The E46 325ti Appreciation Thread

[helix402]

What’s wrong with the exhaust?

[Kawasicki]

Well after 2 years and 35k miles I’m selling my 325ti.

The good...engine, reliability, air con, lights

The bad...handling sloppy and too understeery, steering too much friction straight ahead, clutch delay, slow gearbox, ergonomics with electric seats...sit way too high

[SignalGruen]

helix402 said:

What’s wrong with the exhaust?

The local exhaust place told me the front silencer needs replacing - the car is very loud. Thinking about it, I may jack it up myself and have a poke around - wonder if it could be blowing from a gasket or something.

[anonymous-user]

Two new rear tyres...

It has started to be frosty in the mornings. Has anyone successfully used one of these in the snow?

There is a great video of the bridge to gantry man gunning his e36 with his dalmatian in despite thick snow. I like to think this is how I will fare but I fear the reality is far less spectacular and I will be using the 205 a lot...

[anonymous-user]

Foeux said:

Two new rear tyres...

It has started to be frosty in the mornings. Has anyone successfully used one of these in the snow?

There is a great video of the bridge to gantry man gunning his e36 with his dalmatian in despite thick snow. I like to think this is how I will fare but I fear the reality is far less spectacular and I will be using the 205 a lot...

Yes, I was using mine daily 40 miles up the a3 in the heavy snow earlier this year / last year. It does like to go sideways
The frost has highlighted to me one of my heated mirrors is fubar. just loads of little things that need sorting

IMG20180301081956 by ee zeh, on Flickr

[Dale79]

Hi all, new poster but not new to 325ti's just bought my 3rd one after a good 5 yrs since the last, always a car I look for on eBay & ad sites so had to have another one! Just bought a 53 facelift m sport model, it's been loved & looked after, got 130k in the clock which is par for the course nowadays as expected, decent seller & very happy again so far, is there anything apart from the obvious I should watch out for on these nowadays?

Thanks

[Max M4X WW]

Dale79 said:

Hi all, new poster but not new to 325ti's just bought my 3rd one after a good 5 yrs since the last, always a car I look for on eBay & ad sites so had to have another one! Just bought a 53 facelift m sport model, it's been loved & looked after, got 130k in the clock which is par for the course nowadays as expected, decent seller & very happy again so far, is there anything apart from the obvious I should watch out for on these nowadays?

Thanks

Rust, Cooling system, ermm...

[anonymous-user]

Looks good in the photo!

[Mr Tidy]

That looks great Dale79 - Sport Facelift is very desirable.

At 130K it's probably already had the cooling system refresh (mine needed it soon after 80K) so it's just rust and general crustiness AFAIK.

Sorry to hear my old one is misbehaving SignalGruen, but I'd be surprised if it had a silencer issue. I'm pretty sure the OEM exhaust was stainless, so hopefully it's just a joint leaking.

Sadly it's replacement hasn't behaved any better! I got an E91 325i in March, and 3 weeks ago the electric water pump died. A new one costs at least £250 before fitting - still I did get some use out of my RAC membership at last!

[Dale79]

Thanks guys, yes it's had a brand new radiator & pipes fitted, gerbox oil & diff oil,new air filter hoses, engine plugs & leads, oil & filter, new battery, cv boots done, all the usual sensors replaced & full interior refresh, I feel at a loss with nothing to actually put right on this one, engine is that clean you could eat from it!

[Dale79]

Also forgot to add she's had a brand new rocker cover gasket fitted also

[Hil_lo]

Dale79 said:

Hi all, new poster but not new to 325ti's just bought my 3rd one after a good 5 yrs since the last, always a car I look for on eBay & ad sites so had to have another one! Just bought a 53 facelift m sport model, it's been loved & looked after, got 130k in the clock which is par for the course nowadays as expected, decent seller & very happy again so far, is there anything apart from the obvious I should watch out for on these nowadays?

Thanks

What did you pay for it roughly if you don’t mind me asking? Gonna put mine up for sale, exactly the Same spec.

[Kawasicki]

Foeux said:

Two new rear tyres...

It has started to be frosty in the mornings. Has anyone successfully used one of these in the snow?

