E46 M3's

Tomcat825

Tomcat825

Tomcat825

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I've had an ever increasing temptation for an E46 M3 ever since I got my 325i tbh.

I keep reading about how they are one of the best performance cars of their class and for that price range so I would really like to experience this for myself before they become TOO old to make it economical to pay £7k+ for one.

My budget ranges from £7-10k. IDEALLY, I'd like the price to be 8.5k max unless it is a particularly nice example as this leaves me some extra money for running costs that I can keep in the kitty.

What particular things do I NEED to look for with an E46 (Both in upgrades AND common faults??). I'm undecided by SMG or Manual as I've heard horror stories about both... I'm leaning towards manual unless I can find an SMG that has had the pump replaced/refurb'ed. I've always loved the interraction with a manual box and can't imagine a flappy paddle system to be AS involving as a manual box after a perfect heel-toe downshift for example.
I know about the subframe issues too.


I do a 280 mile either way trip every month and a 180 mile either way every 2 months, but aside from that I just travel locally to base and do the odd track day.
My impression is that on a motorway run sitting at 70mph, an M3 can return around 30-32mpg. Am I wrong here? I am not overly bothered by the mpg, but if a reasonable return on a boring 70mph slog on a motorway is reachable then I'll be particularly happy. Day to day driving mpg does not bother me as I won't be driving "economically" all the time.

Curious to what everyone thinks. I have a little voice in my head saying that having an M3 for 560 mile round trip journeys every month is a bit retarded but the young petrol head in me is overwriting those thoughts with the fact that it won't cost MUCH more (~£100 a month) more than my 325i anyway.
 
Buy one! but stuff WILL go wrong on it and it will push the limits of your patience, but its worth it for the noise, torque and engineering prowess.

Id say 32mpg is optimistic, Ive never got that but Ive never kept my right foot light :D I would think if you drove like a saint you could see near that...

SMG or manual they have the same gearbox which is solid, and I think the SMG is underrated and its unreliability overplayed, the SMG pumps are available refurbed for a lot cheaper I hear nowadays too.

If your a techie for me SMG is the only way to go, flash the CSL DME and SMG parameters on and your good to go :)
 
Aye, over a year I predict it to be double my 325i, but on a general month to month basis assuming nothing goes wrong it wouldn't be MASSIVELY more. Hence the 8.5k max so that I have money left over for things to go wrong, with a constant input each month from wages.

As far as I'm concerned, problems with a high performance standard car aren't too dissimilar to buying parts for a cheap car each month anyway.
 
Tomcat825 said:
it won't cost MUCH more (~£100 a month) more than my 325i anyway.
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There will be a few on here that will tell you to get a warranty. So that's £100 off the bat before you start talking higher fuel usage, higher tax band, higher insurance and higher cost for wear and tear.
 
Hi there

Buy a good example for 6.5-7.5k leaving some money for repairs/upgrades. Mileage is not an issue on these cara, FSH is more important with services not skimped on and only the proper Castrol oil used, it's a race derived engine after all.

For the money you can get a very nice car, shop around for something cared for and if your lucky with CS/CSL wheels.

Long motorway trip 28-30mpg, 32mpg if lucky, think I've seen 35mpg in mine but it's got far less weight to chug around, I average 18mpg as it gets spanked.

SMG vs Manual well the SMG is the most interative paddle system you will ever drive, it's raw and fun, manual is more reliable but most SMG issues are fixed by changing a relay. Drive both!

Must do modifications:-
BMC panel filter - £50
Evolve remap with SMG lights if a manual - £500
eBay 100 cel cats - £200
RTAB limiter kit - £50
Uprated pads - £150

Ensure it's got good tyres, M3 owners swear by SuperSports, but as long as matching tyres all round is what counts.

Mine has had no issues touch wood, though I did think the SMG had gone, as it refused to select a gear and started playing up but was just salmon relay.

They are such a comfy car and a great cruiser but have a real race car feel to them when you give them a spanking and let that engine sing right upto the 8000rpm limit. Just like a GT3 they are happy on track too, brakes only weakness for heavy track work.

I love mine both as a road and track car, it's a lot of fun!
 
Great car. If you want a quick M3 you won't find a better value buy or a better M3 than an E46 in my humble opinion. I think the 19's that were 'preferred' when I purchased my 2 back in the day have however dated and look nasty now so i would seek to go CSL style which still look magnificent.

I had 2 manuals, I prefer them to SMG but that is a subjective thing. Check rear springs which can be a pain, if it's a 2003 car back check for the correct factory recalls as a couple were significant. Check service history of course, like any car but outside of suspension bits they are rock hard really and the engines seem very strong.
 
Oh and in 100K miles in the 2 I had, both showed 24.3mpg and even though I have had people try to convince me 35mpg is possible I never saw that once....or close to it.
 
Just out of interest Gibbo, has yours surpassed the CSL yet in terms of fun factor? Or does the CSL still have the edge you'd perhaps expect it to have, taking into account yours and it's somewhat extensive stripping etc....?
 
Scania said:
Just out of interest Gibbo, has yours surpassed the CSL yet in terms of fun factor? Or does the CSL still have the edge you'd perhaps expect it to have, taking into account yours and it's somewhat extensive stripping etc....?
Click to expand...

