I have a 2002 BMW 325ci and I'm convinced the straight six engine will last forever while the rest of the car falls apart. it's never left me stranded.......it's just the little things that keep falling apart that's annoying as hell things that always break or never work are the power door locks, the engine and cooling will always leak on a BMW, the kidney grills will fall off because the plastic tabs will deteriorate over time, the interior motion sensor box will fall off because the plastic tabs will break, the plastic coating on the center console will start to peel off, the car computer to see your mileage, temp, clock, never works, the headliner will sag, you'll need to replace the keyfob all the time, the rear differential will leak.........basically everything leaks and anything made of plastic will break soon
@@madjoemak the cooling system blew up last year around Feb and I had to get a new car. I didn't want to put any more money into the car I got a 2017 BMW 330iX......yeah, I know......people say I'm stupid for getting another BMW but it's the only car I liked. I don't like many cars currently
@@myvenusinuranus oh no. My cooling system blew up last year too. Turns out my head gasket had blown and was leaking compression into the cooling system causing it to have too much pressure. But I had it fixed and now it's slowly leaking coolant again. When I can afford it, I think I'm going to buy a Lexus is200. I really want that Toyota reliability
@@madjoemak I'm really hoping BMW fixed all the problems of past years. so far I haven't heard of any problems of the F30 series but it's too early still. I keep my cars for at least 15 to 18 years so we'll see I was looking at the Honda Accord but there was things I didn't like. it's a bit longer and I only liked the top model but it had a push button transmission I don't think too much of. it's also more expensive used than a BMW
@@myvenusinuranus yeah BMWs are good "bang for the buck". I'm pretty sure the F30 will be ok if you just look after it but I don't know anything about them... Thanks for the quick response by the way!
You should also add..motor mounts. Just replaced my entire cooling system on my e46, except the expansion tank because it looked like it was in good condition. After driving a couple days, guess whats leaking...the seal at the bottom of the expansion tank. LOL. On a positive note.......after owning 3 different e36's....I absolutely love the e46. They are faster, look wider and handle better.
I've got an 02 325xi with 222k on the motor. Love it. But I've encountered every one of these issues (minus the fuel pump). Keep an eye on these cars n stay on it with regular tune ups n they'll run forever
If the cooling system on a car with 170,000 miles has never been done, I'd do it right now to prevent worse. The whole setup (radiator, expansion, coolant, water pump) I think has to be done every 50,000 miles / 4 years in order to prevent it from trouble. Furthermore, I'd like to bring attention to carter / crankcase ventilation (CCV system). The 6 cylinders all have the tendency to consume quite a hefty amount of oil if this system is no longer working properly. I had mine done recently, before that it used 1 litre of oil every 1000 miles. According to my mechanic, CCV (both the catch unit and the hoses) should be done every 60,000 miles / 100,000 kms in order to prevent problems.
My e46 has about 295k miles on it and it still pulls hard all the way to redline! Only thing that has broken is one of the stability control sensors which was replaced and the transmission is starting to slip every now and then.
@James Madison Only been done when under warranty and since that ancient comment, the transmission has stopped slipping. Yeah I dont know, first gear used to shift horribly too and now its very smooth. Car is at 320k miles now. I could only guess that it was because the car sat for two years.
@James Madison Mine is unbelievably stock. Even has the original cooling system. Only aftermarket item is MAF and stereo. If i ever want to shift myself in normal driving i just do what the transmission wants to do naturally and downshift at 1k rpm when coming to a stop. It also helps to have a tiny amount of throttle when downshifting in my car.
My 325ci has done 205k and still going strong but have had 2x expansion tanks and 2x fuel pumps! Probably pound for pound the best engine BMW have ever made!
Nice video man! I have an e46 328 coup, and i love it. Unfortunely i had to switch out the whole water pump, since it was not working. It also made my serpentine belt jump off... Also had to change the air flow sensor. Other than that, its a great and reliable car :) Very fun to drive.
E46 owner here (318i). I have had cooling system and window regulator Problems within one year of owning it. Another thing to look out for is the dust plates on the rear. Mine were rusted which caused the handbrake to not work and to get them replaced it means also replacing the bearing. So definitely look out for that
Radiator reservoir nexk cracked on mine during a simple thermostat change. Lol not by me. The tech was pissed! I bought the reservoir and he did the extra labor free. I lucked out. But what a pain.
I got a 04 325i . Love it. I got it with 160,000 miles . Only thing that’s went out on me is the brake booster . Other than that this has been the most reliable car I’ve had
Brother! Bought a 2003 325i at 158k, replaced the driver's window regulator, changed the battery, oil and air filter and that's it. I've had a few cars over 100k but this one takes the cake. Excellent drivetrain.
