Should i have bought a bmw e46 325i??
Discussion
So i’ve put a deposit down on a 51 plate bmw 325i m sport auto with 92k miles, all round the car seems in good condition with full service history apart from one stamp which is what needs doing now so will be serviced when i pick the car up. i know the suspension area and the cooling system can be problematic on these cars however the whole suspension system has been completely re done and the guys spent £1000 on getting it all sorted. cooling system has not yet had anything done but from my checks everything seems fine and no leaks or anything (but i’m not a mechanic).
After reading about these cars prior to my purchase i saw a lot of mixed comments about them some saying they’re amazing and run forever as long as they’re serviced properly and some saying they’ve had problem after problem. reading a bit more i’ve seen more negative comments than positive about them so i’m worrying myself wondering if i’ve made the wrong decision. i’m not a mechanic and don’t have a garage and limited on tools but i have a good initiative and aren’t too bad with taking on such tasks as i’ve replaces a wheel bearing, injector seals and little things such as that so im pretty sure i’d be able to save on garage costs in some places.
However with the amount of people saying they need to replace everything in their bmw’s is worrying me as i don’t have loads of money to spare.
I’m hoping people can give me their story’s and their personal opinions on these cars as i’m quite worried the cars not going to get me to work everyday. i do love the car to pieces though and they look outstanding and drive fantastic so i’m willing to make a few money compromises but i hope it doesn’t suck everything out of my wallet.
After reading about these cars prior to my purchase i saw a lot of mixed comments about them some saying they’re amazing and run forever as long as they’re serviced properly and some saying they’ve had problem after problem. reading a bit more i’ve seen more negative comments than positive about them so i’m worrying myself wondering if i’ve made the wrong decision. i’m not a mechanic and don’t have a garage and limited on tools but i have a good initiative and aren’t too bad with taking on such tasks as i’ve replaces a wheel bearing, injector seals and little things such as that so im pretty sure i’d be able to save on garage costs in some places.
However with the amount of people saying they need to replace everything in their bmw’s is worrying me as i don’t have loads of money to spare.
I’m hoping people can give me their story’s and their personal opinions on these cars as i’m quite worried the cars not going to get me to work everyday. i do love the car to pieces though and they look outstanding and drive fantastic so i’m willing to make a few money compromises but i hope it doesn’t suck everything out of my wallet.
I bought a 325ti Compact in the summer, and have since put around 6k miles on (now it's at 204k!).
Under the previous ownership, it had a recent new clutch and flywheel (single mass) and new radiator. Generally BMW cooling systems are quite weak, so worth budgeting for this at some stage.
Since buying the car i've had a few minor problems. To give you a flavour of cost:
• Air bag light stuck on. I bought a diagnostics cable for a tenner on ebay, and found it to be the passenger occupancy sensor – which could be turned off by recoding a module. (2h of googling, but no more money)
• Central locking would unlock but the drivers door wouldn't re-lock. This was solved with a £20 lock on ebay and 30 mins with spanners
• The interior fan wasn't working (like this when I bought the car) – it was fixed with a £15 final stage resistor and an hour of swearing and a £2 Torx bit.
• The prop shaft donut was pretty shredded, causing clunky gear changes (again, like this when I bought the car) – £30 for a new one + £15 for a new centre bearing and 3 hours under the car – would be much quicker on a ramp.
In general, it's an excellent car – great fun to drive. I've been surprised at how cheap used parts are and how helpful E46 groups have been on Facebook. Even second hand wheels and tyres are cheap – I got a decent set of winter wheels/tyres for £100.
Buy it and enjoy it!
Under the previous ownership, it had a recent new clutch and flywheel (single mass) and new radiator. Generally BMW cooling systems are quite weak, so worth budgeting for this at some stage.
