At last! Finally an E46 M3 SMG
Discussion
Two things that seem to be becoming a trend in Readers cars, E46 M3 threads and me getting a new car yet again so this time I’ve decided to combine the two and finally buy one car I’ve wanted for soooo long!
I’ve been quietly searching eBay/gumtree and M3 Cutters on and off in search of a decent cheapish M3 to buy and tidy up the odd thing here and there for the last couple of months, providing the nice man at Tesco bank would give me some money anyway...
The money part sorted I went to view a car last weekend that granted was on at only 8 Grand, not a lot for one of these now but looked like it had potential. Arrived to view the car and it hadnt even been cleaned! None the less the car did have potential with some receipts for jobs being done but some jobs claimed to be done with no proof. A simple enough request to send a copy of the receipts over if the guy could get one was met with an email a day later saying he was sick of time wasters and was raising the price! I don’t know how that works either but there you go.
I had a feeling to get a realistically nice car the budget would have to be upped and that will be covered with the sale of my 330 so I went to view a car local to me yesterday I’ve known about for a while through a couple of friends. It’s had the subframe reinforced already complete with documented step by step photo evidence! Eibach springs and spacers, huge stack of receipts for various maintenance jobs and services, the latest inspection 2 service was only done a couple of months ago which is a nice bonus. It’s also had CSL software mapped into the gearbox and a previous owner spent a small fortune adding Recaro seats and trimming them to match the red nappa leather in the rear of the interior along with the backs trimmed in alcantara. The receipt for just the leather on its own is surprisingly expensive! I need to dig out the one for the seats themselves once I pick the car up next week. I’ve kind of skipped a bit there but hey ho, yep the local car is indeed as good as I had been told so a price was agreed and a deposit left.
More coming soon but here are some pics from the ad
I’ve been quietly searching eBay/gumtree and M3 Cutters on and off in search of a decent cheapish M3 to buy and tidy up the odd thing here and there for the last couple of months, providing the nice man at Tesco bank would give me some money anyway...
The money part sorted I went to view a car last weekend that granted was on at only 8 Grand, not a lot for one of these now but looked like it had potential. Arrived to view the car and it hadnt even been cleaned! None the less the car did have potential with some receipts for jobs being done but some jobs claimed to be done with no proof. A simple enough request to send a copy of the receipts over if the guy could get one was met with an email a day later saying he was sick of time wasters and was raising the price! I don’t know how that works either but there you go.
I had a feeling to get a realistically nice car the budget would have to be upped and that will be covered with the sale of my 330 so I went to view a car local to me yesterday I’ve known about for a while through a couple of friends. It’s had the subframe reinforced already complete with documented step by step photo evidence! Eibach springs and spacers, huge stack of receipts for various maintenance jobs and services, the latest inspection 2 service was only done a couple of months ago which is a nice bonus. It’s also had CSL software mapped into the gearbox and a previous owner spent a small fortune adding Recaro seats and trimming them to match the red nappa leather in the rear of the interior along with the backs trimmed in alcantara. The receipt for just the leather on its own is surprisingly expensive! I need to dig out the one for the seats themselves once I pick the car up next week. I’ve kind of skipped a bit there but hey ho, yep the local car is indeed as good as I had been told so a price was agreed and a deposit left.
More coming soon but here are some pics from the ad
Obi Wan said:
Very nice mate. I’ve always had a soft spot for the E46 M3. How does it handle with aftermarket springs?
I shall report back after a proper blast but no complaints after the test drive, rides like standard aswell. I’m a big fan of Eibach springs they always work well on anything. Darren1101 said:
Look like Recaro Trendlines. Same as RenaultSports and Evos of the era.
They are Trendline’s I think, so bloody comfy and hold you in place really nicely. Can’t wait pic it up! First port of call is a new pair of boots for the rear as they’re close to the limit. Going to order the tyres this weekend then they’ll be ready to go on the day I pick it up.
Gibbo205 said:
Nice, don't look at my thread, I've spent a fortune restoring the car and modifying it. 
I’ve already seen it 
being good with this car though, it’s alresdy got the bits I’d do to one so should keep me good for a while. May look at a couple of small pieces just to personalise it like carbon kidney grilled and different corner lights to match the LED rears. Other than that it’s just keep it clean and enjoy it. Including the odd blast into Wales on a few Sunday mornings. There’s getting to be quite a few nice M3’s around Stoke now so it’s nice not to have a crap one Edited by DanielSan on Friday 5th January 13:42
That looks like a very nice example indeed. Seems to be a flurry of these on readers cars too?
Really do like the e46 shape of these, think the passage of time will look back on them as one of the greats even though they aren’t ‘that’ fast these days. In 40 years choice between an e46 and an f30 i think the choice would be obvious....
Really do like the e46 shape of these, think the passage of time will look back on them as one of the greats even though they aren’t ‘that’ fast these days. In 40 years choice between an e46 and an f30 i think the choice would be obvious....
lewisf182 said:
That looks like a very nice example indeed. Seems to be a flurry of these on readers cars too?
Really do like the e46 shape of these, think the passage of time will look back on them as one of the greats even though they aren’t ‘that’ fast these days. In 40 years choice between an e46 and an f30 i think the choice would be obvious....
