e46 guys.. (few ?'s

[dkbmxer002]

i have a friend looking at purchasing an e46 and he wanted to know what it should sell for and what to look for on it.. common issues with them etc.


it is a 2001 330ci with the sport package he said. it has 78k miles and they are selling it for $14.5k does this sound like a good deal? i don't know a whole lot about the e46's so i figured some of ya'll would. thanks!

[trackjunkie21]

i have a friend looking at purchasing an e46 and he wanted to know what it should sell for and what to look for on it.. common issues with them etc.


it is a 2001 330ci with the sport package he said. it has 78k miles and they are selling it for $14.5k does this sound like a good deal? i don't know a whole lot about the e46's so i figured some of ya'll would. thanks!

That sounds like a bit much for a non M e46, e46 m3's go for around 16-18k. The early models also have little gremlins that need to be worked out.

[dkbmxer002]

That sounds like a bit much for a non M e46, e46 m3's go for around 16-18k. The early models also have little gremlins that need to be worked out.

what are the gremlins?

[trackjunkie21]

what are the gremlins?

Don't quote me on this, but most people that I know who own them have electrical problems. It's similar to the e36, hopefully someone more knowledgeable on them can chime in.

[dkbmxer002]

thanks! also it is a convertible, not sure if all ci's were or not.

[hi its me alec]

I personally wouldn't buy a 2001 330, but it's also not a bad idea for a few reasons..

- '99 and early '00 e46 are the only years that still had drive-by-cable. Some '00 and all '01 had drive-by-cable. M3 has it too, which sucks. Still all great cars but DBC can suck my dick

- '01 was the first year that the M54B30 came out. Not sure if want. My '99 328 (first year of new M52 design) has been a bit more problematic than other e46s of similar mileage. My idler pulley broke off completely at 90k miles while I was driving on the highway. CCV totally took a shit at 60k miles. Automatic transmission is showing signs of failure (throwing codes and limp moding) ever since around 45k miles. Steering rack was wonky when I got the car at 30k miles. My friend with an '02 325 (with 330 engine) hasn't messed with any of that weird stuff and his car is at 140k, supercharged. Seems like the later e46 is more reliable with age, regardless of miles.

- Most cars don't have bad electrical issues. My brake light switch broke, which was a $6 part and almost made me get rear ended. Also the front corner lights need the bulb sockets replaced after about 10 years. Lots of e46s rolling around with bad front bulb sockets. The worst part about e46 vs e36 is that the electronics are all intertwined. i.e. the mileage is stored in the cluster, light control module, and i believe the DME. so if you do end up with cluster/light problems, it's difficult to fix. Airbag lights are a common thing, usually from seatbelt tensioners or the wiring under the seats, the airbag system is definitely very sensitive compared to most other cars. It's also easier to diagnose problems directly because of the k-bus and GM5 systems and whatnot. You definitely can't mickey mouse an e46 together and expect things to work. Mine didn't come with xenons and doesn't react very kindly to my aftermarket HIDs. Weird problem with the cluster when I turn the lights on, my gauges all 'buzz,' reset back to zero, and start working again after about 1 second of buzzing/zeroing. Some weird shit like that always seems to happen. So that's why I'd recommend buying the 'right' e46, one that comes with xenons and sport seats and a round airbag steering wheel. Mine didn't and it's been a huge challenge to swap all those things in.

- Early cars are more prone to subframe issues. 1999-2001 and a smaller frequency of 2002-2003. 5spd is more prone than automatic (my auto '99 doesn't have subframe problems)

- Most people prefer facelift e46 sedans (2002+) and coupes (2003.5+)- I personally don't care either way though, I think they all look nice.

- Other normal BMW cooling issues, expansion tank, water pump, rear shock mounts and front control arms all like to quit prematurely

- $14.5k is a lot. I wouldn't pay more than $11-12k for a 2001 with pretty low miles. You can get a nice ZHP for that much

[240zs30]

That is a bit high. All cars have their little issues. These are some of the things that go bad on the e46 that I have needed to replace.
Evaporator core. Big money if you take it to the dealer.
Blower motor resistor.
Alternator goes at about 60k not really a gremlin.
If you have an aftermarket intake (comforti) your Maf is more prone to damage.
Idler pully failure!
Rear subframe recall issue.
A-B-C pillar glue is crap. Will need to replace or reupholster.
Window regulator issue.
All of these and more can be found at e46fanatics.com
Do your research, who the car belonged to is important. Besides that IMO it's the best looking non-M car besides the E30. It rides really nice on the HWY. GL
I hate my Auto, please get a 5spd. it makes a world of difference.

Not all CI were convertible. More stuff more problems.

[lolcantturn]

My friend has an E46.
It's a motherfucking BITCH to work on.
That being said, he has 100,000miles on his and has had to replace nearly every hose and many coolant parts, one of his coolant lines actually burst causing quite the scare..

[slammin.e28]

It's a lot better than the e36, IMO.

That price seems a little high to me. We want $11,995 for a 2002 325i w/63k where I work.

Things to look for:

Rear subframes like to rip out. Re: Class action lawsuit vs. BMW

Coolant systems are crap after ~100k miles. Replace the whole thing and you're good for another 100k.

Rear taillights are missing a ground. You'll get a bulb out message but the bulb will be good. There is a nice retrofit kit from BMW for this.

Oil stand gasket and pretty much every hose under the hood need replaced ~100k.

Window regulators go out. Cheap fix on ebay though.

General module like to crap out on occasion. This sucks. Windows/lock go wonky and/or quit.

Automatics tend to lose reverse, more so in the GM made trannys.

VANOS seals go out. That's the ticking/rattling. Besian systems has a nice fix for that.

Need more?

As long as it's been maintained it's gold. Just like any other car. I haven't had ANY of these problems in my '03 330...yet. I'm going ahead of the game and doing the seals, hoses, etc before they go. I see plenty of e46s at my shop that are absolute turds.

Just for reference, I paid $20k for my 330i. It was meticulously maintained though. The PO made all kinds of notes in the book. So far I've been lucky, compared to the many that I see falling apart.

All in all, that doesn't seem like a great deal. The sport package is nice, but hold out for a 03/2003 or later ZHP. 6 gears and 235hp vs the standard 5sp 225hp 330i.

[dirtysix]

The M54 is a much nicer engine than the M52tu.
It's basically just bigger M52tu so you shouldn't have to worry about that.

[GDA]

That's a bit high for a 01 330ci.

In 2008 I built up a 01 325 at 130k miles (now over 170k) and have pretty much rebuilt the entire car with tons of mods including a full 330 brake conversion. I also bought the lady a triple black 2002 330convertible with 60k miles this summer for 12.5k so I have 2 E46s in the stable to comment from experience...

Lots of good advice above but here's my short list:

CCV and hoses
CA and CABs
Lower steering coupler blows out around 60k to 80k miles
Window regulators
Oil housing gasket
Intake and Exhaust cam sensors
Rear subframe bushes and mounts to body (weak area on early E46s)
Water pump, exansion tank and thermostat - suggest a routine of 75k mile replacements of those 3 at the same time to be safe

[ian e30 318is]

I agree with everyone else. They are asking too much. I have a buddy that just got one with 80k on the clock for 10k...Really clean too

[trackjunkie21]

Also forgot to mention that the automatic transmissions suck in the early years. They all tend to lose reverse and only fix is to replace the whole tranny, even when you replace it, they will go bad after about 100,000 miles.

[dkbmxer002]

does the fact that it is tax, tag title out the door for $14.5k make it a better deal?

[Edev]

M54B30s are darn near bulletproof. I love mine.