Since buying the car i've had a few minor problems. To give you a flavour of cost:
• Air bag light stuck on. I bought a diagnostics cable for a tenner on ebay, and found it to be the passenger occupancy sensor – which could be turned off by recoding a module. (2h of googling, but no more money)
• Central locking would unlock but the drivers door wouldn't re-lock. This was solved with a £20 lock on ebay and 30 mins with spanners
• The interior fan wasn't working (like this when I bought the car) – it was fixed with a £15 final stage resistor and an hour of swearing and a £2 Torx bit.
• The prop shaft donut was pretty shredded, causing clunky gear changes (again, like this when I bought the car) – £30 for a new one + £15 for a new centre bearing and 3 hours under the car – would be much quicker on a ramp.
In general, it's an excellent car – great fun to drive. I've been surprised at how cheap used parts are and how helpful E46 groups have been on Facebook. Even second hand wheels and tyres are cheap – I got a decent set of winter wheels/tyres for £100.
Buy it and enjoy it!
You don't mention price etc, but that is between you & the PO, however (cooling system refresh aside) it sounds like many of the known faulty/weak areas have been captured.
Suspension.
Subframe.
Brakes.
All being previously done is good, enjoy & keep a VERY close eye on the radiator bottom bulging/drooping down at the bottom, engine temps, coolant level and hoses.
£200ish is diy-able with 1/2 decent parts for a full weak-spot refresh of the system (as in radiator, pump, stat housing, stat & a few hoses)
Suspension.
Subframe.
Brakes.
All being previously done is good, enjoy & keep a VERY close eye on the radiator bottom bulging/drooping down at the bottom, engine temps, coolant level and hoses.
£200ish is diy-able with 1/2 decent parts for a full weak-spot refresh of the system (as in radiator, pump, stat housing, stat & a few hoses)
At then end of 2014 I bought a 52 plate E46 325ti (the Compact) and ran it from 80K to 103K miles over 3 years.
Sure enough the radiator started leaking a few months after I bought it! It had the inevitable bowing at the bottom, so I had a full cooling system refresh done by my local BMW Independent (radiator, cap, thermostat, expansion tank, lower temperature sensor and alternator drive belt as mine was breaking up) and all in it was about £400.
The only other issue I had with it was a split power steering pipe that got fixed for about £300 (the pipe was nearly £200)!
Apart from that it was just routine servicing - it never even needed brakes.
I replaced it with the next generation 325i Touring (E91) for a bit more practicality, and while it's much more refined I definitely preferred the slightly more raw experience of the E46.
I'd definitely have another - I still miss it.
Sure enough the radiator started leaking a few months after I bought it! It had the inevitable bowing at the bottom, so I had a full cooling system refresh done by my local BMW Independent (radiator, cap, thermostat, expansion tank, lower temperature sensor and alternator drive belt as mine was breaking up) and all in it was about £400.
The only other issue I had with it was a split power steering pipe that got fixed for about £300 (the pipe was nearly £200)!
Apart from that it was just routine servicing - it never even needed brakes.
I replaced it with the next generation 325i Touring (E91) for a bit more practicality, and while it's much more refined I definitely preferred the slightly more raw experience of the E46.
I'd definitely have another - I still miss it.
This is all very reassuring! i suppose it all depends on how the cars been treated in the past. it’s also had a new heater resistor to do with the climate control heating or something which i don’t fully understand. i spent a very low amount of £1250, he originally had it up for £1750 however had to drop the price after losing his garage that he stored it in and already had another car so was just taking up space so i think i got very lucky on the deal, hopefully it’s not one of those if it’s too good to be true it’s normally not true moments.
It's an 18 year old car so how it has been treated and maintained over this time will have a bearing on how you get on. I have an E46 330 which is quite pampered but has had most of the classic E46 requirements done (vanos seals/suspension refresh/heater resistor/brakes). This year is a new radiator and expansion bottle (the bow has started). All pretty straight forward and not that expensive spread over many years. However, if it all needed doing together on a £1,200 car you would flinch a bit.
Great cars (particularly for the money) and deserve a little TLC to keep them sweet.
