20 year old BMW E46... Bit of rust - Asking for trouble?
Discussion
Hello all
I'm looking at buying an E46 which is in mechanically excellent condition and otherwise in very good condition
However, there is some rust coming up in the rear quarter panel... Is this just surface rust or is it indicative of something going on underneath? Am I asking for trouble?
Is it an easy/simple fix or better to not risk it and walk away?
I've not dabbled with older/classic cars before so this is the first time i'm coming across this, so I wanted to get people's thoughts!
Thanks
I'm looking at buying an E46 which is in mechanically excellent condition and otherwise in very good condition
However, there is some rust coming up in the rear quarter panel... Is this just surface rust or is it indicative of something going on underneath? Am I asking for trouble?
Is it an easy/simple fix or better to not risk it and walk away?
I've not dabbled with older/classic cars before so this is the first time i'm coming across this, so I wanted to get people's thoughts!
Thanks
It's not a problem on the front wings as you can buy pattern parts on Ebay as they are only bolted on.
Rears are much more of a problem but that doesn't look as bad as most E46s I've seen, which is one of the reasons I moved on to an E90!
If you really like the car and are getting it for a good price then go for it, although it would be worth getting it sorted before it gets any worse.
Rears are much more of a problem but that doesn't look as bad as most E46s I've seen, which is one of the reasons I moved on to an E90!
If you really like the car and are getting it for a good price then go for it, although it would be worth getting it sorted before it gets any worse.
Mr Tidy said:
It's not a problem on the front wings as you can buy pattern parts on Ebay as they are only bolted on.
Rears are much more of a problem but that doesn't look as bad as most E46s I've seen, which is one of the reasons I moved on to an E90!
If you really like the car and are getting it for a good price then go for it, although it would be worth getting it sorted before it gets any worse.
How did you find your E46 to own?Rears are much more of a problem but that doesn't look as bad as most E46s I've seen, which is one of the reasons I moved on to an E90!
If you really like the car and are getting it for a good price then go for it, although it would be worth getting it sorted before it gets any worse.
The one i'm looking at is 70k miles and lovely otherwise
sonnenschein3000 said:
How did you find your E46 to own?
The one i'm looking at is 70k miles and lovely otherwise
Mine was a manual 325ti Compact I bought on 80K miles in December 2014. Within a few months it needed a cooling system refresh because the bottom of the radiator was bent like a banana! That cost nearly £500 as it included an expansion tank and cap, temperature sensor, and auxiliary drive belt as that was starting to break up. Then in November 2016 at 95K miles I had to have a split high pressure PAS pipe replaced for just over £300. Costs quoted included fitting by my Indy.The one i'm looking at is 70k miles and lovely otherwise
Only other costs were for routine servicing, tyres, etc. I loved how it drove but could see some major costs coming up because everything under the car looked crusty - not surprising really as it spent its early years in Scotland!
If I could have found a good Touring I would have bought it, but it was much easier to find an E91 so I replaced it with a manual 325i that I soon replaced with a 330i. Both good cars, way more refined but not as much fun to throw around.
Mr Tidy said:
Mine was a manual 325ti Compact I bought on 80K miles in December 2014. Within a few months it needed a cooling system refresh because the bottom of the radiator was bent like a banana! That cost nearly £500 as it included an expansion tank and cap, temperature sensor, and auxiliary drive belt as that was starting to break up. Then in November 2016 at 95K miles I had to have a split high pressure PAS pipe replaced for just over £300. Costs quoted included fitting by my Indy.
Only other costs were for routine servicing, tyres, etc. I loved how it drove but could see some major costs coming up because everything under the car looked crusty - not surprising really as it spent its early years in Scotland!
If I could have found a good Touring I would have bought it, but it was much easier to find an E91 so I replaced it with a manual 325i that I soon replaced with a 330i. Both good cars, way more refined but not as much fun to throw around.
Oh gosh, sounds like a few bits and bobs then!Only other costs were for routine servicing, tyres, etc. I loved how it drove but could see some major costs coming up because everything under the car looked crusty - not surprising really as it spent its early years in Scotland!
