The E46 325ti Appreciation Thread

[men3cac]

e21Mark said:

I think the system is down (saw on another thread that mail didn't arrive) but can mail direct at markbrown100 at yahoo .co .uk

Mail sent- thanks

[ethomas]

Anyone out there still running on 18 inch wheels should definitely consider upgrading to some 17s (or 16s). They feel a lot nicer, bumps are less dramatic, and road noise is reduced a little.

My new wheels are pretty light (about 5kg per corner lighter than stock MV2s), and the car feels a little more nimble. Definitely a worthwhile upgrade.

It looks like this now:

(Square 17x7et35 Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2, Hankook Evo 2 k120 225/45/R17)

[s m]

ethomas said:

Anyone out there still running on 18 inch wheels should definitely consider upgrading to some 17s (or 16s). They feel a lot nicer, bumps are less dramatic, and road noise is reduced a little.

My new wheels are pretty light (about 5kg per corner lighter than stock MV2s), and the car feels a little more nimble. Definitely a worthwhile upgrade.

Yes, bear in mind that most of the favourable reviews for this car were when the car was running on 16s with 205/55s on

[Mr Tidy]

s m said:

ethomas said:

Anyone out there still running on 18 inch wheels should definitely consider upgrading to some 17s (or 16s). They feel a lot nicer, bumps are less dramatic, and road noise is reduced a little.

My new wheels are pretty light (about 5kg per corner lighter than stock MV2s), and the car feels a little more nimble. Definitely a worthwhile upgrade.

Yes, bear in mind that most of the favourable reviews for this car were when the car was running on 16s with 205/55s on

Interesting - I would have thought most press cars would have been Sport models which came with staggered 17s - 225/45 front and 245/40 rears as mine has, although all 325 Compacts had the Sport suspension anyway.

Strangely enough my nephew bought a 325ti SE last March which has the standard 205/50 x 16s and I couldn't fell any difference other than in outright grip - maybe 18s are just a bit overkill?

My 325ti certainly rides miles better than the 123dSE Dynamic I had before (M-Sport suspension but only 205/50x17 RFTs - RFT probably the issue)!

At the moment my 325ti is on 205/50 x 16 Michelin Alpins which ride fine, but are a bit noisier than my Pirelli summers. Still now the temperature has plummeted my purchase of them is finally justified!

Be interesting to see how they perform if we do get any snow down here in the South East!

[Mr_B]

If the 325ti is a little under powered, then this compact with a M3 engine and 6 speed box might fit the bill.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bmw-m3-compact-/32197820...

[Mr Tidy]

Thanks Mr B!

Too tame for me though, I'll keep looking for a Hartge 5.0 litre 1 Series!

[ethomas]

Mr_B said:

If the 325ti is a little under powered, then this compact with a M3 engine and 6 speed box might fit the bill.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bmw-m3-compact-/32197820...

I will take this: http://www.quarrymotors.co.uk/VehiclesforSale.aspx...

1 series with 1M bodykit and the engine from an E92 M3

[venskip]

Mr_B said:

If the 325ti is a little under powered, then this compact with a M3 engine and 6 speed box might fit the bill.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bmw-m3-compact-/32197820...

Terrible advert for what is probably an awesome car!

[Mr_B]

ethomas said:

Mr_B said:

If the 325ti is a little under powered, then this compact with a M3 engine and 6 speed box might fit the bill.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bmw-m3-compact-/32197820...

I will take this: http://www.quarrymotors.co.uk/VehiclesforSale.aspx...

1 series with 1M bodykit and the engine from an E92 M3

Good spot. I like that a lot !

[Mr Tidy]

ethomas said:

Mr_B said:

If the 325ti is a little under powered, then this compact with a M3 engine and 6 speed box might fit the bill.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bmw-m3-compact-/32197820...

I will take this: http://www.quarrymotors.co.uk/VehiclesforSale.aspx...

1 series with 1M bodykit and the engine from an E92 M3

Nice!...Can you put a turbo on them?

[Twin2]

I just joined the 325ti owners list after buying one from ADogg...

Black with tan leather, m sport, staggered MV2s and the best car I've ever had!

[s m]

Twin2 said:

I just joined the 325ti owners list after buying one from ADogg...

Black with tan leather, m sport, staggered MV2s and the best car I've ever had!

Good work

[e21Mark]

I'll be sad to see ours go.

Hopefully it'll be to someone here though. I won't tell you what the Mrs is looking to replace it with. Suffice to say I won't be driving the thing.

[venskip]

Had a new throttle body fitted to my car to try and cure the random "P1632 - Throttle Valve Adaptation - Adaptation Condition Not Met" error code. 250 miles in and its still working - just building my trust back up with it as it wasn't nice not knowing if you were you going to get home again from a destination!

[dhutch]

ethomas said:

Anyone out there still running on 18 inch wheels should definitely consider upgrading to some 17s (or 16s). They feel a lot nicer, bumps are less dramatic, and road noise is reduced a little.

I have a 330Ci sport on 18" staggered MV2's and am very tempted to move to 17's (16's do not fit over the breaks) before the rears become no longer road legal.

How much difference are you likely to get from 18" to 17's enough by the sound of it. Still on sports suspension?


Daniel

[TameRacingDriver]

I think a 330Ci would look kind of odd on 17s, though I understand purely about the drive. Only way to know is to try it out, it might not necessarily follow the car will be better after all it will be set up for the 18s.

[Mr Tidy]

If it is a Sport it probably came on 18s, but 17s were standard on the SEs IIRC.

17s ought to still work OK I would have thought - my 325ti is a Sport and they came on staggered 17s as standard, and I would imagine the suspension is probably the same as on a Sport model Coupe.

[e21Mark]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281917570200?ssPageName=...

[JakeT]

Had a look through the advert... Jimny!? Surely your powers of reasoning must be better than that. Get her in an E46 estate!

[e21Mark]

I know.

We could do with 4x4 though, as we often drive onto the beach with the dogs and I've already had to have my van towed off once. If I had the cash I'd simply get a Defender but we had a Jimny on hire in Barbados and she liked how great it was on fuel. She forgets we had to turn the AC off to get up steep hills though!