Discussion
I'd like to say what a great topic this is. Well written and the attention to detail is right up my street.
I've enjoyed everything about my e46 M3, with the exception of the brakes.
Just keep your eye on the wing mirror surrounds too, as they corrode, along with front wheel arches (lips). Bit of preventative cleaning out etc should help prevent the latter.
I bought mine with CSL's (wheels) but have warmed more and more to standard 18", but also would need the car to 'sit' like yours for it to look just right.
Nice work, enjoy your car and writing about it here.
I've enjoyed everything about my e46 M3, with the exception of the brakes.
Just keep your eye on the wing mirror surrounds too, as they corrode, along with front wheel arches (lips). Bit of preventative cleaning out etc should help prevent the latter.
I bought mine with CSL's (wheels) but have warmed more and more to standard 18", but also would need the car to 'sit' like yours for it to look just right.
Nice work, enjoy your car and writing about it here.
gaz1234 said:
I'm sure there is another fix out there...?
Another fix? - The only other fix would be to buy a full replacement no?johnfm said:
SMG M3 looks more and more tempting every day...
lol it has his moments but overall I do enjoy using it (paddles).BlimeyCharlie said:
I'd like to say what a great topic this is. Well written and the attention to detail is right up my street.
I've enjoyed everything about my e46 M3, with the exception of the brakes.
Just keep your eye on the wing mirror surrounds too, as they corrode, along with front wheel arches (lips). Bit of preventative cleaning out etc should help prevent the latter.
I bought mine with CSL's (wheels) but have warmed more and more to standard 18", but also would need the car to 'sit' like yours for it to look just right.
Nice work, enjoy your car and writing about it here.
Thanks for the kind words Charlie - I've been lucky with the mirrors so far, but maybe that's because I make sure I clean them thoroughly as you suggested?I've enjoyed everything about my e46 M3, with the exception of the brakes.
Just keep your eye on the wing mirror surrounds too, as they corrode, along with front wheel arches (lips). Bit of preventative cleaning out etc should help prevent the latter.
I bought mine with CSL's (wheels) but have warmed more and more to standard 18", but also would need the car to 'sit' like yours for it to look just right.
Nice work, enjoy your car and writing about it here.
CSLs look soo good on the E46M, OE 18"s are in a bit of a 'renaissance' period at the moment. Now that folk are getting them resprayed in the proper "shadow chrome" finish they are becoming popular. Of course my main objective was to go down to 18"s for increase sidewall, thus better road comfort
Suspension Update:
Just got back from Center Gravity on Friday following some changes to my Ohlins setup.
I originally booked the adjustment appointment two months ago. Prior to Friday I was running a non-Ohlins recommended ride height setup. I've had no issues with rubbing or knocking noises, the Ohlins have certainly impressed.
Ohlins recommended ride height on their E46 M3 kit is around 20mm lower than OEM stock suspension. Allow 5mm +- depending on the options the car has. Prior to Friday my ride height was much lower.
I chose to change my ride height settings to Ohlins setting because:
- Curiosity - The ride quality at my initial ride height was satisfactory. Bumps are registered, they are quickly damped and it never beats you up... But could it be even better? (see below)
- Negative Lowering Effects - Common suspension knowledge tells us that if the suspension is lowered 'too much' it can affect the 'free' movement of parts, thereby limiting their performance. For example, if the vehicle is lowered too much, damper travel is reduced which could compromise ride quality on bad roads.
- Protection - Classic speedbumps are no problem for the Ohlins, even at my previously low ride height they handle them with relative ease. However, those 'nasty' cheap speedbumps you find at a superstore (planks of rubber) are something else. No matter how slowly I crawl over them, I cringe every time the car lands albeit harshly. I'm sure they are no problem for the Ohlins in reality but considering their expense and skipping stores with such speedbumps I'd rather compromise and increase my ride height for more damper travel.
Here are some pics I took on Friday at CG:
^^ First time I've seen one of these Lotus CUP cars, a propper toy car for a grown up. 260 BHP with a weight of around 700-800kg I believe
The adjustments only took a few hours, the geo was rechecked and any necessary tweaks made. At this point you are probably expecting some 'after' pics but I'm afraid I don't have any - I will be taking some pictures later this week
Also, I will conclude my final review of the Ohlins in coming weeks having spent just under six months with them.I did take some pictures earlier this week though with the old setup, enjoy :thumbsup:
Bit of a mashup this one, was feeling creative
Edited by Diablo85 on Sunday 10th August 13:32
V8Driver said:
Loving this thread, please keep the updates coming. I am taking a lot of pointers for my E46 M3 purchase. My favourite colour, too.
