The E46 325ti Appreciation Thread

[Mark-Clio182Trophy]

I was keen on this but in the time it took to answer a question someone placed a deposit.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394829008078

[easy_]

Mark-Clio182Trophy said:

This is very nice but £8.5K?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266380278766?hash=item3...

Exceptionally rare estoril blue 325ti!
The only other estoril 325ti car i've seen was adams m3 swapped car.

[Mr Tidy]

I didn't quite get £1,500 for my 103,000 mile Imola Red Sport when I sold it in 2018.

Looks like I should have kept it.

[broadspeed1]

easy_ said:

Exceptionally rare estoril blue 325ti!
The only other estoril 325ti car i've seen was adams m3 swapped car.

Yeah I'd rather pay another £1500 and get an M3...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/166304474290?hash=item2...

[grahamgraham]

Thoglan said:

Not yet part of the 6 cylinder compact club but I have dreamed about building a 330Ti for years as a more daily alternative to my E46 M3.
When this 318Ti came up for sale in this spec I had to grab it, perfect base to become my 330Ti.

Alpine white, alcantara laser cloth interior, no sunroof, xenons, all the msport kit, I put the style 216Ms on it but they'll get new tyres.






It will get all of the 330 bits, brakes, diff, axles, along with the engine and a ZF 5 speed gearbox.

Edited by Thoglan on Thursday 24th August 03:38

That's a lovely spec, congratulations. i've got a thing for alpine white on e46's & e39's it's a lovely colour. 330i swap will be cool

[grahamgraham]

Put some new seats in my 325ti recently - cobra nogaro - work well fitment and visually i think.







Also a good balance between comfort and support. Did 500 miles around Wales on a recent weekend and i was really impressed, not uncomfortable at all.

[grahamgraham]

jj. said:

grahamgraham said:

Hi jj, did you ever get anywhere with finding more camber?
Max i could get on mine was -1.51 so would be interested if you found an easy way to get more. I'm running BC coilovers with everything else standard geometry-wise. I know you can do M3 arms on E90's to get more but not sure if that works on e46's too...

Following my research, have not found anything that can be simply bolted on to get the required -3 on the front I would love. Lots of places, show you can cut and extend and re-weld the lower arms (which I don't really fancy doing) but this is more for the 'stance' look). From a recent Donington day - with my settings, I found that when pushed, I've got loads of rear grip, but lots of understeer from mid corner to exit.

So I really do want to get it sorted, am considering something with the top mounts, and enlarging the holes, to give me more movement on the plates..? Something to think about.

I'll try and upload a video of mine on track, and will re-post the link in a couple of days. As an aside, I know that EBC Brakes seem to take a hammering from a lot of people, (I've used them lots over the years - don't seem the issue with them), but I'm running standard callipers, and I find the brakes superb. Running blue stuff all round. Just about to upgrade to EBC full Race Pads and Orange for the rear, running drilled and grooved discs (which I wont run again - due to this -->), as pads are currently lasting me 2 track days only. I kid you not.!
jj

What wheels are you running JJ? I have e90 wheels on mine which give a wider track as they're a different offset. obviously not the same as camber, but i think it makes a bit of a difference.

[grahamgraham]

Mangohut said:

I am looking for a set of wheels to run on my car for track any suggestions for the lightest 17" BMW stock wheels that will fit? I want to run a square set up with 225's but i can't find much info on wheel weights. Anyone got any suggestions or just stick with the style 44's I have?

My suggestion would be Style 157 - forged wheels from the E90 range - 9.1kg per wheel

[s m]

grahamgraham said:

Put some new seats in my 325ti recently - cobra nogaro - work well fitment and visually i think.







Also a good balance between comfort and support. Did 500 miles around Wales on a recent weekend and i was really impressed, not uncomfortable at all.

Nice seats Graham

[Mark-Clio182Trophy]

Am possibly getting back into a 325ti and wondered what the suspension upgrade of choice would be?

lowered springs & uprated shocks VS coilovers?

