The E46 325ti Appreciation Thread

[FredClogs]

G48 is always blue as far as i know, i dont know the result of using the wrong type though or the effect of mixing them.

[helix402]

G48 is blue/green, pink stuff sounds like VAG G13.

[anonymous-user]

Whilst giving the leather a bit of a clean with pear soap w/ water & a soft nail brush I have encountered this funny mark under a lot of dirt! Really was filthy, the microfibre after being used for the whole seat and hardly dirty was black after cleaning the boulster!!

Before:
IMG20180122162958 by ee zeh, on Flickr
IMG20180122163016 by ee zeh, on Flickr

After:
IMG20180122165147 by ee zeh, on Flickr

A friends friend has suggested that this is the result of a previous attempted repair and the cleaning process has removed the dye / paint?
Any suggestions?

[Cheapstraitsix]

Unfortunately the sale of my white one fell through, So will be going all out on it for track use now.
Fitting M3 hubs all round next week, can anyone advise if the M3 hub will fit in the standard compact ball joint?

Also stumbled upon this....575bhp!

[JakeT]

I think that's a previous repair you've removed. One day I want to 332ti my compact. One reason I still have it. Much more engaging drive than my 328ci.

[CaptainMorgan]

Cheapstraitsix said:

Unfortunately the sale of my white one fell through, So will be going all out on it for track use now.
Fitting M3 hubs all round next week, can anyone advise if the M3 hub will fit in the standard compact ball joint?

Also stumbled upon this....575bhp!

I cant answer you question but it'd be nice to see if we could get a few compacts together on a track day in the summer maybe?

[Cheapstraitsix]

CaptainMorgan said:

Cheapstraitsix said:

Unfortunately the sale of my white one fell through, So will be going all out on it for track use now.
Fitting M3 hubs all round next week, can anyone advise if the M3 hub will fit in the standard compact ball joint?

Also stumbled upon this....575bhp!

I cant answer you question but it'd be nice to see if we could get a few compacts together on a track day in the summer maybe?

I’m keen, I managed 8 trackdays in mine last year.

Got Anglesey, spa, ring and a sprint corse booked so far this year.

[330ti]

Cheapstraitsix said:

Unfortunately the sale of my white one fell through, So will be going all out on it for track use now.
Fitting M3 hubs all round next week, can anyone advise if the M3 hub will fit in the standard compact ball joint?

Also stumbled upon this....575bhp!

Can I ask why your fitting m3 hubs ? Is it to fit m3 brakes ?

[anonymous-user]

Appears I too, need a new radiator
Will change that when it goes. Cars done 101k miles, should have been changed before i'd have thought?

Also looking for a mystic blue m sport front numberplate plinth if anyone has one? Mine is unpainted plastic for some reason.

Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 27th January 22:42

[Cheapstraitsix]

330ti said:

Can I ask why your fitting m3 hubs ? Is it to fit m3 brakes ?

Indeed. Well, I will be borrowing the setup off my M3. 6 pot BMW performance fronts with CSL discs and Porsche rears.

My Hella radiator only lasted 18months before once again bowing to the point of leaking.
Probably due to the track work however.

[330ti]

I've got standard m3 calipers on the front of mine . The caliper hangers had a couple of mm machined off them to make them work with standard hub / uprights. I'm sure you don't want to do that if there going back on your m3. Maybe you can use complete upright ? Rears require change of trailing arms to m3, I use standard rear brakes and they work fine on track for me. I've got a complete m3 rear end / 3.61 lsd ready to go on if you interested ?

[Cheapstraitsix]

330ti said:

I've got standard m3 calipers on the front of mine . The caliper hangers had a couple of mm machined off them to make them work with standard hub / uprights. I'm sure you don't want to do that if there going back on your m3. Maybe you can use complete upright ? Rears require change of trailing arms to m3, I use standard rear brakes and they work fine on track for me. I've got a complete m3 rear end / 3.61 lsd ready to go on if you interested ?

I’m only stealing the BBK calipers off the M3 and putting the standard ones back on.


The compacts already running M3 coilovers I also have a spare set of front uprights and rear trailing arms as they were only £200 so was It was a no brainier.

Also have a M3 rear prop/shafts/subframe and LSD but want to get the diff rebuilt first.

Just got a recaro pole position for it also, hopefully that will make it a nice little car!

[FredClogs]

eezeh said:

Appears I too, need a new radiator
Will change that when it goes. Cars done 101k miles, should have been changed before i'd have thought?

