E46 330ci 325ci differences

[hornetrider]

twoblacklines said:

Yes? It is not a fking M3. It is a 330ci. Plenty of other marques sell with the mileage I want and condition I want for the price I expect to pay. Considering they actually go for that on autotrader with "buts" I can't see how I need a reality check.

Maybe you need a reality check thinking a 12 year old low mileage tourer is worth the same price as a 3 year old V8 M3?

What have other marques got to do with it?

At the end of the day it's a sought after car and they're not making any more, so they're priced accordingly. Either pay the entry fee for low miles/high spec or buy a compromise for less.

[twoblacklines]

But it is not a sought after car. It is not an M3.

There is clearly a silly divide where a sub 50k mile one is "worth" £25k but one of the same year condition and spec is "worth" £4k.

For example about 6 months ago a mint one came up...55 plate, 40k, FBMWSH, heated seats, tan interior, black etc... I nearly bought it then but it was in the NW and I am in the SW, £8k.

THAT is reasonable. Not £25k. E93 M3 money.

[Vee]

twoblacklines said:

But it is not a sought after car.

Says the person who has looked for one for a year.
They are sought after because the engine if maintained properly is very reliable.
They look good and are good to drive.
The M3 costs a whole lot more to run and has the boot floor issue.
E92s have their own issues which lead to higher running costs.

[hornetrider]

Vee said:

twoblacklines said:

But it is not a sought after car.

Says the person who has looked for one for a year.

I don't know why the M3 is under discussion either. Ignore the M3.

Prices for good 330s with a manual gearbox are high because - who knew - lots of people really want them and demand outstrips supply. The end. Suck it up. Or buy a st one.

[Smuler]

Consider this one, it's not as far as the North West

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

[Sushifiend]

Smuler said:

Consider this one, it's not as far as the North West

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

That one looks generally nice - I might have been interested myself, but I don't like the facelift, plus I'd have to swap the alloys for something attractive.

[twoblacklines]

Vee said:

Says the person who has looked for one for a year.
They are sought after because the engine if maintained properly is very reliable.
They look good and are good to drive.
The M3 costs a whole lot more to run and has the boot floor issue.
E92s have their own issues which lead to higher running costs.

The E46 330ci also suffers from subframe issues just like the M3. I thought you were an expert?

Also, their engines are reliable but the cooling system is not.
They go through bushes and other suspension arms extremely quickly.
The automatic gearboxes die.

You make out the M3 needs tons of money to run and that the 330ci is cheap to run..it isn't if you look after it properly. Which most don't. And then when you try and buy one you buy one with a load of problems.

[twoblacklines]

Smuler said:

Consider this one, it's not as far as the North West

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

That has NO spec.

It doesn't even have the armrest, let alone anything else.

[hornetrider]

Like this one:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

Also mint Clubsport with big recent spends:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

[Smuler]

Arm rests and "bum warmers", if these are the key criteria for selecting older BMWs then Pistonheads is turning into SAGA

The other cars have 40k more miles!!

[dhutch]

twoblacklines said:

That has NO spec. It doesn't even have the armrest....

Is it wrong that I am considering de-specing mine to remove the armrest?

hornetrider said:

Also mint Clubsport with big recent spends:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

Serious wedge, but that is nice. Black interior to boot.


Daniel

[twoblacklines]

I don't know why all the hype about the Clubsport either. It has crap looking wheels, a spoiler which ruins the flow of the car, and lesser sound deadening under the bonnet. Not really worth a premium eh?

[Vee]

twoblacklines said:

The E46 330ci also suffers from subframe issues just like the M3. I thought you were an expert?

Also, their engines are reliable but the cooling system is not.
They go through bushes and other suspension arms extremely quickly.
The automatic gearboxes die.

You make out the M3 needs tons of money to run and that the 330ci is cheap to run..it isn't if you look after it properly. Which most don't. And then when you try and buy one you buy one with a load of problems.

The E46 M3 cost significantly more to run than a 330.
If you think otherwise then you are deluded.
Buyers FEAR the same so that makes the 330 more sought after.

Was just trying to explain why you are finding low mileage 330s priced as they are.
I'm not an expert and don't claim to be one. I wasn't aware that the normal E46 coupes also have the sub frame issue that affects almost all M3s. Does it affect every E46 coupe then ?

Edited by Vee on Friday 27th November 13:46

[LanceRS]

twoblacklines said:

I don't know why all the hype about the Clubsport either. It has crap looking wheels, a spoiler which ruins the flow of the car, and lesser sound deadening under the bonnet. Not really worth a premium eh?

I like my wheels

Seriously though, I don't think that there is much 'hype' over them, most people have never heard of them. I wanted one because I like the 330 as a car, they are a little bit different and Estoril blue is a great colour.
The spoiler grows on you, honest and looks better from some angles.
I'm not sure that there really is a premium for them. I spent 3 months looking at 330s of all sorts and the prices being asked varied and seemed a bit random. I bought mine more because it was the best car I found and just struck lucky that it was what I wanted.

[dhutch]

I like the clubsport, Estoril blue is a little Marmite like as is the spoiler, but they work well together.

However I got scared of the attention it my draw if you where also driving it a little hot, so all in all am very happy with my Imola Red fake clubsport. Everything a clubsport has bar the spoilt, in red, and seemly also 10% less to insure.


Daniel

[twoblacklines]

Isn't Imola even rarer than Estoril in these? Certainly looks better to my eye.

I would have an M3 BUT I hate the noise they make. They sound like a box of loose spanners! I know that is subjective but the noise a 330ci makes with an intake is lovely, and you can wire the exhaust valve up to a switch to have that lovely straight 6 rumble on/off.

[Sushifiend]

twoblacklines said:

Isn't Imola even rarer than Estoril in these? Certainly looks better to my eye.

I would have an M3 BUT I hate the noise they make. They sound like a box of loose spanners! I know that is subjective but the noise a 330ci makes with an intake is lovely, and you can wire the exhaust valve up to a switch to have that lovely straight 6 rumble on/off.

I just pulled the vacuum hose off the valve and put a screw in the end to stop crud getting sucked in. The valve flaps to open with no vacuum, so I get the deep bass rumble right from the off. Had it like this since the car was a year old and it never came up during an MOT. During a BMW dealer service the advisor said, "I see you've discovered the trick with the exhaust!"

[Sushifiend]

dhutch said:

twoblacklines said:

That has NO spec. It doesn't even have the armrest....

Is it wrong that I am considering de-specing mine to remove the armrest?

I ordered mine with the armrest but couldn't get my arm at a comfortable angle on the gearshift. When I flipped it up, my elbow kept bashing into it, so it was no more than a week before I bought an armrestless centre console and fitted it myself. I may well still have the armrest and centre console in a box in the attic somewhere!

[LanceRS]

Sushifiend said:

dhutch said:

twoblacklines said:

That has NO spec. It doesn't even have the armrest....

Is it wrong that I am considering de-specing mine to remove the armrest?

I ordered mine with the armrest but couldn't get my arm at a comfortable angle on the gearshift. When I flipped it up, my elbow kept bashing into it, so it was no more than a week before I bought an armrestless centre console and fitted it myself. I may well still have the armrest and centre console in a box in the attic somewhere!

Mine came without the arm rest and I find it really anoying having nowhere to put my left elbow on the motorway run.

[gregs656]

LanceRS said:

Mine came without the arm rest and I find it really anoying having nowhere to put my left elbow on the motorway run.

They're an easy retrofit.