The extra padding is to allow for the additional buttons the coupe has for the adjustable bolsters - I've only seen one convertible with those buttons on the seat so not sure if it was a factory option from BMW Individual at the time, or a retrofit!
Bought an old BMW M3, filled with regret...
- Thread starter mrk
- Start date
So going to get my wheels refurbed but because of the scarcity of diamond cut 19s still in good shape, the only option is to go shadow chrome on the face and dark on the inside areas like OEM. Re-cutting my wheels is a no go as they've already been cut before so at the limit, and the ones FA Wheels have can't be re-cut again either for the exchange service.
This is what the shadow chromes look like, the pictured one don't have the dark inside whereas my opted ones will so will look like a hybrid of the 18" OEM shadow chromes and 19" diamond-cut anthracite inners. Still looks good and no more concern about diamond-cut weathering and stone chips as mine have been re-cut around 3 times now since getting the car.
Edit* Scratch that thought, just seen Oxford Performance have a fresh set of re-cut wheels for cheaper than what FA are charging for the shadow chromed refurb:
Gonna go for those.
This is what the shadow chromes look like, the pictured one don't have the dark inside whereas my opted ones will so will look like a hybrid of the 18" OEM shadow chromes and 19" diamond-cut anthracite inners. Still looks good and no more concern about diamond-cut weathering and stone chips as mine have been re-cut around 3 times now since getting the car.
Edit* Scratch that thought, just seen Oxford Performance have a fresh set of re-cut wheels for cheaper than what FA are charging for the shadow chromed refurb:
Genuine 19" BMW E46 M3 Alloy wheels - professionally refurbished - *Yours 4 Ours | eBay
Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Genuine 19" BMW E46 M3 Alloy wheels - professionally refurbished - *Yours 4 Ours at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.
www.ebay.co.uk
Gonna go for those.
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Those ones done by Oxford linked above have a coating applied so hoping that helps with bouncing off stone chips etc - Don't think FA Wheels apply such a coating to their re-cuts!
Wonder if that's an actual thing for wheels? So much rotational force especially toward the outer areas that would have thought any ppf would just work loose at the edges in time?
Hmm they do, although bit of a trek 
It's a magnificent feature 
Would not be surprised if it's a feature that is able to be added to a shortcut button via a monthly subscription at some point knowing BMW
The wheels have been on from Oxford sfor a while now Yeah factory cut wheels have that depth to the gleam which recut wheels don't have, as you would expect as surface layering has been removed. I think Oxford's anti corrosion coating helps add some of the depth back though, something which FA Wheels did not apply. The only downside to teh coating is that up close you cans ee the orange peel effect that you get on modern car paints, it is a clear layer after all.
Next time round I may just switch to Apex or equivelant, maybe a set of used CSL wheels if I can get a set at a decent price and have them refurbed to factory finish.
Yeah factory cut wheels have that depth to the gleam which recut wheels don't have, as you would expect as surface layering has been removed. I think Oxford's anti corrosion coating helps add some of the depth back though, something which FA Wheels did not apply. The only downside to teh coating is that up close you cans ee the orange peel effect that you get on modern car paints, it is a clear layer after all.
Next time round I may just switch to Apex or equivelant, maybe a set of used CSL wheels if I can get a set at a decent price and have them refurbed to factory finish.
On the subject itself, kinda neat that motoring journos still write about these, some longing for one, others wishing they never parted with one. The circle of life repeats itself year after year lol.
www.goodwood.com
He doesn't say much, but says a lot at the same time. For me, I'm glad I got the car when I did. £13k some 8 years ago, with a total TCO currently sliding past £44k. Eye watering but the experience driving it and the feel of engine, cabin and steering/handling when making use of the power is really quite special and something that you only really fully understand driving or being driven in one.
Just yesterday a guy came to pick up an item I sold on Facebook. At the end of the transaction he looks at the car and asks if it's mine, says he's an E30 fan mostly but would buy an E46 if he could. Another guy came over whilst I was filling up at the petrol station not long ago for a chat about them, and before that a man stopped on the pavement in Southampton and just stood there looking at it.
