E46 M3 convertible

[m3sye]

gazchap said:

Is that Techno Violet? Looks forkin' gorgeous.

Nope - Velvet Blue

[Steve Devaney]

Fab looking motor M3sye,
Tell us a bit more about it and feel free to bombard us with luscious photos.....

[robbiekhan]

I got a Carbon Black 2005 convertible with red leather back in the new year. It's been a joy driving it, such a lush noise it makes when you're pulling along. It's a manual and that's exactly what I wanted with 65k miles, now on 68k so I've bene having some good runs in it.

The paint had buffer trails and swirls all over, someone had obviously attempted a very poor polishing job before the sale but I had it fully detailed by a local unit outfit and all was well again.

I've done some stuff to it since like re-trim the steering wheel, change the gaiters, replace the gear knob with the BMW sport short weighted one and replace the carpets (I always do this anyway as it's my preference).

Everything else has been cosmetic and subtly changes the presentation of the car for the better IMO. Those were:

- Replace the headlamp lenses (really easy DIY).
- Add a lip spoiler.
- Change the stock exhaust tips to the hand made stainless steel ones via cutters forum.
- Change the "RC Car" aerial for the short stub aerial.
- Replace the CD head unit with a double din Parrot Asteroid Smart.
- Modified the stock window switches to allow one touch power up (they are one otuch down anyway) for all 4 windows and centre button controls then too.
- Coded all customisations via OBD cable and Android app (Carly for BMW).
- Replaced side repeater and front indicator bulbs with WeisLicht Spektrum LED bulbs.

And I've got coming up in the near future, painting the brake calipers black as they're brown right now from the many years of ageing they've gone through.

My wheels were refurbed by the dealer in American Chrome and these look much nicer than the diamond cut ones I feel, a much deeper gloss in a slightly darker finish. Looks much more OEM and professional than other 3rd party "Chrome" refurbs I've seen on the stock 19s. I'm on CSL tyre sizes btw, they fit just fine and being a bit wider adds a tad more grip which is nice.

Only issue I had was both DSC pressure sensors started to flag ECU errors, £90 a pop, both replaced by my indy, errors went away.

Edited by robbiekhan on Tuesday 12th May 10:11

Edited by robbiekhan on Tuesday 12th May 10:23

[NateWM]

Fitted some carbon fibre fog light surrounds in place of the missing rings, although it's hard to tell in the picture. Looks much better imo.

[m3sye]

Steve Devaney said:

Fab looking motor M3sye,
Tell us a bit more about it and feel free to bombard us with luscious photos.....

Manual , 50k miles, 3 owners , FSH, Velvet Blue (got to be my fave colour)

Some pics here Steve -- http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[rev-erend]

NateWM said:

Fitted some carbon fibre fog light surrounds in place of the missing rings, although it's hard to tell in the picture. Looks much better imo.

Weird photo .. what is the trick.

[m3sye]

rev-erend said:

Weird photo .. what is the trick.

Its a setting on newer phones, you can blur the background and concentrate on a main image

[Steve Devaney]

m3sye said:

Steve Devaney said:

Fab looking motor M3sye,
Tell us a bit more about it and feel free to bombard us with luscious photos.....

Manual , 50k miles, 3 owners , FSH, Velvet Blue (got to be my fave colour)

Some pics here Steve -- http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Yes, that's my new favourite colour!
I had an immaculate TVR Tuscan a few years back in 'Aston Martin Caledonian Blue' which was a nice purpley colour and changed dependant on cloud cover and time of day the sun was falling on it.
My M3 is boggo Titan Silver but it suits the shape and black hood/interior nicely.

[Steve Devaney]

Quite by chance, there was a Velvet Blue E46 (non-M) in the car park of the hotel that I am staying in (Ramada near Chatham) and it looks great in the flesh also.
The light was dull and overcast this morning and car was not so clean but I could see its potential to wow!

[m3sye]

Steve Devaney said:

Quite by chance, there was a Velvet Blue E46 (non-M) in the car park of the hotel that I am staying in (Ramada near Chatham) and it looks great in the flesh also.
The light was dull and overcast this morning and car was not so clean but I could see its potential to wow!

Amazing how the colour does change when clean and sunny

Can look quite blue when its dull and dirty ....