E46 Touring - My Thread - repair/restore/modify

[bman]

As far as I know change from 5 to 6 speed happened March 2003 to 330s

 

[Villain]

Thanks for the link to check the VIN Number.

Okay - so according to bimmercat site the car was manufactured October 2003 and it should have a 1.60l (GS6-53DZ Manual) transmission. Just googled it and it should be a 6 speed transmission then.

why oh why - what what would the reason then be that the car was changed to a 5 speed by the owners then - :dunnoanymore:

 

[Blue Shirt]

This car is known in some circles. It is a UK import that originally had an automatic gearbox but has been converted to manual at some time. Run the VIN on a reputable site such as http://bimmer.work/ to see the full build spec.

 

[Villain]

Okay - so here is how I see it - the car is running with a 5 speed currently - so everything should be fine in theory - so I will leave it for the time being until I can get a 6 speed.

The on another note;

The in-car-entertainment is tickling my fancy to change - :smilebounce:

Currently the car has this head-unit in it;

I would like to spruce it up to look something like this;

meaning I want a head-unit that can provide sat-nav and the hook-up of a reverse camera etc....

So the question is - can the air-con control be relocated in order to fit a double-DIN head unit? OR was this specific to the relevant model that was selected at purchase stage?

Have seen other e46's for sal in the past that had a similar unit though - don't know if it was the original OEM unit or if it was an aftermarket one - and if aftermarket - which can be proposed?

Would really like to spruce the car up with these sort of luxuries but don't know if it would be possible on my model....hence asking the guys in the know of these type of cars....:smilebounce:

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This car is known in some circles. It is a UK import that originally had an automatic gearbox but has been converted to manual at some time. Run the VIN on a reputable site such as http://bimmer.work/ to see the full build spec.

Hi, Blue Shirt.
Thanks for the link to the site to verify.
Wow - okay - twist of events - it was an automatic as per your indication and confirmed by the Websie Bimmir.Work......

Please, Blue Shirt, Please could you shed some further light on this car as you seem to know this car - :=):

Is there perhaps any links to websites where this car was discussed, etc?

 

[Kyle]

You can get the relocation kit for the AC controls...

Personally I would focus on maintenance before tackling the nice-to-haves.

 

[Blue Shirt]

Hi, Blue Shirt.
Thanks for the link to the site to verify.
Wow - okay - twist of events - it was an automatic as per your indication and confirmed by the Websie Bimmir.Work......

Please, Blue Shirt, Please could you shed some further light on this car as you seem to know this car - :=):

Is there perhaps any links to websites where this car was discussed, etc?

A friend had someone in the family who owned the car previously when it was still an automatic. I alerted him to your thread, he will post shortly with more info on the car's history.

Personally, I would also focus on some maintenance items and to get appropriate OEM wheelsrims on the car.

 

[Villain]

Hi, Blue Shirt.
Thanks for the link to the site to verify.
Wow - okay - twist of events - it was an automatic as per your indication and confirmed by the Websie Bimmir.Work......

Please, Blue Shirt, Please could you shed some further light on this car as you seem to know this car - :=):

Is there perhaps any links to websites where this car was discussed, etc?

A friend had someone in the family who owned the car previously when it was still an automatic. I alerted him to your thread, he will post shortly with more info on the car's history.

Personally, I would also focus on some maintenance items and to get appropriate OEM wheelsrims on the car.

Hi, Blue Shirt.
Thank you for alerting your friend about the car and this thread - appreciate it.
What I could find was this thread - https://www.bmwfanatics.co.za/showthread.php?tid=46134&highlight=330d+touring - where reference is made to the car.

Yes - agreed - will try to sort as much of the maintenance issues as possible before going the route of changing other things of the car.

---

You can get the relocation kit for the AC controls...

Personally I would focus on maintenance before tackling the nice-to-haves.

Hi, Kyle
Thank you for this - do you perhaps have more details of on the mentioned AC Controls relocation kit? Website, etc?
Thanks.

 

[rodga]

Vin decode comes up as auto

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Didn't see earlier replies

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[Tinuva]

Wow - okay - twist of events - it was an automatic as per your indication and confirmed by the Websie Bimmir.Work......

Please, Blue Shirt, Please could you shed some further light on this car as you seem to know this car - :=):

Is there perhaps any links to websites where this car was discussed, etc?

bimmercat can show the same info, you just need to look at the vin decode section instead of all the parts which is the same as realoem.com/

Anyways, looks like it was an auto.

There is a reason it is now a 5 speed instead of a 6 speed. The parts for 6 speed is rare, while there are many 5 speed parts available. Changing from 5 to 6 speed is not worth it, unless you manual box is broken.

You need a lot of parts:
- 6 speed gearbox
- propshaft
- clutch was different from 5 to 6 speed
Those things alone, is close to R10-20k without labor.

---

The on another note;

The in-car-entertainment is tickling my fancy to change - :smilebounce:

Currently the car has this head-unit in it;

I would like to spruce it up to look something like this;

meaning I want a head-unit that can provide sat-nav and the hook-up of a reverse camera etc....

So the question is - can the air-con control be relocated in order to fit a double-DIN head unit? OR was this specific to the relevant model that was selected at purchase stage?

Have seen other e46's for sal in the past that had a similar unit though - don't know if it was the original OEM unit or if it was an aftermarket one - and if aftermarket - which can be proposed?

Would really like to spruce the car up with these sort of luxuries but don't know if it would be possible on my model....hence asking the guys in the know of these type of cars....:smilebounce:

Very possible.
Aircon can be relocated. Will look strange unless you buy the relocation unit from BMW which will then have a perfect fit.

As for the radio, you have a couple of options:
1. Original sat-nav. This is only oem option, but will be outdated.
2. Aftermarket android radio is the ultimate non-oem option. Ask @KPM_330 and myself. KPM has the reverse camera with his android radio which is the Eonon. I myself imported mine, so I know what I have which is the Xtrons version.

There is also one available locally from @FiRi in thread https://www.bmwfanatics.co.za/showthread.php?tid=89837

 

[Villain]

Hi, Tinuva.

Thanks for all the feedback on this - much appreciated - will however only be looking in to this now in future - following the advice from the other members to rather get all maintenance sorted on the car.

 

[Fordkoppie]

So the fact that the car was converted from Auto to man is no big deal.
It was a cheap high miler, so originality counts for nothing in this case.

The fact that the GM auto boxes used on these 30d's were rubbish means that this is probably an upgrade.
If there is no apparent issue, I would not care about this little "flag" in the car's history at all. If the RPM is under 2500 @ 130km/h in top gear, I would leave everything as is.

Just get under the car, and make sure everything was done properly for the conversion with the correct mountings used etc.

People have a nasty habit of modifying whatever they have to do cheap conversions. But if EVERYTHING for the manual conversion was sourced from a genuine manual 3.0d donor car, there really isn't anything to be concerned about.

Just enjoy it for what remains an epic car.

If the conversion checks out ok, my main focus point would be the cooling system, and the swirl flap delete

 

[individj]

probably has a nice Diff Ratio

 

[Yulz9081]

Saw this car on Rivonia Road not too long ago. Looks awesome! raise:

I would just change to another set of OEM wheels that suit the car better.

 

[evnmopwr]

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...

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I viewed this car when it was up for sale.
THIS CAR IS A BEAUT!!!! i dont thnk you have anything to restore on it

I have seen this car in person In the Rylands area, Klipfontein Service road. Could have been you??

:thumbs::blowheart:

 

[Philip Foglar]

Hi, Blue Shirt.
Thanks for the link to the site to verify.
Wow - okay - twist of events - it was an automatic as per your indication and confirmed by the Websie Bimmir.Work......

Please, Blue Shirt, Please could you shed some further light on this car as you seem to know this car - :=):

Is there perhaps any links to websites where this car was discussed, etc?

A friend had someone in the family who owned the car previously when it was still an automatic. I alerted him to your thread, he will post shortly with more info on the car's history.

Personally, I would also focus on some maintenance items and to get appropriate OEM wheelsrims on the car.

Hi, Blue Shirt.
Thank you for alerting your friend about the car and this thread - appreciate it.
What I could find was this thread - https://www.bmwfanatics.co.za/showthread.php?tid=46134&highlight=330d+touring - where reference is made to the car.

Yes - agreed - will try to sort as much of the maintenance issues as possible before going the route of changing other things of the car.

---

You can get the relocation kit for the AC controls...

Personally I would focus on maintenance before tackling the nice-to-haves.

Hi, Kyle
Thank you for this - do you perhaps have more details of on the mentioned AC Controls relocation kit? Website, etc?
Thanks.

---

Hi there, as Blue Shirt pointed out, I knew the car when it was owned by a family member that had imported the car into the country. I don't know too many specifics, but I do specifically remember that it was automatic, personally not an auto fan, so that's where my interest kinda stopped - if it was manual I would've nagged him for years to sell it to me! :smilebounce:

I also saw it appear on FB marketplace and notice that all of a sudden it has a manual gearbox. To my knowledge he sold the car a year or so ago and I can only think that the person that bought it had the manual gearbox conversion done. Again, that was for me not an ideal thing. However, it the conversion was done right, then worth the gamble - it was selling for a fairly good price from what I remember. Other than the gearbox conversion, it looked identical to how it looked when I saw it last in the flesh, right down to the sticker on the right rear window and the ding on the front of the bonnet next to the now faded roundel, oh, and the nasty TSW wheels (which I never "approved of" :fencelook::smilebounce.

The 5 speed manual is fine (you don't really need too many gears on a diesel engined car with all that torque), but one could always find out who did the conversion, or can change the 5 speed manual out for the 6 speed. But honestly, if it's working as it is, maybe just leave it as it is. I would just get a good set of original M Sport BMW (style 68) wheels and this thing will be a gem!

 

[ChefDJ]

This philip guy is still alive :tiptoe:

 

[rodga]

I believe these are the wheels that were fitted at the factory. Style 135.

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[UpNcOmiNg!]

I believe these are the wheels that were fitted at the factory. Style 135.

Sent from my MI 8 using Tapatalk

And that is just perfect! :inlove:

 

[Philip Foglar]

This philip guy is still alive :tiptoe:

:smilebounce::fencelook:

I'm still around! :cartel:

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I believe these are the wheels that were fitted at the factory. Style 135.

Sent from my MI 8 using Tapatalk

If not the style 68 wheels, these for sure!!! raise:

 

[Villain]

I believe these are the wheels that were fitted at the factory. Style 135.

Sent from my MI 8 using Tapatalk

I really like these wheels - raise:raise:raise:

Now - where would one find a set like this....:fencelook:....I wonder - gumtree should be a good start....

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Hi, Blue Shirt.
Thanks for the link to the site to verify.
Wow - okay - twist of events - it was an automatic as per your indication and confirmed by the Websie Bimmir.Work......

Please, Blue Shirt, Please could you shed some further light on this car as you seem to know this car - :=):

Is there perhaps any links to websites where this car was discussed, etc?

A friend had someone in the family who owned the car previously when it was still an automatic. I alerted him to your thread, he will post shortly with more info on the car's history.

Personally, I would also focus on some maintenance items and to get appropriate OEM wheelsrims on the car.

Hi, Blue Shirt.
Thank you for alerting your friend about the car and this thread - appreciate it.
What I could find was this thread - https://www.bmwfanatics.co.za/showthread.php?tid=46134&highlight=330d+touring - where reference is made to the car.

Yes - agreed - will try to sort as much of the maintenance issues as possible before going the route of changing other things of the car.

---

You can get the relocation kit for the AC controls...

Personally I would focus on maintenance before tackling the nice-to-haves.

Hi, Kyle
Thank you for this - do you perhaps have more details of on the mentioned AC Controls relocation kit? Website, etc?
Thanks.

---

Hi there, as Blue Shirt pointed out, I knew the car when it was owned by a family member that had imported the car into the country. I don't know too many specifics, but I do specifically remember that it was automatic, personally not an auto fan, so that's where my interest kinda stopped - if it was manual I would've nagged him for years to sell it to me! :smilebounce:

I also saw it appear on FB marketplace and notice that all of a sudden it has a manual gearbox. To my knowledge he sold the car a year or so ago and I can only think that the person that bought it had the manual gearbox conversion done. Again, that was for me not an ideal thing. However, it the conversion was done right, then worth the gamble - it was selling for a fairly good price from what I remember. Other than the gearbox conversion, it looked identical to how it looked when I saw it last in the flesh, right down to the sticker on the right rear window and the ding on the front of the bonnet next to the now faded roundel, oh, and the nasty TSW wheels (which I never "approved of" :fencelook::smilebounce.

The 5 speed manual is fine (you don't really need too many gears on a diesel engined car with all that torque), but one could always find out who did the conversion, or can change the 5 speed manual out for the 6 speed. But honestly, if it's working as it is, maybe just leave it as it is. I would just get a good set of original M Sport BMW (style 68) wheels and this thing will be a gem!

---

Hi, Philip - thanks for the info on the car - really appreciate it...:smilebounce:

Agree with what you are saying - I dont mind the 5 speed manual at all - everything is working find and the car goes well - will hoever start to check out the conversion in n bit more detail and fix things that are not executed to my liking on the car - :smilebounce:

This will be a project that will be fixed over time - lol - project will mature like wine - will get better with time - :smilebounce:

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So the fact that the car was converted from Auto to man is no big deal.
It was a cheap high miler, so originality counts for nothing in this case.

The fact that the GM auto boxes used on these 30d's were rubbish means that this is probably an upgrade.
If there is no apparent issue, I would not care about this little "flag" in the car's history at all. If the RPM is under 2500 @ 130km/h in top gear, I would leave everything as is.

Just get under the car, and make sure everything was done properly for the conversion with the correct mountings used etc.

People have a nasty habit of modifying whatever they have to do cheap conversions. But if EVERYTHING for the manual conversion was sourced from a genuine manual 3.0d donor car, there really isn't anything to be concerned about.

Just enjoy it for what remains an epic car.

If the conversion checks out ok, my main focus point would be the cooling system, and the swirl flap delete

Agreed - well said - :thumbs:

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Found an add;

https://www.gumtree.co.za/a-car-tyr...pe-135-m-sport-rims/1004826599750910007774509

Perhaps a fellow member?

Would you say that this is a good price?

and another add - https://www.gumtree.co.za/a-car-tyr...m-sport-18inch-rims/1004777453370910006632309