Hey mate, decent video but you forgot about a few things. They also tend to have problems with the diff, as the clutches wear if the car has been abused/high mileage. Cooling system isn't a strong point and is good to be refreshed as they can break and cause overheating. Window regulators are a common issue as well as they become slower and stop working. Central locking as well. As they are about 15-20 years old all bushes are generally worn out and the rear tends to open up and wear the tyres on the inner edge. M3 seats have inflatable bolsters and sometimes they get stuck fully inflated/deflated and dont work properly so its good to check all the seats electrics. If the car has sunroof check for leaks. Rear arches loves rusting as well, not only the front. Reliable cars as you said but definitely need to be maintained properly to enjoy them. Good luck with the channel.
Spot on video, no fluff, straight to the points. As someone who purchased one in March, this video covers the major factors. Each car is different but if you go in with this knowledge, you’re set up for success. Shout out from Orlando USA!
Yes,good luck indeed.Beautiful example you have there by the way.The cooling system will cause problems as some point without a doubt.The electric windows will fail because unlike on the E36's where the regulator mechanism used lever arms, E46's use thin wire cables which are weaker and prone to breaking.On later E46's around 2005 onwards they started to use GM transmissions rather than the more desirable ZF transmissions.
Had one of these for six years without any major problems except cam shaft (rocker box) gasket has been replaced twice and only covered 15,000 Klms seems to leak oil on to the exhaust manifold with the engine being canted over to one side, quite a long job to replace.
Yeah, they have their faults, like all cars do, just keep on top of maintenance, and they're no worse then any other car out there. Changing the vanos filter every oil change certainly don't do any harm either.
That full leather dash and centre console is absolutely glorious. I do prefer the slightly lower, weighted gear shift knob to this illuminated M3 item.
@@jamielearmonth1039 not in my experience. Literally 5 of the 8 M3s I've went to buy potentially had service records of rod bearings needing to be replaced.
@@jamielearmonth1039 It’s was an E46 issue first, that was borderline worse than the E39 problems. Love how this guy says “Do not buy without watching” then misses a bunch of shit. Kind of click baity and arrogant as fuck
E46s is at least 15 years old. Any example without update maintenance will cost an arm and leg. These include bushing, cooling system, suspensions, brakes, and not to mention the big 3.
head gasket failure? first time ive ever heard of that... ever... 1- Rod bearings 2- Vanos 3- suspension -> rear subframe can crack. the front strut towers can crack at the shock tower. the rear can crack on bottom of the spring carrier 3- Valve cover (tends to leak in the rear, shitty shops will put 20lbs of silicon on it, don't do this) 4- diff (leaky seals on input, and output) 5. exterier rear window, near the hofmeister kink, the rubber gasket will fail. expensive to replace with OE parts, but can be DIY'd cheap. 6.... general car / bimmer problems... look for rust....
Reliable my arse; Vanos Head gasket Rod bearings Oil starvation RACP Rust! All the rust! Door seals SMG pump E46 coolant system failure Mirror leaks Pillar trim adhesive failure Sunroof failure Viscous fan clutch detonation (I suspect this one is scare stories) These are not reliable cars and require a massive amount of preventative maintenance. On top of that, even for fast road driving, the suspension and brakes are rapidly overwhelmed.
Oil starvation… absolutely NOT. SMG pump… definitely NOT. The SMG motor fails, and it’s only a $350 rebuild… but don’t put the assembly back into the original location. Relocate it to a serviceable location. I can get mine back on the road in less than 30 minutes when the motor fails (I keep a spare).
My dear E46, if not turned on daily starts up like a hangover missing a cylinder... There's never been any instrument warning and once I annoyingly turn her off, count to 4 and turn her on... It disappears 🙏 Any thoughts lads?
No. You really need to work to do a good inspection… particularly the front two mounting locations (there are four. Not two, as stated in the video. Left rear and right front are the ones most prone to cracking.
The CS is a total waste of money, it is just a steering wheel, csl steering rack and some narrower csl style wheels. This one is a lovely colour combo and rare with extended champagne leather.
I digress. If the head gasket is starting to fail (not much material between the cylinders), it will let blow by in between cylinders, therefore losing compression.
Bruce Leckie, Obviously you have vever performed a compression test before. If it is leaking between the cylinders the numbers on those two are going to be down compared to cylindersthat arenot leaking. If the pressure comes out of the cylinder you are testing and leaks into the one next to it what do think is going to happen with the pressure reading. Giving out false information is a big give away that you have never worked on a car before. You think you are qualified But you probably got the information on the internet so that makes it correct. Stop telling people how to do things that you have no clue about.
Incorrect. You compression test individual cylinders, so when the one you are testing leaks over to its neighbor, you won’t get the spec pressure reading.
Ok lads... My problem isn't this but... If I haven't driven my girls for more than five days or if it's cold.. I start her and it's like she's running on a weak five cylinder 🤦 I turn her off.. count to ten .. start her back up and she's back on 100% 🤷🏻🤷🏻🤷🏻🤷🏻🤷🏻🤷🏻🤷🏻
Hey Jade! Does it eventually clear its self after the cold start cycle or do you need to turn it off and on again? There's a couple suspects that cause what you describe.
