zaleonardz
Well-known member
I am picking up my 318 today.... :thumbsup:
(and trading the 7.... snifff)
(and trading the 7.... snifff)
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Read the WELCOME ALL BMWFANATICS post.
E46 advice...
- Thread starter Philip Foglar
- Start date
Philip Foglar
///Member
Going to see if I can arrange to have a look at one or both of the cars tomorrow some time, or maybe over the weekend. In the perfect world I want to find a good E46, buy it, have it sitting outside and then bring my Wife out to see it for the first time! 
But she is bliksems difficult to keep a secret from!!! :thinking:
But she is bliksems difficult to keep a secret from!!! :thinking:
Philip Foglar
///Member
Bugger! The 325i I liked with 150k km is no longer on the gum!! But I have now spotted another 325i with much lower mileage, 104k km! Pushing over the R100k mark though. But I think might be one of the more sensible options thus far! :excited:
Philip Foglar
///Member
Okay, had a look at the 325i with just over 100k km on the clock this morning. Black exterior, not too bad, but not great either - lots of little niks and scratches and a few dings. Left rear panel has been sprayed and coincidently left rear door doesn't seem to close flush with the wheel arch. Engine and gearbox seemed fine on the drive. Aircon's compressor is noisy, bearing, not sure. On start up there is a low oil warning light that goes out a few seconds after then engine is running. Was serviced about 4000 km ago, so I would think oil level should still be fine. Interior is decently clean for a 10 year old car. Wheels are in terrible condition all around - very off putting because it shows that the car was not very carefully driven... :dunno:
Now I see that the other 325i that was no longer on the gum is back, so going to see if I can take a look at it.
Now I see that the other 325i that was no longer on the gum is back, so going to see if I can take a look at it.
zaleonardz
Well-known member
Its frustrating I know, but keep the faith, dont back down on what you want...
Philip Foglar
///Member
Grrr, found another nice looking 325i manual, 2004 model with 168k km that looks pristine - phone to enquire, sold earlier today! And the 325i that was tickling my fancy with its nice metallic olive colour is indeed still on the market, but it's in Welgemoed under the Cape Town area listing, but it's not the suburb, it's actually in Welgemoed, so not a quick get in the car and have a look at it... Pity, colour is stunning!
Maybe I am being too full is sh!t with this 325i that I looked at this morning. Mileage is low and mechanically, apart from the noisy aircon compressor, it seemed to be fine. Still a bit put off by the low oil light, these cars aren't known to use oil like the E90's, and at just over 100k km she's still a baby!
What is nice, for a few grand I can get an extended warranty which covers various mechanical and other failures to a certain amount, unlimited mileage but for 3 years. Example, the max option, about R6k covers engine up to R30k, gearbox up to R20k. Not really close to real amount if something goes south, but at least a decent contribution for a once off outlay. List retail price is R110k, but they are willing to let her go "as is" for R95k, so might still be worth my while to take another close look at her. Most of the niggles are minor and cosmetic - can see this wasn't as carefully a "loved" after car as it should be. But my father in law was with and he pointed out some valid good points, all windows have the same sandblasted coding so no brake-ins, and the rubber lining at the bottom of the windscreen is in good condition with no signs of sun damage, apparently a common problem and not that easy to fix.
It's basically a case of either look past the annoying flaws and fix them myself over time, or aim higher with my budget.
Maybe I am being too full is sh!t with this 325i that I looked at this morning. Mileage is low and mechanically, apart from the noisy aircon compressor, it seemed to be fine. Still a bit put off by the low oil light, these cars aren't known to use oil like the E90's, and at just over 100k km she's still a baby!
What is nice, for a few grand I can get an extended warranty which covers various mechanical and other failures to a certain amount, unlimited mileage but for 3 years. Example, the max option, about R6k covers engine up to R30k, gearbox up to R20k. Not really close to real amount if something goes south, but at least a decent contribution for a once off outlay. List retail price is R110k, but they are willing to let her go "as is" for R95k, so might still be worth my while to take another close look at her. Most of the niggles are minor and cosmetic - can see this wasn't as carefully a "loved" after car as it should be. But my father in law was with and he pointed out some valid good points, all windows have the same sandblasted coding so no brake-ins, and the rubber lining at the bottom of the windscreen is in good condition with no signs of sun damage, apparently a common problem and not that easy to fix.
