The E46 325ti Appreciation Thread

[dirtychinchilla]

So you're saying it's a good car? :P

[Max M4X WW]

dirtychinchilla said:

So you're saying it's a good car? :P

Seemed to drive well given the knocking shock!

[Andrew Kettle]

Due to the expense of keeping two cars taxed and insured, against my better judgment I am dropping the price of mine again - its now up for £2100.00 which is crazy considering when I was looking a year ago it was a struggle to find a good example of a Sport with much change from £3000, let alone one where most of the M54 gremlins had been sorted!

[Max M4X WW]

PaulGT3 said:

Hil_lo said:

Random, but does anyone know the part number for the lower intake boot. Can't find it on real oem. Cheers.

13541435627 is the part number you require!

Just noticed this, my car has a 'sound generator' also attached to this hose as well as the ISCV. Is this the same for all 325ti?

[Andrew Kettle]

Max M4X WW said:

Just noticed this, my car has a 'sound generator' also attached to this hose as well as the ISCV. Is this the same for all 325ti?

Yup, they all do, transmits some of the engine noise into the cabin so you can hear that 6 roar better!

Edited by Andrew Kettle on Thursday 20th April 21:44

[Max M4X WW]

Andrew Kettle said:

Max M4X WW said:

Just noticed this, my car has a 'sound generator' also attached to this hose as well as the ISCV. Is this the same for all 325ti?

Yup, they all do, transmits some of the engine noise into the cabin so you can hear that 6 roar better!

Edited by Andrew Kettle on Thursday 20th April 21:44

The part number above is wrong then!

[Andrew Kettle]

Max M4X WW said:

Andrew Kettle said:

Max M4X WW said:

Just noticed this, my car has a 'sound generator' also attached to this hose as well as the ISCV. Is this the same for all 325ti?

Yup, they all do, transmits some of the engine noise into the cabin so you can hear that 6 roar better!

Edited by Andrew Kettle on Thursday 20th April 21:44

The part number above is wrong then!

The sound generator comes off of the top intake boot sorry, so this part is different to the one found in the 325i and 325ci, the lower intake boot is the same. When I got my lower, I went to BMW and just described the part needed as I couldn't find the part number on real oem either, they gave me the one from the m54 in the 325i their computer said it didn't fit but it is 100% the same part and fits.

[PaulGT3]

Max M4X WW said:

The part number above is wrong then!

Nope that part number is for the lower intake boot which is common between all m54 engined cars apart from the 3 litre.

The sound generator is attached to the upper intake boot which is unique to the 325ti. The part number for this is 13547510315.

[Hil_lo]

Sound generator is also on some Z4's FYI..

[Max M4X WW]

PaulGT3 said:

Max M4X WW said:

The part number above is wrong then!

Nope that part number is for the lower intake boot which is common between all m54 engined cars apart from the 3 litre.

The sound generator is attached to the upper intake boot which is unique to the 325ti. The part number for this is 13547510315.

Apologies and thanks for clarifying!

In other news, I weighed the silver 325ti today at a scrap dealers and it came in at 1380kg with half a tank of fuel (car has nav etc in the boot, so a bit of extra weight there!)

[Max M4X WW]

Any thoughts on this? After a bit more noise and would rather not have an open filter (not sure if this will make a lot more noise though! (was thinking of hooking it up to an M3 scoop/duct (though I am aware the 325ti and M3 both have dual feeds)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/350630179125?_trksid=p20...

[Cheapstraitsix]

Another trackday completed in mine.
Can highly recommend the koni set up, managed consistent 1min 27sec laps despite being a bit damp.

Frustrating that the o ring went on the power steering cap spilling power steering fluid all over the engine bay, this ended play at lunch time. Other then that couldn't fault it.
Oh except for the BMW bonnet badge came flying off at over 115mph into quarry!





Anybody interested in getting a few of these booked on a trackday? Would be interesting to see how much quicker the stripped out ones are etc.

[Max M4X WW]

Good stuff! Would be interested in a joint day once I have a bit of experience under my belt.

You have reminded me to replace the PAS cap/seal - I've done this before on E46 and E39 as they all seem to leak anyway.

