E46 m3 CAB driving impressions
Discussion
Recently bought one, and find it a bit shakey, didnt really feel this on short pre purchase test.I know its a CAB but....
Cold gearbox isnt to clever either. Main dealer car, so should be sound.
Other minor thing, steering wheel slightly off line, is this common.
Are there any other downsides!!
Cold gearbox isnt to clever either. Main dealer car, so should be sound.
Other minor thing, steering wheel slightly off line, is this common.
Are there any other downsides!!
Dont worry about it,they are all a bit wobbly! Mine is fitted with the removeable hard top which when fitted stiffens the car up considerably and when i remove it for summer it feels like a completely different (and very wobbly) car! You soon get used to it though,then dont really notice it.
My gearbox(manual) can be a bit stubborn when cold and the engine runs abit rough and hessitant for the first 30 seconds or so then its fine,though im told this is the case with all E46 M3s.
The off centre steering wheel could be down to the tracking being set without the steering wheel being properly central although im sure bmw wouldve checked the tracking before putting the car on sale if they thought there was a problem.Mite be worth checking tho as tyres aint cheap!
Ive owned mine for Nearly 3 years now and other than routine maintainance (tyres,brakes etc) i have not had a single problem with it-53plate,67000miles.The only real downsides are the running costs,especially if you take it to a main dealer. Insp 2 service and 2 front tyres cost me £1700! and that was 2 yrs ago.With the cars continually losing value i now take mine to a lacal bmw specialist who do a better job for about a third of the cost. Great car otherwise,even if the last few summers have been a bit s
te...
My gearbox(manual) can be a bit stubborn when cold and the engine runs abit rough and hessitant for the first 30 seconds or so then its fine,though im told this is the case with all E46 M3s.
The off centre steering wheel could be down to the tracking being set without the steering wheel being properly central although im sure bmw wouldve checked the tracking before putting the car on sale if they thought there was a problem.Mite be worth checking tho as tyres aint cheap!
Ive owned mine for Nearly 3 years now and other than routine maintainance (tyres,brakes etc) i have not had a single problem with it-53plate,67000miles.The only real downsides are the running costs,especially if you take it to a main dealer. Insp 2 service and 2 front tyres cost me £1700! and that was 2 yrs ago.With the cars continually losing value i now take mine to a lacal bmw specialist who do a better job for about a third of the cost. Great car otherwise,even if the last few summers have been a bit s
te... Hi guys,
My good Lady and I are going to buy an E46 Convertible to replace her recently departed TVR Griffith 500 (sadly sold 'cos our daughter makes three of us and only two seats in the Griff).
We recently test drove a lovely M3 manual convertible riding on 19" rims and it was very jiggly on poor roads so today we tried a 330Ci Auto on 18" rims, again rough roads, and it was a lovely ride (much better for the wee one). However, I don't want to rule out the M3 without asking what the ride is like on 18" rims.
For reference, the good Lady currently has a Scooby WRX Prodrive on stock 17" rims and the ride is perfect; she previously had an Audi S3 that was bought with the bigger 18" rims and that ride was just that little bit too harsh - I changed the 18" rims on my 93 M5 Touring to get a better ride on 17's.
So has anyone had an M3 Convertible on the 18 and 19 inch rims and how much difference does it make.
A third option is an E46 B3.3 on 18's - any advice on that as well??
Thanks in advance,
E24man.
My good Lady and I are going to buy an E46 Convertible to replace her recently departed TVR Griffith 500 (sadly sold 'cos our daughter makes three of us and only two seats in the Griff).
We recently test drove a lovely M3 manual convertible riding on 19" rims and it was very jiggly on poor roads so today we tried a 330Ci Auto on 18" rims, again rough roads, and it was a lovely ride (much better for the wee one). However, I don't want to rule out the M3 without asking what the ride is like on 18" rims.
For reference, the good Lady currently has a Scooby WRX Prodrive on stock 17" rims and the ride is perfect; she previously had an Audi S3 that was bought with the bigger 18" rims and that ride was just that little bit too harsh - I changed the 18" rims on my 93 M5 Touring to get a better ride on 17's.
So has anyone had an M3 Convertible on the 18 and 19 inch rims and how much difference does it make.
A third option is an E46 B3.3 on 18's - any advice on that as well??
Thanks in advance,
E24man.
Yea,the hard top does make a big difference to the rigidity of the car,the difference is felt straight away as soon as you remove or refit it,adds a bit more weight tho!
The car is also quieter and warmer with the roof fitted which helps with winters like this,worth getting one if your gona keep the car over next winter.
The car is also quieter and warmer with the roof fitted which helps with winters like this,worth getting one if your gona keep the car over next winter.
Cheers Nedz as you will see from my prev owned it looks like this will be the last proper car so I want it for a while. Searched high and low for a good well priced one in the right colours etc.
It ticks the right boxes as I have a 6 and 2 year old, I can do Le mans and go shopping in it, go on holiday, wife could drive it, its fast and looks good and the roof goes down. Bit shaky though
By the way I had the 18s when I bought it, dont notice much difference, kept same width tyres though.
Personally I would go M3 rather than any other option. its very quick, not the same as the GT3, but that was to much for the road. and cost near 3 times as much as the M3 did.
It ticks the right boxes as I have a 6 and 2 year old, I can do Le mans and go shopping in it, go on holiday, wife could drive it, its fast and looks good and the roof goes down. Bit shaky though
By the way I had the 18s when I bought it, dont notice much difference, kept same width tyres though.
Personally I would go M3 rather than any other option. its very quick, not the same as the GT3, but that was to much for the road. and cost near 3 times as much as the M3 did.
E24MAN,Ive never driven an M3 cab on 18s although ive read in many road tests and articles that both E46 M3 coupe and cab have a much more compliant ride on 18s.Trouble is finding one as nearly all uk cars were sold with 19s although im sure you could swap the 19s or get a decent set of 18s from somewhere.
I assume the 330ci you drove was a convertible as they will always have a more jiggly ride than the coupe?
If it was then im sure an M3 cab on 18s would be very similar in terms of ride.
I assume the 330ci you drove was a convertible as they will always have a more jiggly ride than the coupe?
If it was then im sure an M3 cab on 18s would be very similar in terms of ride.
Nedz said:
E24MAN,Ive never driven an M3 cab on 18s although ive read in many road tests and articles that both E46 M3 coupe and cab have a much more compliant ride on 18s.Trouble is finding one as nearly all uk cars were sold with 19s although im sure you could swap the 19s or get a decent set of 18s from somewhere.
I assume the 330ci you drove was a convertible as they will always have a more jiggly ride than the coupe?
If it was then im sure an M3 cab on 18s would be very similar in terms of ride.
Thanks for the reply; yes, all the cars we're considering are convertibles. I also had read that 18's were an M3 option but that nearly all came on 19's - the 330 convertible on 18's was a 60k mile car and seemed very well planted with a smooth ride over un-even surfaces/broken roads and firm enough on smooth surfaces - the 92k M3 convertible on 19's seemed unsettled on broken surfaces and still a little twitchy on smooth surfaces - I just wonder if the perfect ride for us would be an M3 on 18's ?I assume the 330ci you drove was a convertible as they will always have a more jiggly ride than the coupe?
If it was then im sure an M3 cab on 18s would be very similar in terms of ride.
E24man
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