Great cars (particularly for the money) and deserve a little TLC to keep them sweet.
Sounds like a good purchase, especially if it has minimal rust. As others have said keep an eye on the cooling system - easy to inspect the radiator bowing at the bottom. My old 328i only needed attention there when it was 17 years old and had about 150k on it. The temperature gauge started creeping up in heavy traffic, so took it to a specialist and got the whole lot sorted for about £450.
They are great cars, enjoy it!
They are great cars, enjoy it!
It's an old E46 so you won't have paid much for it......a grand?
I wouldn't go bonkers on 'refreshing' stuff tbh, just take it as it comes. It'll never be classic or valuable so look upon it as 2-3 years of cheap motoring, and very pleasant too - the art of cheap cars is keeping them cheap. Keep the arches clean etc but bear in mind that you could spend $$$ replacing this that and the other, and the following week the head gasket or gearbox goes pop and the car is a write off. If the rad starts leaking, then fit a new one. Things like firing a load of WD40 and white grease into the vertical window channels costs nothing and prevents the bloody regulators from breaking - that kind of thing is worth doing.
I wouldn't go bonkers on 'refreshing' stuff tbh, just take it as it comes. It'll never be classic or valuable so look upon it as 2-3 years of cheap motoring, and very pleasant too - the art of cheap cars is keeping them cheap. Keep the arches clean etc but bear in mind that you could spend $$$ replacing this that and the other, and the following week the head gasket or gearbox goes pop and the car is a write off. If the rad starts leaking, then fit a new one. Things like firing a load of WD40 and white grease into the vertical window channels costs nothing and prevents the bloody regulators from breaking - that kind of thing is worth doing.
iSore said:
It's an old E46 so you won't have paid much for it......a grand?
I wouldn't go bonkers on 'refreshing' stuff tbh, just take it as it comes. It'll never be classic or valuable so look upon it as 2-3 years of cheap motoring, and very pleasant too - the art of cheap cars is keeping them cheap. Keep the arches clean etc but bear in mind that you could spend $$$ replacing this that and the other, and the following week the head gasket or gearbox goes pop and the car is a write off. If the rad starts leaking, then fit a new one. Things like firing a load of WD40 and white grease into the vertical window channels costs nothing and prevents the bloody regulators from breaking - that kind of thing is worth doing.
£1250 i paid, no rust at the moment just very slight bubbling, i only intend to keep it for a year or two as i want to upgrade to a manual and maybe even a 330 and it’s only a cheap car for me as i don’t have too much money yet i want some enjoyment out of driving something i love, the verticals window channels as in down the window into the doors? i’ve heard something about the mechanics for the windows breaking so i’ll definitely look into that I wouldn't go bonkers on 'refreshing' stuff tbh, just take it as it comes. It'll never be classic or valuable so look upon it as 2-3 years of cheap motoring, and very pleasant too - the art of cheap cars is keeping them cheap. Keep the arches clean etc but bear in mind that you could spend $$$ replacing this that and the other, and the following week the head gasket or gearbox goes pop and the car is a write off. If the rad starts leaking, then fit a new one. Things like firing a load of WD40 and white grease into the vertical window channels costs nothing and prevents the bloody regulators from breaking - that kind of thing is worth doing.
With the use you have in mind im sure you will be fine.
I bought a e39 530i touring unseen of ebay 4 years ago with 123k for £2k, within a few weeks of buying it the radiator started leaking so i refreshed the whole cooling system, buying parts strategically it costs about £250ish with me doing the spannering. since then i have done bits as and when, such as a vanos seals, disa valve, breather pipes. The most expensive work was 2 lemforder control arms but even that was about £400ish fitted.
