RE: BMW M3 (E46): Spotted
Discussion
blade7 said:
The seller has spent £2k a year on it's upkeep. I wonder how many posters on this thread would put their hand in their pocket and actually buy the car, and then be happy to continue the same yearly outlay? Maybe the owner is getting out before a really big/terminal bill comes along.
Maybe it's an old, £50k-when-new car (or close to that) and it needs regular TLC now.I really can't stand all these people who buy stuff like this when cheap and neglect anything more than oil changes...because over time and mileage most stuff on a car will wear and deteriorate, from obvious stuff like clutches and dampers to less-obvious like bushes, calipers, driveshafts, gear linkages, radiators, steering racks and rod-ends, etc. etc. etc.
That's not to say every old performance car is a money-pit, but it is to say that if you buy one and don't think about this stuff you won't be getting near the 'when-new' levels of performance, precision and engagement...
So that this chap has a sheaf of receipts is to his credit, quite frankly, and for me that makes it very likely a better buy than a 90k-mile car that's had bare-minimum servicing.
blade7 said:
The seller has spent £2k a year on it's upkeep. I wonder how many posters on this thread would put their hand in their pocket and actually buy the car, and then be happy to continue the same yearly outlay? Maybe the owner is getting out before a really big/terminal bill comes along.
I’ve spent that much and more running many cars but not cars worth £8k that’s the issue Mileage always amuses me with perceived value, I used to have a E46 330d Sport touring that I sold with 220k, sold that and bought an E90 330d Sport touring with 175k that’s running just fine. Purely regarding mileage from a mechanical point would you want one that’s say done motorway mileage all it’s life therefore limited gearchanges/clutch use and steady state temperatures or one that’s done 3 miles each way every day and never reached operating temperature
On the flip side I quite like that my E46 M3 has just done 74k 😏
On the flip side I quite like that my E46 M3 has just done 74k 😏
Wish I'd bought one a decade ago when good well-used ones were plentiful and £5k.
I've done the high-miles thing twice - I have a 225,000-mile E39 540i Touring, only thing wrong with it is the header tank failed catastrophically at speed, cooking the coolant, so it's awaiting an engine rebuild/replacement, but I hammered that car for 10,000 miles in a year and nothing else gave any clue to it not being a car half its age and mileage. I'm now in a 261,000-mile E66 760Li - aside from a lumpy idle, it drives exactly as it should.
I've done the high-miles thing twice - I have a 225,000-mile E39 540i Touring, only thing wrong with it is the header tank failed catastrophically at speed, cooking the coolant, so it's awaiting an engine rebuild/replacement, but I hammered that car for 10,000 miles in a year and nothing else gave any clue to it not being a car half its age and mileage. I'm now in a 261,000-mile E66 760Li - aside from a lumpy idle, it drives exactly as it should.
RoverP6B said:
Wish I'd bought one a decade ago when good well-used ones were plentiful and £5k.
I've done the high-miles thing twice - I have a 225,000-mile E39 540i Touring, only thing wrong with it is the header tank failed catastrophically at speed, cooking the coolant, so it's awaiting an engine rebuild/replacement, but I hammered that car for 10,000 miles in a year and nothing else gave any clue to it not being a car half its age and mileage. I'm now in a 261,000-mile E66 760Li - aside from a lumpy idle, it drives exactly as it should.
Were they £5k in 2009? Weren’t they produced 2000-2006? I can’t picture a good one ever being £5k but happy to be wrong I've done the high-miles thing twice - I have a 225,000-mile E39 540i Touring, only thing wrong with it is the header tank failed catastrophically at speed, cooking the coolant, so it's awaiting an engine rebuild/replacement, but I hammered that car for 10,000 miles in a year and nothing else gave any clue to it not being a car half its age and mileage. I'm now in a 261,000-mile E66 760Li - aside from a lumpy idle, it drives exactly as it should.
bloomen said:
I've had plenty of cars around that mileage and they weren't a massive amount of fun to own even if they'd been kept on top of.
2-4 grand would buy plenty more life and less potential ball ache. I'd be more than happy to pay that.
I have an ad on here for mine: younger, less leggy and IMHO a much nicer colour2-4 grand would buy plenty more life and less potential ball ache. I'd be more than happy to pay that.
Best not say more than that though
Are you sure you don't mean £12-15k. I was considering one back then, and it would have been an absolute bargain, or been to the moon for less than £10k.People always fall into the trap of talking about just the engine when they talk about mileage. They always seem to neglect the rest of the car, which also goes through those miles.
Then there's the types of miles. Has it been up and down long motorways ever weekend, or been ragged around country lanes every day? One will increase wear to every single component much more than the other.
At 165k miles I'd expect this has had both. I'd expect it feels far more loose and not like BMW intended regardless as to whether or not shocks, springs and bushes have been changed. I'd expect the leather is tatty, the inside is scuffed everywhere and bits will fail most months if you use it.
It's not really much of a negative, I doubt any owner would get one up to those miles and it not become an expensive hobby.
I had a 330 Vert for 5 years and rarely a month went by where I didn't have a job to do on it. That only had late 80's on the clock so half this one. Just as an idea (and I did all this myself on my drive)
Thermostat
Wishbones
Front control arm bushes
Drop links
Steering coupler
2 x air intake boots
Radiator (many of them need entire cooling systems changing but mine was fine)
Rear shocks and springs
2 Batteries - no drain found, it just killed them
2 cam cover gasketts
Pair of front wings
Problems I never fixed were a sticky gear selector. When it was cold it wouldn't center. Gearbox out job. That and the CCV which means you end up using a tad too much oil. About a liter ever 1,000 miles.
I've currently got an F25 30D Sport on 87k which did 55k miles going back and forth the German in it's first 3 years. It was like a new car when I got it. Wifes scuffed the wheels and paint, but it's still better than that E46 was (other than looks and driving fun lol)
Then there's the types of miles. Has it been up and down long motorways ever weekend, or been ragged around country lanes every day? One will increase wear to every single component much more than the other.
At 165k miles I'd expect this has had both. I'd expect it feels far more loose and not like BMW intended regardless as to whether or not shocks, springs and bushes have been changed. I'd expect the leather is tatty, the inside is scuffed everywhere and bits will fail most months if you use it.
It's not really much of a negative, I doubt any owner would get one up to those miles and it not become an expensive hobby.
I had a 330 Vert for 5 years and rarely a month went by where I didn't have a job to do on it. That only had late 80's on the clock so half this one. Just as an idea (and I did all this myself on my drive)
Thermostat
Wishbones
Front control arm bushes
Drop links
Steering coupler
2 x air intake boots
Radiator (many of them need entire cooling systems changing but mine was fine)
Rear shocks and springs
2 Batteries - no drain found, it just killed them
2 cam cover gasketts
Pair of front wings
Problems I never fixed were a sticky gear selector. When it was cold it wouldn't center. Gearbox out job. That and the CCV which means you end up using a tad too much oil. About a liter ever 1,000 miles.
I've currently got an F25 30D Sport on 87k which did 55k miles going back and forth the German in it's first 3 years. It was like a new car when I got it. Wifes scuffed the wheels and paint, but it's still better than that E46 was (other than looks and driving fun lol)
bitcrusher said:
Dr Nookie said:
I used to read threads like this and think - Jesus it's gonna blow up if I don't get this work done - and now I think, if it was gonna go it would've by now and I just look after it and enjoy it.
Hopefully I'm not rolling the dice every day and I've just been lucky- certainly doesn't feel like it. But if I'm not at the Silverstone Classic you know what's happened....
Best attitude to have right there. All the armchair experts will tell you that X, Y and Z always go on every single example of whatever marque it is by some arbitrary mileage, and it's usually so much hot air. The reality of course is that each car is different - driven differently, serviced (or not..) differently, stored differently... hell, even with modern manufacturing there can be differences in tolerances, materials and components used for better or for worse. It's great to know what the common foibles are when shopping for second hand cars but if it ain't broke and all that...Hopefully I'm not rolling the dice every day and I've just been lucky- certainly doesn't feel like it. But if I'm not at the Silverstone Classic you know what's happened....
Rod bearings- were upgraded on facelift models and were a warranty recall on pre-facelift so will only be an issue if people have bought without doing their research.