@@RiperSnifle they are reasonible on the used market. Unlike the E46. Plus maybe get a university education, learn some math, stats and a computer language and maybe you can afford nice things (like my 911TT)
Hey mate, decent video but you forgot about a few things. They also tend to have problems with the diff, as the clutches wear if the car has been abused/high mileage.
Cooling system isn't a strong point and is good to be refreshed as they can break and cause overheating. Window regulators are a common issue as well as they become slower and stop working. Central locking as well. As they are about 15-20 years old all bushes are generally worn out and the rear tends to open up and wear the tyres on the inner edge.
M3 seats have inflatable bolsters and sometimes they get stuck fully inflated/deflated and dont work properly so its good to check all the seats electrics.
If the car has sunroof check for leaks. Rear arches loves rusting as well, not only the front.
Reliable cars as you said but definitely need to be maintained properly to enjoy them.
Good luck with the channel.
Rear boot lock rusts too
I have an e46 m3 and literally have had none of the problems you mentioned. Lmao
Good bit of tips there.
I'll check these when looking for a new m3 for myself.
@@SB-zd3pqwell la Dee da
I love that smile towards the end when you give it a bit of throttle. A reminder of what is so great about the E46!
Spot on video, no fluff, straight to the points. As someone who purchased one in March, this video covers the major factors. Each car is different but if you go in with this knowledge, you’re set up for success. Shout out from Orlando USA!
i’m nervous i’m gonna mess my up something in mine where do you know about fixing ur issues
Yes,good luck indeed.Beautiful example you have there by the way.The cooling system will cause problems as some point without a doubt.The electric windows will fail because unlike on the E36's where the regulator mechanism used lever arms, E46's use thin wire cables which are weaker and prone to breaking.On later E46's around 2005 onwards they started to use GM transmissions rather than the more desirable ZF transmissions.
I never knew some E46 M3s came with GM or ZF trans.. always thought they were all Getrag
Had one of these for six years without any major problems except cam shaft (rocker box) gasket has been replaced twice and only covered 15,000 Klms seems to leak oil on to the exhaust manifold with the engine being canted over to one side, quite a long job to replace.
Yeah, they have their faults, like all cars do, just keep on top of maintenance, and they're no worse then any other car out there.
Changing the vanos filter every oil change certainly don't do any harm either.
Absolutely Tam, couldn't agree more!
Love this , very informative clear and honest
Really great video, car looks as stunning on video as much as it does in real life
That full leather dash and centre console is absolutely glorious. I do prefer the slightly lower, weighted gear shift knob to this illuminated M3 item.
You forgot the Rod Bearings issue (a big one) as a point of negotiation as well
more an e92 m3 issue than e46
@@jamielearmonth1039 not in my experience. Literally 5 of the 8 M3s I've went to buy potentially had service records of rod bearings needing to be replaced.
@@jamielearmonth1039
It’s was an E46 issue first, that was borderline worse than the E39 problems.
Love how this guy says “Do not buy without watching” then misses a bunch of shit.
Kind of click baity and arrogant as fuck
Theres no way to check that
@@jamielearmonth1039Yeah I owned one for 5 years and never had rod bearing issues. The only real problem was coolant leaks.
Hearing a healthy idle noise would have been helpful for those new to the E46
I'll try and add this as a separate linked video.
My dream car
Videos keep getting better!
Great video. BMW M3 with wood interior. My goodness!
dying to get one of these before prices sky rocket but getting very difficult to find a clean example
This is an amazing vehicle untill you see the walnut, please bro, you know what to do, absolute quality and beauty all in one piece👌
The walnut is part of the individual package...why would you change it
Walnut looks great to me
What’s the walnut?
The dash trim
The black carbon fiber trim would suit perfectly
What a beautiful example !
E46s is at least 15 years old. Any example without update maintenance will cost an arm and leg. These include bushing, cooling system, suspensions, brakes, and not to mention the big 3.
Am sorry but what is the big 3?
@@SimonRileyGhost141I could be wrong but it might be the Engine, Gearbox and Differential
@@Phantom-FM
Thank you so much for the information.
I think you are right.
@@SimonRileyGhost141no, the big 3 on e46 m3s are the rod bearings, vanos & rear subframe.
head gasket failure? first time ive ever heard of that... ever...
1- Rod bearings
2- Vanos
3- suspension -> rear subframe can crack. the front strut towers can crack at the shock tower. the rear can crack on bottom of the spring carrier
3- Valve cover (tends to leak in the rear, shitty shops will put 20lbs of silicon on it, don't do this)
4- diff (leaky seals on input, and output)
5. exterier rear window, near the hofmeister kink, the rubber gasket will fail. expensive to replace with OE parts, but can be DIY'd cheap.
6.... general car / bimmer problems... look for rust....
Yup. The cylinders are too close together, and the gasket is only about 1/10 inch wide in that area.
Ahhh i miss my E46, best looking car ever made.
Absolutely lovely, I really want one and have done for years
I bought one without watching this video and its the best one!
Thanks Peter. Hit subscribe and we’ll always be in your pocket for next time!
