£5-8k. E46 330Ci vs E46 M3?
Discussion
Haha, thanks mate. Yeah, I'm not exactly one of the top posters, am I? To be honest, I spend most of my internet time on F1 forums/sites. 
The car definitely seems good, just a bit curious about the owner. He never seems to answer his phone (said he works long hours) and I've told him 3 times via email that I'd like to view the car therefore needed his postcode, but he seems to ignore me and always makes an excuse for the day I want to go and view. Hmm... Surely, if you're looking to sell a car, you would return calls and do your utmost to try and sell? That's the only thing that has me worried.
The car definitely seems good, just a bit curious about the owner. He never seems to answer his phone (said he works long hours) and I've told him 3 times via email that I'd like to view the car therefore needed his postcode, but he seems to ignore me and always makes an excuse for the day I want to go and view. Hmm... Surely, if you're looking to sell a car, you would return calls and do your utmost to try and sell? That's the only thing that has me worried.
[quote=$chuey]Haha, thanks mate. Yeah, I'm not exactly one of the top posters, am I? To be honest, I spend most of my internet time on F1 forums/sites.
The car definitely seems good, just a bit curious about the owner. He never seems to answer his phone (said he works long hours) and I've told him 3 times via email that I'd like to view the car therefore needed his postcode, but he seems to ignore me and always makes an excuse for the day I want to go and view. Hmm... Surely, if you're looking to sell a car, you would return calls and do your utmost to try and sell? That's the only thing that has me worried.
[/quote]
Dont mean to p!ss on your bonfire but if it seems to good to be true/something does not seem right blah blah...
i have the 330ci and am fully aware in the current market it will be a hard car to shift on, there are plenty of 330ci's out there for sale and with 6k burning a hole in your pocket im sure most would bend over backwards for you
does it have to be the clubsport model? as it has very few differences over the normal 330
The car definitely seems good, just a bit curious about the owner. He never seems to answer his phone (said he works long hours) and I've told him 3 times via email that I'd like to view the car therefore needed his postcode, but he seems to ignore me and always makes an excuse for the day I want to go and view. Hmm... Surely, if you're looking to sell a car, you would return calls and do your utmost to try and sell? That's the only thing that has me worried.
[/quote]
Dont mean to p!ss on your bonfire but if it seems to good to be true/something does not seem right blah blah...
i have the 330ci and am fully aware in the current market it will be a hard car to shift on, there are plenty of 330ci's out there for sale and with 6k burning a hole in your pocket im sure most would bend over backwards for you
does it have to be the clubsport model? as it has very few differences over the normal 330
[quote=$chuey]Haha, thanks mate. Yeah, I'm not exactly one of the top posters, am I? To be honest, I spend most of my internet time on F1 forums/sites.
The car definitely seems good, just a bit curious about the owner. He never seems to answer his phone (said he works long hours) and I've told him 3 times via email that I'd like to view the car therefore needed his postcode, but he seems to ignore me and always makes an excuse for the day I want to go and view. Hmm... Surely, if you're looking to sell a car, you would return calls and do your utmost to try and sell? That's the only thing that has me worried.
[/quote]
Dont mean to p!ss on your bonfire but if it seems to good to be true/something does not seem right blah blah...
i have the 330ci and am fully aware in the current market it will be a hard car to shift on, there are plenty of 330ci's out there for sale and with 6k burning a hole in your pocket im sure most would bend over backwards for you
does it have to be the clubsport model? as it has very few differences over the normal 330
The car definitely seems good, just a bit curious about the owner. He never seems to answer his phone (said he works long hours) and I've told him 3 times via email that I'd like to view the car therefore needed his postcode, but he seems to ignore me and always makes an excuse for the day I want to go and view. Hmm... Surely, if you're looking to sell a car, you would return calls and do your utmost to try and sell? That's the only thing that has me worried.
[/quote]
Dont mean to p!ss on your bonfire but if it seems to good to be true/something does not seem right blah blah...
i have the 330ci and am fully aware in the current market it will be a hard car to shift on, there are plenty of 330ci's out there for sale and with 6k burning a hole in your pocket im sure most would bend over backwards for you
does it have to be the clubsport model? as it has very few differences over the normal 330
I'm always cautious and agree, it seems too good to be true but I've checked the MOT history and everything is fine on the mileage side. I'll also do an HPI check once I get all the details. When I first emailed him, he answered all of my questions and even gave me his latest MOT test number so I could check the mileage was correct etc but for some reason he's gone all quiet and doesn't want to tell me his postcode or the area he lives in. I've only managed to speak to him once on the phone and that was almost a week ago. Whenever I try to call, there's no answer and he never returns calls either.
