E46 M3 concerns

[318is boy]

Hi all.
I have been looking through various forums and have read up aboutthe e46 m3. However, there are various issues, such as the vanos failure and rear subframe problems that are causing me some concern as a prospective m3 buyer.
Often problems are blown out of proportion on internet forums and i would just like some clear cut info from past and present owners to problems they have encountered.

Also what are you guys realistically getting mpg wise. thanks in advance. my budget is £13500 - this should get me quite a reasonable car yeh?

[sjj84]

Subframe issues weren't on M3's. It was on earlier E46 models, I think it was all sorted by 2000-2001ish. Don't know about vanos, think that was more of a problem with E36 models wasn't it?
As for mpg, I'm averaging about 22mpg at the moment.

[Paul_M3]

As said, subframes were an issue on other e46 models.

The (overhyped) Vanos problem was on the e36 M3 Evo.

I think there are no significant 'common' faults with the e46 M3's.

[J-P]

Only thing I'm aware of that can go wrong is this

http://members.roadfly.com/jason/m3engines.htm

and that's only on early E46 M3s.

[AngryApples]

I'd echo all the above, no sub frame or vanos issues that I am aware of, and thats after extensive research prior to my purchase 2 months ago

MPG, 80% Mway/20% Urban I'm getting about 27

13.5k ought to get you a very tidy 03/53 plate

[mat205125]

318is boy said:

Also what are you guys realistically getting mpg wise.

80% commuting along country roads, and 20% fun.

Computer says 27mpg, actually averaging 25mpg.

[318is boy]

thanks for clearing that up guys - if i can acheive 27mpg then i will be more than happy. i only got my cause for concern over e46 m3 vanos issuses by reading this thread and the links contained within the first post - slightly offputting.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=...

[Toilet Duck]

The average MPG I've had over the last 2000 miles according to the cars display is 23.8. I would say this is around 80% motorway 20% town, but includes each time the car is started from cold etc (ie an average of a complete uninterupted 2000 miles). I also drive like a granny 95% of the time so I'm suprised that people are averaging 27mpg. The only times I've registered figures like that is when I've done airport runs etc and reset the MPG counter once on the motorway, but then thats not a "true" representation of MPG as that does not reflect the overall figure (cold starts, traffic etc)

[gizlaroc]

The guy who I bought my last M3 off was nearly 70 and he got 26mpg average, he had never reset the MPG counter. Within a week it was down to 24mpg and now it is at 21mpg.
The consumption 2 I reset at the same time I collected it and that is at 19mpg.

I can get 26 mpg on a motorway run, but being realistic most people will average between 18-24 over 12 months and 12k miles.

[Shatterstone]

The only really common fault on the E46 M3 really seems to be the back springs snapping. Other problems seem to be few and far between (they do obviously happen to the odd unlucky owner though)

[nottyash]

If you do a lot of town driving the MPG will be at best 23mpg.
If you do long motorway like the 300 mile trips I did to work you may do as much as 30mpg. Mine was a manual 54 plate and used to achieve thse figures.

[anonymous-user]

I wanted to resurrect this thread, as I found this recently

http://www.mtorque.co.uk/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php...

over on mtorque. The consensus here is that the subframe problem affects/ed non-M3 E46s. The mtorque thread suggests otherwise.

I'm mulling the idea of getting an M3, and this is a bit of a concern. It's quite really clear to me from that thread whether BMW are picking up the cost of fixing this irrespective of the provenance of the car (ie would they cover a non AUC?)

Views?

[ian in lancs]

Greg66 said:

ie would they cover a non AUC?

I doubt it very much unless it is still in BMW warranty otherwise forget it!

[blondini]

ian in lancs said:

Greg66 said:

ie would they cover a non AUC?

I doubt it very much unless it is still in BMW warranty otherwise forget it!

Don't think they're bothered. http://www.bmwland.co.uk/talker/viewtopic.php?t=81...

[C8LNJ]

MPG I get:

32mpg personal best (150 miles sticking to 70mph) Done that trip & back on a tank with some left over

23mpg normal daily driving mix of Mway/country roads & town.

13?mpg possibly when giving it full beans...though ive never gave it hell for long enough to find out :lol:

[mat205125]

Toilet Duck said:

I also drive like a granny 95% of the time so I'm suprised that people are averaging 27mpg.

My late 50's mother's 1.25 fiesta's computer indicates less than 20mpg. She drives to and from work, and to the shops a couple times a week .... all within the confines of a 1 mile diameter village. She covers maybe 200 miles per month.

I lift share and commute 90 miles around each day that its my turn to drive. It's pretty quiet at my commute time, and I really just sit at 60mph (honest) all the way in both directions ... 25 plus real mpg, and 27 plus computer mpg is realistic. I'm sure I could get better than 30 if I stuck to 59.9mph!

[Victor101]

sjj84 said:

Subframe issues weren't on M3's. It was on earlier E46 models, I think it was all sorted by 2000-2001ish. Don't know about vanos, think that was more of a problem with E36 models wasn't it?
As for mpg, I'm averaging about 22mpg at the moment.

Wrong! I've seen two E46 M3's up on ramps having boot floors put in at the dealers. They are just as prone as any other E46 for the cracks on the passenger side rear mounting - if you like I can put you in touch with a specialist who has also repaired a couple. Their method is to remove the entire rear axle, weld the cracks up and then seam weld a special plate over the entire mount.

The E46 boot floor issue went well into 2002 - I've seen an 02 plate 330d Touring being repaired.

Yes, the Vanos issues were more E36, particularly the 3.2 Evolution. The E46 had an all new Vanos unit and a revised head with roller rockers and vanos issues are far less common.

Edited by Victor101 on Wednesday 22 July 12:07

[sjj84]

I stand corrected, I thought the issue was resolved in late 2000 and so missed the M3's.

[andye30m3]

Th advise I've always read is to make sure it has had it's running in service.

Other than that i've heard early cars had issues with the shells spinning but these's should have been recalled.

I've heard of a vanos issue with an E46 on a friends car but doen't seam anywhere near as common as the E36.

only thing i've heard is common is the rear springs snapping but in the grand scale of things it's a cheap fix.

[Slurms]

There have been a few vanos issues with the E46 M3 but they are about as likely as any other engine componant to fail rather than a specific point of weakness

The rear springs issue does happen and some drivers have been known to do quite a bit of mileage before they realise there is a problem.

So get any prospective purchase checked out.