[helix402]

Mark-Clio182Trophy said:

Am possibly getting back into a 325ti and wondered what the suspension upgrade of choice would be?

lowered springs & uprated shocks VS coilovers?

On my E46s (saloons and tourings) I would use Bilstein B6 dampers with Eibach or H&R springs. Also M3 Conv. 27mm front arb and 19mm Conv. non M3 rear bar. This set up worked a treat. I know there are some quirks to arb choice on the Compacts but the damper/spring s would still provide a great ride/handling balance.

I never tried coilovers on the E46.

[Mark-Clio182Trophy]

helix402 said:

Mark-Clio182Trophy said:

Am possibly getting back into a 325ti and wondered what the suspension upgrade of choice would be?

lowered springs & uprated shocks VS coilovers?

On my E46s (saloons and tourings) I would use Bilstein B6 dampers with Eibach or H&R springs. Also M3 Conv. 27mm front arb and 19mm Conv. non M3 rear bar. This set up worked a treat. I know there are some quirks to arb choice on the Compacts but the damper/spring s would still provide a great ride/handling balance.

I never tried coilovers on the E46.

Thanks. Can I ask what wheel / tyre size you run please? Square or staggered?

[helix402]

Mark-Clio182Trophy said:

Thanks. Can I ask what wheel / tyre size you run please? Square or staggered?

I had 16s with winter tyres-square, 17s for the rest of the time-225/245. I’m a big fan of Style 68s on the E46.

[RSTurboPaul]

helix402 said:

Mark-Clio182Trophy said:

Am possibly getting back into a 325ti and wondered what the suspension upgrade of choice would be?

lowered springs & uprated shocks VS coilovers?

On my E46s (saloons and tourings) I would use Bilstein B6 dampers with Eibach or H&R springs. Also M3 Conv. 27mm front arb and 19mm Conv. non M3 rear bar. This set up worked a treat. I know there are some quirks to arb choice on the Compacts but the damper/spring s would still provide a great ride/handling balance.

I never tried coilovers on the E46.

Presuming those ARBs are uprated from standard, therefore reduce roll (??) does that make the 'breakaway' point more abrupt when it does exceed grip limits?

Or is it the case that the wheelbase is the same length as the M3, therefore it's not really any issue?

[Mark-Clio182Trophy]

helix402 said:

Mark-Clio182Trophy said:

Thanks. Can I ask what wheel / tyre size you run please? Square or staggered?

I had 16s with winter tyres-square, 17s for the rest of the time-225/245. I’m a big fan of Style 68s on the E46.

Thank you.


Am hoping to pick up some 5x120 17" 7.5J ET37 alloys and run 235's all round, assuming they'll fit?

[helix402]

RSTurboPaul said:

Presuming those ARBs are uprated from standard, therefore reduce roll (??) does that make the 'breakaway' point more abrupt when it does exceed grip limits?

Or is it the case that the wheelbase is the same length as the M3, therefore it's not really any issue?

I never had any issues with abrupt loss of traction with thicker arbs.

[helix402]

Mark-Clio182Trophy said:

Thank you.


Am hoping to pick up some 5x120 17" 7.5J ET37 alloys and run 235's all round, assuming they'll fit?

Sorry, I’m not sure of the exact specs needed.

[Mr Tidy]

Mark-Clio182Trophy said:

Am hoping to pick up some 5x120 17" 7.5J ET37 alloys and run 235's all round, assuming they'll fit?

I think they'd be OK, but you could always take a look on here:- https://www.willtheyfit.com/

[Mark-Clio182Trophy]

Mr Tidy said:

Mark-Clio182Trophy said:

Am hoping to pick up some 5x120 17" 7.5J ET37 alloys and run 235's all round, assuming they'll fit?

I think they'd be OK, but you could always take a look on here:- https://www.willtheyfit.com/

Thank you. Sorted.

[Mark-Clio182Trophy]

Couple of cheaper 325ti available. Prices seem a little all over lately.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/305081524615?hash=item4...


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175879731925?hash=item2...