The E46 325ti Appreciation Thread

[mwggriffiths]

JZZ30 said:

I think the edit on this post got missed, anyone got a recommendation?

OE manufacturer is HELLA, last time I checked you could buy HELLA branded sensors (PN 6PR007868031) off eBay for ~£80

If you have a look at this one from the USA, you can see where the BMW logo and PN have been machined off! https://goo.gl/onTrup

[Mr Tidy]

Sorry everyone - I need to stand in the "naughty corner".

I put a deposit on an E91 325i Touring yesterday, so my 52 plate Imola Red 325ti Sport is up for sale. But a Touring will work so much better for my Mum's Zimmer, walker, wheel-chair etc.)

Anyway my 325ti Sport is a pre-facelift in Imola Red with full black leather, power folding mirrors and CD-changer.

I'd love to sell it to an enthusiast, so if anyone is interested please message me.

I'll miss it though.

Edited by Mr Tidy on Tuesday 20th February 02:42

[MMN661R]

Got this in October last year - Fantastic runner. I do a 25 mile round trip to work everyday on nice open roads, some of which is unrestricted (no speed limit) and it gets a chance to open up. Need to be careful though, makes it heavy on the petrol and half way along the unrestricted section, there is a sharp 90 degree turn!

2001 model, just shy of 130,000 miles £1100

Edited by MMN661R on Tuesday 20th February 19:00

[Cheapstraitsix]

Front track nicely widened now the M3 hubs and brakes are finally on.
To make it happen M3 wishbones and M3 full track rods are needed If anyone else is looking to do the same.

[James-iq6aa]

Hi guys.
New to the forum and I am looking for one of these. I'm in North notts so anything that may come up for sale within 50 or so miles from there...please let me know!
Preferably a sport and maybe 6 speed.
Supposed to have viewed one in Derby this morning but it sold last night before hand😠

[anonymous-user]

James-iq6aa said:

Hi guys.
New to the forum and I am looking for one of these. I'm in North notts so anything that may come up for sale within 50 or so miles from there...please let me know!
Preferably a sport and maybe 6 speed.
Supposed to have viewed one in Derby this morning but it sold last night before hand??

There's a black 325ti 6 speed sport for sale on ebay in London at the moment, owned by a member of the m3cutters forum with a FSH.

[James-iq6aa]

Yes thanks for that. I seem to have seen all possible ones for sale online at the moment.
That black one is top end of what I want to pay and also quite a distance from me.
Looks nice though!
The one in Derby was an 04 in Avus Blue and was 1200quid. Gutted he sold it before my appointment.

[JakeT]

I fitted a new battery to mine today. Crazy I know. The old one only lasted 17 years.

[helix402]

You beat my 16 years on the old 330!

[anonymous-user]

James-iq6aa said:

Yes thanks for that. I seem to have seen all possible ones for sale online at the moment.
That black one is top end of what I want to pay and also quite a distance from me.
Looks nice though!
The one in Derby was an 04 in Avus Blue and was 1200quid. Gutted he sold it before my appointment.

As I found when looking for them, nice ones do not come up very often and if you see a nice one it is worth the distance.
Especially a sport 6 speed manual.

JakeT said:

I fitted a new battery to mine today. Crazy I know. The old one only lasted 17 years.

Incidentally I also fitted a new battery today after it left me stranded twice. Would not like starting less than a few hours after turning off. Not quite sure whether the old was original but it was a BMW battery, 15 years old if it was original.
Failed the Halfords battery tester so bought a Yuasa 096 12v 80aH battery. So much quicker to start!

Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 24th February 18:22

[s m]

JakeT said:

I fitted a new battery to mine today. Crazy I know. The old one only lasted 17 years.

Sounds like I have a few more years on mine then!

[Mr Tidy]

Well thanks to this thread mine got sold today.

So after being quoted in the first post on this thread I probably won't be here so much.

Still the buyer found it through this thread, so hopefully he'll contribute now!

Edited by Mr Tidy on Tuesday 27th February 20:43

[JakeT]

The only reason mine really needed replacing is because I've barely driven it in the past 4 months. It would start the car, albeit slowly. If I'd driven it more I reckon it would still be good. I bought a Bosch S5 one, only because Euro Car Parts had a sale on. Not to mention, the inconvenience of being stranded outweighs the cost of a new battery by far. I also washed the garage dust off and waxed it.

[anonymous-user]

JakeT said:

The only reason mine really needed replacing is because I've barely driven it in the past 4 months. It would start the car, albeit slowly. If I'd driven it more I reckon it would still be good. I bought a Bosch S5 one, only because Euro Car Parts had a sale on. Not to mention, the inconvenience of being stranded outweighs the cost of a new battery by far. I also washed the garage dust off and waxed it.

Paint looks lovely, what wax do you use? my R222 is almost out and doesn't really last very long. A week or two usually.

[JakeT]

Thanks. It's got Autoglym Ultra HD wax on it, and I give it a going over of Autoglym Aqua wax whenever I wash it.

[Deptford Draylons]

Was toying with the idea of trading for a 1 series coupe, but now decided to keep mine so been fixing bits and bobs and the MOT failures. Rebuilt the failed wiper motor which now works fine, but for some reason parks on the other side to others. Oh well, it works... Also did the CCV and that made bugger all difference to the oil consumption.
Next up will be a window regulator and a new front wing to replace the crusty item that's holed. Wheels have had a refurb and even gave the car a quick polish. I bought this a couple of years ago for £1700 and its still cheap fun daily motoring.

20180216_153955 by e30 m3, on Flickr

20180216_153937 by e30 m3, on Flickr

20180216_153837 by e30 m3, on Flickr

[helix402]

Go for a new or used gen BMW regulator, they are better than New aftermarket ones.

[anonymous-user]

Deptford Draylons said:

Was toying with the idea of trading for a 1 series coupe, but now decided to keep mine so been fixing bits and bobs and the MOT failures. Rebuilt the failed wiper motor which now works fine, but for some reason parks on the other side to others. Oh well, it works... Also did the CCV and that made bugger all difference to the oil consumption.
Next up will be a window regulator and a new front wing to replace the crusty item that's holed. Wheels have had a refurb and even gave the car a quick polish. I bought this a couple of years ago for £1700 and its still cheap fun daily motoring.

Those wheels are looking tidy! Mine definitely need doing in the future, who did you have refurb them?

[Deptford Draylons]

eezeh said:

Those wheels are looking tidy! Mine definitely need doing in the future, who did you have refurb them?

Lepsons in Kent did them in a colour called Stright Silver. They have a number of silvers to pick from and I liked this the best.

They do very good work and I personally wouldn't go anywhere else now.
They do a full chemical strip of the wheel and I think wet paint over a powdercoat base.
Not the cheapest, but very pleased and made a huge difference to turning a tatty looking car into something a lot smarter.

[s m]

Deptford Draylons said:

Was toying with the idea of trading for a 1 series coupe, but now decided to keep mine so been fixing bits and bobs and the MOT failures. Wheels have had a refurb and even gave the car a quick polish. I bought this a couple of years ago for £1700 and its still cheap fun daily motoring.



20180216_153937 by e30 m3, on Flickr

Does look very smart

Probably biased though as mine is the same metallic black, albeit a bit older.

I paid nearly a grand more but had it about 5 years now