Um what about- oil filter housing leaks... oil pan gasket leaks.... noisy pulleys.... rear shocks... front control arms... fan clutch.... valve cover gadget leaks ..... air intake leaks.... I’m starting to run out of room here...
If you are gonna buy an e46, take in count it is affected by the takata airbag recall, which affects most of cars from Europe usa and asia made from the 90’s till 2017 approximately. These are airbags which if they blow up will throw metal fragments which can kill you or hurt you badly
Got a 2004 E46 3.25ci. Front right loud tire rattle sound. Any thoughts? Also - car seems to kind of “jump” when hitting a bump in a turn - other ideas? Hopefully not the subframe.. maybe just struts and shocks going..? 98kmiles
I have a e46 220K miles runs decent just need a transmission fluid, the coolant is horrible I replaced all the hoses and the radiator these past 6 months
Disa valve, ccv, vanos seals, and vacuum system as well. Only thing that has ever failed for me is expansion tank and worn motor mounts . I have 77,000 miles
Good video man shout out from Boston💪I'm trying to get an e46 this weekend but kind of nervous cause I don't know shit bout bimmers lol I'm used to working on honda and Toyotas.
Just a note on the fuel pump making the noise. I couldn't get my xterra to start. When I turned the key, I did not hear the pump. Thinking it was the pump, I decided to tow it to the mechanic anyeaty and have him change it. It wasn't the pump. It was a bad distributor. The car computer sensing a bad distributor, turned the pump off and that's why there was no pump noise. Maybe it would be the same case on the e46.
My e46 had about 320.000 km and only had a few very little problems. The only relatively ig damage I had was the light machine...But after 300+ k km I think there is no way you could critisise something. I had really much luck with my car. And then last week someone crashed in my back when I wanted to turn and now it is so bad dameged that it is not repairable anymore....
I’m having trouble with my e46 is overheating I replaced my radiator because it was leaking and a hose it overheating sometime do you think I need to change my thermostat or the switch on the pipe
If you are going to buy a e46 Change all the pulleys , belts tensioners and water pump Unless you see receipts that work been done Swirl flaps too need to be deleted Check rust on rear arches , your more then likely going to find rust there and be careful of touch ups that will bubble up in a few months or even weeks :)
Ryan David Sheasby I'm no expert mate but they age over time just like anything else While your in there just change them I was to do what I've said on this vid when I bought mine it would saved me a lot of money and pain lol Men is running perfect now but I kid you not it's cost me over four grand
My 325's rear end keeps rattling when I hit around 15mph but it doesn't do it any other time. It drives fine at any other speed but it's really starting to boggle me I'm not sure what it is at this point
I have a 2002 BMW 325ci and I'm convinced the straight six engine will last forever while the rest of the car falls apart. it's never left me stranded.......it's just the little things that keep falling apart that's annoying as hell
things that always break or never work are the power door locks, the engine and cooling will always leak on a BMW, the kidney grills will fall off because the plastic tabs will deteriorate over time, the interior motion sensor box will fall off because the plastic tabs will break, the plastic coating on the center console will start to peel off, the car computer to see your mileage, temp, clock, never works, the headliner will sag, you'll need to replace the keyfob all the time, the rear differential will leak.........basically everything leaks and anything made of plastic will break soon
One year update? How is the engine holding up?
@@madjoemak the cooling system blew up last year around Feb and I had to get a new car. I didn't want to put any more money into the car
I got a 2017 BMW 330iX......yeah, I know......people say I'm stupid for getting another BMW but it's the only car I liked. I don't like many cars currently
@@myvenusinuranus oh no. My cooling system blew up last year too. Turns out my head gasket had blown and was leaking compression into the cooling system causing it to have too much pressure. But I had it fixed and now it's slowly leaking coolant again. When I can afford it, I think I'm going to buy a Lexus is200. I really want that Toyota reliability
@@madjoemak I'm really hoping BMW fixed all the problems of past years. so far I haven't heard of any problems of the F30 series but it's too early still. I keep my cars for at least 15 to 18 years so we'll see
I was looking at the Honda Accord but there was things I didn't like. it's a bit longer and I only liked the top model but it had a push button transmission I don't think too much of. it's also more expensive used than a BMW
@@myvenusinuranus yeah BMWs are good "bang for the buck". I'm pretty sure the F30 will be ok if you just look after it but I don't know anything about them... Thanks for the quick response by the way!
You should also add..motor mounts. Just replaced my entire cooling system on my e46, except the expansion tank because it looked like it was in good condition. After driving a couple days, guess whats leaking...the seal at the bottom of the expansion tank. LOL. On a positive note.......after owning 3 different e36's....I absolutely love the e46. They are faster, look wider and handle better.
