High Milage BMW E46 330i - Risk?
Discussion
I'd proceed with caution... in fact, I would avoid like the plague. Thats because I too bought a Manual 330, albeit a coupe, at the end of last year.
It's still to this day the most unreliable thing I've owned. And I once had a £300 Alfa 156. The rust was minimal, the subframe was solid, the vanos had been done and it had an excellent service history. I checked all the common issues I thought existed and it seemed to check out.
However, in my ownership I had several more of what BMW Owners call "common faults" occur. For example, the Key Died. You can get a dodgey back street new key done, but thats not me. Not long after the barrel in the door imploded too (Again, common) which forced my hand and I had to go to BMW for new of both. I did the DISA Valve purely for peace of mind, obviously (another terrible common fault that leads to engine failure). It had an annoying habit of sometimes just having no power at all when you tried to start it. Apparently its common for one of the Battery leads to corrode and cause this problem.
In the end, I sold it at a loss. It was lovely to drive, had good power and made an amazing noise. But after all the crap above (And more ive blanked from my memory for ever for fear of going insane) it had to go.
Okay, I got a bad one. But it put me off an E46 for life... or at least for a few years.
It's still to this day the most unreliable thing I've owned. And I once had a £300 Alfa 156. The rust was minimal, the subframe was solid, the vanos had been done and it had an excellent service history. I checked all the common issues I thought existed and it seemed to check out.
However, in my ownership I had several more of what BMW Owners call "common faults" occur. For example, the Key Died. You can get a dodgey back street new key done, but thats not me. Not long after the barrel in the door imploded too (Again, common) which forced my hand and I had to go to BMW for new of both. I did the DISA Valve purely for peace of mind, obviously (another terrible common fault that leads to engine failure). It had an annoying habit of sometimes just having no power at all when you tried to start it. Apparently its common for one of the Battery leads to corrode and cause this problem.
In the end, I sold it at a loss. It was lovely to drive, had good power and made an amazing noise. But after all the crap above (And more ive blanked from my memory for ever for fear of going insane) it had to go.
Okay, I got a bad one. But it put me off an E46 for life... or at least for a few years.
You're looking at buying a car for around 10% of it's original price - there will be compromises so of course it is a "risk".
There will be bits part. mostly, or completely worn out and realistically the car will be nearer the end of its life than the beginning. That is why it is much cheaper than a new one!
Old E46/E39 can make very good cars (much prefer the E39 myself) but they are all at the age where they need a little (and sometimes a lot!) of TLC and work to keep them going in a nice fashion.
Just be realistic and you won't be disappointed.
There will be bits part. mostly, or completely worn out and realistically the car will be nearer the end of its life than the beginning. That is why it is much cheaper than a new one!
Old E46/E39 can make very good cars (much prefer the E39 myself) but they are all at the age where they need a little (and sometimes a lot!) of TLC and work to keep them going in a nice fashion.
Just be realistic and you won't be disappointed.
KingOfTheRodeo said:
Yeah. So at that price would it be worth taking out a warranty with a company like warranty wise?
To be honest, I would imagine any warranty on a car of that age and mileage to be a waste of money (except maybe a BMW one which very few, if any, would qualify for). There are so many get outs for wear and tear that in practice nothing would be covered.You're better off keeping £1500 in the bank to cover repairs - never spend up to your budget with cars like this because there *will* be bills at some point to make it nice.
LankyLegoHead said:
I'd proceed with caution... in fact, I would avoid like the plague. Thats because I too bought a Manual 330, albeit a coupe, at the end of last year.
It's still to this day the most unreliable thing I've owned. And I once had a £300 Alfa 156. The rust was minimal, the subframe was solid, the vanos had been done and it had an excellent service history. I checked all the common issues I thought existed and it seemed to check out.
