The E46 325ti Appreciation Thread

[s m]

JakeT said:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...


Facelift Imola Red with a manual! Shame about the non standard wheels, but they're BMW ones.

Seems to be a fair few IR ones in NI

[Mr Tidy]

s m said:

JakeT said:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...


Facelift Imola Red with a manual! Shame about the non standard wheels, but they're BMW ones.

Seems to be a fair few IR ones in NI

Wow - that one is top money, even allowing for the mileage! Mine is a 52 plate so a 5-speed, but has the correct original wheels and is identical in every other respect (even down to the full leather). I bought it 2 years ago on 80K miles for not much more than half that price.

Still that has cheered me up!

My IR car was originally supplied in Dundee - my nephew bought an IR 325i Sport Touring last year that was supplied in Aberdeen. Maybe IR is a Celtic thing?!

[daddiep6]

I have a new centre section I need to put on my 02 325ti, it has 2 50mm pipes but do I need a y peace to connect it to the back box ?? If anyone could advise me please

Edited by daddiep6 on Friday 3rd March 21:21

[mark.c]

This help ?

[daemon]

Mr Tidy said:

Wow - that one is top money, even allowing for the mileage! Mine is a 52 plate so a 5-speed, but has the correct original wheels and is identical in every other respect (even down to the full leather). I bought it 2 years ago on 80K miles for not much more than half that price.

Still that has cheered me up!

My IR car was originally supplied in Dundee - my nephew bought an IR 325i Sport Touring last year that was supplied in Aberdeen. Maybe IR is a Celtic thing?!

Its top money yes, but its hard to find a low miles facelift car i'd have thought?

I'd have a crack at it if i hadnt just bought a Volvo T5 and i've already a Boxster in the garage.

Hes not far away from me either....

[Mr Tidy]

daemon said:

Its top money yes, but its hard to find a low miles facelift car i'd have thought?

I'd have a crack at it if i hadnt just bought a Volvo T5 and i've already a Boxster in the garage.

Hes not far away from me either....

I think the last sentence sums it up - not far from you, but a long way from most of us!

I found a facelift SE for a relative of mine with just over 60K miles, sunroof and CD-changer for £2,200 a year or so ago in black with beige full leather in West London - only difference between SE and Sport is the bumpers and wheels! 325tis all have Sport suspension and seats.

So that still looks dear to me!

[daemon]

Mr Tidy said:

daemon said:

Its top money yes, but its hard to find a low miles facelift car i'd have thought?

I'd have a crack at it if i hadnt just bought a Volvo T5 and i've already a Boxster in the garage.

Hes not far away from me either....

I think the last sentence sums it up - not far from you, but a long way from most of us!

I found a facelift SE for a relative of mine with just over 60K miles, sunroof and CD-changer for £2,200 a year or so ago in black with beige full leather in West London - only difference between SE and Sport is the bumpers and wheels! 325tis all have Sport suspension and seats.

So that still looks dear to me!

I didnt think we were initially attempting to factor in relative distance as part of the price, but yes, its plane journey and a boat journey home for most, which would make it prohibitive for most.

I take your point RE: price and higher miles ones being avail for less, however the colour combo of this particular one, relative rarity of the car and the lower miles and full history of this one make a north of £3k asking price probably about right, IMHO opinion anyway. I'm sure as an owner of one, you'll not want to argue against that too much as a possible trend as to where prices are going with these...

[Twin2]

How do you guys suggest valuing one of these?

Mine's likely to be for sale in the next month and have no idea what to ask for it.

Basically:

Black 2004 Sport
111k miles (hitting 111111 today)
Full cream leather
New brakes
Cooling system replaced
FSH

I paid £2500 last January for it on 88k, is it still worth listing it at that or will the mileage kill it?

[Fishy Dave]

Twin2 said:

How do you guys suggest valuing one of these?

Mine's likely to be for sale in the next month and have no idea what to ask for it.

Basically:

Black 2004 Sport
111k miles (hitting 111111 today)
Full cream leather
New brakes
Cooling system replaced
FSH

I paid £2500 last January for it on 88k, is it still worth listing it at that or will the mileage kill it?

I think it's worth trying at that price.

[Fishy Dave]

I experienced the usual E46 problem of a bowed radiator about 14 months ago and replaced it before I leaked any coolant. Last week during a good clean I noticed this one doing the same. I don't believe this is an over pressure issue, just one of poor construction and inadequate support.



So, I chopped the top off the old radiator, and drilled and riveted to the bottom of the new one to make it stronger. Let's see how long this one lasts.

[JakeT]

Bloody nora - Heck of a bow! How do you go about checking it? My rad was changed shortly before I bought the car,but I haven't given it a thought since.

[Cheapstraitsix]

Cheapstraitsix said:

A few posts back I said I think my white one maybe the only one in UK......after a lot of Internet digging I found another one, a rather nice one at that.



