BMW E46....money pit?

Will Gill · 22 Jul 2011 at 09:26

its an 55 reg convertible m3

and nope I dont think it will see Courchevel, I currently don't know if I will given the state of my finances

NickXX · 22 Jul 2011 at 12:13

My e46 has broken a rear spring, and that's been it - in 2 years.

HummuH1 · 22 Jul 2011 at 13:32

NickXX said:
My e46 has broken a rear spring, and that's been it - in 2 years.

Surprised you've only had one lol

If you look beyond the shiney paint, buy well and understand where the wear & tear parts are in their lifecycle when you buy, it doesn't have to be a money pit.

Also, it's only gonna cost you megabucks if you go to the dealers to fix any problems. You can source OEM parts much cheaper than dealer retail prices and there's lots of good BMW indy's out there.

Yeah, if a gearbox or cooling system goes it could cost £££, but so would any other car. There were loads of E46's so used major/expensive parts are available from breakers at reasonable costs.

It's all about not buying a pup....

Maccy · 22 Jul 2011 at 13:49

[TW]Fox;19637944 said:
He said a 2 litre E46. The 320i is not the 2 litre E46, it's a 2.2, so he means a 2 liter E46 he's talking about the 318i.

Crikey, you learn something new every day

MacRS4 · 22 Jul 2011 at 13:52

This may give you some indication. (The 2.2 6 cylinder).

HummuH1 · 22 Jul 2011 at 13:59

[TW]Fox;19637944 said:
He said a 2 litre E46. The 320i is not the 2 litre E46, it's a 2.2, so he means a 2 liter E46 he's talking about the 318i.

Not strictly true I think, could be wrong. I thought the first E46 320 used a M52 variant 2 litre engine. Only used for a couple of years before the M54 2.2 was used across the range. I'm pretty sure my old man's E46 320i tourer was a 2 litre.

Wicksta · 22 Jul 2011 at 14:19

2 and a half years with my 325i, from 139,000 to 150,000 miles and the only outgoings have been a new power steering pump, tyres and parts for an oil service.

But saying that it had just had a new automatic gearbox before I bought it.

Wicksta · 22 Jul 2011 at 14:21

MacRS4 said:
This may give you some indication. (The 2.2 6 cylinder).

£435 for an oil service? £50 for an MOT? £20 to fit a wheel?

Was this car taken to "We saw you coming Motors Ltd".

loltim · 22 Jul 2011 at 14:35

Wicksta said:
£435 for an oil service? £50 for an MOT? £20 to fit a wheel?

Was this car taken to "We saw you coming Motors Ltd".

£50 for an MOT isn't THAT bad is it? He might have got a valet thrown in for that

neither is the wheel fitting, maybe £7 ish overcharged? meh..

[TW]Fox · 22 Jul 2011 at 14:53

He had the bushes and brake fluid done at the same time so seems ok.

[TW]Fox · 22 Jul 2011 at 14:54

Wicksta said:
2 and a half years with my 325i, from 139,000 to 150,000 miles and the only outgoings have been a new power steering pump, tyres and parts for an oil service.

But saying that it had just had a new automatic gearbox before I bought it.

So in under 15k miles it had a new auto gearbox and a power steering pump.

Sums up our point nicely

[TW]Fox · 22 Jul 2011 at 14:56

HummuH1 said:
Not strictly true I think, could be wrong. I thought the first E46 320 used a M52 variant 2 litre engine. Only used for a couple of years before the M54 2.2 was used across the range. I'm pretty sure my old man's E46 320i tourer was a 2 litre.

It's totally true. The UK never got the M52B20. The 320i only appeared with the introduction of the M54 in 2000 and was always a 2.2.

Bradmax57 · 22 Jul 2011 at 15:09

loltim said:
£50 for an MOT isn't THAT bad is it? He might have got a valet thrown in for that neither is the wheel fitting, maybe £7 ish overcharged? meh..

My local BMW dealer was offering £20 on any E46 recently inc a wash and vac

MacRS4 · 22 Jul 2011 at 15:14

Bit misleading the titles I think - I did take it in for oil service but also had some other annoyances and pieces fixed too.

Garage was Highams Park Motor Company - a good bunch IMO.

I'm also one of those people who is very intolerant of anything not being 'right' so my cars tend to get looked after very well.

Ant C · 22 Jul 2011 at 15:15

I had a 54 plate E46 320D Touring for a couple of years.

Bought with 60k on the clock and sold at 85k.

Not a single thing went wrong with it.

Will Gill · 22 Jul 2011 at 15:17

having claimed trouble free motoring I think my rear spring just snapped, no big deal car just sits a tiny bit wonky and I've been quoted £90 to fix it, just ironic given this thread tis all

HummuH1 · 22 Jul 2011 at 15:34

[TW]Fox;19640724 said:
It's totally true. The UK never got the M52B20. The 320i only appeared with the introduction of the M54 in 2000 and was always a 2.2.

I stand corrected, did not know that.

daz87uk · 22 Jul 2011 at 15:37

The more I read the more I worry about my pocket

, I just brought an E46 2002 316 SE for 4k with 42k miles and its been great so far put it up on the ramps and everything underneath is serviced and all in good nick. I thought it was an easy way to step onto the bmw ladder seeing as ive only been driving a few years with bangers

EddScott · 22 Jul 2011 at 15:44

daz87uk said:
The more I read the more I worry about my pocket , I just brought an E46 2002 316 SE for 4k with 42k miles and its been great so far put it up on the ramps and everything underneath is serviced and all in good nick. I thought it was an easy way to step onto the bmw ladder seeing as ive only been driving a few years with bangers

Tell me about. Makes you wonder why anyone would buy a BMW at all. Save the money and buy a Mondeo TDCI (and get slapped with a DMF bill

)

I'm still going for a 330D though. Just have to put up with the bills as and when they come.

Wicksta · 22 Jul 2011 at 15:49

[TW]Fox;19640706 said:
So in under 15k miles it had a new auto gearbox and a power steering pump.

Sums up our point nicely

No, in 150,000 miles it's had those replaced.

The cooling system is still the original one as well.