BTW, who is Jack? The alcantara wheel on my RS 6 is in a right state and I quite fancy having it trimmed with the extra padding? Thanks.
http://royalsteeringwheels.com/BTW, who is Jack? The alcantara wheel on my RS 6 is in a right state and I quite fancy having it trimmed with the extra padding? Thanks.
Right then chaps, its been a while since I posted some updates...
So as per my last update I changed the spring preload settings to match the Ohlins recommended settings. It has given me 1"inch of suspension travel back and the difference is substantial. I'm feeling much more isolation between me and imperfections on the road surface but I can still sense what the car is doing (control).
So as promised, here are pics below of the new ride height. The increase is noticeable but I'm ok with it. The improvements make it worth it to me.
I concluded my final thoughts on the Ohlins Road and Track kit for the E46 M3. After six months of use and testing on a custom course I explained my findings in detail here.
Here are some pics I took during testing:
test route
I visited Darren Wood earlier to get a new clutch and flywheel installed.
I really wanted to take lots of detailed pics of the install but it wasn't practical - it would only slow the guys down on what is already a length job. Now if I had my own workshop things would be different lol
I had Mike from Darren Wood order a LUK clutch and flywheel and some other parts. In addition I supplied some basic parts like the clutch fork, transmission mounts and a rear main seal kit.
From my understanding, any time the flywheel is removed, the rear main seal should be inspected and ideally replaced. You can get away with just the gasket if you have to, but the full kit offers better piece of mind. Unless its obviously leaking, replacement of the rear main seal is for preventative measures (it would suck to have to remove the transmission again in 3 months if your rear main seal decided fail).
Anyway here are some pics:
Parts List
Clutch & Flywheel - Garage supplied these, check ebay for "LUK clutch E46 M3"
11142247867 x1 - set of covers (rear main seal) £70.96
21517570284 x1 - spring clip £3.59
21511223302 x1 - clutch fork £15.84
23117512866 x1 - guide bush £31.15
22322282340 x2 - gearbox mount £28.09
Transmission feels soo much smoother now - I had some 'chatter' which had become worse over time on inclines, that's all gone. I'm taking it easy though as I'm in the process of bedding in the clutch and flywheel surfaces.
This is one my favourite M3 videos from the BMW library.
The combination of muscular looks paired with a seductive soundtrack makes this an absolute classic!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNzGy0m4yqc
After watching it again I was in the mood to clean the car and take it for a good drive...
The car drives beautifully now, probably not surprising when you consider the work done in the past year, vanos refurb, new suspension, inspection1, new clutch/flywheel and more...
As we head into Winter there are some interior bits I wish to focus on.
Well if you made it this far, thanks for reading
new ride height
So as per my last update I changed the spring preload settings to match the Ohlins recommended settings. It has given me 1"inch of suspension travel back and the difference is substantial. I'm feeling much more isolation between me and imperfections on the road surface but I can still sense what the car is doing (control).
So as promised, here are pics below of the new ride height. The increase is noticeable but I'm ok with it. The improvements make it worth it to me.
ohlins final review
I concluded my final thoughts on the Ohlins Road and Track kit for the E46 M3. After six months of use and testing on a custom course I explained my findings in detail here.
Here are some pics I took during testing:
test route
Clutch & Flywheel Install
I visited Darren Wood earlier to get a new clutch and flywheel installed.
I really wanted to take lots of detailed pics of the install but it wasn't practical - it would only slow the guys down on what is already a length job. Now if I had my own workshop things would be different lol
I had Mike from Darren Wood order a LUK clutch and flywheel and some other parts. In addition I supplied some basic parts like the clutch fork, transmission mounts and a rear main seal kit.
From my understanding, any time the flywheel is removed, the rear main seal should be inspected and ideally replaced. You can get away with just the gasket if you have to, but the full kit offers better piece of mind. Unless its obviously leaking, replacement of the rear main seal is for preventative measures (it would suck to have to remove the transmission again in 3 months if your rear main seal decided fail).