However, in my ownership I had several more of what BMW Owners call "common faults" occur. For example, the Key Died. You can get a dodgey back street new key done, but thats not me. Not long after the barrel in the door imploded too (Again, common) which forced my hand and I had to go to BMW for new of both. I did the DISA Valve purely for peace of mind, obviously (another terrible common fault that leads to engine failure). It had an annoying habit of sometimes just having no power at all when you tried to start it. Apparently its common for one of the Battery leads to corrode and cause this problem.
In the end, I sold it at a loss. It was lovely to drive, had good power and made an amazing noise. But after all the crap above (And more ive blanked from my memory for ever for fear of going insane) it had to go.
Okay, I got a bad one. But it put me off an E46 for life... or at least for a few years.
All extremely minor problems, then. Things that I wouldn't even think to mention, let alone remember, if running an older machine.It's still to this day the most unreliable thing I've owned. And I once had a £300 Alfa 156. The rust was minimal, the subframe was solid, the vanos had been done and it had an excellent service history. I checked all the common issues I thought existed and it seemed to check out.
However, in my ownership I had several more of what BMW Owners call "common faults" occur. For example, the Key Died. You can get a dodgey back street new key done, but thats not me. Not long after the barrel in the door imploded too (Again, common) which forced my hand and I had to go to BMW for new of both. I did the DISA Valve purely for peace of mind, obviously (another terrible common fault that leads to engine failure). It had an annoying habit of sometimes just having no power at all when you tried to start it. Apparently its common for one of the Battery leads to corrode and cause this problem.
In the end, I sold it at a loss. It was lovely to drive, had good power and made an amazing noise. But after all the crap above (And more ive blanked from my memory for ever for fear of going insane) it had to go.
Okay, I got a bad one. But it put me off an E46 for life... or at least for a few years.
KingOfTheRodeo said:
how easy are after market stereos to pop in? was thinking of popping in an android system? any users out there of such a thing?
Depends on whether it has a factory fitted navigation system or not. If it does you are limited in your options, there is the dynavin and a few other Chinese android units but your looking at £400-£600.If it's just the standard sized head unit without the nav I think you can fit any head unit. If I recall correctly the amps are all separate from the head unit mounted in the boot, but you can get cables to bypass the amp and use the head units power.
Hi
My advice would be that unless your handy chasing issues and fixing niggles then I'd stay away from those two BMW's. Dont get me wrong I love them, I've had 3 e46's and 4 e39s (e39s in particular are my favorite) but they are getting old and you end up chasing issues. It didn't bother me as I love them but it used to drive my wife mad after our last e39 developed a parasitic battery drain and once when the wipers packed up in the rain!
What about a 95 Aero estate? You'd get a later 'Dame Edna' model which I believe did without the sludge issues. Their handling and grip aren't the last words in finesse or fun but they are quick enough in a straight line, comfortable with plenty of toys.
My advice would be that unless your handy chasing issues and fixing niggles then I'd stay away from those two BMW's. Dont get me wrong I love them, I've had 3 e46's and 4 e39s (e39s in particular are my favorite) but they are getting old and you end up chasing issues. It didn't bother me as I love them but it used to drive my wife mad after our last e39 developed a parasitic battery drain and once when the wipers packed up in the rain!
What about a 95 Aero estate? You'd get a later 'Dame Edna' model which I believe did without the sludge issues. Their handling and grip aren't the last words in finesse or fun but they are quick enough in a straight line, comfortable with plenty of toys.
wolfy1988 said:
Hi
My advice would be that unless your handy chasing issues and fixing niggles then I'd stay away from those two BMW's. Dont get me wrong I love them, I've had 3 e46's and 4 e39s (e39s in particular are my favorite) but they are getting old and you end up chasing issues. It didn't bother me as I love them but it used to drive my wife mad after our last e39 developed a parasitic battery drain and once when the wipers packed up in the rain!
What about a 95 Aero estate? You'd get a later 'Dame Edna' model which I believe did without the sludge issues. Their handling and grip aren't the last words in finesse or fun but they are quick enough in a straight line, comfortable with plenty of toys.
i'm not that handy, but my dad is...would a saloon with maybe less miles be a better choice and a manual?My advice would be that unless your handy chasing issues and fixing niggles then I'd stay away from those two BMW's. Dont get me wrong I love them, I've had 3 e46's and 4 e39s (e39s in particular are my favorite) but they are getting old and you end up chasing issues. It didn't bother me as I love them but it used to drive my wife mad after our last e39 developed a parasitic battery drain and once when the wipers packed up in the rain!