Now as mine is mainly for a bit of track fun, I would never have 19" wheels, but I think they REALLY suit it.

Well it's look like the only other white one I have seen has had a bad 2017!
Looked nice in the pic above.
Atleast it looks repairable.

https://www.gumtree.com/p/bmw/bmw-325ti-compact-53...

[ethomas]

Cheapstraitsix said:

A quiet night shift is to blame for the following purchase...

Seemed a good price, so went for it.

Now from what home work I have done all I require is the following.

M3 prop
M3 driveshafts
M3 rear subframe
M3 antiroll bar

I'm aware the trailing arms and wishbones are all the same, I'm hoping the m3 shafts will for into the standard hubs to save a lot of cost/work.

Also got some ns2R track tyres ordered, just to sort some suspension out to make for a fun little car

Should really stop doing night shifts!

Trailing arms and hubs are different too, and you will need M3 brakes to go along with them. Upper and rear control arms are the only parts that are the same. Find someone who is breaking a car and pick up the whole lot in one go.

[Cheapstraitsix]

ethomas said:

Cheapstraitsix said:

A quiet night shift is to blame for the following purchase...

Seemed a good price, so went for it.

Now from what home work I have done all I require is the following.

M3 prop
M3 driveshafts
M3 rear subframe
M3 antiroll bar

I'm aware the trailing arms and wishbones are all the same, I'm hoping the m3 shafts will for into the standard hubs to save a lot of cost/work.

Also got some ns2R track tyres ordered, just to sort some suspension out to make for a fun little car

Should really stop doing night shifts!

Trailing arms and hubs are different too, and you will need M3 brakes to go along with them. Upper and rear control arms are the only parts that are the same. Find someone who is breaking a car and pick up the whole lot in one go.

Think I'm right in saying you had the whole rear swap some at ETA?
Iv seen that some people on the coupes have kept the hubs/arms as 330i items, was hoping the compact would be the same.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=8002...

Managed to source for just under £400

Diff
Subframe
Antiroll bar
Drive shafts

So still quids in even if I do need the hubs. Some people are asking £850 without the prop!
With that being said...after changing every bush and gasket going can see it costing around that.

[Mr Tidy]

[quote=Fishy Dave]I experienced the usual E46 problem of a bowed radiator about 14 months ago and replaced it before I leaked any coolant. Last week during a good clean I noticed this one doing the same. I don't believe this is an over pressure issue, just one of poor construction and inadequate support.



Mine got to 82K miles and then started leaking. It looked just like yours by then, but it had been in there 12 years! (And I've changed a few radiators sooner than that in the past).

FWIW my BMW indy told me the only Compact that doesn't do that is the 320td because the intercooler for the turbo is located below the radiator and stops it bending, so your reinforcement should help!

[Mr Tidy]

daemon said:

I didnt think we were initially attempting to factor in relative distance as part of the price, but yes, its plane journey and a boat journey home for most, which would make it prohibitive for most.

I take your point RE: price and higher miles ones being avail for less, however the colour combo of this particular one, relative rarity of the car and the lower miles and full history of this one make a north of £3k asking price probably about right, IMHO opinion anyway. I'm sure as an owner of one, you'll not want to argue against that too much as a possible trend as to where prices are going with these...

No, I'm definitely not trying to talk them down in value as I would love to seem them get the appreciation they deserve!

But prices do seem to be a bit all over the place just now!

I got an alert for this today:-

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

If I didn't already have one I would have been straight onto that! May not be a facelift, but it is a Sport with full leather - if it checks out that is a bargain for someone!

[Max M4X WW]

Mr Tidy said:

daemon said:

I didnt think we were initially attempting to factor in relative distance as part of the price, but yes, its plane journey and a boat journey home for most, which would make it prohibitive for most.

I take your point RE: price and higher miles ones being avail for less, however the colour combo of this particular one, relative rarity of the car and the lower miles and full history of this one make a north of £3k asking price probably about right, IMHO opinion anyway. I'm sure as an owner of one, you'll not want to argue against that too much as a possible trend as to where prices are going with these...

No, I'm definitely not trying to talk them down in value as I would love to seem them get the appreciation they deserve!

But prices do seem to be a bit all over the place just now!

I got an alert for this today:-

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

If I didn't already have one I would have been straight onto that! May not be a facelift, but it is a Sport with full leather - if it checks out that is a bargain for someone!

I spotted that too, looks a bit bashed up but the MOT history is OK.

[helix402]

"Expensive" suspension=eBay £100 coilovers. Airbag light on (prob £5 fix), but how do you wear a steering wheel light like that?

I know really, fully recline seat, one hand on Big Mac, one on top of wheel.

[PaulGT3]

Can't wait to get these fitted this weekend

[s m]

PaulGT3 said:

Can't wait to get these fitted this weekend

Interested to hear your opinion after they've worn in - what have you got currently