School me on the e46

[daniel]

just remember that the ladies love HDR. if you show her an HDR photograph of a car that you think she should have, she'll go for it right then and there.

[naplesE30]

Stay away from the BMW if $$$ is an issue. Most have been duped into thinking they are cheaper to maintane thanks to the zero maint marketing. Most techs agree that when BMW started tp pick up the tab on maint they changed all their service schedules. This in term leads to shorter lifespan for major components, engine, auto trannys, brakes etc. To properly maintane the car it will cost 2-3 fold what a honda/toyota will cost. If money is tight I would recomend gulp a hyundai. You can get a low mileage car pretty cheap, and for the past 5 yrs they have been making pretty good cars.

[txtorquemade]

I have a 2002 330i. Bought with 55k miles 2 yrs ago. Ive had to replace the entire cooling system, 1600.00, Bushings and control arms 780.00, various light bulbs, and including the left rear 280.00. I change oil every 3k miles and am about to do the CCV and all intake leak culprits.

I paid 17k and have put around 4k in the car.

Get Mom a Honda.

[Tbolt]

^agreed...e39 5er

/thread

[Leaf]

e46's are gross and everyone has em. Get her in a nice 5

[87e30]

How about a mazda6? Very sporty feeling. Same price range. Just a thought.

Not a bad idea, I've just never personally been a fan of that car.

Especially thanks to the recommendation up above I think I will keep telling her to get an accord. Though they aren't sports cars, they aren't as bad as a camry... that's for sure!

[call me jack]

How about a mazda6? Very sporty feeling. Same price range. Just a thought.

[dinanm3]

hey hope you don't mind me asking on here but sense you all have one?
how do i get the pictures at bottom of my posts?
oopss guess i did it lol

[NKRoberts]

Not that this is bad, but the more I read the more I think I will tell her to buy an accord.

My wifes current daily driver is a 2001 honda accord. Its a 4dr manual 4cyl. I have to admit it has been a great car. We have owned it since it had about 70k miles and we just hit 115k. I just recently changed the timing belt. It has had no big issues. Parts are ridiculously cheap. We get about 25-28mpg around town and 30-33mpg on the freeway. A clean honda accord of that year can easily be had for well within her limits. If you do have her get an accord try for a sedan. It seems where i lived (las vegas) that the coupes were riced out and most of the sedans stayed unmolested. Just my 2 cents.

[Ryann]

Not that this is bad, but the more I read the more I think I will tell her to buy an accord.

From the perspective of practical ownership, this is without a doubt the thing to do.

[blacksport325]

my e46 isnt bad, weak points are the cooling system (water pump, thermostat, expansion tank and hoses), subframe had a recall on the e46 but it just finished in terms of free inspections, bushings go bad too after 150k miles, these are subframe bushings, differential bushings, lower control arm and rear trailing arm bushings. Other than that it is a pretty decent car, I did all the maintenance above as preventative because they are common failure points on the e46. Maybe someone can add something else but thats all I can think of off the top of my head.

[dinanm3]

i hope it works out for her .
just be the man for her and check it out.
remember lower miles under 60k.do car fax,check dip stick,smell trans fluid,look at tire ware,look at valve cover oil pan for leaks.look around water pump for leaks,check all hoses,look at belts,check break pads,.and most important get a warranty.

[87e30]

why doesn't she buy her rav 4 at the end of the lease?
it only has 35k thats awsome.
theres allot of cars out there now she can get with lower miles for that price .
my moms jag cost 7,800 54k miles .I do understand liking bmw more off-course its my favorite car.but as long as you know the cost of parts on the car and your okay with it do it.i'm pretty sure she can get a lower mile car for that money.

That's good to know. I'll keep looking, most of the hondas I see have miles piled on them.

It is the end of her lease, that's why she is keeping the rav4. Great reliability potential, awd, newish. It really makes sense to keep it, because buying out of the lease is $$$ if you don't just keep the car or lease something else.

This car will be for my step dad's long commute, but she's probably thinking she could drive it if he wants to take the rav4.

I just feel bad for her becuase this is his fucking mess and now she's losing her new car.


I'm going to try and get them to buy an accord. It's just so practical.

[dinanm3]

Thanks for your input. After 16 years of leasing she is finally going to pay off her current car, an 07 rav4 with 35k miles. So she isn't in that bad of shape, however my step dad is a MORON with money and lost his company car to move to a different job, and really this car will be for the both of them.

Since the BMW is only 6.5k and an accord is a similar cost it's hard to convince her to get the accord. You see what I'm saying? I think a 60k ish car is out of the question budget wise at this point.

why doesn't she buy her rav 4 at the end of the lease?
it only has 35k thats awsome.
theres allot of cars out there now she can get with lower miles for that price .
my moms jag cost 7,800 54k miles .I do understand liking bmw more off-course its my favorite car.but as long as you know the cost of parts on the car and your okay with it do it.i'm pretty sure she can get a lower mile car for that money.

[87e30]

I've been maintaining a 330i for a salesman at the company I work for since '08. Aside from front brakes/rotors, a driver side window motor, a water pump upgrade (replaced the plastic impeller unit with an upgraded steel one), and clearing an erroneous OBD II "too lean" O2 sensor code, all I've had to do is regular fluid changes. He's pretty hard on rear tires (18"=$$$).

Not that this is bad, but the more I read the more I think I will tell her to buy an accord.

Fluids, brakes, everything must be more $$$ for the e46. Am i wrong? I've never owned a newish car... always do it myself. (I'm a cheap college kid, fuck debt for a car at this age)