Really good video. Good presentation and very informative. Probably the most honest and objective review i've heard; so really well done. A bit short though (which means you must be doing something right). I'm an e46 m3 owner of 7 months and .... Wow. For me it's absolutely all the things you said it was, beautiful first though. The looks are second to none and the sound is amazing. It's alot of car for your money and there's plenty you can do on it. Liked and Sub'd.
Really appreciate it! There were some things, like the many engineering awards, that justify the E46’s greatness that I feel like aren’t talked about a lot. I figured I’d go a little deeper than surface level and I’m glad you enjoyed it. Congrats on the M3! You’re absolutely right, it has a timeless design that only seems to get better with age. BMW really nailed that. I’ll also say that you’re only gonna love the car more the longer you drive it, especially if/when you get it on a track. Thanks again for the positivity!
I almost cried when I heard the engine reving for the first time 15 years ago and since then bmw was and is my favorite cars not too fast and not slow. It has the looks the feel the performance.
Dove gray interior was possibly the worst thing BMW could have done to the E46 M3. Good on you for tearing out that atrocity. Also, tracking that car makes you appreciate it that much more.
haha totally agree, I was able to live with the gray for awhile but I always had my eye out for an interior that I could swap in. Really happy with the result. I need to get the car back on the track soon.
Well done! I love the interior. The wheels are beautiful as well. I have an 04 Convertible with SMG. It’s not what I would’ve chosen to be honest, but my sister bought it new in 2004. I’m not a young guy anymore, I recall vividly driving it the first time 16 years ago. She stopped using it regularly because of SMG problems. She gave me the car! I sold my 2016 Mk7 GTI and never looked back. I’ve put about $10K into it and it is fantastic. I find I enjoy driving top-down too. The key to making an SMG car work is upgrading the SMG pump motor, not the pump just the electric motor, and upgrading the fluid. I used the Burkhart Engineering kit. Most issues are gone. SMGs overheat, but not mine. I daily it and alternate occasionally with my X5 or X1. You did a very nice job presenting by the way. I’d say to loosen up a little, but you never had any “um, uh” moments. Try to stop yourself from saying “anyways,” anyway is the correct usage. Keep doing these videos. I know they are a ton of work, but you’re a natural. I’m so glad your video popped up in my feed.
First of all, thanks for taking the time to write all this out. Sounds like you have a really awesome sister considering she bought an M3 and then was cool enough to hand you the keys before selling it to a stranger! Sometimes I think about picking up a convertible just because I think it'd be fun to be able to put the top down on a nice day. The more I learn about the SMG, the more interested I am in driving one to see how I like it. From everything you said, it seems like you have addressed all of the right areas to make yours more worry free. Well done there. I really appreciate the feedback too, I'm definitely working on being more natural but I think that will come with practice. I wanted to try and give as much value in these early videos while I figure out my style. Thanks again for the comment Dan!
6:17 Kudos for mentioning rear space 🤗 It's ridiculous how comfy you look with front seat leaned back. Other honorable lowkey awesomeness include 1)telescopic steering wheel 2)adjustable buckets for fat or skinny people
+1 for warning getting warning signs for the VANOS. For me, I was out driving one night, and noticed that after speeding up to 60km/hr it felt as though the revs kept climbing on their own without bringing the speed along with it. I pulled the car over straight away, scanned it, and low and behold it was the VANOS. Immediately ordered a full rebuild kit from Beisan and haven't had an issue since.
Thanks for sharing! I'm sure you had a bit of a heart attack when that happened but really good decision to stop driving. Glad Beisan's solution fixed the problem. Did you do the rebuild yourself? I'm gonna be tearing into my engine soon for the VANOS
Thanks Frank! Still working on being more natural on camera, but I’m glad you enjoyed it. I definitely agree that the imola interior looks miles better, there was way too much gray before the swap.
Love mine and have had it for a decade. I've driven way more expensive rides like Ferrari, Lamborghini and so forth but they are too much a pain to deal with on a daily basis.
That's awesome, really cool to hear that kind of perspective. I've always idolized the Ferraris and Lamborghinis but I can definitely see what you mean about them being a pain to deal with regularly. I love that the M3 is perfectly capable of being a daily driver and a weekend toy, makes it a ton of fun to own!