I'm not after a Clubsport specifically (don't like the awful rear spoiler) but it's the best 330ci for sale. The rest (330 coupes) are at least 50k+ miles and more expensive. I've viewed some at under £5k and to be honest, they were terrible. Owners describing their cars as ''mint'' over the phone but when you get there they have rust, dents and scratches even though you've asked them about these before viewing. I've been searching since November and must have viewed around 20 cars now and they've all been disappointing hence why I increased my budget to £6k.
My past cars have been Imprezas and this time wanted to go for something slightly more economical and decided a BMW 330ci fitted the bill nicely but I can't seem to find a decent example. At this rate I think I might give up the search for a BM and go back to an Impreza... Any other suggestions? I only need 2 doors, has to be fairly quick, RWD or AWD. No Audis though as they weigh too much for my liking.
Thanks for the replies so far.
I'm not after a Clubsport specifically (don't like the awful rear spoiler) but it's the best 330ci for sale. The rest (330 coupes) are at least 50k+ miles and more expensive. I've viewed some at under £5k and to be honest, they were terrible. Owners describing their cars as ''mint'' over the phone but when you get there they have rust, dents and scratches even though you've asked them about these before viewing. I've been searching since November and must have viewed around 20 cars now and they've all been disappointing hence why I increased my budget to £6k.
My past cars have been Imprezas and this time wanted to go for something slightly more economical and decided a BMW 330ci fitted the bill nicely but I can't seem to find a decent example. At this rate I think I might give up the search for a BM and go back to an Impreza... Any other suggestions? I only need 2 doors, has to be fairly quick, RWD or AWD. No Audis though as they weigh too much for my liking.
Thanks for the replies so far.
The seller does sound a bit dubious, having bought and sold recently i can say i did my upmost to make my car available to prospective purchasers, and it's always nice to have someone want to come and view rather than try and arrange a deal via e mail!! and sellers are, in the main horrendous, although you can get a feel over the phone, might be worth being more prescriptive upfront if you've viewed 20!!
in terms of you last question, i think you're in danger of that chap who knocks round suggesting all manner of ridiculous RWD alternatives taking your bait....just wait for the economics lesson in why it's a good idea to buy a car no one else wants...
it's cheap but you'll never sell it...even if you want to..
i reckon you've picked 2 good choices, just hang out for the right example. the only thing i could think of is a top of the pile E36 M3, but i'm guessing that doesn't tick the box on ecomony!
in terms of you last question, i think you're in danger of that chap who knocks round suggesting all manner of ridiculous RWD alternatives taking your bait....just wait for the economics lesson in why it's a good idea to buy a car no one else wants...
it's cheap but you'll never sell it...even if you want to..
i reckon you've picked 2 good choices, just hang out for the right example. the only thing i could think of is a top of the pile E36 M3, but i'm guessing that doesn't tick the box on ecomony!
like suggested could be an E36 M3, friend had a track prepped but still road legal 3.0 M3 (new lsd,suspension,cage etc) and that went like stink! if you owned things like subarus before i would say it was similar pace to a friends stage 1 evo 7. however i suspect you may be more likely to come across a ropey model and will have to search long and hard for a mint model (his was mechanically good, but on 143k however he worked at a bmw indy so knew what to look for)
I still think your best off with a 300ci for a mix of performance and economy/ reasonable running costs. just be patient and worth searching cars for sale on the owners clubs etc, or keep an eye on places like this:http://www.imc-bmw.com/index.html
its where i got mine and although you generally pay abit more some like mine are very well priced, and it was spotless but more importantly has been trouble free in nearly 3 years that i have had it.
check a general buying guide on the E46 330 first though, as one with worn bushes and bad tyre choice will make the car a much worse drive
I still think your best off with a 300ci for a mix of performance and economy/ reasonable running costs. just be patient and worth searching cars for sale on the owners clubs etc, or keep an eye on places like this:http://www.imc-bmw.com/index.html
its where i got mine and although you generally pay abit more some like mine are very well priced, and it was spotless but more importantly has been trouble free in nearly 3 years that i have had it.
check a general buying guide on the E46 330 first though, as one with worn bushes and bad tyre choice will make the car a much worse drive
jaedba2604 said:
The seller does sound a bit dubious, having bought and sold recently i can say i did my upmost to make my car available to prospective purchasers, and it's always nice to have someone want to come and view rather than try and arrange a deal via e mail!! and sellers are, in the main horrendous, although you can get a feel over the phone, might be worth being more prescriptive upfront if you've viewed 20!!
in terms of you last question, i think you're in danger of that chap who knocks round suggesting all manner of ridiculous RWD alternatives taking your bait....just wait for the economics lesson in why it's a good idea to buy a car no one else wants...
it's cheap but you'll never sell it...even if you want to..
i reckon you've picked 2 good choices, just hang out for the right example. the only thing i could think of is a top of the pile E36 M3, but i'm guessing that doesn't tick the box on ecomony!
