BMW E46...what say you?

Sniffing around a '00 E46 323i. Price is right but what in particular should I know? 
Specifically autotragic transmissions...

Window regulators are junk. Rear floorpan will tear at the suspension mounts.

There is probably more to know but that last one caused me to lose any interest.

Go for a 328i/330i... they're only marginally more expensive but have more power.

The rear suspension pocket issue is the same thing on the e36's and is a common thing when building those into race cars afaik. For normal use not a big deal and also not that bad to take care of. Like most BMWs of that era the cooling systems are plastic and should be considered consumables but you can replace everything yourself for about 600 bucks.

I don't see a reason to settle for the 323 given the prices I have seen I would go 328/330 as danny said

I just sold a 2003 325i for $3500, so unless it is significantly cheaper than that, hold out for a post-facelift car, and preferably a post-2002 car. Look in the open classifieds for a description of my car. 

Prior to 2002 the power steering was over boosted, interfering with road feel.  That was revised in 2002+ cars.  Plus, the post-facelift cars got a bump in displacement / power output.  An E46 325i makes almost as much power as the E46 328i did.

The floorpan / subframe issue is overblown except on built cars with R comps. Mine had 130,000 spirited miles and probably 30+ autocross events on summer tires with no issues. 

Unless there are receipts for a cooling system replacement, figure you will have to spend $600-$700 in parts and a weekend replacing it. There are packages available. 

Change the ATF as soon as you get the car. “Lifetime”, my shiny metal ass. 

Window regulators break, but are about $60 each / 40 minutes work to replace. Run all 4 windows up and down, plus operate the sunroof several times. Crunchy or balky sunroof means the cassette is bad and needs to be replaced, which is a PITA. If you can live without the sunroof, you can ignore the crunchy cassette if you NEVER open it again. Because I guarantee when it does fail, it will be in the open position. 

Look for light smoke from under the hood on warmup. Also look for wet underneath. These have a couple places they like to drip - or more than drip - oil.  Valve cover gasket, VANOS seals, and the o-ring at the bottom of the pipe leading to the oil filter enclosure.  Again, nothing that's not fixable if you have some mechanical ability.  These are all known issues with plenty of DIYs available.

^^ sounds like a great list and nothing to be afraid of great cars for the money these days

In reply to Duke :

Ughh, didn't need to hear this. I keep seeing 330i convertibles around and they are really pretty cars. My mindset was "They're BMWs, they're unreliable, avoid them"

In reply to NickD :

The only reason I sold my 2003 325i is that I already owned my wife's 2004 TSX which had half the miles on it, and was surplus after we bought her new car.  The TSX needed virtually nothing, whereas the E46 was due for the preventative cooling system overhaul, and some appearance stuff.  It was easier to unload the BMW, and I'm lazy when I have the chance to be.   If I hadn't had a newer car sitting in my driveway, I would have spent a little time and money on the 325i and driven it another 3-4 years.

At 130,000 it was still on the original clutch, which was tight as a drum.  No synchro noise or problems shifting.  Everybody says BMW dampers only last 50,000 miles, but the car still rode and handled fine on the originals.  Not hard to work on at all, and Pelican Parts (among others) makes sure replacement bits can be had for reasonable cost.

In about 11 years and about 110,000 miles of my ownership, it never stranded me.  I did a full set of brake rotors all round, and 2 sets of pads on the front.  I had a rear wheel bearing replaced.  I replaced the trans oil with Redline MTL and the differential oil with Redline gear oil.  I replaced 2 window regulators, and the sunroof cassette was replaced early on under CPO warranty.  I cleaned out the sunroof drains when they clogged up and filled the rear footwells (I have to park outside under a sycamore tree, the dirtiest trees know to man).  I think I did the spark plugs, but frankly, I can't recall for sure.  It still ran strong.  I had it aligned once.  I put a battery in it.

That's honestly about it.

Personally, I think the peak of the entire 3-series lineup is the E46.  Style, utility, and engineering.

So of course, I own one example of every 3 series except . . . the E46.

I'm a huge fan of the e46, currently own 2 of them. Nice to drive, pretty shape, very straightforward and easy to work on, reliable if common issues are taken care of, and parts are generally cheap and available.  The forums are actually helpful in terms of wrenching shortcuts etc.  I sent this buyer's guide to someone else.  You have to scroll down, but there's a checklist for use when looking at one. e46 Buyer's Guide Linky

I would say that you should know to turn around and run from it... mine has been nothing but trouble

Duke's list is pretty comprehensive.

I agree that unless you have a high hp car on really sticky tires the subframe issues won't be bothersome. I also saw in the e46 m3 article in GRM bimmerworld mentioned the main cause of subframe failure is worn bushings allowing additional flex. So well maintained non M3 cars should have no fear of this issue (ok maybe minor fear)

From the 30 or so different BMW's I have owned thus far I will say the biggest lesson I have learned is that the most expensive BMW is the cheapest one you can find.