You don't and won't get that with an M4
Hankering for the ultimate BMW M3 | GRR
"I have always thought there’s a strong argument for these M3s to be regarded as the greatest ‘M’ cars of them all, greater even than the vaunted E30..."
www.goodwood.com
He doesn't say much, but says a lot at the same time. For me, I'm glad I got the car when I did. £13k some 8 years ago, with a total TCO currently sliding past £44k. Eye watering but the experience driving it and the feel of engine, cabin and steering/handling when making use of the power is really quite special and something that you only really fully understand driving or being driven in one.
Just yesterday a guy came to pick up an item I sold on Facebook. At the end of the transaction he looks at the car and asks if it's mine, says he's an E30 fan mostly but would buy an E46 if he could. Another guy came over whilst I was filling up at the petrol station not long ago for a chat about them, and before that a man stopped on the pavement in Southampton and just stood there looking at it.
You don't and won't get that with an M4
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It's old skool cool that people appreciate!
Worthy of an update because after 6-7 years, I finally changed the parking sensors, now have working PDC and can fully realise the graphical views with the I-BUS app
![DRebjWx.gif]](https://i.imgur.com/DRebjWx.gif])
What is really interesting is the distance to object reading, without the graphic the only notification is the tone turning into a constant tone and that only happens once 30cm from the object. Now I can be more precise.
What is really interesting is the distance to object reading, without the graphic the only notification is the tone turning into a constant tone and that only happens once 30cm from the object. Now I can be more precise.
Oh definitely, just an audible tone didn't quite convey where the bollard or whatever is lol, and I just cba setting up a backup camera - I'm sure there's other stuff I've not toyed around with yet in the app so will spend some time one day to see what else is available.
Anyone ever had to clean or replace their AUC sensor before? Ages ago I noticed this error flag pop up on diagnostics but since my AC/HVAC etc were all working fine I just figured I'll deal with it as and when I had some idle time to faff about. Googling around I found that both of these error codes are connected, if the air quality sensor is faulty, then AUC heating flags are logged by the IHKA module, this can also flag an aux water pump error as it's related to heating matrix, even though petrol E46s do not have an aux water pump...
I will be checking the AUC sensor in the morning as I fully suspect the filter sponge is absolutely minging. I found a thread on a US forum where a guy did a DIY, not an M3, but should still be the same process: https://www.e46fanatics.com/threads/diy-auc-sensor-cleaning.884216/
Highly doubt BMW will sell just the sponge filter alone so might be a bit of a mission to get that part... It's also likely the sensor is just old and the quality degrades over time like carbon monoxide detectors etc so probably worth just binning the old one and replacing it, like 90% of everything else in the engine bay over the years
Edit*
Done the foam filter change, had to nip to a pet shop to buy a suitable filter £3.70):
Old:
New:
The IHKA codes have not come back (yet), so will wait and recheck after a few drives. The old foam looks like someone in the past had cut and inserted replacing the OEM one, it could be likely the sensor itself has failed if the code comes back after years of contamination etc. £80 for a new one if this is the case...
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This is the first time I've seen the AUC fault and I've had 3 E46s
The sponge swap didn't do anything, looks like my sensor is indeed dead, ;likely because of age and not getting fresh air for years and of course the heat the S54 generates inches behind the sensor.
I've ordered a brand new one for £80 which should be arriving next week.
The sponge swap didn't do anything, looks like my sensor is indeed dead, ;likely because of age and not getting fresh air for years and of course the heat the S54 generates inches behind the sensor.
I've ordered a brand new one for £80 which should be arriving next week.
Seems to be a common theme! Someone has an E46 years ago, sells it, always mentioned missing it
Not sure what I'd do if I ever sold mine, the days would feel empty without a new thing to go wrong and then replace every other month Oh yes, I always tune into to a new episode, usually on youtube of courseNice choice of listening material.
CSL would be the dream indeed, but with Alcon/AP big brake kit, of course
£24k 
Here's a little look at the total cost of ownership of mine so far, are you sitting down!
Here's a little look at the total cost of ownership of mine so far, are you sitting down!
Chocolate brown? I really like Cinnamon leather, I'd have that any day. If I ever get a CSL then all the Alcantara is getting taken out and retrimmed in soft waxy Cinnamon leather.
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The oil test will tell you what's what as it all comes down to how it was driven by previous owners. If they let the oil reach nominal temp before going beyond 3000rpm then can't see any issues even if it was higher mileage but for total peace of mind I can see why you'd want to just get them changed with the revised bearing shells anyway and avoid a similar learning experience like I did!
Redish will sort you out though
Redish will sort you out though