Are the E46 M3 Engines really like glass?

[Xeqtr]

Sure the e46 M3 is not the fastest thing around anymore these days, but that is being said from a guy who drives one in JHB. You have to drive one at the coast. It is so awesome. Relentless pulling on the top end, it feels amazing. But speed is NOT everything... the car has spirit.

There is a reason why these cars are priced as they are. You just need to drive one to understand. The feeling you get when driving an e46 M3 is just something that cannot be completely explained. The raw nature of the car. The clunk of the door when you close it, it gives you that involuntary ball clench cause you know this car means business.

Buying one for R150k is looking for trouble. Many issues will be found and you'll be spending at least 50k fixing her up. By then, you'll be unsatisfied and upset. Don't fool yourself. I bought mine 2 years back for 200k and there were many things to still fix. Granted mine was raped and modified... Rule of thumb, never be the 2nd owner of a modified car. Be the third owner. The first guy fucks it up, the 2nd guys spends all his money fixing her and sells the car due to frustration, the 3rd owner has a sweet car.

But seriously, don't be tempted by cheap prices. Rather spend the money and get a fine example and enjoy the car.

If I had to take all my modifications off my car and return her to stock, even though she is a 2001 model, I would not sell for less than R200k. Say what anyone wants, I have done complete vanos seals, pump disc, solenoid replacement, coated main and rod bearings done, new propshaft, new power steering, newly oiled and replaced bearings in LSD diff, new brakes and suspension and most importantly, subframe reinforcement DONE. You buy anything less than 200k, I bet my bottom dollar that car needs subframe replacement or if you lucky, just reinforcement. You are going to have to do some of this work anyway. You pay for the reliability of the car I guess. The e46 M3 is worth more in my opinion, but because we see so many owners slacking in the maintenance department, this is why we see so many going for sub 200k.

Amen crash... and this is the feeling I am looking for in a car. It is something you cant explain, and when you look at that car standing in your garage you feel a warm tingle in your soul... and you hope nobody is watching you make sweet love to your car with your eyes. I know the feeling... I had this in the states with my 2007 Mustang GT... Nothing has come close to that since, and nothing has hinted at sparking that internal flame other than the E46 M3... yes its an older car now, and its not the fastest car money can buy.. but its not about that, its heritage, the car is simple and alive.. and you become more and more attached to it every time you sit behind that wheel.

---

I bought my 2005 for R305k 4 years ago and it was rather clean, but had some cosmetic issues... The motor itself is truly bulletproof if it has been maintained from new and not subjected to FI. It's the same motor as in my Z4MCoupe which I bought 2 years ago for R270 -a 2007 model) and in that variant it has also been pearl. The issues you have with e46 M3's are generally related to the ancillaries and other parts of the car and not the motor. in my case it's been SMG solenoid issues, water pump issues, a very worn diff etc...

In general...Great motor... Great car... But save your pennies and pay over the money to get a clean maintained version.

Later
Nick

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Thanks for your feedback Nick... at the moment I am a little afraid. The more research I do on the net the more negative comments I am seeing. Mostly about the costs the e46 M3 has incurred on people. I am not sure if these people are just the negative kind that you find on the net, that complain when they get a change, or if the guys that don't have an issue with their M3's just aren't commenting.

I plan to have at least 20k in the bank after purchase for "in case" with an additional 2k a month put away into my "M3 fund" as insurance... but I am getting worried this isn't going to be enough.

My 330i doesn't cost me a cent other than the servicing at BMW, and I know its unrealistic to think the same of an //M car out of plan.

I just dont have 50k to fix up a car, so I am willing to search for a pristine one around 230k - 250k price range.

 

[Bugger]

You have to own an E46 M3 once in your life. It's a rule. Like paying taxes and dying. :rollsmile:

 

[slotcars1]

As a rule of thumb and from my experience with two ///M cars is this and friend's experiences etc....

They WILL ONLY cost you money if you enjoy having a car that performs like the car should have when it was new. If you are happy driving around with a few niggles then it will cost you little more than the upkeep of a citi golf... BUT to keep the cars maintained PROPERLY will cost you money no matter which way you look at it...

I can also guarantee you that no matter what the condition of the car, a few little gremlins will pop up.

In saying the above, I don't look back and regret any decision I made in purchasing one. It is the best car I have owned in terms of being a drivers car. I don't see it as a daily but it is sheer brute mechanical power and I doubt you will get the same driving experience from anything else out there...

 

[zama]

The feeling you get when driving an e46 M3 is just something that cannot be completely explained.

