E46 buying advice

[FFMan]

I'm looking for a 325ci in 2001-2005 as a daily driver doing 100 miles a day. its not the most economical choice but i get discounted fuel via work so thats not so much of an issue. i like the look at the performance is adequate.

I'm pretty car aware and will do most of the maintenance but what things should i look out for on these in particular ?

What are the options worth having ?

Do the 18in wheels make the ride noisy/harsh and tyres expensive. For 100 mostly motorway miles a day would i be better off with the not so good looking 16in wheels ?

any tips much appreciated

thanks

[dooosuk]

Do a search...there's been a million E46 buying threads of late.

All the information is pretty much applicable to the 325ci as opposed to the 330 engine.

Front bushes wear between 60k and 80k mainly.

Harsh ride...are you looking at SE or Sport models?

[Jw Vw]

dooosuk said:

Do a search...there's been a million E46 buying threads of late.

All the information is pretty much applicable to the 325ci as opposed to the 330 engine.

Front bushes wear between 60k and 80k mainly.

Harsh ride...are you looking at SE or Sport models?

+1

Do a search OP. There is virtually one nearly everyday on here asking for E46 advice. M-Sport spec may give a harsher ride than a SE.

[ghibbett]

I would definitely be inclined to get an SE spec on 17"s. Better ride and less susceptibility to tramlining.

[FFMan]

thanks - i will have a trawl of the web also, but it was real-world comments i was seeking from users who have say 17 or 18 in wheels etc.

is the harmon kardon worth having ?

If the rear windows aren't electric, are they wind up or fixed ?

i thought sun roof was on the options list also, but i have yet to see a 325c for sale with one fitted - are they rare ?

thanks

[oxskyline]

i have had a 325 se now have 330,if you find one with a harmon,it is a decent sound,i had one in the 325,my 330 has a standard unit 6 disc,and is not that good,i dont mind the ride on 18`s ,keeps you awake.

[ghibbett]

I have HK and think it's pretty decent. Certainly it's got to be better than non-HK?!

I have 18"s and 17"s (winters) and it certainly rides better on the 17"s.

[dooosuk]

Rear windows (on my 330ci sport) are electric pop out.

[Pablo16v]

I had a 2003 325i M-Sport Touring on 18" MV2's and sold it with 135k miles. Ride quality was pretty good TBH with just the right amount of firmness without being overly hard. It was pretty well damped and only felt harsh when the rear shocks started leaking. The only rust was a small spot behind the rear number plate which I believe is a common area to go.
If you look at a car with HK check that all the speakers are working. The amp went on mine which resulted in sound coming through the rear speakers only and replacement costs were astronomical. So I just left it.
Check the history for any bills for front bushes, ball joints and rear shocks and springs. If they haven't been done in a while (or at all) then budget for new ones as they are all fairly common items that need replaced every so often. On the test drive listen for knocking noises and any strange judders through the steering wheel as this can indicate front suspension issues.
Interiors wear well although worn drivers side bolsters are common on M-Sport models, especially if it has the alcantara interior. Mine was ok and still looked like new when I sold it with 135k miles.
MPG averaged just under 30 (manual box) although I rarely drove economically.

Although the 330 is the pick of the bunch I found the performance of the 2.5 to be more than adequate and I never felt like I was missing out by not getting a 330. My initial search was for a 330 M-Sport Touring with manual box but there just wasn't any available.

[FFMan]

thanks for the tips - esp the rust behind the no plate - never would have looked there !

with mpg just below 30 what sort of driving where you doing. i was hoping to average a bit more on motorway 80mph. my 02 2.3 light pressure turbo saab can eek 33mpg on my commute which is ok and 35 is driven carefully. will a 325 match these ?

[aizvara]

FFMan said:

with mpg just below 30 what sort of driving where you doing. i was hoping to average a bit more on motorway 80mph. my 02 2.3 light pressure turbo saab can eek 33mpg on my commute which is ok and 35 is driven carefully. will a 325 match these ?

My 325i's computer currently says the average is 32.1 mpg, that's with mostly shortish journeys and a few longer cruises over the period I've owned it. I drive "spiritedly" when I'm on my own, so you could easily get higher with more motorway miles and calmer acceleration.

Mine's a sport on staggered 18" wheels; the ride is hard around town, but fine on proper roads. It did tramline on the original tyres, but now I have some real ones (Goodyear Asymmetric) it does not. The 18"s are large, though and tyres cost a lot.

To give you an idea of problems to think about; I've had mine a year from 96K to 101K miles and issues so far are:

- A rear coil spring break (£80 + fitting each, best to do two at a time, ~£200 all in)
- Power steering whine/roughness (solved so far by replacing the fluid - £10?)
- Rear light cluster failure (caused by bad earth wiring, so likely to happen at some point, ~50p for some better wires)
- Rough/kangarooing slow speed (£5 for some MAF cleaner spray).

To add to what others have said:
I've heard its worth checking that parts of the cooling system has been replaced at 90K+ miles or so, as the impeller and expansion tanks are liable to fail.
Earlier models have been known to have their rear subframe mounts fail, and I've read arguments that say its just a matter of time for all e46s, others claim the problem was sorted for 0X year models. Listen for any clonking sounds from the back when driving.

Oh, and the bog standard hifi is godawful - luckily, I quite like the sound of the I6.

HTH

[oxskyline]

FFMan said:

thanks for the tips - esp the rust behind the no plate - never would have looked there !

with mpg just below 30 what sort of driving where you doing. i was hoping to average a bit more on motorway 80mph. my 02 2.3 light pressure turbo saab can eek 33mpg on my commute which is ok and 35 is driven carefully. will a 325 match these ?

ive just come back from nottingham, to oxford,the return with my 330 was 35.7mpg although my trip did get to 38.1 mpg at one point,yes as above beware of rust ,my 325 had some on the boot .

[Pablo16v]

FFMan said:

thanks for the tips - esp the rust behind the no plate - never would have looked there !

with mpg just below 30 what sort of driving where you doing. i was hoping to average a bit more on motorway 80mph. my 02 2.3 light pressure turbo saab can eek 33mpg on my commute which is ok and 35 is driven carefully. will a 325 match these ?

I live out in the sticks so most of my driving was on A & B roads with lots of gear changes. On a run I would see 32mpg at a push, however, I also had thule aero bars permanantly mounted on the roof so perhaps I should have mentioned that before, as I'm sure that knocked a couple of miles off the average MPG.

[rpm1969]

I've got a 330Ci SE model with 17" wheels, and I've just started a new job with 120 mile round trip commute on motorways. The ride is great, but I have invested in new springs and dampers all round, which has also pretty much eliminated any tramlining. I took a 330Ci Sport for a test drive and found it too harsh, even on a motorway, which is why I went for the SE. This week looks like I'll get 32mpg.