E46 323ci - What to look for?
Discussion
Hi guys, im coming up to getting a years NCB and have discovered that these are quite cheap both to insure and buy. I know they wont set the world alight and are pretty ruinous on fuel, but coming from a 2001 Fiesta it will be the height of luxury.
The age of car I'll be looking at is around the 2000/01 area which means I should get a minter for my £3k budget, So what i'm asking is, what is there to look out for? Any problems mile related or age etc?
Thanks
Sorry should have said, I will still be 18 when I buy it, and strangely the 320 24v is MUCH more to insure as is the 325 and 328
The age of car I'll be looking at is around the 2000/01 area which means I should get a minter for my £3k budget, So what i'm asking is, what is there to look out for? Any problems mile related or age etc?
Thanks
Sorry should have said, I will still be 18 when I buy it, and strangely the 320 24v is MUCH more to insure as is the 325 and 328
Edited by skene on Saturday 7th January 12:14
I have one (coupe) and really like it. I had an RX8 before, and whilst the 323 is nowhere near as quick, it is still pretty quick. You can't properly compare the two, but the 323 also handles quite well.
For £3k you probably could get a 325, or a newer 320 (still a 2.2 litre straight six- performance marginally lower than a 323). The coupes seem to carry a bit of a premium over a saloon, so you could get newer/lower mileage for the money if you are happy with a saloon. I wanted a coupe and paid £3k for mine over a year ago, and it came with the Harman Kardon speakers (better than standard, but not as good as the Bose in the RX8- sorry for the comparisons).
In terms of what to look for, the main weaknesses in these cars are the suspension and the engine cooling. Since I've bought mine I have replaced the front suspension arms (£175), the thermostat (£50) and the coolant level sensor (£10). I need to replace the oil level sensor (~£60) soon, but haven't got round to this yet. All work done myself, as these are easy jobs and the cars are easy to work on.
Rust. These cars rust, especially the front wheel arches. Mine were rusty and I replaced them (quite an easy job) for £250 for both sides.
As for fuel being ruinous, it doubles the mpg that I was seeing in the RX8, so I wouldn't describe that as 'ruinous', but everyone is different! The mpg that I get from the BMW is 30-32 around town, and 35-38 on motorways.
For £3k you probably could get a 325, or a newer 320 (still a 2.2 litre straight six- performance marginally lower than a 323). The coupes seem to carry a bit of a premium over a saloon, so you could get newer/lower mileage for the money if you are happy with a saloon. I wanted a coupe and paid £3k for mine over a year ago, and it came with the Harman Kardon speakers (better than standard, but not as good as the Bose in the RX8- sorry for the comparisons).
In terms of what to look for, the main weaknesses in these cars are the suspension and the engine cooling. Since I've bought mine I have replaced the front suspension arms (£175), the thermostat (£50) and the coolant level sensor (£10). I need to replace the oil level sensor (~£60) soon, but haven't got round to this yet. All work done myself, as these are easy jobs and the cars are easy to work on.
Rust. These cars rust, especially the front wheel arches. Mine were rusty and I replaced them (quite an easy job) for £250 for both sides.
As for fuel being ruinous, it doubles the mpg that I was seeing in the RX8, so I wouldn't describe that as 'ruinous', but everyone is different! The mpg that I get from the BMW is 30-32 around town, and 35-38 on motorways.
Vanos units, water pump (being s
tty plastic impellars) the front suspension (as with all bavarian desinged cars) fuel pumps, gearbox if its an auto the auto has a habit of stting its self under 100k and the manuals have syncro problems depending on how hard its been driven, fuel lines themselves, brake discs (warpidge) check its actually got the right engine in it and most importantly CRASH DAMAGE! Good luck son
tty plastic impellars) the front suspension (as with all bavarian desinged cars) fuel pumps, gearbox if its an auto the auto has a habit of stting its self under 100k and the manuals have syncro problems depending on how hard its been driven, fuel lines themselves, brake discs (warpidge) check its actually got the right engine in it and most importantly CRASH DAMAGE! Good luck son 
skene said:
I also have a heavy foot meaning I get 28mpg combined from my 1.6 16v Fiesta, (mostly round town) So a BMW may well be ruinous! One of those things though, a six cylinder BMW is one of those things you need haha
I agree, they are great engines and sound fantastic at about 5000 rpm, if you have a heavy right foot expect teens mpg though. My worse tank was 18 mpg in the 528, best 37. My old 1.4 306 only used to do 28/30 combined.sparks_E39 said:
I agree, if you have a heavy right foot expect teens mpg though. My worse tank was 18 mpg in the 528, best 37. My old 1.4 306 only used to do 28/30 combined.
My driving varies tank from tank, I've been on holiday recently and that tank was on my days off, hooning etc. If its just back and forth to work I can get around 34/36 so it may not be too bad.I'm looking for a 330 ci beginning of fe(even booked 2 weeks holiday of work ) I'm only looking at. 330 because I've a few more years on me than the original post lol and the running costs mpg are nearly identical ,I'm really getting more and more liking the Imola would never have had this on my list until I saw one in the flesh last week they really do suit the colour
skene said:
That's lovely, but as said the 325s are far too much to insure, over a grand more than a 323
Might be worth waiting till you are 21, I got my 528 3 years ago at that age and a 540 was about £50 more a year to insure for me and E39 M5 £200 more. That's still less than a grand in total but the other running costs put me off the V8s especially the M5 which you would need very deep pockets for. Plus a good one is £10k when my budget was £3500 
STW2010 said:
As for fuel being ruinous, it doubles the mpg that I was seeing in the RX8, so I wouldn't describe that as 'ruinous', but everyone is different! The mpg that I get from the BMW is 30-32 around town, and 35-38 on motorways.
You must have a very different idea of 'town' than everyone else if thats the case. There isnt a hope in hells chance any six cylinder BMW does 30-32mpg around town. Town is cold starts, short trips, start start traffic, not 50mph on the cruise control around the ring-road.
Even with a courtesy 118d I only get 30-32mpg around town.
sparks_E39 said:
Might be worth waiting till you are 21, I got my 528 3 years ago at that age and a 540 was about £50 more a year to insure for me and E39 M5 £200 more. That's still less than a grand in total but the other running costs put me off the V8s especially the M5 which you would need very deep pockets for. Plus a good one is £10k when my budget was £3500
He spunked £2500 on an old Fiesta for his first year insurance, it's peanuts comparatively. 
so a 2.5L BMW seems like a bargain at just under £1400!Fox- said:
You must have a very different idea of 'town' than everyone else if thats the case. There isnt a hope in hells chance any six cylinder BMW does 30-32mpg around town.
Town is cold starts, short trips, start start traffic, not 50mph on the cruise control around the ring-road.
Even with a courtesy 118d I only get 30-32mpg around town.
Yes, I consider "around town" to be 20-30 mph limits, residential areas, schools and having to stop for lights and traffic etc where any 1.8+ petrol car would struggle to get 30mpg. Realistic Target if you are doing mainly town driving in a 6 cylinder BMW is 20-25 mpg. My first car, a 1.1 Fiesta would never do 32 mpg around Poole I can tell you that much!Town is cold starts, short trips, start start traffic, not 50mph on the cruise control around the ring-road.
Even with a courtesy 118d I only get 30-32mpg around town.
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