e46 - Saloon v coupe (& 325i v 330i)
Discussion
Find out if it has FBMWSH and if it does, call BMW Customer Services on their 0900 line to find out which dealers that the car has been to. Once you find out which dealers have serviced it, call them up individually and ask them what was done on the car and at what date/mileage. My experience is that dealers are generally happy to give out the info.
The common faults on E46s are front control arm bushes and rear trailing arm bushes. The rear springs snap quite easily too.
The common faults on E46s are front control arm bushes and rear trailing arm bushes. The rear springs snap quite easily too.
^ this.
I got one that only had one previous owner for 6 years and was serviced by a local garage. The garage did everything they should have but never went any further making suggestions of what needed doing soon. I found this out and just forked out a tidy sum of money getting bushes replaced etc.
Handling will be the main thing you need to check out on a test drive. Make sure you go one a dual carriage way (or busy road) and check how it performs at cruising at 60-70mph. If it feels vague, light at front, fidgity, and requires constant steering corrections due to it wandering right to left it needs bushes, control arms, etc etc
I got one that only had one previous owner for 6 years and was serviced by a local garage. The garage did everything they should have but never went any further making suggestions of what needed doing soon. I found this out and just forked out a tidy sum of money getting bushes replaced etc.
Handling will be the main thing you need to check out on a test drive. Make sure you go one a dual carriage way (or busy road) and check how it performs at cruising at 60-70mph. If it feels vague, light at front, fidgity, and requires constant steering corrections due to it wandering right to left it needs bushes, control arms, etc etc
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