What goes WRONG with a USED BMW 3 Series (E46)? Should you buy one?

Comments · 360

• HA

  @HappyTurtle187 · 1 year ago

  Never clicked a video faster in my life (my E46 is currently with my mechanic)

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• AR

  @artstalker8065 · 1 year ago

  Everything that can go wrong has gone wrong with mine. There&apos;s ALWAYS something to fix. <br>It&apos;s truly exhausting. <br>But then I take a drive and remember why it&apos;s worth it.

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• XE

  @xenonozhid3383 · 1 year ago

  330Ci - one of the best cars I&apos;ve ever owned. &nbsp;Dark green, (almost black), beige interior. &nbsp;Loved it.

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• DJ

  @djizzah · 1 year ago

  I had a friend buy a second hand bmw once, he&apos;s homeless now

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• PE

  @PeteH963 · 1 year ago

  E46 master race! Got 3 E46&apos;s littering the driveway currently, busting out the popcorn for this.

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• SP

  @spudboy1328 · 1 year ago

  Nice Lexus IS 500 behind Jim...

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• DA

  @damienrclarke · 1 year ago

  I am not a lucky man (trust me on this…) but somehow my E46 has been an absolute dream for well over a decade and has had so few issues (never a breakdown, never a failure), just routine maintenance.<br>At 230K kms it still drives like new and is superior in every way to so many of my more recent cars

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• MI

  @mihneaiordan1813 · 1 year ago

  Awesome! E39 next? 🥹

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• MR

  @mrnicktoyou · 1 year ago (edited)

  The awesome low end torque was a big surprise to me too. They just thump from no revs and then rev out so smoothly. Great engines the 6 cylinder models.

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• JO

  @johanslabbert2869 · 1 year ago

  I have extensive experience with the E36, E46 and E90. <br>I actually regard the E36 even higher, mostly because of how massively advanced it was compared to its predecessor. It’s almost like an entire generation of 3 series is missing between the E30 and the E36. <br>The E46 was way less groundbreaking and more of a development and refinement of the E36 theme, but therein lies much of its appeal. It manages to build on nearly every strength of the E36, making for a highly competent vehicle. <br>The interior of the E46 indeed has that “hewn from granite” feel that imparts a huge sense of luxury and dependability. <br>Of course the E46 also brought us some delicious new things like the 330d, an engine that combined economy with performance like never before. <br>Much safer than the E36 too, offering DSC for the first time in a 3 series, as well as head protecting side airbags. <br><br>I can attest that the subsequent E90 was a noticeable step backwards in terms of build quality, especially in the interior. <br><br>To me an E46 will always remain epic. The biggest enemy of these cars is how old they are by now, good ones are becoming increasingly scarce.

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• DI

  @dividing0 · 9 months ago (edited)

  Had a coworker who bought an old e46 wagon for 2k euro last year. She was so proud of it, drove it to work every day for a month (she lived a 10 min walk away). Then it had to go to a mechanic. And then again. And again. In and out of a workshop for 6 months straight until she couldn&apos;t afford it anymore. Ended up selling it as parts. <br>It was absolutely gorgeous though, green with black leather interior.

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• J0

  @j0s3r31 · 1 year ago

  I own a 2003 330i sedan which I bought 2nd hand in 2005 with 30,000Km on the clock. It&apos;s now sitting at 200,000Km. <br>In the 20 years I&apos;ve owned the car it&apos;s never left me stranded. Both the exterior and interior are still pristine, mostly because it&apos;s spent most of it&apos;s life parked in the office basement parking or inside my garage. <br>After the 5 year motor-plan expired, I did all the servicing and repairs myself. I&apos;ve probably replaced window regulators 5-6 times on most doors, even the rear ones that hardly get used. The front control arm bushings were also replaced twice. I&apos;ve replaced the valve cover gasket, first with a non-OEM which only lasted a year, then with an original gasket that has been fine for the past 8 years or so. I&apos;ve also replaced the FSR (blower resistor) twice. All these were minor, cheap repairs.<br>At the beginning of this year a few more significant (costlier) things went wrong. The oil level sensor packed up. The car started idling roughly and there was engine knock at idle, pointing to a vacuum leak. The car was also lacking mid-range power. It turned out to be the CCV dipstick ventilation hose that had severed causing the knocking and rough idle. During the process of checking the intake boots, which were fine, I found that the Disa valve shaft had snapped hence the low mid-range power. This time I only used OEM parts.<br>The car has been ticking away nicely since. The engine still feels powerful, the manual gearbox and clutch are still working faultlessly. The car returns under 8L/100km at 120km/h on the freeway, and around 11L in the city. <br>I&apos;m yet to find a modern car that feels as enjoyable to drive.

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