You will get goosebumps for starters

 

[Xeqtr]

As a rule of thumb and from my experience with two ///M cars is this and friend's experiences etc....

They WILL ONLY cost you money if you enjoy having a car that performs like the car should have when it was new. If you are happy driving around with a few niggles then it will cost you little more than the upkeep of a citi golf... BUT to keep the cars maintained PROPERLY will cost you money no matter which way you look at it...

I can also guarantee you that no matter what the condition of the car, a few little gremlins will pop up.

In saying the above, I don't look back and regret any decision I made in purchasing one. It is the best car I have owned in terms of being a drivers car. I don't see it as a daily but it is sheer brute mechanical power and I doubt you will get the same driving experience from anything else out there...

Agreed with what you say... for me, there is no way other than maintaining PROPERLY, as has been the case with all my previous cars. No short cuts taken...

I dont mind the "little gremlins"... as long as there are BIG ones haha

 

[flyitlikearental]

Do it bro! I bought mine (mar 04 model) two years ago. I live in v-town and work in jo-burg and do the commute 12-15 times a month. It is the sweetest car i have ever owned. Like crash and a couple of the others said, this thing grabs you by the short and curlies from the moment you open the garage door :inlove:

Yes, maintenance does cost a bit now and then, but its still very reasonable. The only issues I've had are the tps sensors. Replaced both, and the throttle pedal and she hasn't missed a beat since. I also do the oil changes at 12000km, and she hardly uses any oil. 181,000km on the clock and just run in properly now :thumbs:

Careful around town though, that engine note is intoxicating, and wipe the s);t from your eyes and you on the very wrong side of the law speed wise...

Its a fantastic piece of kit. Like another said here, you are buying a bit of history with one of these things. Its the ultimate in motoring, punt, finish, klaar.

Good luck with finding the right one!

 

[Andy1GP]

All the right things have been said already. I'm just going to add how much I love the S54.

Like was previously mentioned it won the engine of the year award for it's class 3000cc - 4000cc 6 times in a row.

Here is a quote from BMWblog that will give you goosebumps.

"The S54 won the International Engine of the Year award overall for 2001, and also claimed the “Best New Engine” that year as well as won the 3-4 L category for six straight years in a row from 2001 through 2006. The S54 was also on the Ward’s 10 Best Engines list for 2001 through 2004.

Let’s hear what Jalopnik had to say about the engine:

What makes the S54B32 so wonderful is not the mountain of engineering awards. Not the incredible g’s its poor valves must resist at maximum revs. Not the horsepower-to-displacement ratio of a 1960’s Formula One car.

What makes the S54B32 so wonderful is the noise. It’s the only engine this side of supercar lunacy that has such a—for lack of a better word—voluminous sound. You’ll know it when you’re around one when the air around you suddenly fills with this high-grade metallic substance, this gray-blue vapor of noise that fills an S54B32’s surroundings with such fearful urgency."

http://www.bmwblog.com/2010/08/26/jalopnik-dear-bmw-why-did-you-retire-the-s54b32-engine/

Something so old but it makes you feel so young.

 

[e23]

All the right things have been said already. I'm just going to add how much I love the S54.

Like was previously mentioned it won the engine of the year award for it's class 3000cc - 4000cc 6 times in a row.

Here is a quote from BMWblog that will give you goosebumps.

"The S54 won the International Engine of the Year award overall for 2001, and also claimed the “Best New Engine” that year as well as won the 3-4 L category for six straight years in a row from 2001 through 2006. The S54 was also on the Ward’s 10 Best Engines list for 2001 through 2004.

Let’s hear what Jalopnik had to say about the engine:

What makes the S54B32 so wonderful is not the mountain of engineering awards. Not the incredible g’s its poor valves must resist at maximum revs. Not the horsepower-to-displacement ratio of a 1960’s Formula One car.

What makes the S54B32 so wonderful is the noise. It’s the only engine this side of supercar lunacy that has such a—for lack of a better word—voluminous sound. You’ll know it when you’re around one when the air around you suddenly fills with this high-grade metallic substance, this gray-blue vapor of noise that fills an S54B32’s surroundings with such fearful urgency."

http://www.bmwblog.com/2010/08/26/jalopnik-dear-bmw-why-did-you-retire-the-s54b32-engine/

Something so old but it makes you feel so young.

Ditto to what Andy said above

The sweet sound :joy: of an e46 ///M on full tilt is pure sx!

 

[Daaf Vader]

All the right things have been said already. I'm just going to add how much I love the S54.

Like was previously mentioned it won the engine of the year award for it's class 3000cc - 4000cc 6 times in a row.

