E46 3 series - what to look for....

[MoonMonkey]

Hi guys, Looking at getting a snotter for around the £2.5k mark. Noticed a few 323i/328i E46 saloons around this figure with 100k plus on the clock on a 98/99 plate. Anyone have any experience and anything in particular to look for?? Cheers.

[john_p]

Specific things I know about -
Check for loose handling at the front or steering shake under braking (suspension parts are very prone to wear, and control arms are £300 per pair)

Rear subframe mountings tearing - check around rear diff and around boot floor, some were prone to this

If auto gearbox, check it goes through all forward and reverse without any hesitation in engagement

Consider replacing thermostat / water pump as preventative measures at next coolant change

Be very wary of anything showing the check engine light

You might find that it idles funny when it's warming up, a "cough" every 10s or so is a symptom of VANOS seal failure, a £50 part that is a reasonable although time-consuming DIY. All M52TU engines are believed to have this symptom once they pile on the miles, IMO it's not a major concern.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/wiki/index.php?title=BMW...

See if you can get one that's just had its second Inspection II done (Around 120k) - mine's a 328i SE Auto saloon and it's a very relaxing drive.. I think I'm getting old..

Edited by john_p on Tuesday 20th October 16:13

[MoonMonkey]

Excellent reply John... Just what I was after