The E46 325ti Appreciation Thread

[Mr Tidy]

Faxo said:

New E46 325ti owner!

I don’t seem to be getting any answers online on various owners forums about this, so I may as well ask here - does anyone know if the front arch liners (specifically the lower section) are the same on the Compact, as a Saloon/Coupe?

Thanks

Welcome to 325ti ownership - you'll enjoy it I'm sure! (Even though I've just sold mine). But I did replace it with an E91 325i, so still RWD!

I got a notification about the orange one and was really tempted as I got nearly that for my Imola Red 52 plate on 103K miles a month ago, but then it went up!

Anyway OP, to answer your question I would expect the wheel-arch liners on Compacts to be different as the front wings definitely are.

FWIW back in 2016 on the M40 I hit a fat bird (a grouse) and it ripped the front section of my offside front liner out and around the wheel! I got a new one in less than a week from my nearest main agent for £33.01 + VAT - the part number is B51.71.8.268.374.

You can always check the part numbers for other models here:- http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/select

I also bought a new brake duct as I couldn't see it but it was actually still there, just displaced - so if you need one of those let me know as I think I still have it in the shed.

BTW it's great to see this thread reach 100 pages - there is just something about these cars. I may still have another one day!

[e30m3Mark]

eezeh said:

Faxo said:

New E46 325ti owner!

Congrats! Those seats came out well, wonder how my carpets and mats would fair with a wet vac?
Although my carpet seems a little thin around the gearbox tunnel area compared to the coupe, anyone else?

Looking into methods of re-dying my parcel shelf black and see autoglym offer a spray dye product although not many people have used it. Will report back when i've had a crack at it.

Matt black aerosol spray does a much better job than you might imagine. Several light dustings and my old one came up a treat.

[anonymous-user]

e30m3Mark said:

Matt black aerosol spray does a much better job than you might imagine. Several light dustings and my old one came up a treat.

Is it still smooth to the touch or is it quite rough/crinkly?

[e30m3Mark]

eezeh said:

e30m3Mark said:

Matt black aerosol spray does a much better job than you might imagine. Several light dustings and my old one came up a treat.

Is it still smooth to the touch or is it quite rough/crinkly?

Unfortunately I don't have a pic but no, it just looked OE.

[Cheapstraitsix]

[/quote]

Edited by e30m3Mark on Tuesday 3rd April 19:49

[/quote]

To my eye the Z4 alloys really suit that.

[danp]

Good to see this thread at 100 pages, think it was about 60ish when I got mine just over a year ago!

My 325ti has just come out of hibernation, off to France in it next week and looking forward to using it over the better weather (once it arrives...)

Still can’t think of anything I’d rather have that ticks similar boxes for anything like the same money. 330ti conversion would be nice tho ;-)

[Faxo]

That’s a great site, thanks for that!

Another thing I’ve noticed is it has what appear to be lowering springs, but only on the rear? They’re yellow, but the rear doesn’t seem to be any lower than the front, but the front springs look a standard black with no markings? It’s also running spacers on the rear, I think it quite suits it

[forsure]

e30m3Mark said:

eezeh said:

e30m3Mark said:

Matt black aerosol spray does a much better job than you might imagine. Several light dustings and my old one came up a treat.

Is it still smooth to the touch or is it quite rough/crinkly?

Unfortunately I don't have a pic but no, it just looked OE.

Pretty sure I've seen Edd China do that on a Wheeler Dealers car (XR2?) with good results.

[anonymous-user]

forsure said:

Pretty sure I've seen Edd China do that on a Wheeler Dealers car (XR2?) with good results.

205 gti
Though he was gash for doing that, apparently it works though.!

[Faxo]

So after having it up on the ramps I’m sure I’m missing something underneath - is it a large plastic under Tray? The NS brake duct is missing, and the OS lower arch liner



Looks like I’ll be searching eBay for the missing trims!

[helix402]

Here you go:



The undertrays aren’t unique to the Compact which should help sourcing them.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=AT32-...

[Faxo]

Does anyone know if it’s this one



Or this one



Real OEM looks like the 1st one, but if you put the part number into google it brings up the 2nd one?

[FredClogs]

The 325 compact is definitely the first one. The little inspection cover for getting to the sump plug is missing on mine.

[ethomas]

FredClogs said:

The 325 compact is definitely the first one. The little inspection cover for getting to the sump plug is missing on mine.

On my car (2003 facelift) it was the second one. The plastic cover just went from the front bumper back to the steel chassis reinforcement plate. The inspection cover for the sump plug was on the chassis plate.

Earlier cars (E46 328/323) had a sort of tubular cross brace rather than the aluminium plate, so perhaps these had the different plastic cover, not sure if the ti ever used the longer cover but it is possible.

[JakeT]

In another strange turn, my 328ci is a strange one. It has the plated style chassis brace, and some other changes most 328 models didn't get.

[Faxo]

It has this one fitted already, and, like mentioned by other poster, the little inspection cover is missing! It’s the one further forward that’s missing

With the alloy one having the sump plug inspection cover, I’m thinking it might be the smaller of the two

[anonymous-user]

Thats what I have on mine, its a subframe reinforcement brace. (Not to be jacked up with!!)
The plastic undertray you will need the following:

51718268344 undertray

You will also need some fasteners, i don't actually know which ones you will need as mine has been bodged in with self tappers in the past.

This is the part numbers for the oil drain cover if you want it

cover 51617199687
C clip nut 07146981767
circlip 51718212163
the screw 07147177492

[e30m3Mark]

Cheapstraitsix said:

Edited by e30m3Mark on Tuesday 3rd April 19:49

To my eye the Z4 alloys really suit that.

Must admit I quite like them, although I have some Racing Dynamic rims I might bolt on.

Edited by e30m3Mark on Saturday 7th April 12:50

[anonymous-user]

Im going to be ordering a business cd headunit from the states, from what I can understand I can change the region in the head unit settings to EU for our frequencies. Is there anything else I should consider?

[helix402]

Faxo said:

Does anyone know if it’s this one



Or this one



Real OEM looks like the 1st one, but if you put the part number into google it brings up the 2nd one?

Pretty sure it’s the smaller of the two you need. You shouldn’t need any fixings unless the captive nuts are missing from the car. The screws are fixed to the undertray.