Bought an old BMW M3, filled with regret...

[mrk]

This is the last page on the service booklet. Makes me wonder if it's been clocked with so many oil services.

Spoiler

The oil service is done every inspection anyway so that's fine, although it doesn't need to be ticked off for an inspection service as it's part of that service,

The issue is that it's only had an inspection 1 done each time which is worrying as there are additional items to be seen to in an inspection 2 and that's a major service.

I'd also guess that a valve clearance check has never been done as none of those garages look like they'd know how to do it and I can't find anything on a Z.B Auto's. Clearances should be checked at each inspection and adjusted if needed.

 

[Gaygle]

I wouldn't worry about it to be honest. As long as the oil has been changed regularly with the correct grade, and it isn't many, many miles since valve clearances/plugs/diff oil have been changed then this is a negotiating point and just get it done as soon as you get the car.

The diff oil and plugs are really all an Insp II is over an Insp I, but as above, the valve clearances should really be checked on an Insp I which I doubt many have done.

 

[mrk]

Not just diff oil and plugs, gearbox oil, fuel filter and intake air filter as well.

And some garages say they check the clearances electronically. This is wrong, the only proper way to check is manually. I mentioned in another thread that a specialist stated most of their customers opt out of the valve clearance checks to save costs. It's a damn shame really.

Oh and I found a stone chip on my front bumper today which was made worse by the pressure washer as I was giving it a wash

The top one is the new one, the bottom one isn't as in your face and is months old, so I figured I'd leave it be. Glad I did because now I can get both seen to at the same time. Think a smart repair will be fine, got a guy down the road that can do that pretty swiftly.

 

[Gaygle]

Not just diff oil and plugs, gearbox oil, fuel filter and intake air filter as well.

The gearbox oil is definitely a good thing to do, and it is included on the Insp II list sometimes, and other's it isn't. However, I think the TIS said it should be done, but the sticker on the box says it's a lifetime fill. I had mine done at 90k miles and to be honest, I noticed absolutely no difference. And yes apologies, air and fuel filters too! Within reason, I wouldn't walk away from an otherwise good vehicle because it hasn't had the full works done on an Inspection II service. As long as it hasn't been many miles since it had them done, it is a perfect negotiating point. The oil being changed on time and with the correct grade is absolutely essential though. If this hasn't been done or the correct grade used - this would make me walk away.

 

[mrk]

I'd walk away if the floor mats weren't there

No interior pics only means one thing usually!

 

[One Vision]

Hi All,

Ive had a dealer contact me for my m3 at £12k. It has 58k miles, Individual, 2006 plate and is fully loaded convertible. I posted pics here a while back..Lemans Blue with cream interior.
Do you think this is bit cheap to sell at this price?

 

[Vita]

Hi All,

Ive had a dealer contact me for my m3 at £12k. It has 58k miles, Individual, 2006 plate and is fully loaded convertible. I posted pics here a while back..Lemans Blue with cream interior.
Do you think this is bit cheap to sell at this price?

If it's condition is as mint I'd say it cheap. I'd expect a car like that to fetch £14-15k at the moment. Maybe even more for someone who really wants one.

 

[One Vision]

Just took it for a run after about 3 months and the dsc and tyre running flat have come on, also speedometer not working. Can’t wait to get rid of it now, leave it for small amount of time and crap happens, damn piece of ****.

 

[mrk]

TPM is probably because one or more tyres have lost more air than the rest. Understandable given they've been static for 3 months.

DSC light is probably because a sensor failure.

Reset the TPM after checking tyre pressures, and run a diagnostic check with Carly/Torque to see what triggered the DSC flag.

 

[Simon]

Probs wheel speed sensor failed

 

[Gaygle]

Probs wheel speed sensor failed

Yep.

So many systems rely on wheel speed data that all of them throw a hissy fit when it stops coming through!

 

[One Vision]

TPM is probably because one or more tyres have lost more air than the rest. Understandable given they've been static for 3 months.

DSC light is probably because a sensor failure.

Reset the TPM after checking tyre pressures, and run a diagnostic check with Carly/Torque to see what triggered the DSC flag.

I checked the pressure and there fine. Lights still on, how do I reset tpm and how do I run a diagnostic check? I suppose I got spend loads of money just to get this fixed? I’ll be glad to see the back of this car to be honest, I leave it for 2-3 months and this happens, hold on I thought this was the big bad m3 that has a fantastic build quality? I’ve lost all respect for this car to be honest and my 800 quid Peugeot runs better.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Just took it for a run after about 3 months and the dsc and tyre running flat have come on, also speedometer not working. Can’t wait to get rid of it now, leave it for small amount of time and crap happens, damn piece of ****.

I can't believe you can't abandon a 15 year old car on a drive and expect it to work perfectly later on.

 

[Vita]

I can't believe you can't abandon a 15 year old car on a drive and expect it to work perfectly later on.

My 330i has been stood for over a year. Apart from charging the battery and running it once in a while it works perfectly.

It is garaged though so maybe that's why.

 

[One Vision]

Id never buy an m3 e46 again even if it was the last car on earth, id rather use a pushbike as its more reliable. The car is 11 years old not 15. Wish id never bought it to be honest. Cant wait to get it fixed and sold, good ******* riddance to an overated POS.

 

[mrk]

Hmm sounds to me like you're being a bit too over dramatic

 

[Vita]

Hmm sounds to me like you're being a bit too over dramatic

I know where he is coming from. It was probably a car he really wanted and had high hopes for.

You all remember my Honda saga. This is basically that.

 

[mrk]

I can appreciate and in many ways empathise with that, but one sensor needing resetting and another cleaning or replacing (cheap as well!) isn't exactly the end of the world.

I've wanted an E46 M3 ever since seeing one in the flesh long before I had an E46, and now that I have one I'm not going to let a little maintenance on things that are common to failure at this age on such cars get in the way of enjoying it!

To reset the TPMS, make sure all tyre pressures are as they should be. With the car started and idle, hold the TPM button until the light comes on on the dial cluster. Drive the car for a bit and the light will go away. The TPMS is now reset.

Sometimes the TPMS will just think a tyre has lost pressure just because it thinks one wheel is moving slower than the rest, so resetting it fixes that, but the underlying issue will be likely the wheel speed sensor(s). All things point to wheel speed sensor failure (or being dirty) in this case.

 

[Vita]

I had an issue in the winter with the speed sensor. Not sure what happened with it but suspected road grit had gotten on to it. I bought some just incase the sensor was faulty. Washed the car and concentrated on the sensor area and low and behold it started to work again with no issues.

At least I have some spare lol. Sometimes it's the niggly jobs which put you off a car all together and the fact you may have possibly realised what it isn't that you wanted it to be. So use it as reason to get rid.

 

[One Vision]

Thanks for the explanation MRK, much appreciated. Its a fast car but i do think there overated if im being honest. Ive had it for 18 months as well, i just seems that the engine is great and everything else built around that is sub standard. Id never buy another E46 M3 ever again and the one ive got was apparently one of the better ones.