High Milage E46 M3 - Pottential problems ?
Discussion
3.5 years into owning mine from 40K to 110K miles and I would echo the above. Rear springs and suspension are worth a close look (mine has pretty much had the lot replaced) and been through 2 sets of rear springs in that time. Not disastrously expensive to sort out at an indie. Engine seems bulletproof.
Only other niggles I have had with mine are corroded alloys (result of previous repair), interior door trim pulling away (right bugger to fix) and paint lifting on the drivers wing mirror base (still trying to find a replacement BTW if anyone know where to get one!).
Don't get too worried though they are a great little car and is currently prooving very difficult to find a replacement for!
But definitely find a good indie garage.
Jim
Only other niggles I have had with mine are corroded alloys (result of previous repair), interior door trim pulling away (right bugger to fix) and paint lifting on the drivers wing mirror base (still trying to find a replacement BTW if anyone know where to get one!).
Don't get too worried though they are a great little car and is currently prooving very difficult to find a replacement for!
But definitely find a good indie garage.
Jim
A potential problem that is not unheard of is HG failure, normally between the bores due to their close proximitly, normally occurs above the 100K mark, earlier on cars that are tracked or not meticulously maintained.
Should it stop you buying one, no, just be aware it can, and does, happen.
Should it stop you buying one, no, just be aware it can, and does, happen.
I've had mine for 5 years & its been 100%, though it has been pampered.
Avoid the bottom end of the market, there are loads bought by people without the means to look after them correctly.
Discs & pads are £1k
decent tyres are £1k a set
Big service due can easily be £1k+
Bear the above in mind if looking at a cheap one & thinking that a few quid will see it right.
Other things: rear springs, rear trailing arm bushes, diff, alternator, dampers, make sure the air con works, engine should not be overly noisty at idle, SMG can be clunky at slow speeds but should shift quickly & cleanly as speed increases.
BMW warranty well worth having if you can find one that still has it.
Avoid the bottom end of the market, there are loads bought by people without the means to look after them correctly.
Discs & pads are £1k
decent tyres are £1k a set
Big service due can easily be £1k+
Bear the above in mind if looking at a cheap one & thinking that a few quid will see it right.
Other things: rear springs, rear trailing arm bushes, diff, alternator, dampers, make sure the air con works, engine should not be overly noisty at idle, SMG can be clunky at slow speeds but should shift quickly & cleanly as speed increases.
BMW warranty well worth having if you can find one that still has it.
I bought on condition and bought one at 94k with the big service just completed, and all new discs and pads.
Saw one at 54k and it was tatty.
Saw a few at 74k or so..... probably need new discs and pads and big service (depending on how been used) in near future. So sometimes might be more cost efficient to buy the one with higher mileage as it may have had all of these things replaced!
Saw one at 54k and it was tatty.
Saw a few at 74k or so..... probably need new discs and pads and big service (depending on how been used) in near future. So sometimes might be more cost efficient to buy the one with higher mileage as it may have had all of these things replaced!
shibby! said:
Saw one at 54k and it was tatty.
Before buying my 75k mile car, I saw a few "low mileage" offerings which showed signs of neglect. I'm over 105k miles now and kept up the maintenance. My car has proved strong and reliable, and is still fighting fit with little to indicate its total mileage.
As people have already mentioned there are the usual M3 consumables for high milers:
Rear springs
RTABs
Front wishbone/ball joint bush (£200 each on ebay Lemfoder)
Brake discs (think they were £500 when i got my set)
And you will probably want to make sure the diff oil has been changed when you get it as BMW released an additive for the diff oil. Costs about £90 from main dealer and stops the groaning.
Engine oil Castrol Sport Edge can be got from Opie oils cheap enough at around £50 for 6 litres.
They also like rear tyres and i used to stick Toyo T1Rs on mine at about £160 odd each last time i bought them from Camskill.
[edited for some bits i forgot]
Forgot to mention calipers like to stick on sometimes with grit on the roads etc which kills the discs. Caliper repair kits are around £14. Best to fire those in as well if your ever doing the discs and pads as the last thing you want is fitting new discs and then the caliper sticking and warping the new discs.
And lastly the seal on the diff begins to leak a little too. Nothing crazy like oil stains on the driveway but you will see the diff weeping slightly.
My M3 is on 97k miles at the mo. The only thing thats really failed on me were warped discs and the power steering pump, which was replaced under warranty a few years ago. Its starting to get a bit whiney again. SMG pump clutch etc have all been perfect touch wood!
