The E46 325ti Appreciation Thread

[gregs656]

JakeT said:

325ti models all came standard with sport suspension, and sport seats.

Indeed, but it's the body kit that makes them look the part and the sport wheel is much nicer also.

[s m]

helix402 said:

100 miles a day will be great for it. It’s low mileage now. These cars are made well and made to be driven.

I managed to do 14 times that in 2 days going on hols

Just lapped it up ( 4 people and holiday bags in too )

[Mr Tidy]

eezeh said:

Noticed every now and then the yellow oil light was coming on after turning the car off, a warning to let you know the level is getting low.
Figured I should top it up before it comes on whilst driving.
So I topped up the oil for the first time today since the service at around 102k miles. Car is now over 108k miles.
6000 miles and 4 months between oil top ups is really quite good!

Only thing now is my commute come early july was due to drop from 40 miles each way down to 20 which I was quite happy about as my mileage would decrease. Come September it will be increasing to 50 miles a day indefinitely.
Bit unsure on what to do, it is a lovely car to drive but I don't think 100 miles a day will be too good for it.

Mine used 3 litres of oil between services at 87K then 102K, so nothing I couldn't live with!

As for your commute I'd carry on and see - there aren't too many options out there unless you ignore driving pleasure and go for cheap and miserable (or worse still, diseasel)! And if you are doing 100 miles a day do you really want to subject yourself to that?

When I sold my 325ti the OBC was showing 34.9 mpg average, although my saddo Excel spreadsheet showed 32.79 mpg average over 23K miles - but to my thinking that is pretty impressive for a 2.5 litre petrol engine!

As I said I'd keep it and see, but only you can decide.

Good luck anyway.

[gregs656]

The thing that might get a bit boring about a commute that long is how regularly you are at a petrol station. Probably twice a week. Once a week is enough of a nause for me, particularly as fuel has got up to around 130p/l here.

[Mr Tidy]

100 miles a day should only involve 1 refuel most weeks - I always got at least 400 miles from a tank in mine!

[JakeT]

My commute is 420 miles per week and I can just about do it without the fuel light coming in. But I need to refuel weekly for just commuting mileage.

[JakeT]

Mine is off on a European trip tomorrow, and I found another unexpected benefit to having Xenon lights. No beam adaptor stickers needed! It has little levers that can change the lights to LHD scenarios. No Dazzling people when over there.

[s m]

JakeT said:

Mine is off on a European trip tomorrow, and I found another unexpected benefit to having Xenon lights. No beam adaptor stickers needed! It has little levers that can change the lights to LHD scenarios. No Dazzling people when over there.

Whereabouts are you off to Jake?

I've taken the family down to Italy a few times now in mine - there are some great roads across the Alps

[JakeT]

Sadly not that far south. It's a short break consisting of Brussels, Cologne, Luxembourg City, Reims and then back to Calais.

Good chance to stretch its legs on the Autobahn, and see some places I've never been to before. You are right though, some cracking roads in the Italian Alps. I'd like to go down that way again.

[anonymous-user]

When the throttle is pressed I can hear a constant ticking noise from the engine bay inside the car, when the throttle is released it stops.
Any ideas? Can't possibly think of what it would be as the engine is still running.

[JakeT]

Back from my little Euro jaunt. Car didn't miss a beat, and i confirmed that a 325ti will do 145MPH when asked to. Did well of it too. Even managed a Luxembourg City to home (near Newbury) via Reims on a tank. 34MPG for the trip total. including about 70 miles at top speed. Good little car.

Rolling through Belgium:

[helix402]

Sounds like a great trip! What’s your No plate worth?

[JakeT]

Absolutely nothing I'm afraid. I chop out the first two letters and last one before posting online after a car I used to own had it's identity stolen.

[helix402]

JakeT said:

Absolutely nothing I'm afraid. I chop out the first two letters and last one before posting online after a car I used to own had it's identity stolen.

Classic!

[s m]

JakeT said:

Back from my little Euro jaunt. Car didn't miss a beat, and i confirmed that a 325ti will do 145MPH when asked to. Did well of it too. Even managed a Luxembourg City to home (near Newbury) via Reims on a tank. 34MPG for the trip total. including about 70 miles at top speed. Good little car.

Rolling through Belgium:

Nice photo Jake

I did the top speed thing too when I was in Germany
What was your speedo showing out of interest ( if you measured in on phone GPS )?

[JakeT]

I didn't get a chance to GPS it while on a top speed run, however I've compared the two before at a steady 80 on the cruise and the GPS was at 79. Looking at gear ratio calculators with the wheels I have, the redline in fifth is 149MPH, and I was barely off of that. When I did the run the speedo was just past 145.

[Mr Tidy]

JakeT said:

No beam adaptor stickers needed! It has little levers that can change the lights to LHD scenarios. No Dazzling people when over there.

I wouldn't have bothered adjusting them - dazzle them with your brilliance!

When I lived in Kent every other car on the M2 or M20 was trying to blind me.

[amc_adam]

Hello all,
Thought i would finally put a post up of my 325ti, I've had it 9 years so far and put over 100,000 miles on it. I didn't realise people liked compacts enough to start an Appreciation Thread!.
It's been a brilliant car so far and pretty much faultless (apart from the oil it was starting to use). With it being daily driven, many European trips and endless laps of the Nurburgring i decided to treat it to a new heart. I'll be doing a picture heavy Build Thread on it in the Readers Rides section.

Here it is, Individual Estoril blue on a 54 plate.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2876wC9]

[Cheapstraitsix]

amc_adam said:

Hello all,
Thought i would finally put a post up of my 325ti, I've had it 9 years so far and put over 100,000 miles on it. I didn't realise people liked compacts enough to start an Appreciation Thread!.
It's been a brilliant car so far and pretty much faultless (apart from the oil it was starting to use). With it being daily driven, many European trips and endless laps of the Nurburgring i decided to treat it to a new heart. I'll be doing a picture heavy Build Thread on it in the Readers Rides section.

Here it is, Individual Estoril blue on a 54 plate.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2876wC9]

To think I was under the impression my white one was rare.
I have never seen an estoril 325ti, assuming that’s the factory colour?
Looks immaculate aswell, look forward to the updates.

[anonymous-user]

That looks stunning, I have only ever seen 1 estoril blue compact which wasn't a 2.5l. Very jealous! Looking forward to updates.

On a side note I have ordered some interior carpet dye to have a go at dying my faded parcel shelf and will let you know of the outcomes.