AdiS
Well-known member
It is with much anticipation, that I can finally introduce my beautiful 2004 BMW E46 330i M-Sport 6 Speed Manual.
Here's my story
This purchase is the result of approximately a year of research, and a dream to own what I believe to be the pinnacle of BMW in it's finest hour. I have loved the E46 since the day it was launched - I still remember going to the dealer when I was in primary school to gawk at the brand new 328i. My interest only continued to grow with the advent of the 330i, M-sport/individual packs, and of course, the iconic E46 M3.
I am a motoring purist. The sound and response of a 6 cylinder, naturally aspirated engine, rear wheel drive, a car with character, soul. These are what I believe to be the antecedents of motoring excellence. And in a day and age where many of these traits are becoming increasingly rare and uncharacteristic of mass production road cars, I found myself desperate to experience a vehicle made in a time of less compromise.
I settled on the idea of an E46 330i Msport/Individual initially as a compromise, as an M3 was a seemingly unachievable goal in the short term. However, that statement in itself is ironic, as the word 'compromise' and 330i should not be used in the same sentence. I soon learnt that a 330i could never be considered a compromise when considering how excellent it really is.
In either case, I vowed never to drop my standards no matter what people said. Despite repeated allusions to the scarcity of both M3s and 330i's in good condition, I observed the market with pain-staking diligence. I made the conscious choice not to settle for anything less than the best. I researched the maintenance ad naseum, conducted multiple scenario analyses, tested hypotheses, test drove cars, spoke to owners... the list goes on. I knew the right car was out there.
Then, on a casual Sunday morning I got the fright of my life. The perfect one came up for sale. I panicked. I wasn't ready. It was too soon. It would be sold before I got a chance. I, for the most part, wrote the idea off in my mind. But being the analyst that I am, I decided to shoot for the hypothetical, and started speaking to the owner.
A few hours later, I realised that I had to try and make this work. A car like this was an incredibly rare find, and unlikely to occur with any sort of frequency. I got on the phone and I made it happen. By sunset, I had made a firm offer, and somehow I had realised my goal.
After an agonising 8 day wait, the car finally arrived in Cape Town, delivered by Minimike and Psymon. Seeing it for the first time was an incredible experience. The culmination of months of research and dreaming was overwhelming. I was astounded by the condition of the car. It literally is as close to a brand new E46 as is practically possible at this time. It was everything I had hoped for.
I feel compelled at this point to make a few shout outs to some people who were involved in this process.
SP33DYV - The Previous Owner
Morne has been incredibly receptive, helpful, understanding, and most of all, patient during this entire process. He answered every question I had, accepted all my phone calls, texts, and emails. He went to every effort to assure me the car was in an excellent condition, he even gave me a tank of fuel on delivery! Further, I got a call from him today to find out if I was 100% happy with the car. He is a person of integrity and deserves an excellent reputation in this community. My sincerest gratitude goes out toward him.
Sankekur - The Authority
Despite the reputation of this car, with it being in JHB and myself in CT, I knew it was prudent to have a third party check the car out before committing to a sale. Johannes took time out of his Sunday evening on very short notice to meet up with Morne and give the car a thorough inspection. I literally spent half an hour on the phone just listening to him give a narrative of what indeed was a very comprehensive check. Further, Johannes has also been very patient with me over the last few months as I have repeatedly bombarded him with PMs and emails with endless questions. He has only ever been happy to help, and a great help he continues to be.
MiniMike - The Go to Guy
When I am excited about something, I am incredibly annoying to be around. I speculate endlessly, research unnecessarily, and generally just can't shut up, as I have to keep myself occupied. I knew Mike and his new business would be the perfect way to get the car done here with minimal inconvenience. I have been badgered the living daylights out of Mike for the past week, scrutinising every detail of the process, and he has only ever been helpful. Besides the delivery, I have made several enquiries about other jobs regarding the car, practically on an hourly basis and he has been only too happy to oblige. I highly recommend Mike and Jeanre and the services they offer with their new business. They took care of all the logistics, liaised with Morne, collected the car, prepped it and delivered it to my doorstep. Excellent.
I will keep updating this thread with any kind of progress on the car. I promise I will take on a proper photoshoot, but there's a few things i want to do first. For now, delivery pics will have to do!
Final Word
I am ecstatic about finally being able to own this car. I acknowledge the reality that it is an 8 year old car, and that things will happen. Already, a chip acquired during transit has turned into a massive crack on the windscreen. Thank goodness for insurance. However, I plan to devote every effort to keep this vehicle in the beautiful condition it is, if not improve it. I am a true fanatic.
