Need some advice on buying an E46 BMW

[Re3za]

Hi Guys,

wondering if the more experience bmw owners could help me purchase an E46 2005 Model M3.

I need to know if there is any place i could send the car for something like a Pre purchase inspection?

The the car seems to be in very good condition when it comes to the engine. the service book is up to date with a trusted mechanic that generally works on super cars.

it is a 2005 model E46 with 204km on the clock. it has a maul transmission.

it needs some paint work in the front because of the colour of it , the chips are like white dots all over the front of the car. - The car is a really dark purple black kind of colour.

The rubber window trim is all breaking of, im not sure how pricing will be on something like this.

Is there a list of things i should be checking?

i do know the Vanos issues were before this year model.

any help will be greatly appreciated. As this is going to be my first M3.

 

[AdiS]

Where are you based? We cannot recommend a place for a pre-purchase inspection without knowing where you are.

At that mileage, unless there is proof of work being done, the following are areas of concern:

-worn suspension (shocks, bushes, control arms, etc).
-Drivetrain - check that the propshaft is not causing any vibrations under load, and check that the gearbox does not have any syncro grind when changing gears, pay attention to how the clutch engages on pull off, etc
-Valve clearance adjustment
-VANOS issues affect ALL year models
-Connecting Rod Bearings (all year models)
-Cracks where the rear subframe mounts to the chassis
-Cooling system (waterpump, thermostat, radiator)

All of the above could be an issue, but it all depends on the service records of the car. What you need to do is piece together the entire history of the car to understand what work it has and has not had done.

Lastly, the rubbers around the windows and doors can be very expensive to replace, so make sure you get quotes on those parts before purchasing.

What is the asking price?

 

[Ga-3M]

Hey bud

Vanos will still need to be done in terms of seals, valve clearances will need to be checked.

Do you know if bearings have been done recently? At that mileage if there is no record of them being done budget about R20k for that job and do them as soon as possible.

The rubber window trim is not cheap, if it's breaking off in many places replacement is quite expensive.

At that mileage suspension components and bushes will need to be checked. Is there any invoices or proof of suspension parts and bushes being replaced in the last 30 000km or so?

Check the discs and pads and propshaft coupling. Besides the bearings above you can quickly get to maintenance costs of R30k plus for just general items.

What is the purchase price of the car?

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Haha Adrian you posted a more comprehensive list whilst I was typing slowly!

 

[Shahaad]

Cant really comment on the E46...

But just to give you an idea, I recently(about 3 weeks ago) got a quote from BMW on the door rubbers for my E36 coupe for R6700 each.

Perhaps you should do some investigations on prices for items which are clearly in need of repairing before you purchase the car.

Apart from that, agree with AdiS on the above mentioned, as these are common problems.

 

[Re3za]

Where are you based? We cannot recommend a place for a pre-purchase inspection without knowing where you are.

At that mileage, unless there is proof of work being done, the following are areas of concern:

-worn suspension (shocks, bushes, control arms, etc).
-Drivetrain - check that the propshaft is not causing any vibrations under load, and check that the gearbox does not have any syncro grind when changing gears, pay attention to how the clutch engages on pull off, etc
-Valve clearance adjustment
-VANOS issues affect ALL year models
-Connecting Rod Bearings (all year models)
-Cracks where the rear subframe mounts to the chassis
-Cooling system (waterpump, thermostat, radiator)

All of the above could be an issue, but it all depends on the service records of the car. What you need to do is piece together the entire history of the car to understand what work it has and has not had done.

Lastly, the rubbers around the windows and doors can be very expensive to replace, so make sure you get quotes on those parts before purchasing.

What is the asking price?

hey,

thanks for the info!

Im situated in Johannesburg, Randburg , i just called bmw randburg and they said they only have a quality check then again the guy wasn't sure what exactly is done in the check. i think id have to go there tomorrow.

The owner wants around the 120 mark for the car. the cooling system has just been replaced.

 

[Pho3niX90]

Take it to a BOSCH center and have them do the full 2 hour check, afterwards take it to a roadworthy center to inspect the car as well. Last one will tell you if there are any suspension/steering issues along with brake conditions

Bosch one costs around 850, and roadworthy one 390

 

[Re3za]

Hey bud

Vanos will still need to be done in terms of seals, valve clearances will need to be checked.

Do you know if bearings have been done recently? At that mileage if there is no record of them being done budget about R20k for that job and do them as soon as possible.

The rubber window trim is not cheap, if it's breaking off in many places replacement is quite expensive.

At that mileage suspension components and bushes will need to be checked. Is there any invoices or proof of suspension parts and bushes being replaced in the last 30 000km or so?

Check the discs and pads and propshaft coupling. Besides the bearings above you can quickly get to maintenance costs of R30k plus for just general items.

What is the purchase price of the car?

i will have to follow up on all this. looks like im going to end up making a list with the amount of responses im gong to be getting on this post, thanks for the advice~

the asking price is around 120.

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Haha Adrian you posted a more comprehensive list whilst I was typing slowly!

---

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Take it to a BOSCH center and have them do the full 2 hour check, afterwards take it to a roadworthy center to inspect the car as well. Last one will tell you if there are any suspension/steering issues along with brake conditions

Bosch one costs around 850, and roadworthy one 390

thanks i'll definitely take it to these places. will any of these tests check the Vanos and the rear subframe cracks?

 

[AdiS]

When I bought mine, the owner insisted that it only be taken to BMW, so I had an AUC (approved used certification) test done for R1500. It is quite comprehensive in that they do a compression test on the engine as well as pressure test the cooling system. I must admit though, these types of quality checks really can't be trusted 100%. I was present during the test on my m3 and I pointed out lots of things that the mechanic did not notice.

I would insist on a compression test on the engine. Also, watch this video on how to check the for cracks in the rear subframe. It is an E46 M3 specific problem, and the average mechanic won't know where to look:

[video=youtube]

So when the car is on a lift, either at Roadworthy or a mechanical inspection, go and look for yourself. Bear in mind that the cracks can be covered easily by the road dirt/grime build up, so get the mechanic to clean in the areas shown in the video above to check properly.