Would you buy this e46?

[canadiankid]

My mechanic offered me his personal car. Its a '99 323i autotragic. 70xxxkm(43xxxmiles). Car is mint. Never winter driven. $7.5k He just bought a new Mercedes for his wife and has too many cars/not enough room to winter store it anymore.

My concerns:
I will be adultering a mint e46 by winter driving it.
Possibility of ruining my relationship with a great mechanic if something goes wrong.
He only put 10xxxkm on it over 5 years, it was his toy(read: pride and joy) or it has serious issues.
I prefer manual.

I am test driving it this afternoon.

[slammin.e28]

Early e46 would not buy.

[ohthejosh]

My first car was a 99 323i. AW. 5spd. Lubbed it.

Friend has an auto. Hated it.

Advice?

Pass.

[10Toes]

My mechanic offered me his personal car. Its a '99 323i autotragic. 70xxxkm(43xxxmiles). Car is mint. Never winter driven. $7.5k He just bought a new Mercedes for his wife and has too many cars/not enough room to winter store it anymore.

nope

[oliver.r]

rear subframe fails it is over 5k to repair, i had a 328ci and it was repaired before i bought it

[nrubenstein]

The GM 4spd auto is not reliable. I wouldn't touch that car for that reason.

Subframe failure is definitely a meaningful issue in an early E46.

[slammin.e28]

I'd rather get a 98 e36 than a 99 e46.

SERIOUSLY.

[evandael]

the only e46 i would buy is an 03+ ZHP package sedan. don't buy that car.

[gtdragon980]

The GM 4spd auto is not reliable. I wouldn't touch that car for that reason.

Subframe failure is definitely a meaningful issue in an early E46.

THIS! If that subframe was not already fixed, expect it to happen to you down the road. Seen it happen to a couple e46's when I was working at a BMW shop.

[canadiankid]

The GM 4spd auto is not reliable. I wouldn't touch that car for that reason.

Subframe failure is definitely a meaningful issue in an early E46.

Isnt a 323i a 5 speed auto? I thought the 4 speed was in the 318i.

[canadiankid]

Im also interested in the failure rate of the rear subframes. I heard it was around 2% and mainly coupes which isnt bad odds. I could be wrong on that though.

[redsubdivisions]

Like everyone said, early subframe issues. I would pass on it and look for something else. I'll be the odd ball and say the auto isn't terrible considering my auto 330i is nice to drive after driving a manual E30 5 days a week at 300+ miles.

[slammin.e28]

Im also interested in the failure rate of the rear subframes. I heard it was around 2% and mainly coupes which isnt bad odds. I could be wrong on that though.

I hear it was mainly pre-facelift cars, 99-2002.

Also, it was enough cars to get a class action lawsuit filed.

[N2MYE30]

Ive had a 99 328i and that tranny worry was why i kicked it to the curb. That was ~6 years ago and I just saw it a few weeks ago running around. Not sure if it ever had problems but its a known fact that the early autotragics were garbage.

[nando]

too much for that car IMO. low miles, but..