If I could have found a good Touring I would have bought it, but it was much easier to find an E91 so I replaced it with a manual 325i that I soon replaced with a 330i. Both good cars, way more refined but not as much fun to throw around.
I think the reason I want an E46 is that it still had that original 90s vibe before things got more refined
Although to be honest its mostly nostalgia for me. My Dad had an E38 740i and then later an E39 528i from that era in the late 90s, and I have fond memories of my childhood at that time. My sister later had an E46 coupe (328i SE I believe) in the early 2000s
Courser said:
My 330ci was probably the best car I ve ever owned. They are lovely, easy to work on and maintain and are super classy if left standard.
Thar corrosion wouldn t put me off. It s an easy fix
Yep; I run a standard 330ci as a daily and absolutely love it. Thar corrosion wouldn t put me off. It s an easy fix
When I bought it in 2019 it had just had replacement driveshafts (at around 90k miles).
Since then, apart from routine stuff, I've had a broken rear spring (replaced both) and new rear shockers.
A liitle bit of rust on some wheelarches, but I treat it and paint it as and when necessary.
I woould be concerned on the underneath really, does it have the famous rear subframe mount corrosion issues?
The arch needs to be cut out and replaced with new metal to cure properly, rust converters etc are no good.
Only way to judge is to take it to a body shop but you will pay a lot for paint repairs these days.
The arch needs to be cut out and replaced with new metal to cure properly, rust converters etc are no good.
Only way to judge is to take it to a body shop but you will pay a lot for paint repairs these days.
sonnenschein3000 said:
Oh gosh, sounds like a few bits and bobs then!
I think the reason I want an E46 is that it still had that original 90s vibe before things got more refined
Although to be honest its mostly nostalgia for me. My Dad had an E38 740i and then later an E39 528i from that era in the late 90s, and I have fond memories of my childhood at that time. My sister later had an E46 coupe (328i SE I believe) in the early 2000s
TBF I didn't think that was too bad for a car that was 12 years old when I bought it. I think the reason I want an E46 is that it still had that original 90s vibe before things got more refined
Although to be honest its mostly nostalgia for me. My Dad had an E38 740i and then later an E39 528i from that era in the late 90s, and I have fond memories of my childhood at that time. My sister later had an E46 coupe (328i SE I believe) in the early 2000s
And it depreciated less than £600 over the 3+ years I had it so less than £200 a year, whereas the 2007 123d I had before averaged more than £200 a month!
The bonus is that if anything good E46s seem to appreciating. And AFAIK it's only M3s that suffer from boot floor issues.
ETA Maybe it's a shame you missed out.
Mr Tidy said:
TBF I didn't think that was too bad for a car that was 12 years old when I bought it.
And it depreciated less than £600 over the 3+ years I had it so less than £200 a year, whereas the 2007 123d I had before averaged more than £200 a month!
The bonus is that if anything good E46s seem to appreciating. And AFAIK it's only M3s that suffer from boot floor issues.
ETA Maybe it's a shame you missed out.
Ref the RACP, they can all suffer but its mainly M3s., it's down to how hard the car has been driven. The spot welds pull out and crack the RACP and further cracks ensue. I had mine reinforced- the rear brake lines were being done so it all had to come down anyway - but mine was fine.And it depreciated less than £600 over the 3+ years I had it so less than £200 a year, whereas the 2007 123d I had before averaged more than £200 a month!
The bonus is that if anything good E46s seem to appreciating. And AFAIK it's only M3s that suffer from boot floor issues.
ETA Maybe it's a shame you missed out.
Too late now, but that rust is nothing! Just a little light surface rust. Could be sorted in minutes.
But you would need to get the front arch liners out and clear all the years of damp mud out.
If those are the original wings, a good indication the rest of the car is likely to be good.
Rear arches are where you need to look - any surface rust there has come from the inside…and get the sill covers off to assess sills. Prob have half a tom of mud in there as well.
But you would need to get the front arch liners out and clear all the years of damp mud out.