I've got an 02 325xi with 222k on the motor. Love it. But I've encountered every one of these issues (minus the fuel pump). Keep an eye on these cars n stay on it with regular tune ups n they'll run forever
If the cooling system on a car with 170,000 miles has never been done, I'd do it right now to prevent worse. The whole setup (radiator, expansion, coolant, water pump) I think has to be done every 50,000 miles / 4 years in order to prevent it from trouble. Furthermore, I'd like to bring attention to carter / crankcase ventilation (CCV system). The 6 cylinders all have the tendency to consume quite a hefty amount of oil if this system is no longer working properly. I had mine done recently, before that it used 1 litre of oil every 1000 miles. According to my mechanic, CCV (both the catch unit and the hoses) should be done every 60,000 miles / 100,000 kms in order to prevent problems.
My e46 has about 295k miles on it and it still pulls hard all the way to redline! Only thing that has broken is one of the stability control sensors which was replaced and the transmission is starting to slip every now and then.
@James Madison Only been done when under warranty and since that ancient comment, the transmission has stopped slipping. Yeah I dont know, first gear used to shift horribly too and now its very smooth. Car is at 320k miles now. I could only guess that it was because the car sat for two years.
@James Madison Mine is unbelievably stock. Even has the original cooling system. Only aftermarket item is MAF and stereo. If i ever want to shift myself in normal driving i just do what the transmission wants to do naturally and downshift at 1k rpm when coming to a stop. It also helps to have a tiny amount of throttle when downshifting in my car.
I just bought one a week ago with 181 on the odometer im really in love with this car its pretty basic but its nice with somewhat power
My 325ci has done 205k and still going strong but have had 2x expansion tanks and 2x fuel pumps! Probably pound for pound the best engine BMW have ever made!
Yep! I get the same problems and my car's done 65000 miles and the year is 2003.nice video thanks very much Sir.
Nice video man! I have an e46 328 coup, and i love it. Unfortunely i had to switch out the whole water pump, since it was not working. It also made my serpentine belt jump off... Also had to change the air flow sensor. Other than that, its a great and reliable car :) Very fun to drive.
Just bought a 325i wagon 5 speed manual with 95k miles. Love it so far.
How did it hold up? Found one with 90K for 3 grand
Buy it!!
Evan Goyuk the guy doesn’t have any records of any maintenance or service records... kinda scared
Bought a 2002 E46 with only 32,700 miles on it couple weeks ago ! One owner and carfax service records !
E46 owner here (318i). I have had cooling system and window regulator Problems within one year of owning it. Another thing to look out for is the dust plates on the rear. Mine were rusted which caused the handbrake to not work and to get them replaced it means also replacing the bearing. So definitely look out for that
Just use a washer to hold the screw that go in you dust cover for you braking pads
@@setrice9604 no washer could have held that in place
"Worst cooling design ever", in deed my friend, in deed, do not get me wrong i love my e46 but you do have to be careful with the cooling system.
+Ricardo Ortega I completely agree!
Yes sir I’m going through that now.. 🤦♂️
Radiator reservoir nexk cracked on mine during a simple thermostat change. Lol not by me. The tech was pissed! I bought the reservoir and he did the extra labor free. I lucked out. But what a pain.
if that would of been my mechanic bro hed be paying for the broken part along with free labor, Thats unprofessional
It's only slightly better than e36
I got a 04 325i . Love it. I got it with 160,000 miles . Only thing that’s went out on me is the brake booster . Other than that this has been the most reliable car I’ve had
Brother! Bought a 2003 325i at 158k, replaced the driver's window regulator, changed the battery, oil and air filter and that's it. I've had a few cars over 100k but this one takes the cake. Excellent drivetrain.
do more vids and do in depth tutorials on fixing issues and doing mods to your e46
+M. Hayes Ok, let me know if you have specific things you would like to see done?
can you do a install and review those ebay short shifters and strut bars? subbed :)
+M. Hayes I will be getting a short shifter and the ZHP shift knob. Thank you!
Yeah expansion tank happened to me too, heard that most things made out of plastic just must be replaced because they wear so fast
The "check engine light". I'm definitely used to that in my mk4 Jetta. Easy transition it seems.
Um what about- oil filter housing leaks... oil pan gasket leaks.... noisy pulleys.... rear shocks... front control arms... fan clutch.... valve cover gadget leaks ..... air intake leaks.... I’m starting to run out of room here...
Tells you not to buy one of these cars
If you are gonna buy an e46, take in count it is affected by the takata airbag recall, which affects most of cars from Europe usa and asia made from the 90’s till 2017 approximately. These are airbags which if they blow up will throw metal fragments which can kill you or hurt you badly
You're spot on about the CEL. I get one every other day. I'm pretty sure it's the intake cam sensor going out finally.
