The E46 325ti Appreciation Thread

[Mr Tidy]

BigTom85 said:

I think they are more like £90 each now, ouch.

Mine are lazy, but work fine as a normal tailgate. I'll swap them one day but plenty of things higher on the list.

Oh, so £140ish for a pair was pretty good then!

What I like best is you can open the boot without unlocking the whole car first - lets you empty the supermarket trolley, load the boot then close the tailgate leaving the car locked while you dump the trolley! Very practical, but then it all went wrong!

[wjb]

Ok so it's not a 325ti, but my 320td had a wash today so not to be outdone

[Mr Tidy]

Very nice!

Back in 2005 I bought a Mystic Blue 320td and had it for 3 years!

Was very please with it, but had I gone to look at the Mystic Blue 325ti on the BMW Used car locator I am sure I would have had the 325ti experience a lot sooner!

[s m]

Leins said:

That's the one, thanks! It was published online (Top Gear, Car?) but don't think it is anymore

[Leins]

^^^^ Thanks SM!

[Rally Ax]

Reading that magazine feature, I see that their car had the same issue I'm having. On fast right handers the car wants to throw you off the road, almost an oversteer characteristic and the dsc light flashes. Anyone else had this?

[s m]

Rally Ax said:

Reading that magazine feature, I see that their car had the same issue I'm having. On fast right handers the car wants to throw you off the road, almost an oversteer characteristic and the dsc light flashes. Anyone else had this?

Could be a pressure sensor needs resetting or replacing. Worth getting a diagnostic check if you've checked the obvious like tyres/suspension

[Mr Tidy]

Rally Ax said:

Reading that magazine feature, I see that their car had the same issue I'm having. On fast right handers the car wants to throw you off the road, almost an oversteer characteristic and the dsc light flashes. Anyone else had this?

Not yet - I must be driving too slowly!

But I will look out for it.

[Leins]

s m said:

Rally Ax said:

Reading that magazine feature, I see that their car had the same issue I'm having. On fast right handers the car wants to throw you off the road, almost an oversteer characteristic and the dsc light flashes. Anyone else had this?

Could be a pressure sensor needs resetting or replacing. Worth getting a diagnostic check if you've checked the obvious like tyres/suspension

Yep, first port of call would be mismatched tyres front/rear, and I've even had occasional issues when matching but new on the rear. Compacts eat rear springs for breakfast, dinner & tea too, so check they're OK

I feel your pain, as I had a couple of months where the car was near undriveable, resolved with a new matching set of front tyres

Edited by Leins on Wednesday 9th September 09:48

[s m]

Leins said:

s m said:

Rally Ax said:

Reading that magazine feature, I see that their car had the same issue I'm having. On fast right handers the car wants to throw you off the road, almost an oversteer characteristic and the dsc light flashes. Anyone else had this?

Could be a pressure sensor needs resetting or replacing. Worth getting a diagnostic check if you've checked the obvious like tyres/suspension

Yep, first port of call would be mismatched tyres front/rear, and I've even had occasional issues when matching but new on the rear. Compacts eat rear springs for breakfast, dinner & tea too, so check they're OK

I feel your pain, as I had a couple of months where the car was near undriveable, resolved with a new matching set of front tyres

Edited by Leins on Wednesday 9th September 09:48

.

Try switching the systems off totally, find some space and see if it feels as bad with DSC off

If so, probably tyres/suspension

If not, get the codes read as sensor value might be out of range

[Rally Ax]

Pretty much all the bushes have been changed front and rear. I have Michelin pilot sports on the front and uniroyle rainsport 3 on the rear - all new. The rear springs are still complete. I've just tried another set of rear dampers on the rear to rule out them but it still does it. Seems to be ok with the dsc switched off - so I'll have to catch up with a mate and see what codes we can find.

[BigTom85]

Rally Ax said:

Pretty much all the bushes have been changed front and rear. I have Michelin pilot sports on the front and uniroyle rainsport 3 on the rear - all new. The rear springs are still complete. I've just tried another set of rear dampers on the rear to rule out them but it still does it. Seems to be ok with the dsc switched off - so I'll have to catch up with a mate and see what codes we can find.

Have you had a proper geometry done on it since the suspension work? Tyre pressures OK?

[s m]

Rally Ax said:

Pretty much all the bushes have been changed front and rear. I have Michelin pilot sports on the front and uniroyle rainsport 3 on the rear - all new. The rear springs are still complete. I've just tried another set of rear dampers on the rear to rule out them but it still does it. Seems to be ok with the dsc switched off - so I'll have to catch up with a mate and see what codes we can find.

