E46 325ti (contd.)

[Leins]

Continuing on from another thread...

mark.c said:

Leins said:

Used one for 3.5 years as a daily, they're superb little cars

Ah I thought you had written elsewhere that you had one previously, I think one would make a great addition. I'm using my 320is as a daily at the moment and since you own that beautiful C2.5 you can probably understand why I want to retire it from such duties.

Anything you didn't like?

I see we share somewhat similar taste in cars, so I suspect one of these Compacts might be your sort of motor. I tried the E30 daily driving thing last year with a 318iS, but didn't really enjoy it, mainly because I felt the car wasn't enjoying it either. I would have loved to get another 325ti, but I'm living back in Ireland again now, and refuse to pay the extortionate tax rates here on larger engines for the full year, hence the dull but functional Golf commuter I have now. My other cars only come out in the summer, which keeps the amount of tax I have to pay on them down to a level I can just about accept paying our government

Anyway, there wasn't too much I didn't like with my 325ti, although for me it was prime spec: facelift '53'-reg Sport version, 6sp manual, Silver Grey with Xenons and MV2s. Had a few issues along the way, with broken springs and coil packs, which they all seem to suffer from at various stages. Also, it could be argued that it's not the fastest of hatches, but I never minded that too much, as the way it revved around the clock was very entertaining for me. It won't feel as raw as your E30s, which in a way lends itself to the Compact's ability to work as a daily, but there's still a lot of fun to be had from them when you want. Great handling with a real ability to be able to be thrown around when the mood takes you, lovely sound, quite comfortable for the driver and a passenger or two (I'm a bit tall so no chance of anyone getting in behind me), handy boot access, and even in Sport trim a bit of a Q-car. No-one ever seemed to take any notice of the twin pipes and the badge, so I always felt many of the motorway hunters thought it was going to be easy prey!

It obviously won't give you the sensory overload of the CSL, but I found them to have a real specialness to them, something a bit naughty about that engine in that shell which makes the whole package damn good fun. And it can do the refined cruiser too at lower engine revs if you can ignore the devil on your shoulder telling you to gun it everywhere!

I'm sure there might be another few 325ti owners along with their experiences

[Leins]

No probs, let us know what you end up doing. And congrats on the impending fatherhood, although I suspect you might want to hide the keys to all those fantastic cars in 17 or so years time

[Leins]

That looks lovely, despite being a 'boring' 320 . Was it Italian or Portuguese?

How does the S14 compare to the M3's one?

Edited by Leins on Tuesday 15th April 15:49

[Leins]

Nice!

I'm off down to the Le Mans Classic this year, and will be trying to keep up with a buddy of mine in his '91 M3, which had an engine rebuild a couple of years ago. It absolutely flies! Always puzzles me why people say these cars are slow nowadays

[Leins]

s m said:

Top Gear mag ran one as a long-termer ( went on to be owned by PH-er gtidriver ).

Here's what an M3 driver thought of it

I really liked that article, thanks It used to be published on the TG web-site I think


Still remember picking up my 325ti back in 2005 from Sytners in Nottingham, and then driving it back north over the Cat & Fiddle Every car purchase should involve a decent trip home to add to the experience I think, and it ensured I bonded with it almost immediately

Incidently, I got overtaken by an Enzo around Derby on the way to pick it up, so had a proper little petrolhead time for myself that day

mark.c said:

I must do Le Mans Classic one year, its one of my events to tick off, are you taking the Alpina?

I know what you are saying, I've never found them lacking to be honest, obviously it depends what you are comparing it against of course. The thing about them, as you know, is you have to work for your rewards so compared to a modern diesel for example with its easily accessible slug of low down grunt, may make one feel slow to someone who is used to that type of car.

On todays roads it makes me love it even more, yesterday for example I took the CSL out to get my fix but because the roads are so busy I ultimately came home frustrated. Ive never had that in an E30 as I get the 'fix' at much lower speed. I'm waffling now but I'm sure you know what I mean!

This is my first time going to it, and getting quite excited about it now. I was thinking about taking my E34 down there, but the fact that it's a bit of a camping trip too it just seemed right to use my Touring instead. Plus I hardly drove the Alpina last year for one reason or another, so I feel it'll do it good to stretch its legs a bit. It's getting a suspension refresh next month, along with some other updates, so it should be all set for the trip in July hopefully!

I know what you mean about CSLs though, as I've pretty much given up using it anywhere there's going to be traffic or too many people now. The E30 is as happy to just trundle about the place if required, whereas I find the CSL hates it, instead always wanting to be in "maximum attack" mode My E34 just doesn't really understand what it is, but seems to have no concept that it looks like a 4-door saloon


Found myself driving into work this morning thinking "I'd love another Compact now!"

[Leins]

mark.c said:

I've just clicked that you have an E34 M5 ...lucky chap!..I ran a 3.6 years ago when you could pick up a usable one for about 4k, I tried to drive the doors of it and it never missed a beat in two years, really regret selling it but had other itches to scratch at the time. I would have another in a heartbeat but they are getting out of hand price wise sadly.

Hindsight and all that!!

I'll swap you for a 993 Turbo

[Leins]

Actually, this might sound daft but one of the handy features of the E46 ti is that the boot opens automatically from the key fob. Not just that it unlocks or pops up slightly, but actually opens fully on the struts. Handy when you're carrying lots of stuff

[Leins]

s m said:

That is true as long as the original purchaser ordered option S493a and the correct boot struts have been used for any replacements that may have been required/or the originals aren't too 'tired'

What's that specific option SM? Bought my first E46 Compact new and don't remember having to include it. Was is standard on GB-spec maybe?


Other thing I remember hearing about these, but thankfully never happened on any of my Compacts, is the rear window smashing due to twisting from being closed from the corner, rather than in the middle of the boot door

Although my E36's rear window got hit with a cabbage when I left it parked near Tescos once! There was a bit of a pause when I was explaining that one to the insurance company

[Leins]

mark.c said:

Evening chaps...I appreciate what you're saying about practicalities.. I think the main thing will be that I won't worry about the car quite so much. I've always been a f@nny with cars, you know the sort, parks a million miles away from any other car in a car park, won't take one of my cars when we go out if I can't leave it somewhere relatively safe, that kind of f@nny. I annoy myself at times!

So if I can get a car that delivers some thrills but is also practical'ish that I haven't got a huge financial and emotional investment in then I can relax about the ownership experience a bit. That's not to say I won't default to type of course but it seems a good idea in theory at the moment
I'm only even sure if that makes sense!?

It's such a great little package, I'm pretty sure you will start caring about it. Same feckin thing happened with my E30 318iS, felt I was being cruel to it as a daily, and wouldn't drive it into supermarkets, etc.

However, there's a case for crossing that bridge when...

s m said:

Storage Compartment Package - Comfort opening of tailgate via the remote key, 12v socket in the boot, magazine nets on front seat backs and glasses compartment in centre console - standard on SE

Check the comfort opening works though as the struts get tired over the last 10 years and they're more than the regular gas struts

Aha, yes thanks! The Sport had all those too, plus a zipped/dropdown storage compartment built into the rear parcel shelf. My 316ti was an 'ES' which had all those too IIRC



Sorry, going OT here again, but regarding struts, only found out yesterday that gas bonnet struts were fitted to some E30s, although I've never seen them. Handy for stopping it falling back when outside in strong winds and stupidly decapitating one's self, which is something I very nearly did last summer with my E34

Edited by Leins on Thursday 17th April 21:36