There is a great video of the bridge to gantry man gunning his e36 with his dalmatian in despite thick snow. I like to think this is how I will fare but I fear the reality is far less spectacular and I will be using the 205 a lot...

I worked in a winter tyre test team in Sweden in the early 00's. We had three BMW test cars, an E46 323i saloon, a 325ti and an E39 528i. All three were excellent in snow, BMW obviously spent a lot of time engineering them for such conditions. We used winter tyres!

[Mangohut]

Hello all, after stalking this thread and others for ages I have just bought a 325ti in order to do some track days and autotests along with being a workhouse while I refurbish my house. I have just started to change all the fluids and give it a good service, and bought a new valve cover gsaket as its leaking on the exhaust (which seems a common problem). The one issue that the car seems to have (tempting fate) I a hesitation when pulling off in 1st and also when changing into 2nd. The idle is steady but as soon as i pull of the revs drop and i have to slip the clutch and add revs, in reverse it seems worse and I have stall mor than once. Anyone any ideas or had a similar issue?

[Dale79]

Hil_lo said:

Dale79 said:

Hi all, new poster but not new to 325ti's just bought my 3rd one after a good 5 yrs since the last, always a car I look for on eBay & ad sites so had to have another one! Just bought a 53 facelift m sport model, it's been loved & looked after, got 130k in the clock which is par for the course nowadays as expected, decent seller & very happy again so far, is there anything apart from the obvious I should watch out for on these nowadays?

Thanks

What did you pay for it roughly if you don’t mind me asking? Gonna put mine up for sale, exactly the Same spec.

£1300 and well spent so far!

[Dale79]

Mangohut said:

Hello all, after stalking this thread and others for ages I have just bought a 325ti in order to do some track days and autotests along with being a workhouse while I refurbish my house. I have just started to change all the fluids and give it a good service, and bought a new valve cover gsaket as its leaking on the exhaust (which seems a common problem). The one issue that the car seems to have (tempting fate) I a hesitation when pulling off in 1st and also when changing into 2nd. The idle is steady but as soon as i pull of the revs drop and i have to slip the clutch and add revs, in reverse it seems worse and I have stall mor than once. Anyone any ideas or had a similar issue?

I've owned both the 2 of 5 & 6 speed versions now & my missus had a 5 speed also, many years ago a friend also had a fairly new one & they all seem to under rev on reverse, the 1st & 2nd gears always pull like trains! Explain a little more about the car, Age? Mileage? Replacement parts & services?

[Mangohut]

Dale79 said:

Mangohut said:

Hello all, after stalking this thread and others for ages I have just bought a 325ti in order to do some track days and autotests along with being a workhouse while I refurbish my house. I have just started to change all the fluids and give it a good service, and bought a new valve cover gsaket as its leaking on the exhaust (which seems a common problem). The one issue that the car seems to have (tempting fate) I a hesitation when pulling off in 1st and also when changing into 2nd. The idle is steady but as soon as i pull of the revs drop and i have to slip the clutch and add revs, in reverse it seems worse and I have stall mor than once. Anyone any ideas or had a similar issue?

I've owned both the 2 of 5 & 6 speed versions now & my missus had a 5 speed also, many years ago a friend also had a fairly new one & they all seem to under rev on reverse, the 1st & 2nd gears always pull like trains! Explain a little more about the car, Age? Mileage? Replacement parts & services?

The car is a 2002 with 80,000 on the clock, its had the cooling system replaced recently and oil and filter change. The car pulls well once you are moving and no issues accelerating, it is just the inital start off when power seems to drop very similar to the issue that you mention is comon in reverse. I have seen that people seem to remove the CDV but dont know if this is likley to be the cause.

[anonymous-user]

Try resetting the throttle pedal.

[Dale79]

I've also been told & read about the cvd but didn't feel the need to do anything g about it tbh, could be the idol control valve sticking a little? I had a similar sounding issue on an e36 323ci I owned many moons ago, car seemed to idle fine ironically but pulling away & reversing were hard work & can remember once that was done it made a world of difference on reverse & low gear changes

[Deptford Draylons]

I think it's been discussed on here before, but is my memory correct in thinking 330 front brakes are a bolt on with the calipers, brackets, pads and disc ? Are the hoses different ?
Thanks