It's worth the extra cost up front to pay for a car that has been well maintained it's whole life vs one that is behind on lots of maintenance.

The subframe issue is real.  Great for GRMers because it can be rectified with weld-in reinforcement plates.  A lot of work, but not too complicated.  I did the Redish Motorsport ones instead of the tiny Turner ones.  

There is no practical way to PPI for subframe tear-out unless it has already failed catastrophically.  You have to drop the subframe, clean off the mounting points and look for metal fatigue.

Either buy a really nice one with documentation or plan on doing it.

That said, I love my E46 and it has been a good car.  

Love the E46. This is my wife's daily driver (and our weekend fun car): 2005 330ci ZHP. Absolutely a blast to drive, even with the Steptronic (which is actually a GM transmission):

As was said, BMW thinks of cooling systems as wear parts, so plan accordingly. Subframe issues in these cars is overblown on the internet. Anything you need to do is well documented on You Tube and on forums galore... Parts can be had MUCH cheaper than at the dealer (for example the only replacement part I've needed for the ZHP has been a fuel pump. Dealer wanted $450, oembimmerparts.com wanted $158 for the exact same OEM part. Oh, and it took about 15 minutes to replace with basic tools).

I'm a big fan of spending a bit more up front on a well maintained example with records. Served me well with my 740i Sport and looks to be serving me well with the 330ci. And definitely look for the Sport package at the very least (and if you can find one, a ZHP package car).

I'll second the recommendation for a Sport Package (ZSP) car.  The front seats alone are worth seeing if you can find one.

Good advice----- buy the very best one you can find within your price range.   A well-cared for BMW can be a wonderful, reliable car, with reasonable maintenance costs.  Where you run into trouble is buying one that has been abused, or not kept up with.

 Installing new bushings isn't that bad.   Replacing the cooling system isn't that bad.  Even re-enforcing the rear subframe mounting points isn't that bad.  (and IMHO overblown on the internet-- although it does occur)    What really gets you is when you have to do all of these at once.  A good owner would have taken care of things as they wear out.  Like any car, if an E46 is neglected, it can bite you in the wallet.

Save $3,500-$5K and you should be able to find a very nice example these days.   Lots and lots of these were garage-kept and babied throughout their lives.  Many have now fallen into the hands of "stance kids" and other "modifiers"    I'd find a totally bone-stock one, owned by a middle-aged family, and snap it up.    And +1 on finding a 328, or 330, especially with an auto.  

How about the M3 version of those?  I have been looking hard at an E46 M3 Convertible for fun summer use.

The engine is great when its maintained well however it can be expensive to care for.

Only the m3 has a big problem with rear suspension tearing. OTOH, replace the ENTIRE cooling system unless you have 100% proof that the system has recently been replaced. This is a grand minimum. What is it with BMW and cooling systems anyway? Suspension bushings!!

In reply to 93gsxturbo :

Old school valve adjustments!

Also beware that the rod bearings on the E46 M3 are considered wear items and rebuilding the vanos system is very costly.  You need to go in and replace the vanos bolts as well...

markwemple said:

Only the m3 has a big problem with rear suspension tearing. 

 

False.

A close personal friend bought a non-M E46 to turn into a track car. Higher mileage but decently cared for. Just a street car. Had to have the subframe welded.

My gripe with BMW on this 'overblown' issue half of you talk about is that this wouldn't be a surprise perhaps on a 'normal' car or even a big, V8 powered domestic. But 'the ultimate driving machine'? Pretty poor engineering.

I don't hate on BMWs. Raced an E30, built a 2002 Challenge car and am shopping for a E36 M3. E46 can be a nice car but to dismiss the subframe fatigue thing as 'overblown' or rare is foolhardy.

The chassis bulges over the front shocks too. Look out for that. Headliner and pillar upholstery goes loose. Cooling system either has been serviced because it failed or will fail and need to be serviced.

That’s off the top of my head. They are sweet vas tho, I want one too.

You should totally look for a 330i or 328i as said above, price difference is null and you get much more car for your money. 

Also, I would run away from any E46 that has M badges (unless it’s an M3, duh). It probably means the car was owned by the cager version of a squid and was driven hard/not properly maintained.

Oh, and btw. I haven’t driven an automatic, but I live in Mexico and manual 330is are close to non existent, only 320is. So I looked into steptronics and everyone agrees that it’s not a boring car to drive with an auto. The smooth six couples well with the auto box.

I say what Joe Gearin is super solid advice. I think he just forgot the front shock tower issue (which can be fixed before it happens), but maybe I missed it on his post. x1000 super valuable advice, for any used car, not just Bimmers. That’s another reason why I looked into autos, they are usually cared for and driven by old fellows who can afford maintenance and had the car since new or as a second owner.