Do E46 M3 interiors wear out quickly???

[mat205125]

I know that it is important to look after leather interiors, and that the quality of the leather is as much to do with how it has been looked after as much as the miles, but I'm seeing a lot of relatively low mileage M3's in my "firing line" with pictures that make the leather seats look remarkably shabby.

Surely a car with this kind of mileage shouldn't have a side bolster that looks like it has been taken from a 200k mile Capri from a scrap yard:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/838218.htm

Is this a really bad photo, a really bad car, a suspicious mileage, or indicative of how quickly/badly E46 leather wears?

I've also seen a lot of shots of the rear benchs that look like they are falling apart / not put together properly, especially when the centre arm rest is lowered.

I've "owned" E46 BMW's before, however only when I worked for the company and had them on lease, therefore have limited experience of older/higher mileage cars. I do, however, recall that my 100k+ mile E36 was solid and sag free when I sold it.

[MattOz]

It does look like it's never been treated to any leather food and has been "heavily" sat on!

The nappa in the M3 needs some TLC. Mine has done 10k miles less than the one in the ad, but still has matt finished leather with minimal creasing.

It's nothing that can't be mostly sorted out with some Gliptone cleanser and then conditioner.

Matt

[Pork]

Is is definately the right pic for the car?

The reason I ask is that is also states that the car has Business Sat Nav, but in that, it doesnt look like it.

[Vixpy1]

Mine has the same thing, its because the bolster gets rubbed everytime you get in and out.

[mat205125]

Vixpy1 said:

Mine has the same thing, its because the bolster gets rubbed everytime you get in and out.

Appreciate that it gets rubbed, but that seat looks horrendous for the alleged mileage.

[Deutscher]

The RH bolster is prone to wear as you catch it every time you get in. Having said that, I echo other posters' comments by saying that car looks like it's done a lot more than the claimed miles. In fact, something is very wrong as the copy says it has sat nav and the picture shows it has not.

Take care!

[shamrock]

BMW supply chain downgraded the quality of materials from 2000 onwards. It's quite common for the leather seats in the models from 2000 onwards to show wear and tear a great deal more than the models from the 1990's.

[David111]

I've got a Z4M and the bolster on my 26k car is like new (original BM management owner must have been SO careful!) and I find I catch the bolster every time.... unless i move the seat back and can then step out of the car without catching anything. I'm sure that was what the original owner did. May show a little lack of care? How do the wheels look.....

[mikez328]

If anybody can allow any car to get into this state I would walk away from it. How did they look after the rest of the car? Not very well... This was a company owned car & the keeper didn't give a S**T Wonder what his own home looked like?!!

[mat205125]

That is the impression that I share Mike.

If the owner that wrecked that seat would all that to happen to something that he saw every day getting in and out, what kind of love and attention did he lavish on the oily bits.

[Pentoman]

And is it just me or can you tell from the interior shot of this M3 that the rest of the car has been messed around with '12k spent on modifications'.


http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/862140.htm

It just looks crap and shiny and worn even compared to the original poster's example?

[mikez328]

Pentoman said:

And is it just me or can you tell from the interior shot of this M3 that the rest of the car has been messed around with '12k spent on modifications'.


http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/862140.htm

It just looks crap and shiny and worn even compared to the original poster's example?

It's been treated with every back street used car dealers favorite: A Silicon Spray treatment!! They use it on everything that looks tired, Tyres, all plastics & certainly leather. A F*****g disaster, attracting every hair in the universe. But - hey, if you are a used car dealer you don't need to know anything about what you are selling - ain't that right?

[M3RMS]

For the miles it's got - it looks in a st state.

I sold my first one at about 65k miles and the interior was still in great condition.

My current one ticked over the 50k mark on Sunday (I took a picture!) and again the seat is in excellent nick, especially compared to that one.

By the way, mine's for sale http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/classifieds/855179.ht... (shameless plug). I've decided that it's time to try a Cayman S, hopefully sorting out a deal at the weekend!!

The plan is to spend myself out of the credit crunch..... Or is that spend my way into a credit crunch....?! Time will tell....

Cheers
RS

[gizlaroc]

This is my interior, now a 7 year old car that has done 65k miles, but it has been looked after and looks like new....

[Rawhide]

Gizlaroc, what product do you use on your seats? I have Champagne leather which is similar to your and it doesn't seem to respond to gliptone. The cleaner seemed to wash out the colour on one section.

I've also tried Zymol leather cleaner which seems better but not great.

[mikez328]

Rawhide said:

Gizlaroc, what product do you use on your seats? I have Champagne leather which is similar to your and it doesn't seem to respond to gliptone. The cleaner seemed to wash out the colour on one section.

I've also tried Zymol leather cleaner which seems better but not great.

If you can get hold of it (don't know where in the world you are!) try a pot of "Connolly Hide Treatment" - Used by Aston, RR, Bentley etc. I bought a small pot in 1988 & have used it for 20 years (obviously!). I still have half left... It cleans & nourishes (full of natural animal fats) leather without producing a nasty shine (it leaves a matt finish). A 250ml pot is about £10. You just rub it in, leave for about 10 mins then buff up with a duster. No shine, but you can feel how much softer the leather is - & it looks & smells class.

Edited by mikez328 on Thursday 22 January 09:50

[gizlaroc]

I always use a leather/hide food too.

This puts the oils back into the leather and keeps it looking soft and matte.


Any equestrian shop will have loads to choose from.

[mikez328]

gizlaroc said:

I always use a leather/hide food too.

This puts the oils back into the leather and keeps it looking soft and matte.


Any equestrian shop will have loads to choose from.

Top man! Yes, we are talking about "saddle polish" here. Also known in the UK as "Dunnin" & used to treat leather boots for weatherproofing. Most people won't go near these products as they have never had a life in the real world. They need to understand that "Hide Foods" are a necessary by product of the Slaughterhouse. We all like our Steaks don't we....

If you choose to buy a car with a leather interior you need to know that up to 22 cows provided their skins for your indulgence. As I probably eat those 22 cows every year ( I am a comitted carnivore) I make no apologies.....

[ICL]

I never noticed this thread before and stumbled across it when I was deciding whether to relist it or not.

I totally appreciate that having looked at the picture again it does not look very good, I don't like messing around with cleaning product as would hate to do more damage than is already there.

The mileage is genuine, it belonged to a friend of a Mercedes dealer DP that I know and they sold him a new Mercedes. The history is all with Malton Motors in York.

I can understand why it was mentioned given the wear on the seat but I would never get involved in any car that looked moody.

It has got business navigation (no map just arrow based), not pro so it looks pretty much like a standard business RDS radio but it has a slightly larger screen which you cannot see easily from the pictures.

Having worked for a BMW dealer I can say that sport interiors definitely suffer more than most, nappa leather is softer and therefore even more prone. X5 sports generally suffer more than most due to people sitting on the side of the seat when they get in.

[mat205125]

I'd be interested to hear what price you were planning to relist the car at, and for you to post some higher quality pictures - warts and all.