Anyone own a e46 m3?
- Thread starter garymcq23
- Start date
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
Lots of people here own an E46 M3. There is a dedicated BMW thread on this page, too.
Servicing on the M3 is variable and pops up at between 10k and 18k miles based on how the car is driven.
It is in this order:
Oil Service (£160-£200)
Inspection 1 (£600-700)
Oil Service (£160-£200)
Inspection 2 (£700-£800)
Oil Service (£160-£200)
etc
Brake Fluid is every 2 years, independant of this. It costs under £100.
A full set of decent tyres on the 18 inch wheels will cost £600-700. On the 19 inch wheels £800-900.
12 months road tax is £270 for pre March 06 cars.
Lots of people think they can afford to run an M3 but cannot. The cars owned by these people litter the classified sections at quite tempting prices. You must ensure you avoid these.
Servicing on the M3 is variable and pops up at between 10k and 18k miles based on how the car is driven.
It is in this order:
Oil Service (£160-£200)
Inspection 1 (£600-700)
Oil Service (£160-£200)
Inspection 2 (£700-£800)
Oil Service (£160-£200)
etc
Brake Fluid is every 2 years, independant of this. It costs under £100.
A full set of decent tyres on the 18 inch wheels will cost £600-700. On the 19 inch wheels £800-900.
12 months road tax is £270 for pre March 06 cars.
Lots of people think they can afford to run an M3 but cannot. The cars owned by these people litter the classified sections at quite tempting prices. You must ensure you avoid these.
Yes.
BMW have recently introduced value servicing for M cars, too. It's reasonably priced - its only made to look expensive by random garages who stick 'BMW SPECIALIST' above the door and think it makes them experts and don't bother to do half the service schedule
Oil Service is £169, Inspection 1 is £669 and Inspection 2 is £899.
It might look expensive but it's an M3 but a 318Ci. If you think thats a lot of money then a 318Ci Sport is cheaper to service and looks similar
The prices don't seem too bad to be honest. My last service on my car was £600 which included everything, gearbox oil, diff oil, 8 plugs ect.. I'm guessing an inspection II is just as comprehensive? Consumables I imagine would be comparable too, it's the repairs that would hit hard.
It isn't expensive when you look at the sort of car it is, and the price of servicing similar cars.
What people look at though is the price for the same servicing on, say, a 330Ci - under the same BMW scheme a 330Ci would cost £159 for oil, £249 for Inspection 1 and £359 for Inspeciton 2 - so those inspection services are less than half the price. But then the M3 is more than just a quicker 330Ci.
What people look at though is the price for the same servicing on, say, a 330Ci - under the same BMW scheme a 330Ci would cost £159 for oil, £249 for Inspection 1 and £359 for Inspeciton 2 - so those inspection services are less than half the price. But then the M3 is more than just a quicker 330Ci.
Fox has it all pretty much spot on re costs, I had one and didn't regret it for a minute
only thing I would add is the 19 inch wheels are not hard wearing and if refurbed will never be the same again, either stick with 18s or get CSLs ( with eibach spring kit )
only thing I would add is the 19 inch wheels are not hard wearing and if refurbed will never be the same again, either stick with 18s or get CSLs ( with eibach spring kit )
I work as a exhaust and tyre fitting so no a bit about cars although I'm no mechanic but I could done the likes of oil change myself thing that is worrying me a bit is inspection 1 and 2. What is involed in inspection one and 2 ? And how often is inspection 1 and 2
I told you already how often they are.
I sense perhaps you would be better off with something else...
Insurance will be twice that of the ST. Tyres, as stated above, could cost you just shy of a grand. As above, an Insp 1/2 can cost close to £1k if nothing is wrong. Brake discs and pads will cost you £1k in parts. They take specialist oil. Subframes can fail (£££). Tax is top bracket (£500+) for later cars. SMG failure can cost you £2k. Vanos failure can cost you £1k. The 19" wheels corrode badly and cost a lot to run.
More trouble than they're worth.
I have traders insurance so won't cost me more than the st not worried about the tax I can afford it and I'll be getting a 02 or 03 m3 so tax won't be as high as 500. I get my tyres for free 
as long as I'm not changing them every couple months lol. Someone was telling my that the subframe is a comen fault and BMW fix it for free is this ture?
as long as I'm not changing them every couple months lol. Someone was telling my that the subframe is a comen fault and BMW fix it for free is this ture?