Mine is a lot more race car than my CSL ever was, what the CSL had over it was induction noise and interior. Fact is I've built a stonker of a car for less than 15k. I'd need 30k for a CSL and would still no doubt have to spend money for brakes and suspension.

CSL as a road car has the edge, ever so slightly more compliant suspension but talking slight here and a nicer place to be, dare I say it more toys.

On track though, drivers equal my car is now faster everywhere.

All that is left to do is cage or harness bar, fit 12mm rear spacers and well it's finished, though a CSL air box would finish it off if a deal ever comes up on one.

But if were talking purely fun factor then yes I'd say mine is now just as good if not better, certainly better on track by miles simply due to brakes.
 
I've just traded my E46 in for a E92. The E46 is a superb car, however they are starting to show their age. If you can get a well loved example that has been properly looked after then that's your nest bet. However when (not if! - most of these cars are pushing 10+ years old now) it goes wrong, have money ready for a substantial bill. Yes you can buy them for £8k but they were £55+ when new and as such will have repair bills to match!

I had an SMG and when it worked it was great. However I had a few issues with it and if you're not careful it can be a couple of grand to get it fixed. The 19s look great but the lacquer is awful and they go cloudy easily, if you can have the csl wheels (although I prefer the 19s!) Also make sure you get one that either has had its boot floor checked/replaced. There is a design flaw which causes cracking all along the rear boot floor. On cars less then 10 years old BMW did a FOC fix.

Spec wise is down to your own preference really. I was lucky and had one with pretty much everything other then the rear sun blind. Def get the professional nav, and ideally HK as you'll be doing some fairly long drives.

I did a lot of miles in mine, approx 20,000 a year. I was spending around £400 on fuel in a busy month. It absolutely was the wrong choice of car for the mileage. However I loved it and loved driving it every time I got in it. You certainly won't regret getting one.

However I also have to add that even having only had my E92 a few days I absolutely love it. Everything that wasn't ideal about my old E46 the new E92 improves on, and the V8 is a gorgeous engine! The DCT is night and day better then the SMG as well! Sadly can't get a E92 for 8k :(
 
Housey said:
The E46 M3 was 39k not 55k when new. I paid around 42k each for my two.
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This and in fairness they are such well known cars with so many specialist parts are not that expensive and pretty much any mechanic can work on them. For more specialist areas like SMG and Vanos there are specialist who are again far cheaper than dealerships.
 
Housey said:
The E46 M3 was 39k not 55k when new. I paid around 42k each for my two.
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What's ten grand between friends eh :p

Gibbo said:
This and in fairness they are such well known cars with so many specialist parts are not that expensive and pretty much any mechanic can work on them. For more specialist areas like SMG and Vanos there are specialist who are again far cheaper than dealerships.
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Whilst I agree that there are many excellent indy specialists, the E46 isn't a cheap car to run or maintain. The inspection services even when done by a specialist aren't cheap, nor are the tyres. If anything major goes, for example the SMG then it's going to be an expensive fix. I'm well aware of the so-called SMG specialists who claim they can refurb and fix any smg issues. In my experience they are mainly ripoff merchants. Sadly the high mileage SMG cars are all now stating to have issues with the pumps failing. The net is littered with people trying to find ways around it. The salmon relay only fixes a very small amount of issues with it.

I'm not trying to put anyone off buying the car, as I said it is a superb car. However people need to understand that just because you can get them cheaply doesn't mean they are cheap to run.
 
Evolve remap with SMG lights if a manual - £500
whats this bit in more Gibbo?

My brother will want to know im sure.

My 2p.

My and my brother picked his up in November for 8.5k
Its a absolutely Mint car mechanically. 73 k mile and it has a VERY strong engine.
As said, Just keep a grand and a half laying around for it and you should be fine.
 
Eliot said:
Evolve remap with SMG lights if a manual - £500 EDIT: worked out the shift lights bit, Not sure if i prefer or not..
whats this bit in more Gibbo?

My brother will want to know im sure.

My 2p.

My and my brother picked his up in November for 8.5k
Its a absolutely Mint car mechanically. 73 k mile and it has a VERY strong engine.
As said, Just keep a grand and a half laying around for it and you should be fine.
Click to expand...
 
Eliot said:
Evolve remap with SMG lights if a manual - £500
whats this bit in more Gibbo?

My brother will want to know im sure.

My 2p.

My and my brother picked his up in November for 8.5k
Its a absolutely Mint car mechanically. 73 k mile and it has a VERY strong engine.
As said, Just keep a grand and a half laying around for it and you should be fine.
Click to expand...


OK OK. :p

SMG lights are default on an SMG and they are awesome.

You can also enable them on a manual too, I think some can do this for free with a laptop, if not Evolve will do it for about £100 and as the Evolve remap gives a proven 20-30BHP and is noticeable it makes sense to get it when buying the map.

My car is noticeably quicker than a stock M3 due to extra power and weight reducing. :)
 
Is the Evolve map any good if the car is 100% standard?
Still same gain?
Any graphs for comparison?

I'm planning on getting one later this year so sounds like i'm all over it.
 
Gibbo (and others who have owned an E46 M3) how do you find the throttle on it being a fly-by-wire? The one on my 330 is extremely annoying (constant delays on driver input) and no matter how many times I do the reset trick it's never any better. Can imagine it's even more of a pain on the M3? Or is it less pronounced?
 
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