bmwforlife
///Member
Having owned N54 and N55 powered BMW as well as a E60 M 5 I thought it interesting to jot down my impressions of the E46 which has joined my cars .
A: Build quality
For a 2003 it is surprisingly rattle free. All the controls are clunky and solid and more reminiscent of the type of quality one gets in a Mercedes . Absolutely everything works as it should .
B: Drive train
I have read complaints about the SMG gearbox and to be honest in my opinion it's a storm in a tea cup . While not smooth when driven as if leading a funeral cortège it is absolutely brilliant when being driven as if one is trying to elude the flying squad.
C: Powerplant
The purity of the the six is unbelievable , the sound and power intoxicates and makes you a bit of a hooligan all of the time .
D) Ride and handling
Nothing beats a BMW for the twisty bits and this is no exception and it inspires a level of confidence in ones paltry driving skills which lends itself to foolhardy attempts to defeat the laws of physics . At the sight of a pothole though sphincters clench and spines realign in anticipation and rightly so due to the firmness of the ride. I can just imagine the firmness in the csl .
Evaluation
This car is on par with my E39 M5 and is one of the few cars that gets me up at 6 am behind the wheel for no other reason than the sheer joy of it . Breathtaking
A: Build quality
For a 2003 it is surprisingly rattle free. All the controls are clunky and solid and more reminiscent of the type of quality one gets in a Mercedes . Absolutely everything works as it should .
B: Drive train
I have read complaints about the SMG gearbox and to be honest in my opinion it's a storm in a tea cup . While not smooth when driven as if leading a funeral cortège it is absolutely brilliant when being driven as if one is trying to elude the flying squad.
C: Powerplant
The purity of the the six is unbelievable , the sound and power intoxicates and makes you a bit of a hooligan all of the time .
D) Ride and handling
Nothing beats a BMW for the twisty bits and this is no exception and it inspires a level of confidence in ones paltry driving skills which lends itself to foolhardy attempts to defeat the laws of physics . At the sight of a pothole though sphincters clench and spines realign in anticipation and rightly so due to the firmness of the ride. I can just imagine the firmness in the csl .
Evaluation
This car is on par with my E39 M5 and is one of the few cars that gets me up at 6 am behind the wheel for no other reason than the sheer joy of it . Breathtaking