Here's my story
This purchase is the result of approximately a year of research, and a dream to own what I believe to be the pinnacle of BMW in it's finest hour. I have loved the E46 since the day it was launched - I still remember going to the dealer when I was in primary school to gawk at the brand new 328i. My interest only continued to grow with the advent of the 330i, M-sport/individual packs, and of course, the iconic E46 M3.
I am a motoring purist. The sound and response of a 6 cylinder, naturally aspirated engine, rear wheel drive, a car with character, soul. These are what I believe to be the antecedents of motoring excellence. And in a day and age where many of these traits are becoming increasingly rare and uncharacteristic of mass production road cars, I found myself desperate to experience a vehicle made in a time of less compromise.
I settled on the idea of an E46 330i Msport/Individual initially as a compromise, as an M3 was a seemingly unachievable goal in the short term. However, that statement in itself is ironic, as the word 'compromise' and 330i should not be used in the same sentence. I soon learnt that a 330i could never be considered a compromise when considering how excellent it really is.
In either case, I vowed never to drop my standards no matter what people said. Despite repeated allusions to the scarcity of both M3s and 330i's in good condition, I observed the market with pain-staking diligence. I made the conscious choice not to settle for anything less than the best. I researched the maintenance ad naseum, conducted multiple scenario analyses, tested hypotheses, test drove cars, spoke to owners... the list goes on. I knew the right car was out there.
Then, on a casual Sunday morning I got the fright of my life. The perfect one came up for sale. I panicked. I wasn't ready. It was too soon. It would be sold before I got a chance. I, for the most part, wrote the idea off in my mind. But being the analyst that I am, I decided to shoot for the hypothetical, and started speaking to the owner.
A few hours later, I realised that I had to try and make this work. A car like this was an incredibly rare find, and unlikely to occur with any sort of frequency. I got on the phone and I made it happen. By sunset, I had made a firm offer, and somehow I had realised my goal.
After an agonising 8 day wait, the car finally arrived in Cape Town, delivered by Minimike and Psymon. Seeing it for the first time was an incredible experience. The culmination of months of research and dreaming was overwhelming. I was astounded by the condition of the car. It literally is as close to a brand new E46 as is practically possible at this time. It was everything I had hoped for.
I feel compelled at this point to make a few shout outs to some people who were involved in this process.
SP33DYV - The Previous Owner
Morne has been incredibly receptive, helpful, understanding, and most of all, patient during this entire process. He answered every question I had, accepted all my phone calls, texts, and emails. He went to every effort to assure me the car was in an excellent condition, he even gave me a tank of fuel on delivery! Further, I got a call from him today to find out if I was 100% happy with the car. He is a person of integrity and deserves an excellent reputation in this community. My sincerest gratitude goes out toward him.
Sankekur - The Authority
Despite the reputation of this car, with it being in JHB and myself in CT, I knew it was prudent to have a third party check the car out before committing to a sale. Johannes took time out of his Sunday evening on very short notice to meet up with Morne and give the car a thorough inspection. I literally spent half an hour on the phone just listening to him give a narrative of what indeed was a very comprehensive check. Further, Johannes has also been very patient with me over the last few months as I have repeatedly bombarded him with PMs and emails with endless questions. He has only ever been happy to help, and a great help he continues to be.
MiniMike - The Go to Guy
When I am excited about something, I am incredibly annoying to be around. I speculate endlessly, research unnecessarily, and generally just can't shut up, as I have to keep myself occupied. I knew Mike and his new business would be the perfect way to get the car done here with minimal inconvenience. I have been badgered the living daylights out of Mike for the past week, scrutinising every detail of the process, and he has only ever been helpful. Besides the delivery, I have made several enquiries about other jobs regarding the car, practically on an hourly basis and he has been only too happy to oblige. I highly recommend Mike and Jeanre and the services they offer with their new business. They took care of all the logistics, liaised with Morne, collected the car, prepped it and delivered it to my doorstep. Excellent.
I will keep updating this thread with any kind of progress on the car. I promise I will take on a proper photoshoot, but there's a few things i want to do first. For now, delivery pics will have to do!
Final Word
I am ecstatic about finally being able to own this car. I acknowledge the reality that it is an 8 year old car, and that things will happen. Already, a chip acquired during transit has turned into a massive crack on the windscreen. Thank goodness for insurance. However, I plan to devote every effort to keep this vehicle in the beautiful condition it is, if not improve it. I am a true fanatic.
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