Sometimes the sensors can go out of range and need a reset or you could have a duff one.
If your friend has the right software you can read them and see

[venskip]

Fitted my new genuine gearknob at the weekend - its so much nicer than the old painted/leather one - only thing is its highlighted the steering wheel as feeling old and a shiny

Still, changing gear is much nicer now

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Genuine-Leather-Gear...

[BigTom85]

venskip said:

Fitted my new genuine gearknob at the weekend - its so much nicer than the old painted/leather one - only thing is its highlighted the steering wheel as feeling old and a shiny

Still, changing gear is much nicer now

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Genuine-Leather-Gear...

Nice one. Don't worry, it won't be long before the gear knob goes shiny and hard too

I really want a 5-speed non-//M, walnut, heavy, short gear knob, but alas I don't think such a thing exists.

I think I'll plump for one of these. They are quite a bit heavier and 20mm shorter than the standard knob which is supposed to really improve the shift over stock. I think the heavier knob is identified by the metal ring around the bottom of the knob.

I'd really like an illuminated one too, alas I don't think the illumination is worth an EXTRA £100! Works out at £150 delivered, but I'd still have the //M badge Ouch.

[venskip]

I really wanted to keep the interior looking stock - not a fan of having ///Ms everywhere...

Been reading about the steering wheel retrims by Royal Steering Wheels - really tempted as the new leather on the gearknob feels lovely so I can only imagine what a new wheel would feel like Only £120 or so...

[BigTom85]

venskip said:

I really wanted to keep the interior looking stock - not a fan of having ///Ms everywhere...

Been reading about the steering wheel retrims by Royal Steering Wheels - really tempted as the new leather on the gearknob feels lovely so I can only imagine what a new wheel would feel like Only £120 or so...

I know exactly what you mean.

On the flip side, I have //M badges as standard on the MV1 wheels it left the factory with, so maybe an extra one on the gearknob and again on the steering wheel isn't such a terrible thing.

[venskip]

Good point - I think that could be allowed My wheels also have small ///Ms in them.

Really, really tempted by this steering wheel retrim!

[Fred1975]

Quick query for other -ti owners.

I have a 325ti m-sport. The PO stuck Goodrich G-Grips on it, which seem to have lasted ages and work very well indeed. The rears are now getting down towards the wear bars, so will need replacing soon.

However, despite it being an m-sport with the style 135s and presumably (also according to the door plate) therefore running staggers, the PO has put 225/40s on both axles.

This is excellent fun in the damp or cold, as you would imagine, but I'm wondering if going back up to the regulation 255 rears will improve lateral grip on a neutral throttle without otherwise altering the handling, or whether that will just spoil the fun (i.e. eliminate lift-off and power-on oversteer) for no real benefit. Back in the day I had a B30 engined coupe with style 68s which I remember being far too grippy and much less willing to rotate than the -ti, and I don't want to go back there.

I'm thinking I should just stick with 225s but was wondering if anyone has tried both and has an opinion?

[BigTom85]

Fred1975 said:

Quick query for other -ti owners.

I have a 325ti m-sport. The PO stuck Goodrich G-Grips on it, which seem to have lasted ages and work very well indeed. The rears are now getting down towards the wear bars, so will need replacing soon.

However, despite it being an m-sport with the style 135s and presumably (also according to the door plate) therefore running staggers, the PO has put 225/40s on both axles.

This is excellent fun in the damp or cold, as you would imagine, but I'm wondering if going back up to the regulation 255 rears will improve lateral grip on a neutral throttle without otherwise altering the handling, or whether that will just spoil the fun (i.e. eliminate lift-off and power-on oversteer) for no real benefit. Back in the day I had a B30 engined coupe with style 68s which I remember being far too grippy and much less willing to rotate than the -ti, and I don't want to go back there.

I'm thinking I should just stick with 225s but was wondering if anyone has tried both and has an opinion?

Just before anyone else replies, please let's not turn this into another tyre thread

Regarding the wheels, you need to check that they are staggered sizes. Did your car leave the factory on those wheels? The sizes are stamped/cast into the rear face of the wheels. It may well be that you have 4 front wheels, or maybe replicas (this may or not bother you).

I hope to change to a 'square' set up (probably 17s) as the wider rears will offer increased rear grip at the expense of the adjustability you enjoy. I have the stock 255 rear 225 front set up on mine, and it definitely has a tendancy to understeer at the limit.

Having said that, if you have the genuine staggered wheels I'd stick to staggered tyres, if for no other reason than having stretched tyres at the rear will look rubbish and your rims will be much more vulnerable to damage.