Buying an e46 330d
Discussion
I am currently on the hunt for an e46 330d as a new daily, I know all the main problems that come with them like rust in around front arch and jacking points. also swirl flaps and EGR and then brake lines.
but i am wondering if any one has/had one and knows anymore?
I have quickly come to realise that manual are hard to come by now. Will it be worth holding out to find a manual. Is the 6 speed much better than the 5 speed over than having an extra overdrive gear. Are the autos any good?
are these cars any good still on 150k miles plus. with good service history and been well look after.
if anyone has anymore info it would be greatly appreciated or even has one and looking to sell?
Thanks in advanced
but i am wondering if any one has/had one and knows anymore?
I have quickly come to realise that manual are hard to come by now. Will it be worth holding out to find a manual. Is the 6 speed much better than the 5 speed over than having an extra overdrive gear. Are the autos any good?
are these cars any good still on 150k miles plus. with good service history and been well look after.
if anyone has anymore info it would be greatly appreciated or even has one and looking to sell?
Thanks in advanced
I just sold mine last week to make way for a 760i
A manual 184 330d touring, which was remapped when I got it.
Absolutley fantastic car, really sad I couldn't keep it, just been talking to the previous owner and he's really happy with it.
At this age my advise would be to seek out the earlier 184 with the 5 speed, to be honest. I've been around a lot of them, and my friends who've had the 204 were forever chasing what they felt the car should do MPG wise. Whereas mine was ran on a shoe string and was always fantastic on fuel and never gave me any hassle. It was just a disposable estate to get my dog around, but I fell for it quite hard and kept it for a while.
I've got an L322 also so didn't really need an estate any more, and we were using it less and less as my Girlfriend was always using the Range Rover and I've got a Mercedes W124 that I quite like using. It was on 250k when I let it go last week, still very quick and still returned great MPG (I averaged around 37mpg but I drove it very hard a lot of the time as I work nights and the roads are quiet when I commute)
Also, the 6 speed isn't an overdrive as such, I believe top gear is very similar in both cars. The 6 peed is more of a close ratio box, which you really don't need with all the torque of the M57.
If it wasn't for the fact I have 5 cars and something had to give, I would definitely have kept it for many years. There's not much that will do what they do for what they cost.
Would definitely recommend one.
Arches do go, but you can buy them painted in your colour for £100 a side, so don't spend much more on one that appears not to have rusty arches. It's £200 to make any E46 have clean front arches.
I replaced the MAF, it had a new radiator in the time I had it. Generally it was very well behaved and cost very little in maintenance.
I've always hated the E46, and always been a huge fan of the E£6.. having had 2 years with an E46, I've completely changed my mind.
Fantastic car.
Hope that helps.
A manual 184 330d touring, which was remapped when I got it.
Absolutley fantastic car, really sad I couldn't keep it, just been talking to the previous owner and he's really happy with it.
At this age my advise would be to seek out the earlier 184 with the 5 speed, to be honest. I've been around a lot of them, and my friends who've had the 204 were forever chasing what they felt the car should do MPG wise. Whereas mine was ran on a shoe string and was always fantastic on fuel and never gave me any hassle. It was just a disposable estate to get my dog around, but I fell for it quite hard and kept it for a while.
I've got an L322 also so didn't really need an estate any more, and we were using it less and less as my Girlfriend was always using the Range Rover and I've got a Mercedes W124 that I quite like using. It was on 250k when I let it go last week, still very quick and still returned great MPG (I averaged around 37mpg but I drove it very hard a lot of the time as I work nights and the roads are quiet when I commute)
Also, the 6 speed isn't an overdrive as such, I believe top gear is very similar in both cars. The 6 peed is more of a close ratio box, which you really don't need with all the torque of the M57.
If it wasn't for the fact I have 5 cars and something had to give, I would definitely have kept it for many years. There's not much that will do what they do for what they cost.
Would definitely recommend one.
Arches do go, but you can buy them painted in your colour for £100 a side, so don't spend much more on one that appears not to have rusty arches. It's £200 to make any E46 have clean front arches.
I replaced the MAF, it had a new radiator in the time I had it. Generally it was very well behaved and cost very little in maintenance.
I've always hated the E46, and always been a huge fan of the E£6.. having had 2 years with an E46, I've completely changed my mind.
Fantastic car.
Hope that helps.
I have two threads on the E46 330d which cover all aspects of ownership. The egr system is reliable. Auto boxes may fail. I’ve had one go at 227k miles.
The 6 speed does give a taller top gear. 6 speed manual cars are rare now, as are decent 330ds. Rear jacking points rust more than fronts.
Mileage isn’t an issue. I’ve run one to over 250k.
The 6 speed does give a taller top gear. 6 speed manual cars are rare now, as are decent 330ds. Rear jacking points rust more than fronts.
Mileage isn’t an issue. I’ve run one to over 250k.
Edited by helix402 on Monday 23 November 00:17
I had a 5 speed manual and couldn't get on with it to be honest, the manual gearbox just didn't seem to suit the diesel engine I thought, I drove an auto after and found it much better suited to the torquey, low revving nature of the engine (and I waited ages for mine as I wanted a manual!).
My one was very reliable, the only issue I had with it were the vacuum lines splitting but they're cheap and easy to sort, oh, and the front wings were rotten! I sold it to a mate who was intending to keep it only a few months and that was four years ago! In that time the only issues he's had with it are a split coolant pipe, a broken spring and the prop centre bearing failing, oh, and the front wings are still rotten...
My mothers other half has a simlar age 320d to my old 330d that's on about 250k miles now and apart from the odd consumable item it just keeps going and still drives very nicely.
Also, regarding the swirl flaps, the earlier manual cars didn't have them, as I found out after I'd started the work to blank them off....
My one was very reliable, the only issue I had with it were the vacuum lines splitting but they're cheap and easy to sort, oh, and the front wings were rotten! I sold it to a mate who was intending to keep it only a few months and that was four years ago! In that time the only issues he's had with it are a split coolant pipe, a broken spring and the prop centre bearing failing, oh, and the front wings are still rotten...
My mothers other half has a simlar age 320d to my old 330d that's on about 250k miles now and apart from the odd consumable item it just keeps going and still drives very nicely.
Also, regarding the swirl flaps, the earlier manual cars didn't have them, as I found out after I'd started the work to blank them off....
Edited by njw1 on Monday 23 November 17:51
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