Hi.in terms of you last question, i think you're in danger of that chap who knocks round suggesting all manner of ridiculous RWD alternatives taking your bait....just wait for the economics lesson in why it's a good idea to buy a car no one else wants...
it's cheap but you'll never sell it...even if you want to..
i reckon you've picked 2 good choices, just hang out for the right example. the only thing i could think of is a top of the pile E36 M3, but i'm guessing that doesn't tick the box on ecomony!
He did say he worked long hours (self-employed) but still, we all work in this day and age and that's not really an excuse for not replying to emails or phone calls unless he's super busy and doesn't have time for anything else... My dad always told me that if something doesn't seem right, it's best to walk away but who knows, maybe the seller is genuine and it's his circumstances making him come across as a bit dodgy?
I just threw in the ''any suggestions'' at the end of my reply as I honestly can't think of any other car that fits the bill, but yeah, could be asking for trouble there! Haha. E36 M3 would be nice, but having already considered the E46 M3 and concluding it will be too much to run, I think the same can be said for the E36.
rich85uk said:
like suggested could be an E36 M3, friend had a track prepped but still road legal 3.0 M3 (new lsd,suspension,cage etc) and that went like stink! if you owned things like subarus before i would say it was similar pace to a friends stage 1 evo 7. however i suspect you may be more likely to come across a ropey model and will have to search long and hard for a mint model (his was mechanically good, but on 143k however he worked at a bmw indy so knew what to look for)
I still think your best off with a 300ci for a mix of performance and economy/ reasonable running costs. just be patient and worth searching cars for sale on the owners clubs etc, or keep an eye on places like this:http://www.imc-bmw.com/index.html
its where i got mine and although you generally pay abit more some like mine are very well priced, and it was spotless but more importantly has been trouble free in nearly 3 years that i have had it.
check a general buying guide on the E46 330 first though, as one with worn bushes and bad tyre choice will make the car a much worse drive
Hi. I've been in a few E36s (mates cars) and they are quick but like I said above, won't be cheap to run/maintain and as you say, good examples are hard to come by.I still think your best off with a 300ci for a mix of performance and economy/ reasonable running costs. just be patient and worth searching cars for sale on the owners clubs etc, or keep an eye on places like this:http://www.imc-bmw.com/index.html
its where i got mine and although you generally pay abit more some like mine are very well priced, and it was spotless but more importantly has been trouble free in nearly 3 years that i have had it.
check a general buying guide on the E46 330 first though, as one with worn bushes and bad tyre choice will make the car a much worse drive
You're right though, in terms of performance, economy & running costs, nothing really beats the BM. A manual 330ci is what I want and I know they're good cars as my dad has one but finding one at the right price with low-ish miles is hard work. Most that are for sale are overpriced, IMO. I've tried forums like BMW Land, Bimmerforums etc but still no luck. Not heard of the one you mentioned so I'll have a look on there tomorrow. Plenty of autos for sale out there at the right price and miles, just not manuals!
[quote=$chuey]
Hi.
He did say he worked long hours (self-employed) but still, we all work in this day and age and that's not really an excuse for not replying to emails or phone calls unless he's super busy and doesn't have time for anything else... My dad always told me that if something doesn't seem right, it's best to walk away but who knows, maybe the seller is genuine and it's his circumstances making him come across as a bit dodgy?
I just threw in the ''any suggestions'' at the end of my reply as I honestly can't think of any other car that fits the bill, but yeah, could be asking for trouble there! Haha. E36 M3 would be nice, but having already considered the E46 M3 and concluding it will be too much to run, I think the same can be said for the E36.
[/quote]
Hi,
You're right about the M3, they have big day to day running costs and also the potential for the odd disaster along the way...it's all been covered in this thread.
I went for a 3.0 Z4 coupe, you said you could cope with 2 doors, no mention of seats though..
I will say though, in a different way and IMO, it feels just as special as the M3....haha, i can hear the thundering of the masses in the distance on that comment.
It comes down to how you drive really, but the lower down torque on the non-M 3 litre engine makes it seems as driveable...the one thing you do miss is knowing that if you really want to, you can blow away practically anything on the road in an M3. And when you do open up an M3 it is extremely quick, but you have to work it at 4.5krpm+ to make it feel that way.