You could well be onto something there. I sound biased now but I do genuinely think it’s the best looking M3, with the E30 a very close second. Really do like the e46 shape of these, think the passage of time will look back on them as one of the greats even though they aren’t ‘that’ fast these days. In 40 years choice between an e46 and an f30 i think the choice would be obvious....
I have an M3!! Picked the car up yesterday and haven’t stopped grinning since, sadly due to working funny hours I haven’t had chance to go for a proper blast yet, even a short one. Some new boots have gone on the rear today so they need bedding in which means tomorrow afternoon/evening will no doubt result in an excuse to go and bed them in.
First impressions? I love it, pulls like a train through the whole Rev range and I’m even loving the SMG box, the novelty of paddle shift I very much my favourite part about it so far. Until I put my foot down anyway! I get why they’re so popular now.
Here’s a quick pic with he girlfriends DC5 after collection yesterday
First impressions? I love it, pulls like a train through the whole Rev range and I’m even loving the SMG box, the novelty of paddle shift I very much my favourite part about it so far. Until I put my foot down anyway! I get why they’re so popular now.
Here’s a quick pic with he girlfriends DC5 after collection yesterday
I don’t know why TiAg is panned as a colour choice; I think it looks ace, especially with the Imola interior. Really nice looking car. How many miles? Happy with the price you paid etc? I’m coming up to three years with my M346, and it still puts a smile on my face every time I drive it.
Nunga said:
I don’t know why TiAg is panned as a colour choice; I think it looks ace, especially with the Imola interior. Really nice looking car. How many miles? Happy with the price you paid etc? I’m coming up to three years with my M346, and it still puts a smile on my face every time I drive it.
It’s done 119k, a tad higher than a couple I’d seen at the same sort of cash but it’s had the boot floor reinforced complete with step by step photos and receipts, a huge stack of history and receipts for all the common jobs that usually need to be done. It’s a stupidly clean car. Only thing I’ve got to sort is the bonnet and bumper being sorted as a load of micro blisters have appeared with the cold weather. Think it’s been painted to cover stone chips in the past but the cold/damp has got under it this winter. Nothing that can’t be easily sorted though
Worth checking the front wings for any bubbles too as they’ll likely need to be blended, so it might be worthwhile getting new ones too since they almost always rust eventually.
Some spacers will sort the fitment out very nicely too; I run the same 67M 19s as my winter wheels and I think they’re very well suited to the silver of yours. The CSL rims are being done to death.
Some spacers will sort the fitment out very nicely too; I run the same 67M 19s as my winter wheels and I think they’re very well suited to the silver of yours. The CSL rims are being done to death.
That looks like a good example with some well chosen mods. Good to see it has the SMG CSL software ; it makes a big difference to the gearbox. Like you I love the paddles and around town it's not too bad, it's nicer leaving work with the traffic in anyway 
.
It's good to see you didn't buy on mileage either. FWIW I am debating getting my rod bearings done seeing as mine now has 130+k on the clock and that I plan the odd trackday in it. When I spoke to a couple of specialists they said it was a sensible step but that mileage was no indication of how the rod bearings would turn out.
If you look at the cutters thread I started there were cars on 130k which were fine but others on 75-80k where the bearings were well and truly down to the copper. This is what two or three known specialists have now told me where even his own car on 75k had trashed bearings.
Enjoy good sir and I am loving the combo.
FWIW, like you I heard a few people saying you can get a reasonable M3 for £8k. When I went to look it was alot harder than people made out:
https://theleylandlegends.wordpress.com/category/c...
.It's good to see you didn't buy on mileage either. FWIW I am debating getting my rod bearings done seeing as mine now has 130+k on the clock and that I plan the odd trackday in it. When I spoke to a couple of specialists they said it was a sensible step but that mileage was no indication of how the rod bearings would turn out.
If you look at the cutters thread I started there were cars on 130k which were fine but others on 75-80k where the bearings were well and truly down to the copper. This is what two or three known specialists have now told me where even his own car on 75k had trashed bearings
.Enjoy good sir and I am loving the combo
.FWIW, like you I heard a few people saying you can get a reasonable M3 for £8k. When I went to look it was alot harder than people made out
:https://theleylandlegends.wordpress.com/category/c...
Edited by SebringMan on Saturday 13th January 08:41
That article sums up searching for a good M3 perfectly! I need to go through all the receipts properly, think the rod bearings have been done but I’ll double check. If not then they’ll be on the list of to do jobs as a prevarication measure more than anything else.
Got to take it out for it’s forst proper blast this morning, roads were slightly damp in places but the car is huge fun! SMG makes perfect sense when you’re pressing on a bit. I’m officially in love with this car.
Got to take it out for it’s forst proper blast this morning, roads were slightly damp in places but the car is huge fun! SMG makes perfect sense when you’re pressing on a bit. I’m officially in love with this car.
Well just over a week into ownership and crap weather aside all is well so far. I have noticed a slightly clunk in the drivers front corner which sounds like a drop link so I’ll be getting the car onto a ramp this week to check what it is.
Aside from that I’ve finally managed to give it a wash off today and a blast with the quick detailer. So here’s a couple of obligatory pictures
And an interior picture because I can
Aside from that I’ve finally managed to give it a wash off today and a blast with the quick detailer. So here’s a couple of obligatory pictures
And an interior picture because I can
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff