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Read the WELCOME ALL BMWFANATICS post.
E46 M3
- Thread starter brukutu
- Start date
AryM
Member
E46 ///M3's are pretty awesome and bulletproof cars if serviced on time with the correct parts!
Look out for:
-Engine Mileage, although some over 150,000kms are still pretty strong
-Do a full AA Test before buying
-Try and get some sort of after-market warranty just incase
-Tyres esp the REARS finish quickly when having some fun
Other then that, Awesome CAR!
Look out for:
-Engine Mileage, although some over 150,000kms are still pretty strong
-Do a full AA Test before buying
-Try and get some sort of after-market warranty just incase
-Tyres esp the REARS finish quickly when having some fun
Other then that, Awesome CAR!
brukutu
///Member
AryM said:
How often would one be servicing the car? Normal driving, not abusing it....
How much would these service costs? I know it always differs, but an average...
+- Cost of new tyres?
Would you say a M3 will 150,000 km is a bad buy? should i def go for something with less mileage? is it worth the price dif? or is it better to get one with high KMs and then do a engine service?
ASH M
Active member
Remember no matter how reliable a car can be it's a M3 you want to buy. It was certainly not ben driven by Miss Daisy, its likely been hammered but these car's where built to be hammered :clap:.
First thing you should look for first is getting one with the lowest mileage "be careful it could have been changed' and with a motorplan. Go to a dealer along with the cars VIN no. they give you the entire history on the vehicle. If its been in a smash, major components have been changed like the gearbox, diff, engine, computer box ect... Also stay away from one that been modified, it's likely to have been dragged at least once in it's life.
With regards to the gearbox, i know that the both 6 speed and SMG are great. However the SMG takes some getting used to. Like with the manual the clutch on the SMG has to go sometime but also it does act up now and again and a simple software reset cures the problem. The relays on SMG do pack up often and once they do the car cannot move as the gear lever gets stuck. Price on the boxes differ by like R20000 brand new, but i don't know whats the prices to get them repaired.
However the engine is bullet proof, i can only recall that the vanos does often leak oil and BMW will not repair them. I remember a few years back it cost R30000 to have it replaced but lucky for me my car was still under motorplan. I know guys do sell overhauled ones but i don't know the price of them. Diffs are also prone to breaking, again depends how them car was previously driven. The control arm bushes also need changing especially for the SMG M3's and the interior trim panels on the A pillar don't last they cost R3500 to replace.
As for the tyres, like with any rear wheel drive car thay are hard on the rears. But decent driving should get you at least 20000 odd kms.
Please don't think i'm bad mouthing the car I did own one myself a while back. As these things are unlikely to happen on the first day all i'm saying these are the common faults on them, you wanted to know the maintenance on them
. I don't really have to comment to the positives of the car its an M3 after all and that name should tell you what to expect. But i regret it selling mine and wish i kept it, bugs me every time i see one :bawling:
First thing you should look for first is getting one with the lowest mileage "be careful it could have been changed' and with a motorplan. Go to a dealer along with the cars VIN no. they give you the entire history on the vehicle. If its been in a smash, major components have been changed like the gearbox, diff, engine, computer box ect... Also stay away from one that been modified, it's likely to have been dragged at least once in it's life.
With regards to the gearbox, i know that the both 6 speed and SMG are great. However the SMG takes some getting used to. Like with the manual the clutch on the SMG has to go sometime but also it does act up now and again and a simple software reset cures the problem. The relays on SMG do pack up often and once they do the car cannot move as the gear lever gets stuck. Price on the boxes differ by like R20000 brand new, but i don't know whats the prices to get them repaired.
However the engine is bullet proof, i can only recall that the vanos does often leak oil and BMW will not repair them. I remember a few years back it cost R30000 to have it replaced but lucky for me my car was still under motorplan. I know guys do sell overhauled ones but i don't know the price of them. Diffs are also prone to breaking, again depends how them car was previously driven. The control arm bushes also need changing especially for the SMG M3's and the interior trim panels on the A pillar don't last they cost R3500 to replace.
As for the tyres, like with any rear wheel drive car thay are hard on the rears. But decent driving should get you at least 20000 odd kms.
Please don't think i'm bad mouthing the car I did own one myself a while back. As these things are unlikely to happen on the first day all i'm saying these are the common faults on them, you wanted to know the maintenance on them
. I don't really have to comment to the positives of the car its an M3 after all and that name should tell you what to expect. But i regret it selling mine and wish i kept it, bugs me every time i see one :bawling:
B
BrownFox
Guest
AryM said:
AA Test (dekra) is a rip off.
R1200 to test the car and they don't even plug it in to pull codes.
They don't pressure test the motor or radiator.
They just get some grease monkey to look at the car and thumb suck if it's ok.
If you are buying a BMW take it to BMW for a test or a place like ZEEMAX,Mechfive,Bruce's BMW.
They charge half the price and are experts on BMW's.
Just my 2cents
zabbo said:
i got lucky there,i always admired it but always saw the white on red on SMG's,i couldnt resist but buy it when i saw it was Manual:excited:
Other colour im a fan off is the facelift laguna blue with the blue trims on the interior but i wouldnt mind an E46 M3 with 41k on the clock :thumbsup:
S
scunick
Guest
DO check for cracks in the rear subframe. This is a relatively common problem. Before finding my 05 i went through 3 others that had this problem. This fix is to get custom support plates welded in at the weak point. This generally cures the problem permanently.
later
Nick
later
Nick
S
scunick
Guest
kabal said:
Well then either I was just really unlucky or that may be understating the problem... a quick google search sees every e46 forum discussing the issue on multiple occasions.....
