from a compound asking for £3500 in tow fees and storage and had 7 days to pay.
Police again didn't want to know, neither the DVLA.
I did a bit of detective work and got then to stop sending me bills.
I guess it is easier for someone to find a Red M3 on a google image search than it is to drive round looking for one?
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