Anyway here are some pics:
Parts List
Clutch & Flywheel - Garage supplied these, check ebay for "LUK clutch E46 M3"
11142247867 x1 - set of covers (rear main seal) £70.96
21517570284 x1 - spring clip £3.59
21511223302 x1 - clutch fork £15.84
23117512866 x1 - guide bush £31.15
22322282340 x2 - gearbox mount £28.09
Transmission feels soo much smoother now - I had some 'chatter' which had become worse over time on inclines, that's all gone. I'm taking it easy though as I'm in the process of bedding in the clutch and flywheel surfaces.
weekend drive
This is one my favourite M3 videos from the BMW library.
The combination of muscular looks paired with a seductive soundtrack makes this an absolute classic!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNzGy0m4yqc
After watching it again I was in the mood to clean the car and take it for a good drive...
The car drives beautifully now, probably not surprising when you consider the work done in the past year, vanos refurb, new suspension, inspection1, new clutch/flywheel and more...
As we head into Winter there are some interior bits I wish to focus on.
Well if you made it this far, thanks for reading
^^ thanks chaps
A lot has happened since my last update, so I'll get straight to the point
The improvement in ride quality on poorer surfaces is massive. I'm just can't get over how much better the front axle handles the rougher imperfections like drain covers, it's fantastic -
The car is much faster on rough streets than before, it just glides over. I'm having to change my driving style a little to adjust as I keep closing up to the car infront quickly lol.
Anti-Roll bars and their hidden cost (road use).
I'd always assumed that anti-roll bars were a win win upgrade, so I was led to believe. My M3 had eibach anti-roll bars installed by the previous owner. It wasn't until I started researching more into how anti-roll bars work that I realised they have significant downsides.
This video does a great job at explaining the pros/cons of anti-rollbars if you are interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhWZ57baTOw
I had a chance to take some dusk/nightfall pics last weekend. It was unplanned so I had no tripod, quite happy with the results.
Well that's all for now, thanks for reading
Winter Update
A lot has happened since my last update, so I'll get straight to the point
- new job in the city = more rough roads to deal with, a need for greater compliance in the suspension
- removed eibach anti-rollbars and replaced them with the stock anti-rollbars to allow greater independence across the axle for poorer roads
- full bush replacement on the front axle
Review
The improvement in ride quality on poorer surfaces is massive. I'm just can't get over how much better the front axle handles the rougher imperfections like drain covers, it's fantastic -
The car is much faster on rough streets than before, it just glides over. I'm having to change my driving style a little to adjust as I keep closing up to the car infront quickly lol.
Anti-Roll bars and their hidden cost (road use).
I'd always assumed that anti-roll bars were a win win upgrade, so I was led to believe. My M3 had eibach anti-roll bars installed by the previous owner. It wasn't until I started researching more into how anti-roll bars work that I realised they have significant downsides.
This video does a great job at explaining the pros/cons of anti-rollbars if you are interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhWZ57baTOw
Nightfall
I had a chance to take some dusk/nightfall pics last weekend. It was unplanned so I had no tripod, quite happy with the results.
Well that's all for now, thanks for reading
Windscreen Replacement
Around two months ago, a crack had developed on my windscreen. It was a "crack-line" to be more specific. With the winter weather oncoming and my MOT due in Jan I had to get it fixed quickly.
Finding the right glass
My M3 came with the Climate Comfort Windscreen. This screen contains a special film which reflects the UV rays from the Sun. In short, it keeps the cabin cooler. I had to make sure I replaced it with the same type. There's a huge debate on the Internet about OE glass = Pilkington/Sekurit aftermarkets and those who say the opposite - I suggest doing your own research. I have my own opinions, this is a great article by Paul R from glasstec: http://www.glasstecpaul.com/windscreen-manufacture...
Finding the right Windscreen Installer
As with other services, tyres, geo specialists, bodyshops it is imperative (in my opinion) to find the right shop that cares about the customer and their work... it leads to consistency and consumer satisfaction.
Simply calling Autoglass to bring out an anonymous fitter was a big no no for me. There is just no 'reliability', you could have a good fitter or bad fitter. Aside from the need of a good seal and operable rain sensor the windscreen forms part of the structural integrity of the vehicle... the job must be done right.