In 4 years i've driven it a thoroughly enjoyable 50k miles with minimal depreciation, especially when compared to my wife's X5. The only thing that will kill the car is rust otherwise i would be confident doing another 50k miles in it no problem,
I bought a e39 530i touring unseen of ebay 4 years ago with 123k for £2k, within a few weeks of buying it the radiator started leaking so i refreshed the whole cooling system, buying parts strategically it costs about £250ish with me doing the spannering. since then i have done bits as and when, such as a vanos seals, disa valve, breather pipes. The most expensive work was 2 lemforder control arms but even that was about £400ish fitted.
In 4 years i've driven it a thoroughly enjoyable 50k miles with minimal depreciation, especially when compared to my wife's X5. The only thing that will kill the car is rust otherwise i would be confident doing another 50k miles in it no problem,
I will be putting a fair few miles on the car as i do quite a lot of miles annually i will be expecting to put around 13k miles on in a year. but from hearing people’s storys it sounds like the car will seem to stand up pretty decently. I know it’s not the best car to do so many miles in as the mpg isn’t the best but hey ho that’s a fall i’m willing to take
The comments about 'many happy owners not saying anything' is probably very true, it only tends to be people who have issues who complain a lot...!
Unfortunately my E46 330Ci was....a pain in the backside despite everything looking good when I bought it and a wodge of receipts etc. With hindsight I strongly believe that the trader put a shonky MOT on it via a mate prior to my purchase as the oil leak mentioned the previous year wasn't mentioned and there were no advisories (I assumed it had been dealt with, however it was picked up on by BMW during the airbag recall work that the rear main seal was failing). When the headlamp washers didn't work at all (they were so dried up and crusty they hadn't popped out in ages) I realised that there wasn't any way it could've passed any MOT without them working...
I ran it for a year, replaced most of the cooling system and a load of other stuff. It left me stranded more than I could tolerate and sucked up more of my cash in that year than I was willing to keep parting with. It consistently felt like there was just issue after issue and I came to dread walking out to it in the morning in case it was sat in another puddle of its own making.
Once I'd got it running without any issues for a couple of months I considered it fixed and sold it on. I took the buyer through the recent history and added all the receipts for the work I'd had done to the folder so I was wholly honest about how troublesome it had been.
If I'm frank, it soured the experience of what was reputed to be a decent car. Ironically the E36 328i that I had before was 10 times more reliable, costing only a few hundred in non-service bills over about 4 years. I miss that car more than the E46... My issues with that era E46 mean I probably won't ever buy a car I'd wanted for years, namely an E46 M3. I just have too many reservations and they're all old cars now.
You've got your 325ti nice and cheap so fix things as they come along and don't go too deep down a financial rabbit hole with it!
Unfortunately my E46 330Ci was....a pain in the backside despite everything looking good when I bought it and a wodge of receipts etc. With hindsight I strongly believe that the trader put a shonky MOT on it via a mate prior to my purchase as the oil leak mentioned the previous year wasn't mentioned and there were no advisories (I assumed it had been dealt with, however it was picked up on by BMW during the airbag recall work that the rear main seal was failing). When the headlamp washers didn't work at all (they were so dried up and crusty they hadn't popped out in ages) I realised that there wasn't any way it could've passed any MOT without them working...
I ran it for a year, replaced most of the cooling system and a load of other stuff. It left me stranded more than I could tolerate and sucked up more of my cash in that year than I was willing to keep parting with. It consistently felt like there was just issue after issue and I came to dread walking out to it in the morning in case it was sat in another puddle of its own making.
Once I'd got it running without any issues for a couple of months I considered it fixed and sold it on. I took the buyer through the recent history and added all the receipts for the work I'd had done to the folder so I was wholly honest about how troublesome it had been.
If I'm frank, it soured the experience of what was reputed to be a decent car. Ironically the E36 328i that I had before was 10 times more reliable, costing only a few hundred in non-service bills over about 4 years. I miss that car more than the E46... My issues with that era E46 mean I probably won't ever buy a car I'd wanted for years, namely an E46 M3. I just have too many reservations and they're all old cars now.
You've got your 325ti nice and cheap so fix things as they come along and don't go too deep down a financial rabbit hole with it!
Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff