E46 Touring - My Thread - repair/restore/modify

[Villain]

Hi, All.
It has been a while since my last post - I initially started on this forum with this thread - https://www.bmwfanatics.co.za/showthread.php?tid=82503 - and was looking for an e36 328i (Link - https://www.bmwfanatics.co.za/showthread.php?tid=82524), However, like in most cases in life - life happens and some interesting things can and will come across our paths and suddenly our interests diverted.

Hence the reason for this thread.

So - it is a bit of a change to a e36 328i and I found this diamond in the rough - a e46 touring.

From my understanding the car was brought over to SA by a foreign couple as the car is actually a 2004 model but registered in SA as a 2006 model - well atleast so I have been told - as said, 2006 is apparently the year the car was brought in to SA and registered on the roads. The gauges and everything is in miles, miles per gallon, etc.

So here is a picture

So, just to make things more interesting - the car is not a 320/325i or a 320d - it is a 330d - not sure that this engine variant was available in SA - aside from the sedan though.

So - I am starting this thread to detail the things that have to be repaired and to document it obviously. Will repair, restore and at some stages modify things to my liking.

Hope everyone will enjoy the thread and the posts to come from this journey.

.....and oh....hope you guys won't mind but I will be asking for advice as I am not the most mechanical minded person in the world - :dunnoanymore:

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Don't know - perhaps this cars was someones car that is part of this forum - you never know - perhaps they could shed some further light on the history of this car...

It does pull like a rocket - I have to say I am very much impressed by the torque of this car as it pulls through the gears...

 

[K0dAx]

What a beaut!raise::bravo:

 

[Villain]

What a beaut!raise::bravo:

Thank you, K0dAx.

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O - I forgot to mention the following on the car;

5-speed manual transmission
black leather interior
18inch rims

Body has some minor dings and dents - want to get all this sorted sometime.

The interior is in a fairly good condition - not torn seats,etc.

But 1st things 1st - car has some rattles and want to find the origin of these rattles and sort this out - something that grinds me on any car

 

[cOlDFuSiOn]

Welcome! :thumbs:

You sure have a very unique E46 here..
Those look like X series rims too? E46 wagon in MTechnic trim is already rare, but a 330d.. What a find! :cartel:

 

[UpNcOmiNg!]

Doesn’t get much more perfect than that!
TOURING
30d
And touring.
And M Sport
And touring

:inlove:

Congrats man. What a beaut!


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[bman]

Congrats on the touring, lucky guy.
Odd the car has a 5spd manual for the year, it should be 6spd.
Do you have the 135kw or the 150kw motor? Simple pic of the engine cover will tell.

 

[Tinuva]

Oh wow awesome find. Will definitely be following your thread. I like it

 

[VinceM]

I nearly bought that car (distance and my MRS were the deterrents :fencelook
Its a great buy. It is a very well specced vehicle with a nice colour.

Happy miles

 

[sash]

That’s a rare find, congrats
Need more pics

 

[raks16]

Very rare and well specced car. More pics please.

 

[K0dAx]

That’s a rare find, congrats
Need more pics

Very rare and well specced car. More pics please.

:withStu:

 

[ChefDJ]

Very nice and very rare raise:

For hunting down the rattles, you'll probably want to remove trim panels and see if there are broken mounts. Get yourself a trim removal kit from somewhere like Adendorff to safely remove trim pieces without risking further damage and even more rattles.

https://www.adendorff.co.za/product/11-piece-trim-removal-tool-set/

 

[rodga]

Glad a fanatic got this car. When I called the dealer he was very rude and did not want to provide any information on the car. Hope you have many more miles with this one.

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[that_guy_Ettiene]

Post more pics!
Very nice car!

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[michael.joseph]

What a gorgeous find.

Congrats bud...

Looking forward to see what else u got planned for this beaut.

 

[Villain]

Hi, fellow forum members.

Thanks for the compliments with the car - and yes I agree - it is a rare find.

Some more pics;

 

[bman]

That is the 150kw version, it would have had a 6spd from factory, someone must have swapped it out for the 5spd.

 

[Villain]

That is the 150kw version, it would have had a 6spd from factory, someone must have swapped it out for the 5spd.

Oh - no - are you serious - this is not good news - :blueCry::hammerhead: - it seems as though I should then investigate this a bit further then - :rage:

Wonder what the reason was that it was then swopped out for a 5 speed - :dunnoanymore:

So this seems to be the first thing to move straight to the top of my "TO DO LIST" - finding a 6 speed gearbox for a 330d - :blueCry: - Eish - wonder what this is going to cost then - :hammerhead::hammerhead::hammerhead::hammerhead:

 

[Dewald Basson]

Do vin check online to confirm the spec before you jump to conclusions. Do one at 3 websites if you are paranoid :tease:

Congrats, the e46 is a special series, refined and still very modern imo. :thumbs:

 

[Tinuva]

My recent favorite is https://bimmercat.com/

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