It's basically a case of either look past the annoying flaws and fix them myself over time, or aim higher with my budget.
zaleonardz
Well-known member
I went slighty the other way, I baught on prestine exterior and interior, knowing that the mechanics needs some work. The idea behind it was that once done, I know its done, and done right, no guessing.
I dropped about 7k today, and will prob need to spend another 7 to get her perfect...
Its a really tough one, just keep in mind though, if your looking at an 02 or 03, its still 8 to 7 years old, and has been off of motorplan for a while, so there is going to be spend no matter how you do it to get it perfect... Even at a 6 year old there will be consumable spend,and seeing though its your wife, you will make sure that the safety items are in damm good order, which means.. replace with new.
I dropped about 7k today, and will prob need to spend another 7 to get her perfect...
Its a really tough one, just keep in mind though, if your looking at an 02 or 03, its still 8 to 7 years old, and has been off of motorplan for a while, so there is going to be spend no matter how you do it to get it perfect... Even at a 6 year old there will be consumable spend,and seeing though its your wife, you will make sure that the safety items are in damm good order, which means.. replace with new.
Philip Foglar
///Member
Yep, if I go for this car, and I am sitting mulling over it now, I am going to buy it with the existing exterior faults. But with some money these can slowly be sorted out. Actually thinking of making some time tomorrow to go and take another look. I paid careful attention to the exhaust when the salesman started it up and absolutely clean, so not sure what's up with the oil warning. I also think during the drive my focus was on the aircon noise - was trying to work out what part of the drive-train it was coming from, and only as we got back to the dealership did we discover that it went away when the aircon was turned off. Also only at low revs closer to idle speed. Of course the feel of the E46 throttle is more "direct" compared to the E90's drive by wire. And it's like you say, have to remember that it is after all a 10 year old car, it's not going to be as "tight" and perfect looking as younger model. And for the money I reckon still better than an econobox!
So, live with the various imperfections for now and slowly fix them, change the wheels - can probably refurbish the existing 17" Sportpack wheels, but don't like them very much anyway. Bound to find some other nicer OEM wheels for her down the line. Suspension also seemed quiet which is a good thing on an E46. Maybe an oil change and go through a process of elimination - check cooling system etc...
So, live with the various imperfections for now and slowly fix them, change the wheels - can probably refurbish the existing 17" Sportpack wheels, but don't like them very much anyway. Bound to find some other nicer OEM wheels for her down the line. Suspension also seemed quiet which is a good thing on an E46. Maybe an oil change and go through a process of elimination - check cooling system etc...
Philip Foglar
///Member
Okay, so went to have another look at the 325i and also to look at the 320i that was also there. The 320i is in mint condition and is a manual 2003 Facelift model, drives very nicely and just "feels" better than the 325i. It has 150k km on the clock but still feels solid and even the suspension is quiet over bumps etc. Much more sensible buy I think, the 325i really looked like it was put through hell by comparison to this one!!!
All the paper work is done, insurance etc, collecting her tomorrow - my Wife has no idea, so hopefully still going to be a nice surprise!!!
Will post pics and more info a bit later...
All the paper work is done, insurance etc, collecting her tomorrow - my Wife has no idea, so hopefully still going to be a nice surprise!!!
Will post pics and more info a bit later...
zaleonardz
Well-known member
Absolutely firkken awesome... Your about to make your wife's month...
Philip Foglar
///Member
Well she knows I am up to something, so having to sidestep her unexpected interrogations - going to be a long night! Very difficult to keep her "in the dark" - but hopefully this will be a nice surprise for her.
Pity it couldn't be a 325i, but this 320i is in so much better overall condition - also just have a better gut feeling with this one. Can't wait to formerly introduce her here too!!
Pity it couldn't be a 325i, but this 320i is in so much better overall condition - also just have a better gut feeling with this one. Can't wait to formerly introduce her here too!!
Philip Foglar
///Member
Thanks! Collected her on Saturday morning and arranged a nice surprise for her to meet her new car at her parent's place - they were in on my planning! Really happy with my choice and she was and is still blown away by it! Posted some pics here.
Thanks for all the help and advice guys! :thumbsup:
Philip
Thanks for all the help and advice guys! :thumbsup:
Philip
zaleonardz
Well-known member
I think you made a smarter choice then me wth the 320, that 318 is giving me uphill......
Philip Foglar
///Member
Well Friday was quite an adventure, started off with me going through to another second hand dealership to take a look at what looked like a nice young but higher mileage 330i Manual - turned out to be an auto and not really in that good condition, so was a little bit of a waste of time. Then made my across to the other end of the peninsula to take a second look at the 325i and this 320i which we had noticed the day before. Just walking around the car I got an overall good impression of the car's condition.
My Wife had old VW's in the past, and fair enough, they were both very old with high mileage - 3rd, 4th owner type situations, so bound to be give hassles and let her down. When we were still dating she had a MKII Jetta CLi - in the beginning it was probably not a bad car but it started to give her major troubles and would breakdown leaving her stuck on the side of the road, not good! Then some years later long after the Jetta was gone she got a Golf MKII 1800 carb which had over the 300k km on the clock. Engine had to eventually be rebuilt but the electronics on the car was the bigger problem - couldn't set the alarm because it would just go off for no reason, and you could not lock the car without the alarm being set. It was a pain, and then it would stall for no reason in traffic - was hopeless and eventually we got rid of it. So my priority when looking for a car for her, was reliability, safety, practicality, running cost and of course pleasure!
These E46's really are superb cars, really glad that I can say we have one in our family now. There are a few niggles of course that I will have to attend to on this car, but I reckon still much better than most other newer cars out there. You will get that 318i right, and most likely still outlive most of today's newer cars. And of course you are doing this the DIY way, so a lot more attention and care compared to just paying and letting some ape in workshop somewhere do a half job. I have actually been reading through your DIY thread because a lot of the things you have done, or are doing, I will be doing too at some point. Cooling system just for piece of mind, handbrake does need some adjusting or maybe the lining needs to be redone. Put a nice set of OEM 17" with new rubber etc... AND, double garage is already occupied with the E90 and Isuzu DC, so going to have a carport and gates put up - don't want to wake up to a missing or broken into E46!!
My Wife had old VW's in the past, and fair enough, they were both very old with high mileage - 3rd, 4th owner type situations, so bound to be give hassles and let her down. When we were still dating she had a MKII Jetta CLi - in the beginning it was probably not a bad car but it started to give her major troubles and would breakdown leaving her stuck on the side of the road, not good! Then some years later long after the Jetta was gone she got a Golf MKII 1800 carb which had over the 300k km on the clock. Engine had to eventually be rebuilt but the electronics on the car was the bigger problem - couldn't set the alarm because it would just go off for no reason, and you could not lock the car without the alarm being set. It was a pain, and then it would stall for no reason in traffic - was hopeless and eventually we got rid of it. So my priority when looking for a car for her, was reliability, safety, practicality, running cost and of course pleasure!
These E46's really are superb cars, really glad that I can say we have one in our family now. There are a few niggles of course that I will have to attend to on this car, but I reckon still much better than most other newer cars out there. You will get that 318i right, and most likely still outlive most of today's newer cars. And of course you are doing this the DIY way, so a lot more attention and care compared to just paying and letting some ape in workshop somewhere do a half job. I have actually been reading through your DIY thread because a lot of the things you have done, or are doing, I will be doing too at some point. Cooling system just for piece of mind, handbrake does need some adjusting or maybe the lining needs to be redone. Put a nice set of OEM 17" with new rubber etc... AND, double garage is already occupied with the E90 and Isuzu DC, so going to have a carport and gates put up - don't want to wake up to a missing or broken into E46!!
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