Do you have details on the Koni kit? I was looking at HSD coils which are £700 I think.

[Twin2]

That's mine off to a new owner!

The chap had owned one from new in 2002, did almost 200k miles before it started losing power so he sold it to be a drift car and bought mine to replace it!

Sorely missed now though, as soon as I've got the space and time for it I'll have another

[Cheapstraitsix]

Max M4X WW said:

Good stuff! Would be interested in a joint day once I have a bit of experience under my belt.

You have reminded me to replace the PAS cap/seal - I've done this before on E46 and E39 as they all seem to leak anyway.

Do you have details on the Koni kit? I was looking at HSD coils which are £700 I think.

Page 60 i put the details up £380 for h&r springs with koni dampers. Can go for the adjustable dampers for extra ££ but depends what your after in the car.

I don't want to invest to much in mine as then Il be more precious over it whereas it's intended as a bit of cheap fun for myself.
Also at my driver level I doubt I'd Benefit greatly from £1000 suspension! However, it Makes me chuckle the people you see on track days that bring stripped out cars with cages and £1500 brakes that don't push them at all.
I passed the Leon in the pic above several times!

[Cheapstraitsix]

Twin2 said:

That's mine off to a new owner!

The chap had owned one from new in 2002, did almost 200k miles before it started losing power so he sold it to be a drift car and bought mine to replace it!

Sorely missed now though, as soon as I've got the space and time for it I'll have another

If it was a 2003 rather then a 2002 i would have said it must be this one.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/152515288250

[JakeT]

I was about to ask if it was that one! Looks surprisingly good for 200 large.

[HugoFastmann]

Just found this thread. I've owned mine for just under 3 years now, bought off the original owner on 55k miles. I've made a few changes and upgrades. It's slowly transforming into a track-ready daily.

Original spec was a 325ti Sport, Black Sapphire Metallic with Montana Grey leather and Carbon Cube trim, business stereo with 6-disc stacker, etc.





The important bits:
Suspension - H&R Sport Cupkit (OEM fitment), poly bushes in the rear end
Brakes - MTEC grooved/dimpled discs all round
Wheels - Cades Tora 18x8J ET35, 18x9J ET40
Tyres - Dunlop Sport Maxx RT 225/40/R18, 255/35/R18
Shifter - E60 545i short shift kit, ZHP-style gear knob

Loads of little tweaks around the car, and loads more in the pipeline.

Also keen to get this little sucker on a track later in the year...

[HugoFastmann]

Max M4X WW said:

Any thoughts on this? After a bit more noise and would rather not have an open filter (not sure if this will make a lot more noise though! (was thinking of hooking it up to an M3 scoop/duct (though I am aware the 325ti and M3 both have dual feeds)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/350630179125?_trksid=p20...

Not worth it. I've heard bad things about those. I'd recommend a BMC CDA if you're after the enclosed type, or a Mishimoto or AFE if you want a cone-style filter. Otherwise, just get a K&N or BMC panel filter replacement. I've got a silicone intake boot and standard panel filter and box and that made a nice noise improvement (by ditching the resonator) and I've been told drilling out the bottom of the air box with a hole saw also increases intake noise.

Edited by HugoFastmann on Tuesday 25th April 10:23

[s m]

HugoFastmann said:

Max M4X WW said:

Any thoughts on this? After a bit more noise and would rather not have an open filter (not sure if this will make a lot more noise though! (was thinking of hooking it up to an M3 scoop/duct (though I am aware the 325ti and M3 both have dual feeds)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/350630179125?_trksid=p20...

Not worth it. I've heard bad things about those. I'd recommend a BMC CDA if you're after the enclosed type, or a Mishimoto or AFE if you want a cone-style filter. Otherwise, just get a K&N or BMC panel filter replacement. I've got a silicone intake boot and standard panel filter and box and that made a nice noise improvement (by ditching the resonator) and I've been told drilling out the bottom of the air box with a hole saw also increases intake noise.

Edited by HugoFastmann on Tuesday 25th April 10:23

Mine came with the BMW Performance airbox fitted from new. Sounds a bit rortier than the normal airbox imo and is supposed to offer a whopping 2bhp more!