E46 Model Changes

[rfn]

I'm looking at E46 Convertibles for around the £6/7k mark.

My mate had a 2000/X 325 saloon and now has 53 325 Coupe, and the interior in the 53 plate one is much improved. Can anyone tell me when this was introduced? Was it in 2001/51 when the saloon/touring got uplifted indicators, or not until 2003/03 when the Coupe got the uplifted indicators?

Anything Convertible specific issues I should look for - looking at 325/330Ci's.

[Rob.]

I'm pretty sure the whole range (Saloon, Coupe, Touring etc.) got the facelifted front end (Lights, grille) and LED's on the rear at the same time which was as you say circa 2003/03.

[LC23]

Hi there - saloon was facelifted earlier than the coupes and convertibles. These were not facelifted until 2003.

[Rob.]

Can't have been that much sooner can it? I've seen 52 plate 3-series which are non facelift.

[AB]

You will find a few pre-facelift 53 plates but on the whole, the facelift was implemented around that time.

There weren't THAT many changes interior wise although spec level made a difference i.e. climate control which the facelift will have had as standard I think.

[stevesuk]

When I was looking at coupes, the early E46 (323, 328 etc) had a different standard spec to the January 2003 52 plate I ended up with, which was built in November 2002.

Notably mine has (fitted as standard I think) cruise control, multifunction wheel, rear parking sensors and a centre front arm-rest. Which were four things I wanted for my motorway cruiser.

It seems to be half way towards a facelift... has clear indicator lenses for example, but not LED tailights... Mine also has DSC (I think the earlier ones had ASC or something not quite as advanced?).

[Mustard]

There are a few, and i mean a few E46 M52 engined 323Ci & 328Ci Convertibles registered on W and X plates, these were made for approx 6mths prior to the introduction of the M54 engined 325Ci & 330Ci which also saw the introduction of the 'Sport' spec with the 2001my (late 2000)

You'll need to buy with care for £6-7k especially if you want a decent spec / lowish mileage Sport such as this
http://www.autobahn-classics.co.uk/section273326_2... you need to spend quite a bit more!

[ASR1]

Facelift came in March 2003/03, but you'll find an overlapping period where pre and post-facelift cars co-exist to around 53-reg.

Very little was changed interior-wise.

[Fox-]

rfn said:

My mate had a 2000/X 325 saloon and now has 53 325 Coupe, and the interior in the 53 plate one is much improved. Can anyone tell me when this was introduced?

It wasn't. There was no real interior change, even during the facelift, bar the steering wheel change in 2000. Any interior differences were purely down to trim levels and specification when new.

Saloon was facelifted in late 2001 on a 51 plate, Coupe and Cabrio in mid 2003 on an 03 plate. Saloon never got LED lights. Coupe and Cab did.

[rfn]

Thanks for the replies .

The dashboard lights (ie handbrake lamp, full beam logo etc) on the newer car are definitely different so some things were changed, just trying to ascertain when?

As someone mentioned - can anyone clarify when ASC changed to DSC as I think this is probably one of the main changes that took place?

[duff]

My 02 plate 330 saloon is a facelift model and has DSC.

[matt uk]

Back in 2001 I had a facelift saloon on a 51 plate.

[Fox-]

rfn said:

The dashboard lights (ie handbrake lamp, full beam logo etc) on the newer car are definitely different so some things were changed, just trying to ascertain when?

I'm pretty sure they are not..

[daveco]

I'm pretty sure the interior was upgraded with the introduction of the 330 late '00 and the exterior of the car mid '03. Also in mid '03 they improved the steering too.

[Fox-]

Other than bits of trim which were model specific (ie new carbon weave effect for the Sport and so on) the only interior changes I can think of were the ditching of that awful E36 steering wheel in 2000 and the move to 16:9 navigation.

[paoloh]

Saloonn was facelifted on a 51.

OP, are you sure your mates newer car is not a sport?

[rfn]

paoloh said:

Saloonn was facelifted on a 51.

OP, are you sure your mates newer car is not a sport?

My mate's newer car is a Sport, but the stuff that I don't think should have changed between the older and newer car appears to have done - I knew the seats/climate and dash surround would have but I just thought the whole interior felt "fresher" - maybe this is all down to the different steering wheel, I'm not sure.

If any one could tell me if there are any specific issues I should be looking at for a convertible at the lower end of the market. Ideally I'd be looking at an 03/53 facelift one but budget just won't allow.

[matt uk]

rfn said:

paoloh said:

Saloonn was facelifted on a 51.

OP, are you sure your mates newer car is not a sport?

My mate's newer car is a Sport, but the stuff that I don't think should have changed between the older and newer car appears to have done - I knew the seats/climate and dash surround would have but I just thought the whole interior felt "fresher" - maybe this is all down to the different steering wheel, I'm not sure.

The crappy old steering, a wood dash and manual heater controls can age the dash quite badly.

[obscene]

http://www.bimmerfest.com/wiki/index.php/BMW_E46#C...

[ASR1]

Wasn't ASC only on four cylinder models and DSC on sixes?