What about a 95 Aero estate? You'd get a later 'Dame Edna' model which I believe did without the sludge issues. Their handling and grip aren't the last words in finesse or fun but they are quick enough in a straight line, comfortable with plenty of toys.
I have an E46 estate (2 litre 318). Vanos cam timing seals can go. Passenger occupancy sensor can go (can be bypassed for less than 20 quid) signalled by airbag light staying on. Interior trim scratches if you stare at it too hard. Window regulators can snap and fail. Resistor for heater can fail resulting in "pulsing" of the fan, parking sensor being dead announces itself by a loud beep when you put it in reverse. Oh, and my indicator fell out. It does have a split tailgate which I like. That's the first 2 months of ownership.
Could your budget stretch to an early E91 with a similar mileage? There seem to be a few 325i listed on Autotrader from £3750 upwards - although obviously you'd need to stretch a bit further than that to get one with desirable options.
Some people will scoff at the thought of choosing one over an E46, but my experience (having owned two E46 Coupes, and an E91 Touring) is that the E9x feels more solid and doesn't appear to suffer from the corrosion issues the E46/E39 have - I got rid of my last E46 because I got tired of chasing the rust.
Our E91 is 10 years old this month (we've owned it for 6 years) and doesn't have a spot of rust on it. Everything still works, and the only fault over the last decade has been a rear wheel bearing. Other than that, its just needed consumables. Obviously, some of this is down to good fortune, or the way a car is looked after... but with the newest E46 being over a decade old now (and a design from the mid-nineties), if I was looking at reliability, I think I'd rather trust an E9x.
The N52 petrol engine (325i or 330i) is a peach. Ours is a 325i - can't remember for sure, but I think it has ~ 220 BHP, and its got plenty of poke, yet can still return close to 40 MPG on a sedate long run.
Some people will scoff at the thought of choosing one over an E46, but my experience (having owned two E46 Coupes, and an E91 Touring) is that the E9x feels more solid and doesn't appear to suffer from the corrosion issues the E46/E39 have - I got rid of my last E46 because I got tired of chasing the rust.
Our E91 is 10 years old this month (we've owned it for 6 years) and doesn't have a spot of rust on it. Everything still works, and the only fault over the last decade has been a rear wheel bearing. Other than that, its just needed consumables. Obviously, some of this is down to good fortune, or the way a car is looked after... but with the newest E46 being over a decade old now (and a design from the mid-nineties), if I was looking at reliability, I think I'd rather trust an E9x.
The N52 petrol engine (325i or 330i) is a peach. Ours is a 325i - can't remember for sure, but I think it has ~ 220 BHP, and its got plenty of poke, yet can still return close to 40 MPG on a sedate long run.
clunkbox said:
Purely anecdotal, but this has been my experience taking an '04 320d touring from 100k to 187k:
Front trailing arm bushes failed at about 110k
Brake pipes started going around 150k / 8/9 years old.
One (original I think) shock failed at 180k, replaced them all, w/ new from trailing arms and top hats.
Drop links replaced twice.
Front brake shields rusted to bits and started rattling. Cut them off.
Rear wiper seized, just removed it.
Wheelarches looking quite frilly.
Handbrake drums (inside the disk) rusted apart and needed fully rebuilt.
Rear bushes all original AFAIK, not noisy. Much.
Only cooling system maintenance has been ONE slight top up in 87k.
Maybe only relative to the 320d:
DMF probably dying, but it might just be the driveshaft guibo.
Crankshaft damper broke at about 155k.
Swirl flaps and turbo haven't gone pop, despite mostly doing 18k services.
Not bad considering, but not perfect. And yes I'm a terrible owner who doesn't give it the care such a high quality piece of German engineering (lol) deserves.
