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cmcon98
Joined: 13 Nov 2002 Posts: 1844 Location: Boston
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Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 11:26 am Post subject: Visitor here with some E46 questions..... |
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I'm helping a friend find a "new" used car, and he likes the E46. I have an E30 convert and an E36 M3, so I'm familiar with the typical E36 problems, which include:
cooling system (every part)
heater core
bubbling door panels
cracking subframe mounts on non-M3s
relatively short auto tranny life
rattly VANOS units
plastic isolated ball joints
weak control arm bushings
What are the typical E46 problems above 80,000 miles? I'm going to advise a 5-speed 328 or 330, so rule out the automatics and the smaller engines. _________________ Cirrusblau '88 325iC 5-speed
Cosmosschwartz '99 M3 'vert 5-speed |
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donaldan
Joined: 01 Jul 2001 Posts: 1881 Location: Ft. Myers, FL
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Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 4:51 pm Post subject: |
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Why do you rule out the 318 four bangers? It is one of the world's best 4 bangers. Unfortunately, BMW stopped supplying the 4 bangers for the American market during the later years of E46. _________________ Don |
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cmcon98
Joined: 13 Nov 2002 Posts: 1844 Location: Boston
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Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 7:29 pm Post subject: |
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Actually, BMW never sold E46 4 cylinders in the US. The 323's and 325's are 6-cylinder. _________________ Cirrusblau '88 325iC 5-speed
Cosmosschwartz '99 M3 'vert 5-speed |
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Tom Olsson Site Admin
Joined: 03 Nov 2004 Posts: 242 Location: Seattle, WA, US
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patelpump
Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 2 Location: Texas
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Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 6:01 pm Post subject: |
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Put evaportor/suction line/drier problems on top of that list for E46. |
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donaldan
Joined: 01 Jul 2001 Posts: 1881 Location: Ft. Myers, FL
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 5:04 pm Post subject: |
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cmcon98, my friend in Louisville, KY has been driving a e46 318i, 5 spd for many years. I believe she bought it new at a BMW dealer there. I know it is very rare here in America. _________________ Don |
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cmcon98
Joined: 13 Nov 2002 Posts: 1844 Location: Boston
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Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 7:55 am Post subject: |
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I have never seen a 4-cylinder E46 in the US. That doesn't mean they didn't sell a very few, and there's a reason for this.
As far as buying one, it's a no. The 6-cylinder models are more powerful and the 323 gets comparable mileage. In a car as heavy as the E46, a 138HP 4-cylinder is bound to be a real dog. If you've ever driven a 4-cylinder E36 you'll know what I mean, and that car is lighter than the E46. _________________ Cirrusblau '88 325iC 5-speed
Cosmosschwartz '99 M3 'vert 5-speed |
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donaldan
Joined: 01 Jul 2001 Posts: 1881 Location: Ft. Myers, FL
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Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 9:11 am Post subject: |
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With a smaller engine such as 1.6 and 1.8 liter 4 bangers, one has to operate the car at a higher RPM. Many Europeans use these smaller engines and rev the engines up accordingly. To me it is a lot of fun shifting through the gears maintaining above 3k RPM . At the same itme, at highway cruising, the smaller engines give excellent gas mileage. I don't feel lack of power at all. I guess sportiness is in the feel of the drivers. Each of us is brought up differently and matures into a unique attitute towards driving. For example, many loath on manual gear shifting and will only drive with auto trans. Others like me, find it a ton of fun.
My Louisville friend loves her 318i and has owned several BMW's. She is at least in her mid 60's. _________________ Don |
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cmcon98
Joined: 13 Nov 2002 Posts: 1844 Location: Boston
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Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 9:24 am Post subject: |
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I agree with you on the manual trannies. My E30 is an auto and I'm accumulating the parts now to change it to a 5-speed. Not a fun job but very worth it.
I also hear ya on the small engines. A few years ago I had a highly modified 1972 BMW 2002. Great fun to zing the engine to 6000 rpm in every gear! I'm only ruling out 4-cylinder E46s bacause the car is for a friend who weighs 220 lbs and does lots of highway driving with passengers and A/C and all the accessories going, so he really needs the power of a six. _________________ Cirrusblau '88 325iC 5-speed
Cosmosschwartz '99 M3 'vert 5-speed |
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gigel
Joined: 12 Sep 2002 Posts: 1533 Location: Dallas/TX
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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 1:11 am Post subject: |
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Problems I've seen:
sunroof panel slides
window regulators
front control arm bushings
control arms
ignition coils
subframe on 5 speed cars (the more powerful engines) |
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amancuso
Joined: 27 Apr 2003 Posts: 471 Location: Freehold, NJ
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Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 1:11 pm Post subject: |
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donaldan wrote: | ..
My Louisville friend loves her 318i and has owned several BMW's. She is at least in her mid 60's. |
Would love to see pics of the engine bay and in general of your friend's US market 318i.
-Al. _________________
1997 328iC |
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