Project e46

rare · 12 May 2013 at 19:48

Car looks nice but the wheels ruin it for sure, they need to just be painted silver, as soon as they are it will look a ton better.

scratch · 12 May 2013 at 19:52

The ride height looks fine (well exactly the same as mine anyway). Remember it's a Sport trim so is lowered from the factory.

Will · 12 May 2013 at 19:56

All the hate for the wheels in this thread, I can't remember anyone ever knocking the wheels on Gibbo's car? Black inners with lots of spokes and a polished rim...oh wait, they're on a Porsche 911

rare · 12 May 2013 at 19:58

To be fair, don't like them on Gibbo's car either, they would look much better all silver

NickXX · 12 May 2013 at 20:43

scratch said:
The ride height looks fine (well exactly the same as mine anyway). Remember it's a Sport trim so is lowered from the factory.

My M3 rides higher.

Django x2 · 12 May 2013 at 22:52

Clarkey said:
Maybe the same reason BMW stretch the tyres from the factory...
http://s1.aecdn.com/images/news/gal...w-e92-m3-zcp-gets-subtle-changes-at-eas_6.jpg
It makes the car that little more reactive since sidewall flex is all but eliminated.

Also, you can't fit a wide rim like those off a 5er with chunky tyres without fouling the arch. Personally, I'd put the biggest tyre on for the grip and massage the arch until it fits, but each to their own. I'm no fan of the silly stance nonsense where you are making compromises on the geo and tyre width just for looks, but that one is only a mild case.

Pretty sure that image isn't stretched. An overdose of back to black makes it look stretched however

Fr0dders · 13 May 2013 at 00:32

Rotty said:
I do like Imola red on E46s

agreed.

I know this is an m3 not a 330i but still. have some inspiration

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17865762

Matt82 · 13 May 2013 at 00:58

A thread about sorting out an old red 3er. Do like this indeed

Howard · 13 May 2013 at 08:14

Will said:
All the hate for the wheels in this thread, I can't remember anyone ever knocking the wheels on Gibbo's car? Black inners with lots of spokes and a polished rim...oh wait, they're on a Porsche 911

I don't like the black wheels on his car either. I don't like black wheels on most cars. But we're not discussing Gibbo's car in this thread are we?

rodenal · 13 May 2013 at 10:54

Getting some prices for redoing these now as it looks like any standard set I get would need to be refurbed anyway

Standard silver or grey of some sort, light gunmetal or something?

[TW]Fox · 13 May 2013 at 11:05

Silver. Gunmetal looks dirty.

Matt82 · 13 May 2013 at 11:36

Just normal silver.

the current chav trend round here seems to be for e46 wheels to be painted blue/grey colours, regardless of the colour of the car, and it looks so wrong

rodenal · 13 May 2013 at 11:47

Yeah i guess it's asking for the wrong kind of attention really, just like the current efforts. The guy I just spoke to for a price certainly thought the current combo was....odd.

Discovered this morning one of the inner rear light seal is pretty buggered too - Will re-seal both for now but the replacement is only circa £40 from the dealer.

Matt how's the M3 now?

[TW]Fox · 13 May 2013 at 12:06

Does it make anyone else feel old seeing an E46 330Ci Sport as an 'old project car'?

I can remember on here when Jez sold his 330Ci of the same age for £15k and Moeks bought one for £24k!

wingman · 13 May 2013 at 12:06

There appears to be a lot of E46 330i's that have been tinkered with in some manner. I appreciate some of the changes are fashion statements of individuality, and is of course subjective, but completely stock examples are becoming rare. I guess this trend will continue as they become older and older.

Lovely colour OP. One of my favourites.

rodenal · 13 May 2013 at 12:53

It makes me feel old having it as a project car! doesn't feel so long ago my old man bought a cab for not far off £20k - can't remember what shed I was running about in at the time.

Just unplugged the maf and the car ran better (has a low rev hesitation) so I need to get in and about the maf/icv/disa area at the weekend and see what's what. Also need to try and get inpa working again.

Dealer wants £130 a side for the door armrest cube trim so considering spraying it satin black and seeing how it matches up. Will also need to do something with the coin tray / centre console at some point to clear up the little nicks

wingman · 13 May 2013 at 12:57

rodenal said:
Will also need to do something with the coin tray / centre console at some point to clear up the little nicks

Think the BMW eBay shop sells genuine trays for around £30.00.

mrk · 13 May 2013 at 12:57

Yeah the cube trim is ridiculous in price. My passenger side one has a few scratches from rings and bracelets. I might be anal about keeping things on my car looking new but there are sane limits!

rodenal · 13 May 2013 at 13:02

wingman said:
Think the BMW eBay shop sells genuine trays for around £30.00.

Yeah I can get the tray very cheaply but there are also some marks on the actual console itself (not many but enough to be annoying) so if I was going to do something with that (plastidip or something similar) I'd just do the cointray too to keep them similar.

mrk said:
Yeah the cube trim is ridiculous in price. My passenger side one has a few scratches from rings and bracelets. I might be anal about keeping things on my car looking new but there are sane limits!

Same old BMW, surprisingly cheap for certain parts, incomprehensibly expensive for others. I'm really just picking faults with the car for now so I've got a list of interior and mechanical bits and pieces to sort out over the summer.

mrk · 13 May 2013 at 13:07

Have you seen the price of the short weighted Sport gear knob?

£52! Hell even the genuine ones on eBay when I got mine were around that so I just went to the dealer to have it there and then. The shoddy quality gearbox gaiter was also something like £32 but I got a thick Italian leather one for £15 on eBay instead. Much nicer and included the handbrake gaiter as well.