Mine had pretty much the same... Brake lines still holding on but my front calliper a are sticking, need replacing. Still on original turbo so fingers crossed at 165k.Front trailing arm bushes failed at about 110k
Brake pipes started going around 150k / 8/9 years old.
One (original I think) shock failed at 180k, replaced them all, w/ new from trailing arms and top hats.
Drop links replaced twice.
Front brake shields rusted to bits and started rattling. Cut them off.
Rear wiper seized, just removed it.
Wheelarches looking quite frilly.
Handbrake drums (inside the disk) rusted apart and needed fully rebuilt.
Rear bushes all original AFAIK, not noisy. Much.
Only cooling system maintenance has been ONE slight top up in 87k.
Maybe only relative to the 320d:
DMF probably dying, but it might just be the driveshaft guibo.
Crankshaft damper broke at about 155k.
Swirl flaps and turbo haven't gone pop, despite mostly doing 18k services.
Not bad considering, but not perfect. And yes I'm a terrible owner who doesn't give it the care such a high quality piece of German engineering (lol) deserves.
I wouldn't buy one of that vintage personally but had mine for 7 years and his serving me well for what it is. It is worth repairing it for me for the use I give him but over the years I have spent a lot, last year had to replace high pressure fuel pump... BMW wanted £1.6k got an Indy and pattern pump for £700, does the job, no issues a year on
stevesuk said:
Could your budget stretch to an early E91 with a similar mileage? There seem to be a few 325i listed on Autotrader from £3750 upwards - although obviously you'd need to stretch a bit further than that to get one with desirable options.
Some people will scoff at the thought of choosing one over an E46, but my experience (having owned two E46 Coupes, and an E91 Touring) is that the E9x feels more solid and doesn't appear to suffer from the corrosion issues the E46/E39 have - I got rid of my last E46 because I got tired of chasing the rust.
Our E91 is 10 years old this month (we've owned it for 6 years) and doesn't have a spot of rust on it. Everything still works, and the only fault over the last decade has been a rear wheel bearing. Other than that, its just needed consumables. Obviously, some of this is down to good fortune, or the way a car is looked after... but with the newest E46 being over a decade old now (and a design from the mid-nineties), if I was looking at reliability, I think I'd rather trust an E9x.
The N52 petrol engine (325i or 330i) is a peach. Ours is a 325i - can't remember for sure, but I think it has ~ 220 BHP, and its got plenty of poke, yet can still return close to 40 MPG on a sedate long run.
i'm not sure...i'm rather picky as I want an M Sport variant... think they're out of my price range. seen an estate with 157k on it...08 plate. seem unsure on that as miles seem very highSome people will scoff at the thought of choosing one over an E46, but my experience (having owned two E46 Coupes, and an E91 Touring) is that the E9x feels more solid and doesn't appear to suffer from the corrosion issues the E46/E39 have - I got rid of my last E46 because I got tired of chasing the rust.
Our E91 is 10 years old this month (we've owned it for 6 years) and doesn't have a spot of rust on it. Everything still works, and the only fault over the last decade has been a rear wheel bearing. Other than that, its just needed consumables. Obviously, some of this is down to good fortune, or the way a car is looked after... but with the newest E46 being over a decade old now (and a design from the mid-nineties), if I was looking at reliability, I think I'd rather trust an E9x.
The N52 petrol engine (325i or 330i) is a peach. Ours is a 325i - can't remember for sure, but I think it has ~ 220 BHP, and its got plenty of poke, yet can still return close to 40 MPG on a sedate long run.
rich85uk said:
Its worth noting the 330 is famous for using ALOT of oil, some aren't too bad but mine would use 1L around every 800 miles and a friend at a local indy garage said that was pretty common for that engine
In my experience with multiple 3.0 engines this is only the case if they aren't serviced.New oil, new oil filter -> no oil consumption at all.
Once you get close to the service interval the oil consumption starts increasing.
If you keep just topping up oil, the consumption will just keep increasing.
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