Here is a quote from BMWblog that will give you goosebumps.

"The S54 won the International Engine of the Year award overall for 2001, and also claimed the “Best New Engine” that year as well as won the 3-4 L category for six straight years in a row from 2001 through 2006. The S54 was also on the Ward’s 10 Best Engines list for 2001 through 2004.

Let’s hear what Jalopnik had to say about the engine:

What makes the S54B32 so wonderful is not the mountain of engineering awards. Not the incredible g’s its poor valves must resist at maximum revs. Not the horsepower-to-displacement ratio of a 1960’s Formula One car.

What makes the S54B32 so wonderful is the noise. It’s the only engine this side of supercar lunacy that has such a—for lack of a better word—voluminous sound. You’ll know it when you’re around one when the air around you suddenly fills with this high-grade metallic substance, this gray-blue vapor of noise that fills an S54B32’s surroundings with such fearful urgency."

http://www.bmwblog.com/2010/08/26/jalopnik-dear-bmw-why-did-you-retire-the-s54b32-engine/

Something so old but it makes you feel so young.

Andy you are bringing tears to my eyes ....so beautiful

 

[Bugger]

X stop messing around and get one already. We're tired of giving you advice that is sound and solid and trying to convince you. Just do it already! :roflol:

Reading this thread again, makes me miss mine so much. Really was the dumbest thing I ever did.

But it's fine. I've got another S54 now....:fencelook:

 

[Julz]

Hmm,a S54 with 6 Spd box would suit my E36 perfectly

 

[Bugger]

Not sure if you're keen to see this one?

http://www.mycars.co.za/PV1007875-2003-BMW-M3

 

[AndreasSA]

no point in owning it if you not going to open it up

on a street car bearings should not be an issue if you make sure it is warm before revving it the e46 uses really thick oil so it does NEED warming (not that you should rev any car when cold)

on a dedicated track car it is worth looking at resolving the bearing problem because they see sustained High RPM for a long time

just make sure the bearing recall was done if it is an early model and look after it...

You are compeltely right, but how do you know how the preowner treated the car? I would always advise to open the engine and redo the bearings (I would prefer BMW ones cause they are strong enough).

 

[AndreasSA]

........Otherwise if you look well after the engine there is no reason it should break, you will see a lot of old cars with the 200k km mark on and not even using excessive oil...........

Good luck finding one, the engine is really great and a joy to drive with.

Sorry, but your general statement has proofen to be wrong already several times in Germany. I know at least 50 M3E46 where the motor collapsed and 50 where it was shortly before collapsing...

Treat the bearings as wear and tear around 100.000km and you are on the safe(r) side!

 

[Daaf Vader]

........Otherwise if you look well after the engine there is no reason it should break, you will see a lot of old cars with the 200k km mark on and not even using excessive oil...........

Good luck finding one, the engine is really great and a joy to drive with.

Sorry, but your general statement has proofen to be wrong already several times in Germany. I know at least 50 M3E46 where the motor collapsed and 50 where it was shortly before collapsing...

Treat the bearings as wear and tear around 100.000km and you are on the safe(r) side!

AndreasSA, I apologise for being too general and wrong

 

[AndreasSA]

Sorry, I think you got me wrong a bit...

If engines in SA last for 200.000km I think that they were never used in a proper way (no high rpm)...we also have this kind of drivers in Germany....:=):

 

[444YYY]

Sorry, I think you got me wrong a bit...

If engines in SA last for 200.000km I think that they were never used in a proper way (no high rpm)...we also have this kind of drivers in Germany....:=):

We have no (unrestricted) autobahn here... So spirited driving is limited as compared to Germany, where the cars see MORE PERCENTAGE of spirited driving :thumbs:

 

[Daaf Vader]

The key is, there is no concrete statistics on things like bearing failures or VANOS replacements etc. (that I could find). People always state the negatives about S54's and how unreliable they are on the internet without praising the bullet proof examples out there, hence having threads like this.

Performance engines will always have a reliability risk otherwise this would have been a Toyota Aygo forum.

In my personal opinion the engines are not like glass and there are many guru's on this forum that can assist with any potential problems.
I have just had joy and happy kilometres without any concerns, with the help of the people here and by caring for and maintaining the vehicle properly.

 

[AndreasSA]

They are not like glass, I have never stated anything different guys! They only eat bearings if they are used properly..or maintained badly...or....or...

Thats all!:thumbs:

 

[Crash_Nemesis]

I think andreasSa mean's they eat bearings when not used properly... aka, driving like a doos on cold start and constant redline.