For the SES light just throw on a Stock Tune and force obd readiness and supress whatever code is thrown
I got bmw 320d 2001 with 285000km and non of this things hapen jet, i drive quiet, but how you do??
Have had a 330d e46 and 530d e39 with 400000 km with no issues.just bought another 330d e46 with 160000 km
Got a 2004 E46 3.25ci. Front right loud tire rattle sound. Any thoughts? Also - car seems to kind of “jump” when hitting a bump in a turn - other ideas? Hopefully not the subframe.. maybe just struts and shocks going..? 98kmiles
I have a e46 220K miles runs decent just need a transmission fluid, the coolant is horrible I replaced all the hoses and the radiator these past 6 months
Disa valve, ccv, vanos seals, and vacuum system as well. Only thing that has ever failed for me is expansion tank and worn motor mounts . I have 77,000 miles
Good video man shout out from Boston💪I'm trying to get an e46 this weekend but kind of nervous cause I don't know shit bout bimmers lol I'm used to working on honda and Toyotas.
jperez9887 it's a headache but driving with all the comfort pays off
My brake fluid keeps leaking, it’s in the rear left. I know it’s not coming from the caliper. I took a picture.. need your help/ guidance/ advise
Common Things to BREAK On Your BMW e46:
Your BMW.
False check this link: www.bmwgroup-plants.com/spartanburg/en.html
Also NO e46 was built in the US, fact!
Just a note on the fuel pump making the noise. I couldn't get my xterra to start. When I turned the key, I did not hear the pump. Thinking it was the pump, I decided to tow it to the mechanic anyeaty and have him change it. It wasn't the pump. It was a bad distributor. The car computer sensing a bad distributor, turned the pump off and that's why there was no pump noise. Maybe it would be the same case on the e46.
My e46 had about 320.000 km and only had a few very little problems. The only relatively ig damage I had was the light machine...But after 300+ k km I think there is no way you could critisise something. I had really much luck with my car. And then last week someone crashed in my back when I wanted to turn and now it is so bad dameged that it is not repairable anymore....
Another common thing that breaks on e46's is the MAF Sensor.
I’m having trouble with my e46 is overheating I replaced my radiator because it was leaking and a hose it overheating sometime do you think I need to change my thermostat or the switch on the pipe
Could be the thermostat use inpa to try and see if is stuck close.
If you are going to buy a e46
Change all the pulleys , belts tensioners and water pump
Unless you see receipts that work been done
Swirl flaps too need to be deleted
Check rust on rear arches , your more then likely going to find rust there and be careful of touch ups that will bubble up in a few months or even weeks
:)
Mmikkeelee why pulleys? Surely pulleys don't wear out easily? Unless they are made of plastic or something like that...
Ryan David Sheasby
I'm no expert mate but they age over time just like anything else
While your in there just change them
I was to do what I've said on this vid when I bought mine it would saved me a lot of money and pain lol
Men is running perfect now but I kid you not it's cost me over four grand
what are swirl flaps?
What do you think of the adapter/scanner " carly "
I really like it. I have a couple videos out on it
@@EvanGoyuk alright I'll check your videos out
Looking to buy an 01 330ci , seller says it dies at idle when put into 1st. Guy only wants $800 for it. Trying to learn up on these. Never owned a bmw
3:02 - 3:05 ... and shake it all about 😂😂😂 good video tho
I haveva problem with the Final stage resistor, on my BMW 320i e46, can you make a vid on it showing us how to replace it
I have a 03, 330i and I have had all those issues.
how'd you tint your inside car lights?
Great review, thank you 👍
+UTUBED thanks!
If I have the problem with my final stage resistor, can i still drive with it like that?
Yes
Evan Goyuk Ok thanks, just needed to know if I had to replace it. It only happens when my engine is idling at cold temperatures.
HELP
I'm the proud owner of a e46 325ci cabriolet but I'm having problems trying to tighten my drivers window it's really wobbly.
I got that light on but idk what's wrong
You need to scan your car with inpa or another scanner. I have a video on how to install and use inpa.
do
5 most common reasons e46 wont start.
Okay I will
kool just got a 01 e46 shits dope -wont start. subbed dude.
cooling system is great may be it wasn't designed to last 175k miles without replacing its components but that's a different story
On diesels the crankshaft pulley likes to go to shit
Is this a diesel or gasoline?
+Scama MAR gas
so i think in US diesel engine like 2.0 l isn't popular?
Scama MAR don’t think they got diesel e46, how unfortunate
My 325's rear end keeps rattling when I hit around 15mph but it doesn't do it any other time. It drives fine at any other speed but it's really starting to boggle me I'm not sure what it is at this point
zeroyon223
I'm not entirely sure but I feel it in the center of my car
The rear springs can crack near the ends from rust and make some noises too.
That front bumper is hideous
Damn you bought a pig 😏