Love the velvet blue man 😍 the wood interior takes that car from a 10 to a 7 though 😥
Good video mate only thing I wish you done is how much it will cost to fix it 👍
My favourite colour ever
Great video mate keep it going 🤟
Appreciate the info. Going to test one out in week on the other side of the country.
Have fun! You know what to look for now.
Learn a lot great review thanks
Great video!
dang, i bought one without watching this, now im homeless and live in the mc trying to figure out how to fix a hole in the block
Fire video help out a lot
Reliable my arse;
Vanos
Head gasket
Rod bearings
Oil starvation
RACP
Rust! All the rust!
Door seals
SMG pump
E46 coolant system failure
Mirror leaks
Pillar trim adhesive failure
Sunroof failure
Viscous fan clutch detonation (I suspect this one is scare stories)
These are not reliable cars and require a massive amount of preventative maintenance. On top of that, even for fast road driving, the suspension and brakes are rapidly overwhelmed.
Oil starvation… absolutely NOT.
SMG pump… definitely NOT. The SMG motor fails, and it’s only a $350 rebuild… but don’t put the assembly back into the original location. Relocate it to a serviceable location. I can get mine back on the road in less than 30 minutes when the motor fails (I keep a spare).
such a good video. checking one out on thursday!
Did the viewing go well!?
@@ScottishCarClan unfortunately, it did not. but that’s ok, the right one will come!
If you can't fix this car yourself don't get it.
Agreed. Before I learned how to do it all, I spent a lot of cash keeping my beauty on the road.
Not everyone is broke 😂
@nicholaswicks3077 would you get one? And pay for it to get maintained ?😃
@@eyes2338 yes I already have a 2002 e46 m3 I did the maintenance myself but all the major repairs and suspension has been done by a bmw shop
Say NO to manual cars ^^ I love the E46 M3, had one with the SMG, but damn this is long time ago now.
What price range you should be looking at ? £20k
Thank you 👊🏽
My dear E46, if not turned on daily starts up like a hangover missing a cylinder... There's never been any instrument warning and once I annoyingly turn her off, count to 4 and turn her on... It disappears 🙏
Any thoughts lads?
Great video. Are the subframe mounts visible without removing anything like an underskirt?
No. You really need to work to do a good inspection… particularly the front two mounting locations (there are four. Not two, as stated in the video.
Left rear and right front are the ones most prone to cracking.
If you buying second hand car , dont forget that you are buying also new problem ❤🎉
The CS is a total waste of money, it is just a steering wheel, csl steering rack and some narrower csl style wheels. This one is a lovely colour combo and rare with extended champagne leather.
i’m nervous i’m gonna mess my up something in mine where do you know about fixing ur issues
Is there an E39 version of this video?
Compression test won’t find head gasket issue because it goes between the cylinders. So they will still be pressurised.
I digress. If the head gasket is starting to fail (not much material between the cylinders), it will let blow by in between cylinders, therefore losing compression.
Bruce Leckie, Obviously you have vever performed a compression test before. If it is leaking between the cylinders the numbers on those two are going to be down compared to cylindersthat arenot leaking. If the pressure comes out of the cylinder you are testing and leaks into the one next to it what do think is going to happen with the pressure reading. Giving out false information is a big give away that you have never worked on a car before. You think you are qualified
But you probably got the information on the internet so that makes it correct.
Stop telling people how to do things that you have no clue about.
Incorrect. You compression test individual cylinders, so when the one you are testing leaks over to its neighbor, you won’t get the spec pressure reading.
Man you car looks amazing 🙄
There’s a fix for the vanos by bisan
Yup. Did it. An absolute MUST. And it ain’t that hard to do.
What accent is that?
i love the accent
I can’t stand the accent, but watched the video anyway😁
чувак ты МЕНГА крут😎
Get yourself great quality e-40-sex M3!
even after watching this i cant buy this
des video
Bad color
Ok lads... My problem isn't this but...
If I haven't driven my girls for more than five days or if it's cold.. I start her and it's like she's running on a weak five cylinder 🤦
I turn her off.. count to ten .. start her back up and she's back on 100%
🤷🏻🤷🏻🤷🏻🤷🏻🤷🏻🤷🏻🤷🏻
Hey Jade! Does it eventually clear its self after the cold start cycle or do you need to turn it off and on again? There's a couple suspects that cause what you describe.
@@ScottishCarClan g'day mate. I usually only need to turn it off and off once and it's fine for every start after that ...
Lol and he calls it reliable. These are the main death traps in a engine.
What a terrible interior
Don't ever buy a BMW.
@real isrealite
Why shouldn't anyone , how many have you owned? or is it you can't afford one .
Buy a Yaris GR - you'll have waaay more fun.
So overrated.
I'm seeing videos of the engine messing up on these by missing gears and over revving!
yeah cos everyone has the extra 15-20 grand lying around for one of those dont they!
@@RiperSnifle they are reasonible on the used market. Unlike the E46.
Plus maybe get a university education, learn some math, stats and a computer language and maybe you can afford nice things (like my 911TT)
Lol.
Rot like hell especially the wings