If those are the original wings, a good indication the rest of the car is likely to be good.
Rear arches are where you need to look - any surface rust there has come from the inside…and get the sill covers off to assess sills. Prob have half a tom of mud in there as well.
This was my 'all-season beater' for about 2 years until the gearbox gave up. Still got half my money back and it had saved me thousands on the fuel difference between super unleaded @ ~27mpg vs diesel @ ~40mpg (and much more suitable for skip runs than a 2-seater coupe).
I priced up doing rust repair, but it would have cost more than the car was worth...and I'd only bought it as a stop-gap because it was cheap.
I priced up doing rust repair, but it would have cost more than the car was worth...and I'd only bought it as a stop-gap because it was cheap.
jon-yprpe said:
Too late now, but that rust is nothing! Just a little light surface rust. Could be sorted in minutes.
But you would need to get the front arch liners out and clear all the years of damp mud out.
If those are the original wings, a good indication the rest of the car is likely to be good.
Rear arches are where you need to look - any surface rust there has come from the inside and get the sill covers off to assess sills. Prob have half a tom of mud in there as well.
Brilliant thank youBut you would need to get the front arch liners out and clear all the years of damp mud out.
If those are the original wings, a good indication the rest of the car is likely to be good.
Rear arches are where you need to look - any surface rust there has come from the inside and get the sill covers off to assess sills. Prob have half a tom of mud in there as well.
I am feeling a bit more confident in older cars now after reading everyone's messages in here, I will continue my hunt for a 90s era Beemer!
The 90s is a magical era for me anyway, but regardless of that the 90s era of BMW was truly magical
sonnenschein3000 said:
jon-yprpe said:
Too late now, but that rust is nothing! Just a little light surface rust. Could be sorted in minutes.
But you would need to get the front arch liners out and clear all the years of damp mud out.
If those are the original wings, a good indication the rest of the car is likely to be good.
Rear arches are where you need to look - any surface rust there has come from the inside and get the sill covers off to assess sills. Prob have half a tom of mud in there as well.
Brilliant thank youBut you would need to get the front arch liners out and clear all the years of damp mud out.
If those are the original wings, a good indication the rest of the car is likely to be good.
Rear arches are where you need to look - any surface rust there has come from the inside and get the sill covers off to assess sills. Prob have half a tom of mud in there as well.
I am feeling a bit more confident in older cars now after reading everyone's messages in here, I will continue my hunt for a 90s era Beemer!
The 90s is a magical era for me anyway, but regardless of that the 90s era of BMW was truly magical
My 95 325i Coupe was a great drivers car. However the interior quality was poor, so decades on I think this issue would be a real problem.
Both my E46’s (318i and 330i) were great cars. However they were both sold at 4 years old so rust wasn’t even a consideration.
My Dad (which I drove for a few months before I moved abroad) had an E38 728i that he bought at 3 years old. Whilst the interior was nice, I found it (especially when compared to my 330i Sport) slow and ponderous. The E39 528i was a much better car in my opinion.
If your heart is set on an older BMW I would look for an E90 330i or E60 530i. Alternatively buy the newest and best BMW you can afford.
Rob 131 Sport said:
My Dad (which I drove for a few months before I moved abroad) had an E38 728i that he bought at 3 years old. Whilst the interior was nice, I found it (especially when compared to my 330i Sport) slow and ponderous. The E39 528i was a much better car in my opinion.
If your heart is set on an older BMW I would look for an E90 330i or E60 530i. Alternatively buy the newest and best BMW you can afford.
Base models never feel that spritely which is effectively what a 728i was, so I'm not surprised it felt ponderous!If your heart is set on an older BMW I would look for an E90 330i or E60 530i. Alternatively buy the newest and best BMW you can afford.
If you do go down the E90 330i or E60 530i route I'd recommend sticking to the earlier N52 engines. N53s may save you a few quid in Road Tax but are known for HPFP and injector issues and it seems new injectors cost over £600 each - if you can get them.
My 2005 E90 passed an MOT test a couple of weeks ago with just one advisory for a minor oil leak that it has had on and off since 2018!