So, i'd say if you need 4 seats, hold out for a top notch 330, one will come up, you just need that geezer who bought one in his twilight years and cossetted it to decide his days of driving are over - then make the decision quick!!
Hi.
He did say he worked long hours (self-employed) but still, we all work in this day and age and that's not really an excuse for not replying to emails or phone calls unless he's super busy and doesn't have time for anything else... My dad always told me that if something doesn't seem right, it's best to walk away but who knows, maybe the seller is genuine and it's his circumstances making him come across as a bit dodgy?
I just threw in the ''any suggestions'' at the end of my reply as I honestly can't think of any other car that fits the bill, but yeah, could be asking for trouble there! Haha. E36 M3 would be nice, but having already considered the E46 M3 and concluding it will be too much to run, I think the same can be said for the E36.
[/quote]
Hi,
You're right about the M3, they have big day to day running costs and also the potential for the odd disaster along the way...it's all been covered in this thread.
I went for a 3.0 Z4 coupe, you said you could cope with 2 doors, no mention of seats though..
I will say though, in a different way and IMO, it feels just as special as the M3....haha, i can hear the thundering of the masses in the distance on that comment.
It comes down to how you drive really, but the lower down torque on the non-M 3 litre engine makes it seems as driveable...the one thing you do miss is knowing that if you really want to, you can blow away practically anything on the road in an M3. And when you do open up an M3 it is extremely quick, but you have to work it at 4.5krpm+ to make it feel that way.
So, i'd say if you need 4 seats, hold out for a top notch 330, one will come up, you just need that geezer who bought one in his twilight years and cossetted it to decide his days of driving are over - then make the decision quick!!
The M3 boys will be along soon giving you an earful! 
Z4 is a looker and I'm sure they drive great too but it's a little on the small side for me as I occasionally need the use of 2 extra seats plus a boot large enough to fit all my things in.
Just a quick update on the car I mentioned in my first post; tried calling the seller numerous times again today, as usual, no answer. I've sent one last email asking him to call me for a change! If I don't hear from him I'm gonna have to give up and move on no matter how good the car appears to be.
On another note, this car seems great and he seems just as anal as me when it comes to looking after cars. Only problem is, it's a bit on the rich side:
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3727051.htm
Another thing I've noticed... I've been searching since November but the last couple months or so car prices have gone up, well, 3 Series prices anyway. You could get an '02 plate 330ci Sport with around 70k miles for £4k back in Jan, mid-Feb, but now, the same cars are priced £1k higher.
Here are a couple more Clubsports. Surely they cannot be worth £7/8k? That's M3 money but granted, an M3 at that price won't be the best.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3727750.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3602093.htm
I've also been watching Subaru prices and they just keep on going down. Most are now breaking them and selling off the parts as it means more money that way rather than selling the car as a whole. Real shame.
Z4 is a looker and I'm sure they drive great too but it's a little on the small side for me as I occasionally need the use of 2 extra seats plus a boot large enough to fit all my things in.
Just a quick update on the car I mentioned in my first post; tried calling the seller numerous times again today, as usual, no answer. I've sent one last email asking him to call me for a change! If I don't hear from him I'm gonna have to give up and move on no matter how good the car appears to be.
On another note, this car seems great and he seems just as anal as me when it comes to looking after cars.
Only problem is, it's a bit on the rich side:http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3727051.htm
Another thing I've noticed... I've been searching since November but the last couple months or so car prices have gone up, well, 3 Series prices anyway. You could get an '02 plate 330ci Sport with around 70k miles for £4k back in Jan, mid-Feb, but now, the same cars are priced £1k higher.
Here are a couple more Clubsports. Surely they cannot be worth £7/8k? That's M3 money but granted, an M3 at that price won't be the best.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3727750.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3602093.htm
I've also been watching Subaru prices and they just keep on going down. Most are now breaking them and selling off the parts as it means more money that way rather than selling the car as a whole. Real shame.
Haha, i'm not too bothered, i'm happy with my decision..
that first 330 looks worth stretching your budget for to me, certainly it's looking a lot better than M3s at that money, however, the miles are maybe slightly (only slightly) high if you're looking at top end of your (and a 330's) budget..
that first 330 looks worth stretching your budget for to me, certainly it's looking a lot better than M3s at that money, however, the miles are maybe slightly (only slightly) high if you're looking at top end of your (and a 330's) budget..
[quote=$chuey]
On another note, this car seems great and he seems just as anal as me when it comes to looking after cars. Only problem is, it's a bit on the rich side:
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3727051.htm
[/quote]
A BIT rich?!
I'm sorry but I just don't see anything like a £7k car there.
I'm currently selling mine for a quid under
. Same colour, same year, same wheels fully refurbed. Yes it has 114k miles, and it isn't a garage queen, .
I know I'd rather have a higher mileage car with £3k in my pocket.
ETA
Too much detail!
On another note, this car seems great and he seems just as anal as me when it comes to looking after cars.
Only problem is, it's a bit on the rich side:http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3727051.htm
[/quote]
A BIT rich?!
I'm sorry but I just don't see anything like a £7k car there.
I'm currently selling mine for a quid under
. Same colour, same year, same wheels fully refurbed. Yes it has 114k miles, and it isn't a garage queen, .I know I'd rather have a higher mileage car with £3k in my pocket.
ETA
Too much detail!
Edited by Big Al. on Sunday 11th March 17:06
ImolaRed said:
Fox- said:
Half the miles, better condition and the fact its a Clubsport (I don't think they are worth the extra but many do) could easily account for 3k.
It's not a ClubSport.first clubsport does look nice, personally i would rather save a few ££ and go for a normal 330ci but then i dont like the clubsport spoiler and after that there is only a few changes over a 330. However if the clubsport is your taste then see about knocking some money off the asking price ( always worth a go) and you will have yourself a lovely car
This is a lovely car & a bargain http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3577350.htm I know the owner thro www.e46zone.co.uk & he's looked after her.
I run a E46 330i Sport 2002 and a E36 M3 Evo Convertible 1998
Fuel will be your big problem. The 330i will take unleaded where as the M3 will only take 99Ron. This straight away puts you out of pocket.
Mixed use, my Sport gets 300 miles to the tank and that was trying to make it last as well.
The M3 on the same kind of driving etc maybe 250... but costs me around £10 to £15 more to fill the tank.
My M3 on a run in 6th with cruise control on at 70MPH did get me 36 MPG which was nice, but around town your looking at 19 and under. They are terrible when cold so short jorneys will kill the fuel.
As for everything else, the M3 is light years ahead. Thats comparing the older model to the newer model. My M3 runs circles around the Sport, as my M3 is a convertible I wouldnt say it out handles the Sport but then the Sport is tight as a drum.
If I was you, I would be looking at a mapped 330d M Sport or even a Mapped 320D M sport.
The guy who owned mine from new until I had it put 40,000 miles on her in 6 months! This was 4 services and I dread to think of the other things it had.
I had a Oil service from BMW two days ago and it cost £147 which was good. I asked about a I1 and he told me it was over £600!!! I nearly fainted. My Specialist can do it for around £350.
The sport is a great car but I do wish I got a high spec diesel now as its just not quick enough to sale the M3 and does not do that many if any more MPG than the M3.
I think after owning a E46 M3 you will start modding and end up selling the Evo and tracking the M3. They are very, very good cars and love to be driven.
Fuel will be your big problem. The 330i will take unleaded where as the M3 will only take 99Ron. This straight away puts you out of pocket.
Mixed use, my Sport gets 300 miles to the tank and that was trying to make it last as well.
The M3 on the same kind of driving etc maybe 250... but costs me around £10 to £15 more to fill the tank.
My M3 on a run in 6th with cruise control on at 70MPH did get me 36 MPG which was nice, but around town your looking at 19 and under. They are terrible when cold so short jorneys will kill the fuel.
As for everything else, the M3 is light years ahead. Thats comparing the older model to the newer model. My M3 runs circles around the Sport, as my M3 is a convertible I wouldnt say it out handles the Sport but then the Sport is tight as a drum.
If I was you, I would be looking at a mapped 330d M Sport or even a Mapped 320D M sport.
The guy who owned mine from new until I had it put 40,000 miles on her in 6 months! This was 4 services and I dread to think of the other things it had.
I had a Oil service from BMW two days ago and it cost £147 which was good. I asked about a I1 and he told me it was over £600!!! I nearly fainted. My Specialist can do it for around £350.
The sport is a great car but I do wish I got a high spec diesel now as its just not quick enough to sale the M3 and does not do that many if any more MPG than the M3.
I think after owning a E46 M3 you will start modding and end up selling the Evo and tracking the M3. They are very, very good cars and love to be driven.
Blair357ci said:
This is a lovely car & a bargain http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3577350.htm I know the owner thro www.e46zone.co.uk & he's looked after her.
i like that ( and im not a fan of the clubsports) just a shame about the seats and not being manualjust been to my local tesco and there was one of these but with MV2 alloys, had forgotten just how nice the colour is in the flesh
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