Rear springs
RTABs
Front wishbone/ball joint bush (£200 each on ebay Lemfoder)
Brake discs (think they were £500 when i got my set)
And you will probably want to make sure the diff oil has been changed when you get it as BMW released an additive for the diff oil. Costs about £90 from main dealer and stops the groaning.
Engine oil Castrol Sport Edge can be got from Opie oils cheap enough at around £50 for 6 litres.
They also like rear tyres and i used to stick Toyo T1Rs on mine at about £160 odd each last time i bought them from Camskill.
[edited for some bits i forgot]
Forgot to mention calipers like to stick on sometimes with grit on the roads etc which kills the discs. Caliper repair kits are around £14. Best to fire those in as well if your ever doing the discs and pads as the last thing you want is fitting new discs and then the caliper sticking and warping the new discs.
And lastly the seal on the diff begins to leak a little too. Nothing crazy like oil stains on the driveway but you will see the diff weeping slightly.
My M3 is on 97k miles at the mo. The only thing thats really failed on me were warped discs and the power steering pump, which was replaced under warranty a few years ago. Its starting to get a bit whiney again. SMG pump clutch etc have all been perfect touch wood!
Edited by Paddymcc on Friday 13th May 00:00
Paddymcc said:
As people have already mentioned there are the usual M3 consumables for high milers:
Rear springs
RTABs
Front wishbone/ball joint bush (£200 each on ebay Lemfoder)
Brake discs (think they were £500 when i got my set)
And you will probably want to make sure the diff oil has been changed when you get it as BMW released an additive for the diff oil. Costs about £90 from main dealer and stops the groaning.
Engine oil Castrol Sport Edge can be got from Opie oils cheap enough at around £50 for 6 litres.
They also like rear tyres and i used to stick Toyo T1Rs on mine at about £160 odd each last time i bought them from Camskill.
[edited for some bits i forgot]
Forgot to mention calipers like to stick on sometimes with grit on the roads etc which kills the discs. Caliper repair kits are around £14. Best to fire those in as well if your ever doing the discs and pads as the last thing you want is fitting new discs and then the caliper sticking and warping the new discs.
And lastly the seal on the diff begins to leak a little too. Nothing crazy like oil stains on the driveway but you will see the diff weeping slightly.
My M3 is on 97k miles at the mo. The only thing thats really failed on me were warped discs and the power steering pump, which was replaced under warranty a few years ago. Its starting to get a bit whiney again. SMG pump clutch etc have all been perfect touch wood!
All good points, but whatever you do, DONT use Castrol Edge sport! it must be either Castrol Edge 10w60 or Castrol TWS 10w60.Rear springs
RTABs
Front wishbone/ball joint bush (£200 each on ebay Lemfoder)
Brake discs (think they were £500 when i got my set)
And you will probably want to make sure the diff oil has been changed when you get it as BMW released an additive for the diff oil. Costs about £90 from main dealer and stops the groaning.
Engine oil Castrol Sport Edge can be got from Opie oils cheap enough at around £50 for 6 litres.
They also like rear tyres and i used to stick Toyo T1Rs on mine at about £160 odd each last time i bought them from Camskill.
[edited for some bits i forgot]
Forgot to mention calipers like to stick on sometimes with grit on the roads etc which kills the discs. Caliper repair kits are around £14. Best to fire those in as well if your ever doing the discs and pads as the last thing you want is fitting new discs and then the caliper sticking and warping the new discs.
And lastly the seal on the diff begins to leak a little too. Nothing crazy like oil stains on the driveway but you will see the diff weeping slightly.
My M3 is on 97k miles at the mo. The only thing thats really failed on me were warped discs and the power steering pump, which was replaced under warranty a few years ago. Its starting to get a bit whiney again. SMG pump clutch etc have all been perfect touch wood!
Edited by Paddymcc on Friday 13th May 00:00
M3 discs don't warp. It's usually down to bad fitting with grit between the mating faces or pad build up from cooked pads.
Mr Bimmer said:
All good points, but whatever you do, DONT use Castrol Edge sport! it must be either Castrol Edge 10w60 or Castrol TWS 10w60.
M3 discs don't warp. It's usually down to bad fitting with grit between the mating faces or pad build up from cooked pads.
100%correctM3 discs don't warp. It's usually down to bad fitting with grit between the mating faces or pad build up from cooked pads.
Also main big issue problems for high mile m3 are
1. alternator failure
2. head gasket failure
3. Worse case bottom end failure (shell) but MOT very likely unless oil issues
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