E46s are 20+ years old so rust is going to be a thing for almost all of them. And rust usually involves a fair bit of metalwork and paint, and that costs.
But parts are cheap and plentiful. They're not too complicated so there's less to go wrong. It's far less likely that a mechanical failure will write the car off, which is more than you can say for more modern alternatives.
The cabin trim has stood the test of time and is far, far higher quality than the E36 trim, which was an aberration for BMW at the time. And they hit a pretty sweet spot of handling and feedback to an enthusiastic driver that later models just don't.
Disclaimer: I've had an E36 328i Sport, E46 325ti, E46 330ci, and E91 330i Touring. That listing is chronological but also reflects how engaging they were. The earlier the car, the more nimble, engaging and fun to drive it was. The E91 was impressively quick but completely uninvolving until you were at insane speeds for the road.
So, what do you want? Driving enjoyment and paying for parts wearing out and rust repair / prevention, or less engagement and pay the same or more in depreciation with a side risk of a major component failure presenting you with a bigger bill than the car's value?
I'm sure you can tell which side of that equation I sit on (and I'm toying with another E36 now) but the decision is yours.
I decided newer cars weren't for me as a result of that E91. Over the 3 years I owned it, it cost me £300 a month in depreciation and repairs. I could have leased a new equivalent at the time for the same amount. I ended up abandoning new cars, I'd far rather spend less in the end while enjoying my drive much, much more.
Nothing out there costs nothing to run. If you like an older car enough, and you've got the money to spend on a new one if you choose to, it's liberating to start saving a pot to keep your older and hopefully appreciating car on the road and hopefully in improving condition. I'd say £300 a month as a repair fund for a low mileage, well chosen E46 would be very generous (depending on amount of corrosion - but once that's done, you'd struggle to ever have to pay as much again for other breakages).
But parts are cheap and plentiful. They're not too complicated so there's less to go wrong. It's far less likely that a mechanical failure will write the car off, which is more than you can say for more modern alternatives.
The cabin trim has stood the test of time and is far, far higher quality than the E36 trim, which was an aberration for BMW at the time. And they hit a pretty sweet spot of handling and feedback to an enthusiastic driver that later models just don't.
Disclaimer: I've had an E36 328i Sport, E46 325ti, E46 330ci, and E91 330i Touring. That listing is chronological but also reflects how engaging they were. The earlier the car, the more nimble, engaging and fun to drive it was. The E91 was impressively quick but completely uninvolving until you were at insane speeds for the road.
So, what do you want? Driving enjoyment and paying for parts wearing out and rust repair / prevention, or less engagement and pay the same or more in depreciation with a side risk of a major component failure presenting you with a bigger bill than the car's value?
I'm sure you can tell which side of that equation I sit on (and I'm toying with another E36 now) but the decision is yours.
I decided newer cars weren't for me as a result of that E91. Over the 3 years I owned it, it cost me £300 a month in depreciation and repairs. I could have leased a new equivalent at the time for the same amount. I ended up abandoning new cars, I'd far rather spend less in the end while enjoying my drive much, much more.
Nothing out there costs nothing to run. If you like an older car enough, and you've got the money to spend on a new one if you choose to, it's liberating to start saving a pot to keep your older and hopefully appreciating car on the road and hopefully in improving condition. I'd say £300 a month as a repair fund for a low mileage, well chosen E46 would be very generous (depending on amount of corrosion - but once that's done, you'd struggle to ever have to pay as much again for other breakages).
Rob 131 Sport said:
My Dad (which I drove for a few months before I moved abroad) had an E38 728i that he bought at 3 years old. Whilst the interior was nice, I found it (especially when compared to my 330i Sport) slow and ponderous. The E39 528i was a much better car in my opinion.
Back in the day (like 1999 and 2000) my Dad had the pre-LCI 740i (E38) and then later switched to a pre-LCI 528i (E39) and I was only about 10 years old but I do remember him saying how he really enjoyed the drive of the 528i much moreI do love the unique distinct smell of the E38 though, that will always be ingrained in my fond memories
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