E46 M3 preventative maintenance...

[MiloD]

Hi guys, I've got a 2005 E46 M3 in Carbon Black that's just tipped the 60k miles mark. I recently took it to the local car wash - it had been neglected for a few months (most unlike me) given work and moving house I e simply not had the time. Having had it all cleaned up I noticed a small amount of lacquer peel on the bonnet. It's booked in on Thursday to a great local Indy spray shop to be sorted... All in time for Le Mans. Anyway, that and a chat with a mate of mine got me thinking about whether it would be good idea to refresh a few. Bits now and stay on top of things. I've kept full main dealer history on it, so the question is what else should I start thinking about? Perhaps replacing all the bushes, then would you go OEM or update. It's a road car only I've got something else for sts and giggles on track. When do shocks and springs tend to need refurb/replacement. What else should I think about?

[MiloD]

All valid points well made, I'm going to do the bushes to freshen it all up. I just drove a mates 330 MSport with similar age and mileage to mine with all bushes recently replaced and it was like a new car, so tight and responsive. Made me think mine could do with being done. I've had the subframe checked at Redish with a clean bill of health (no idea if post 04 cars had a different subfrmae there seems to be polarised opinion on this point) Good point on rear springs too.
Finally, the vanos bolts I always thought was a problem on the E36 but not E46 - though I may be wrong? If I am then I will check that out as it's got an Insp 1, then Oil, before the Insp 11.

[MiloD]

bass2rez said:

You should make a point of cleaning out the back wheel arches, dirt collects there and will eventually cause rust.

I didn't know that one, good heads up!