Edited by eezeh on Saturday 27th January 22:42

Euro car parts had one of there twice weakly 50% off sales last week, i managed to pick up a hella radiator for £77, I'm not sure when I'll get around to doing it but it doesn't look too taxing, assuming i can keep coolant out of my eyes and get the hoses off with minimal knuckle skin damage.

[330ti]

Cheapstraitsix said:

330ti said:

I've got standard m3 calipers on the front of mine . The caliper hangers had a couple of mm machined off them to make them work with standard hub / uprights. I'm sure you don't want to do that if there going back on your m3. Maybe you can use complete upright ? Rears require change of trailing arms to m3, I use standard rear brakes and they work fine on track for me. I've got a complete m3 rear end / 3.61 lsd ready to go on if you interested ?

I’m only stealing the BBK calipers off the M3 and putting the standard ones back on.


The compacts already running M3 coilovers I also have a spare set of front uprights and rear trailing arms as they were only £200 so was It was a no brainier.

Also have a M3 rear prop/shafts/subframe and LSD but want to get the diff rebuilt first.

Just got a recaro pole position for it also, hopefully that will make it a nice little car!

Sounds like you've got all the parts to make things work. Brakes are a bit overkill or are you planning s54 engine too ? Will m3 rear prop work with ti front prop ? Maybe if your already six speed not sure if a five speed front will mate with m3 rear . Like you say they make a nice little track car .

[anonymous-user]

FredClogs said:

eezeh said:

Appears I too, need a new radiator
Will change that when it goes. Cars done 101k miles, should have been changed before i'd have thought?

Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 27th January 22:42

Euro car parts had one of there twice weakly 50% off sales last week, i managed to pick up a hella radiator for £77, I'm not sure when I'll get around to doing it but it doesn't look too taxing, assuming i can keep coolant out of my eyes and get the hoses off with minimal knuckle skin damage.

Ordered a hella one this morning, cost me £65
Now off to dig around on the tis to find how much coolant I need. Read on bimmerforums that the bmw coolant has additives in it which means you can use tap water with it?? Not quite sure about that one. Not too expensive from bmw themselves though!

[helix402]

A Nissens rad is £60. Coolant is G48, you need 5l concentrate, dilute 50/50 with tap water.

[Cheapstraitsix]

330ti said:

Sounds like you've got all the parts to make things work. Brakes are a bit overkill or are you planning s54 engine too ? Will m3 rear prop work with ti front prop ? Maybe if your already six speed not sure if a five speed front will mate with m3 rear . Like you say they make a nice little track car .

I’m 6 speed so the full M3 prop bolts strait on luckily, I think if 5 speed I think a custom prop is needed.

Il be running RS29 pads, so it should stop on it’s nose hopefully! Possibly overkill, but I have all the parts to hand so it would be rude not to.

I’m happy with the M52 as they’re cheap and bulletproof.
One of the reasons i don’t track the M3 is for fear of blowing the engine.
If the compact were to blow up or go into the wall, my biggest concern would be how would I get home rather than sobbing at all the money I’ve lost

[330ti]

Cheapstraitsix said:

330ti said:

Sounds like you've got all the parts to make things work. Brakes are a bit overkill or are you planning s54 engine too ? Will m3 rear prop work with ti front prop ? Maybe if your already six speed not sure if a five speed front will mate with m3 rear . Like you say they make a nice little track car .

I’m 6 speed so the full M3 prop bolts strait on luckily, I think if 5 speed I think a custom prop is needed.

Il be running RS29 pads, so it should stop on it’s nose hopefully! Possibly overkill, but I have all the parts to hand so it would be rude not to.

I’m happy with the M52 as they’re cheap and bulletproof.
One of the reasons i don’t track the M3 is for fear of blowing the engine.
If the compact were to blow up or go into the wall, my biggest concern would be how would I get home rather than sobbing at all the money I’ve lost

I sold my m3 for same reasons . I converted my ti to 330 which is cheap way to hang close to m3's on track

[Mgd_uk]

330ti said:

I sold my m3 for same reasons . I converted my ti to 330 which is cheap way to hang close to m3's on track

I have a 330ti also, I find down the longer straights the S54'd M3's leave me for dead.

How stripped out is your car?

[330ti]

Just stripped out seats and replaced for sparco's. Plus no spare wheel. A m3 is obviously quicker if they get onto the straits at the same speed but I've backed off to let them past and then they normally then hold you up till the next strait.
What other mods has yours got ? How does it compare on track with other common track cars like Clio's ?