Shaheenem
Active member
Been looking for a clean E46 330i Individual for a while. One day while browsing through marketplace I saw an ad for a Sepia Metallic 2002 E46 330i Individual manual.
Car was in Pietermaritzburg, so called up a good friend and asked if he could go check it out for me.
Previous owner has had it for close to 18 years.
He drove the car and said mechanically the car is great with minor suspension work needed and some cosmestic work to sort out on the interior and minor stuff to do on the body.
Great spec car. Individual colour (Sepia Metallic), Harmon Kardon, Sunroof, Rear PDC, Extended leather package etc
Bit the bullet and bought it sight unseen as i was away on holiday and asked my friend to keep the car at his house until I was ready to collect it.
A couple of pics on the way back from PMB to JHB.
Suspension stripped, replaced the rear shocks and shock mounts.
Note the control arms with there original part number stickers on them. This is something i wanted to try and preserve so opted to get the control arms reconditioned instead. Westrand balljoints did great work reconditioning them with grease nipples so that they can be serviced anually.
Front shocks inspected. Fitted new brake pads front and rear.
Replaced the electric coolant fan as it was working intermittently which caused the car to overheat while idling or in traffic.
Replaced the headlight lenses and fitted a set of new indicators up front.
New headlight rubber sealing gaskets
New inner taillights fitted
Rear boot latch button and trim replaced
The 330i badging was missing so fitted a new one
The rear trims were also a bit faded so decided to use the old trick of using a heat gun on them and it worked a treat.
Before and after pic below
Steering wheel recovered and reconditioned with "M" stitching and also bought a new ZHP gearknob for the car.
Just a few pics before sending the car off for the interior. Just gave it a wash. Hoping to get it back next week
While its there they will do the boot latch trim as it needs to be colour coded and the plastic roof rails as they were a bit faded and finally a full cut and polish.
Things still to do
- Replace intake boot
- Replace Tappet cover gasket
- Full engine service
- Rear diff mount bush
- Gearbox and diff oil change
- Some minor sagging on the headliner at the rear and A pillars to sort out
- Wheel alignment
Car was in Pietermaritzburg, so called up a good friend and asked if he could go check it out for me.
Previous owner has had it for close to 18 years.
He drove the car and said mechanically the car is great with minor suspension work needed and some cosmestic work to sort out on the interior and minor stuff to do on the body.
Great spec car. Individual colour (Sepia Metallic), Harmon Kardon, Sunroof, Rear PDC, Extended leather package etc
Bit the bullet and bought it sight unseen as i was away on holiday and asked my friend to keep the car at his house until I was ready to collect it.
A couple of pics on the way back from PMB to JHB.
Suspension stripped, replaced the rear shocks and shock mounts.
Note the control arms with there original part number stickers on them. This is something i wanted to try and preserve so opted to get the control arms reconditioned instead. Westrand balljoints did great work reconditioning them with grease nipples so that they can be serviced anually.
Front shocks inspected. Fitted new brake pads front and rear.
Replaced the electric coolant fan as it was working intermittently which caused the car to overheat while idling or in traffic.
Replaced the headlight lenses and fitted a set of new indicators up front.
New headlight rubber sealing gaskets
New inner taillights fitted
Rear boot latch button and trim replaced
The 330i badging was missing so fitted a new one
The rear trims were also a bit faded so decided to use the old trick of using a heat gun on them and it worked a treat.
Before and after pic below
Steering wheel recovered and reconditioned with "M" stitching and also bought a new ZHP gearknob for the car.
Just a few pics before sending the car off for the interior. Just gave it a wash. Hoping to get it back next week
While its there they will do the boot latch trim as it needs to be colour coded and the plastic roof rails as they were a bit faded and finally a full cut and polish.
Things still to do
- Replace intake boot
- Replace Tappet cover gasket
- Full engine service
- Rear diff mount bush
- Gearbox and diff oil change
- Some minor sagging on the headliner at the rear and A pillars to sort out
- Wheel alignment
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