RE: PH buying guide: BMW M3 (E46)
Discussion
I think it is fair to say that most performance cars like the M3, M5, RS4, RS6 etc have their fair share of common problems that any potential buyer should be well versed on before going to buy one.
Some have more than others but don't fool yourself that running an M or RS car that it will be cheap motoring as you WILL get landed with the occasional big bill for servicing or repairs when something goes wrong.
Some have more than others but don't fool yourself that running an M or RS car that it will be cheap motoring as you WILL get landed with the occasional big bill for servicing or repairs when something goes wrong.
so late 03 but preferable 04.
What is this convenience opening?
Actually done a search on M3s and there are some right dogs out there.
Pretty much the E36 M3s a while back, every one you looked at was a real dog.
Mileage unimportant as long as the service is bang up to date incl the running in.
What is this convenience opening?
Actually done a search on M3s and there are some right dogs out there.
Pretty much the E36 M3s a while back, every one you looked at was a real dog.
Mileage unimportant as long as the service is bang up to date incl the running in.
leeson660 said:
philis said:
Thought id balance out this thread with some E46 M3 ownership annoyances that rarely, if ever get mentioned on any enthusiasts websites for fear of being labeled a woofter.
1. Rear seats can rattle, annoying the hell out of you on a long journey.
2. Elbows catch on the seat bolsters when cornering, annoying the hell out of you on a long journey.
3. Seats force you to sit like a fat guy annoying the hell out of you on a long journey.
4. Radio reception - terrible, will annoy the hell out of you on a long journey.
5. Your mates will think your dealing drugs and will annoy the hell out of you on a long journey.
6. If its wet, stay the hell away from the accelerator, will annoy the hell out of you on a long journey.
7. If your brakes are standard, they WILL fail at the end of a long straight, and yep that's right, this will most definitely annoy the hell out of you on a long journey.
Other than that, there spot on, spot on i say.
Are you serious? Not having a go just completely different to my own experiences. If it was a joke just ignore my post 1. Rear seats can rattle, annoying the hell out of you on a long journey.
2. Elbows catch on the seat bolsters when cornering, annoying the hell out of you on a long journey.
3. Seats force you to sit like a fat guy annoying the hell out of you on a long journey.
4. Radio reception - terrible, will annoy the hell out of you on a long journey.
5. Your mates will think your dealing drugs and will annoy the hell out of you on a long journey.
6. If its wet, stay the hell away from the accelerator, will annoy the hell out of you on a long journey.
7. If your brakes are standard, they WILL fail at the end of a long straight, and yep that's right, this will most definitely annoy the hell out of you on a long journey.
Other than that, there spot on, spot on i say.
I'm also a peasant from cornwall which may also explain things 
Maybe my car is a one off but...
How can you not get comfortable in the m3 seats you can adjust pretty much every aspect of the seating position?
If the seat rattles which mine doesnt then find the problem and sort it?
Stay away from the accelerator in the wet? Buy some decent tires and the car is absolutely fine in the wet in fact its very rewarding to drive and very capable. I ran in the wet at VMax (very slippery) and it was amazing off the line and out of the bottom corner. If you put cheap tires on a 340bhp RWD car (assume that is the problem) then what do you expect, no fault of the car.
Brakes will fail at end of long straight? Not sure how much better the CS brakes are than standard (most ppl say not much) but again at VMax slowing down from 160mph+ was no problem despite what a lot of people said prior to the event. I think I did 8 runs throughout the day and the brakes didn't miss a beat. I doubt your going to hit those speeds on a long journey so the brakes should be fine.
That said I am a prolific drug dealer so can't really argue with point 5.
I appreciate there are a lot of bad cars out there but just take your time and buy from someone who has cherished the car. I always think tires are a good indicator. If the owner has put cheap tires on which in my opinion are the most important investments in a performance car then its possible that they won't have spent the money on maintaining / caring for the car to the highest standard.
All above just my opinion based on my limited exp of m3s.
Cheers james
ks you read on the internet.Obviously they are a superb machine in every way, but somehow i feel better for getting that off my chest.
I cannot however, get comfy in the seats, im forever adjusting them and the lumbar is just too accentuated. I like to slouch in a seat whereas these make you sit up straight, like your thrusting your gut towards the wheel, maybe that's just my deformed spine, my father used to beat me with a hammer.