Bootfloor- poor design hence the issues, however there are plenty out there that havent gone- the smg models fare worse due to the more violent gear changes.
Vanos- i've never had vanos issues on the BMW's i've owned- there is a small filter on the S54 engine that can be changed in 20secs for about £4.
I’ve had my 2002 m3 from very nearly new and put 165k miles on it. It’s been a fabulous thing to live with over the years as my daily car.
It’s had a few bits done as you’d expect. It’s on KW2 coil overs, with CSL wheels and CSL calliper carriers and discs, and to my eye looks just right. It’s not needed too much over the years, but anything it does need I get done rather than let things build up.
I change bushes when needed and to me that keeps it feeling tight to drive. I did the prop shaft coupling recently and that made a big change.
I’ve recently got myself a ford ranger as a daily so I can keep my m3 for wknds etc, but I really miss driving it every day. If I had to I’d happily keep using it and really wouldn’t worry about the mileage.
It’s had a few bits done as you’d expect. It’s on KW2 coil overs, with CSL wheels and CSL calliper carriers and discs, and to my eye looks just right. It’s not needed too much over the years, but anything it does need I get done rather than let things build up.
I change bushes when needed and to me that keeps it feeling tight to drive. I did the prop shaft coupling recently and that made a big change.
I’ve recently got myself a ford ranger as a daily so I can keep my m3 for wknds etc, but I really miss driving it every day. If I had to I’d happily keep using it and really wouldn’t worry about the mileage.
I bought one at 85k miles for 10k
I put another 80k miles on it and then part exchanged it for £6500 3 years later.
Less than £100 a month to drive around in an all time great M car was pretty good and I really enjoyed owning the car. Prices for low mileage examples of these will be stratospheric in a few years.
I put another 80k miles on it and then part exchanged it for £6500 3 years later.
Less than £100 a month to drive around in an all time great M car was pretty good and I really enjoyed owning the car. Prices for low mileage examples of these will be stratospheric in a few years.
blade7 said:
Mr Gearchange said:
I bought one at 85k miles for 10k
I put another 80k miles on it and then part exchanged it for £6500 3 years later.
Unless you've owned more than one E46 M3, your garage suggests otherwise...I put another 80k miles on it and then part exchanged it for £6500 3 years later.
Mr Gearchange said:
blade7 said:
Mr Gearchange said:
I bought one at 85k miles for 10k
I put another 80k miles on it and then part exchanged it for £6500 3 years later.
Unless you've owned more than one E46 M3, your garage suggests otherwise...I put another 80k miles on it and then part exchanged it for £6500 3 years later.
. Only checked your garage to see what it costs to stick 80k on an M3 in 3 years.I have had my SMG coupe for nearly 2 years now. It's a bit of a leggy one just ticked over 110k, but it's still going so so strong. Don't get me wrong it's had it's maintenance, one of the previous owners got shafted with a very strong bill for the SMG pump and clutch, and I have done a lot of work myself. I should mention though everything I have done has been more preventative maintenance of small bits, and have done most of the work myself. The car is now very very presentable, I gave it a near full respray to get rid of rust, cooling system refresh, drivetrain refresh and many squeaks and rattles fixed. It's extremely solid now.
VANOS is fine, rod bearings I keep an eye on oil analysis and make sure it's always warmed up before revving high. No sign of head gasket going. The car doesn't get enough credit imo, I know it can be high maintenance and that tends to put people off, but it's not THAT bad. Most of the work I done wasn't required, I chose to do it because the car deserves it. Unfortunately many owners don't think the same, end up neglecting, and then issues can arise.
After all it's a +300bhp NA with one of the highest BHP/L figures, and that noise is to die for. I always smile when I take it to the 8k redline. I love it.
VANOS is fine, rod bearings I keep an eye on oil analysis and make sure it's always warmed up before revving high. No sign of head gasket going. The car doesn't get enough credit imo, I know it can be high maintenance and that tends to put people off, but it's not THAT bad. Most of the work I done wasn't required, I chose to do it because the car deserves it. Unfortunately many owners don't think the same, end up neglecting, and then issues can arise.
After all it's a +300bhp NA with one of the highest BHP/L figures, and that noise is to die for. I always smile when I take it to the 8k redline. I love it.
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