I began researching on pistonheads to seek the best windows fitters in the business. It was evident that there were two names which kept coming up with high praise for their windscreen installations:
Glasstec - Paul Ralhan: http://www.glasstecauto.co.uk/index.html
National Windscreens - Phil Lomas: http://www.nationalwindscreens.co.uk/
I decided to contact both of them to see where it would lead. Paul from Glasstec is for the most part "mobile-based", however he can secure a workshop if required. His base of operations is mainly the London area, which would mean me driving there for the installation. Paul is a busy man, quite high in demand - a particularly good choice for Londoners.
Phil Lomas is one of the directors of National Windscreens. Phil understood very well my concerns about sourcing the right glass and getting it installed correctly, just as any enthusiast would. Phil is a regular on pistonheads.
At the time, I wasn't aware Phil was a director. I assumed he'd be fitting the screen. So when Phil discussed about having the install done at the Tamworth branch by another fitter I was a little unsure. Phil put my mind at ease once he told me Neil and his team at the Tamworth branch would be carrying out the work. Phil mentioned that Neil has many years experience replacing glass on classics and high performance vehicles - he had utter confidence that I would not be disappointed. So I bit the bullet and Phil got in touch with Neil at the Tamworth Branch.
National Windscreens - Tamworth (Neil Payne)
In the first week of November, Neil called me to discuss the parts (windscreen, windscreen gasket). I supplied the part number for the OEM climate comfort windscreen and Neil put in an order via BMW UK.
Neil kept me up to date on the progress, he also discovered that BMW had changed the provider of the glass in the middle of the E46 production. The newer variant no longer contains the green strip at the top. Despite changing the provider the part number itself remains the same.
Windscreen Rejection:
A few days passed and then I received a call from Neil. The oem glass had arrived! But Neil wasn't happy with it. From what I recall he wasn't pleased with the quality of the coating. He mentioned that to the casual observer they probably wouldn't notice, but the glass itself was of a substandard quality.
He wanted to return it and order another. This would mean ordering from Germany (direct) which would take another two weeks. I agreed and went ahead with ordering another screen. I was really impressed with Neil's integrity on this issue - he could have just ignored the imperfection and installed it, but he didn't!
Windscreen Installation
A few weeks on I received a call from Neil, the windscreen from Germany had arrived. We arranged a weekend in December for installation at the Tamworth Branch.
I arrived at 9ish in the morning, it was cold and frosty....
Special thanks to Neil and Phil from National Windscreens
The fitment and quality of workmanship on the screen is bang on, the interior is totally fine, I'm delighted!
Never underestimate the clarity of a new windscreen, everything looks soo much sharper
Neil and his team were fantastic, they made me feel very welcome. Even after the job was done I stayed for an hour, we all enjoyed a good chit chat about the M3 and performance cars.
Neil has been a true gent throughout this process. I initially sought out to find a great, reliable windscreen fitter. In the end I got so much more than I was expecting.
A big thanks to Phil and Neil for such a "stellar" service
Thanks for reading!
sinbad666 said:
Love it
Amirhussain said:
One of the best E46 M3 I've ever seen, and one of the best reader's car thread I have read. Love what you've done, and all your attention to detail.
I WILL own a E46 M3 one day! Laguna Seca Blue, Dakar Yellow or Imola Red
Thanks guys, all those colours you mentioned are my favourites if I was to buy another!I WILL own a E46 M3 one day! Laguna Seca Blue, Dakar Yellow or Imola Red
pti said:
Is this thing for sale yet?
Fantastic attention to detail.
... maybe ask me that again in the summer, haha - thanks for the kind words!Fantastic attention to detail.
joema said:
Clutch looked ok? Was it slipping then?
Yeah, it didn't look too bad at all. The problem was with the flywheel - it wasn't replaced during the last clutch change. There is a huge debate on this regarding the longevity of the flywheel to survive at least two clutches. Having installed a new clutch AND flywheel I no longer have chatter - it completely cured it.Edited by Diablo85 on Monday 22 December 22:14
Edited by Diablo85 on Monday 22 December 22:15
Edited by Diablo85 on Wednesday 24th December 15:09
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