And yes My brakes are s
te, but then again im sure they're still the original disks which will be 9 years old now, time for a change me thinks, or maybe i could just slow down and safe make them last a bit longer Edited by philis on Thursday 5th July 14:42
I had an M3 CSL and found a CG Lock did a brilliant job at keeping my posture, and therefore improved comfort no end. Did massive trips in it without back ache, whereas i was in agony before the little seatbelt gadget.
My CSL only had a few thousand miles on the clock, yet the rear springs needed replacing straight away and a sensor went on the SMG. Fortunately, warranty meant it wasn't an issue, but it was a surprising on what was a German car that was very well looked after.
I sold mine before the subframe defect news blew up. I'd certainly want to see evidence of it being fixed/checked.
All in all, great cars and i think they still look good in a fairly neutral colour and the CSL wheels.
My CSL only had a few thousand miles on the clock, yet the rear springs needed replacing straight away and a sensor went on the SMG. Fortunately, warranty meant it wasn't an issue, but it was a surprising on what was a German car that was very well looked after.
I sold mine before the subframe defect news blew up. I'd certainly want to see evidence of it being fixed/checked.
All in all, great cars and i think they still look good in a fairly neutral colour and the CSL wheels.
My old M3 Convertible was one of the best cars I have owned.
I traded it in for a new Z4M Roadster (one of the last few left) in 2009 and missed it like mad for 12 months.
The M3 seemed cumbersome by comparison but the looks/performance balance was spot on whereas the Z is an ugly bugger from some angles but performance and aurally excels.
I'd love another M3 though at some point, either Coupe or Convertible as in my view both are awesome cars and are far better looking than the E90/92 that replaced them.
I traded it in for a new Z4M Roadster (one of the last few left) in 2009 and missed it like mad for 12 months.
The M3 seemed cumbersome by comparison but the looks/performance balance was spot on whereas the Z is an ugly bugger from some angles but performance and aurally excels.
I'd love another M3 though at some point, either Coupe or Convertible as in my view both are awesome cars and are far better looking than the E90/92 that replaced them.
Patrick Bateman said:
Drug dealer look?
Maybe if you tint all the windows, put naff alloys on it and have it scraping the ground.
They do have a bit of an 'image' much the same as the e36 M3 used to. Unfortunately, E46 M3s do attract some idiots but I think in a few years time they'll be recognised as a classic.Maybe if you tint all the windows, put naff alloys on it and have it scraping the ground.
Patrick Bateman said:
St John Smythe said:
They do have a bit of an 'image' much the same as the e36 M3 used to. Unfortunately, E46 M3s do attract some idiots but I think in a few years time they'll be recognised as a classic.
Yeah but that image generally goes with the sort of stuff I said.St John Smythe said:
Unfortunately, it's the mass production of the model. E36 M3s for years were branded as a bit chav, etc and only now they're starting to be recognised for the great car that they are. The E46 is going the same way. The E30 M3 never suffered from this due to the low production numbers.
I actually think the E30 M3 did suffer from this for a little while too. Remember when the E36 M3 was in full stride, and the Germans got fed up with their E30s? Quite a few came across the channel to the UK, some into nice garages and were well looked after, but many many more were modded to within an inch of their lives and unceremoniously had the living cr@p driven out of themOnly once their values started picking up in the 2000s and E36 M3s tumbled did this seem to change
Leins said:
St John Smythe said:
Unfortunately, it's the mass production of the model. E36 M3s for years were branded as a bit chav, etc and only now they're starting to be recognised for the great car that they are. The E46 is going the same way. The E30 M3 never suffered from this due to the low production numbers.
I actually think the E30 M3 did suffer from this for a little while too. Remember when the E36 M3 was in full stride, and the Germans got fed up with their E30s? Quite a few came across the channel to the UK, some into nice garages and were well looked after, but many many more were modded to within an inch of their lives and unceremoniously had the living cr@p driven out of themOnly once their values started picking up in the 2000s and E36 M3s tumbled did this seem to change
St John Smythe said:
They were quite unloved at one point it's true. Guy I know bought a nice one few years back for about 4k. It's now worth 15k. Who'd of thought it?
I know, wish I'd had the cash 10 years ago for an E30 B6 3.5S. Keep thinking the same at the moment about the E36 B8 though too. Hmmm....!!!!I had a 2002 SMG, despite the rock hard unforgiving suspension and the total lack of feedback from the steering I loved it, I sold it because of a neck injury which made driving it unbearable, I’d go for a blat and had to be helped out of it in agony when I got home. Going over a speed bump at anything more than 20mph used to launch me through the sunroof. I will have another one though!
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