One thing I haven't seen yet that people should know is the S54 only blew rod bearings in 2003 models and earlier. '04-'06 models were fine and they all had recalls and replacements for them so if you're going to buy one today, the recall has most likely already been done and if not you can get it done for close to nothing since the recall still applies. It's not as big of a thing to worry about as people make it out to be
I've owned mine for a little over a year and love it more now then the day I bought it. I've put nearly 15,000 miles on mine and matches your mileage. Changing oil every 2,500 miles is easy using a pump. Takes me 15 minutes total!
Sound like a true car enthusiast💯🙏🏾♥️💎 but I’ve been thinking so hard about owning one of these. Fell in love with the car myself, even when I was small playing nfs most wanted💎✨
Really appreciate it Kaharie! The E46 is an awesome car, you just gotta be aware of the Subframe, VANOS, and rod bearing issues. As long as you know what to look for, I 100% recommend this car. Values have bottomed out and are appreciating for some of the nicer examples so you (hopefully) wouldn't lose money. NFS Most Wanted was exactly how I fell in love with this car too, prolly one of my favorite games growing up!
Every race bred engine will have its own manufacture weakness, the engine was built solidly for performance so there will be a slight reliability and efficiency compromise considering the era that the E46 S54 engine was built. Buy an M2 if want performance, reliability and efficiency, we the purist are happy to replace rod bearing to keep the S54 engine alive. E46 M will be celebrated in the future as an automotive marvel. If you buy an M2 you will spend money buying exhaust to get the sound of a true mechanical engine. It's never a win win buying a sports car, a sports car must be compromised or flawed in some cases. Nice content
I got my M3 a couples months back, but due to COVID I haven't been able to work on it. Now things are starting to pick back up, I'm starting to work on it and really excited to properly drive it when it's in working condition
Awesome man, I have no doubt that you're gonna love it. It's a ton of fun on the street but if you can get it to a driving event you'll be even more stoked.
Knowledgeable, concise, enthusiastic yet restrained. Perhaps the best overview of this car I've ever watched, and I've seen many such videos. I've driven two E46 M3's, both 6MT's as my daily for 8 years now and I can't imagine the car ever feeling old. My current one is Titanium/Dove, and replaced my original Mystic/Black, that my son completely totaled (ouch!) but walked away from. He's lucky I didn't put him in the hospital myself but years later we just joke about it. A couple of questions. Where the heck did you find such a nice Imola interior for only (haha) three grand or so? Very envious. Also, is the wheel/tire upgrade a square setup? Appears to be by the video and looks fantastic. I've been thinking about doing that myself but my indie BMW mechanic advised me against it for handling reasons. Any thoughts on square vs. staggered?
Wow Greg I really appreciate that, it was my first serious attempt at a car review and I'm glad you found value in it. That's awesome that you've daily'ed an E46 M3 for that long, I totally agree that I always look forward to going for a drive in mine. I can't even begin to imagine how upset you both were when that happened and I'm glad you can joke about it now. I actually bought it from a guy on Ebay that was parting out an E46 that had been rear-ended and totaled. I always had an eye on my local craigslist listings and the listings on sites like Ebay, but I never expected to actually pull the trigger on something because my dove interior was always in much better condition. I think I must've gotten lucky that I found the auction when I did but I'm really glad I decided to do the swap. The wheels are actually staggered, they're 19x9" in the front with 19x10" in the back. I really like the fitment too and think it will look even better when I get a set of coilovers. I think the primary advantage of the square setup is having the option to rotate tires front/rear, especially when doing track/autocross events. I believe my stock rims are 18x8" in the front and 18x9.5" in the rear and the CSL/ZCP rims are something like 19x8.5" and 19x9.5". I wanted to get as wide of a rim in the back as possible so that's why I went with the staggered setup, but I haven't tested them in a track environment yet. I'm definitely interested in seeing how they do when that day comes!
Thanks for the response. Awesome how you acquired the interior from a motivated seller on Ebay, but I still think you "stole" it, and by that I mean you got a great deal. Good driver seats go for $800 a pop easy in any color, let alone the back seat and trim pieces. Also thanks for the info on the wheel package. Budding E46 enthusiasts (I'm fully bloomed haha) who come here for content and advice are often mislead not only by the channel, but also in the comments. I believe your style of presentation is spot on, and suggest you do a walk around of the car while delving into more detail about wheel and tire packages and such, and the vast difference they make in that regard. And by the way, though it's true that real enthusiasts can take advantage of a square setup on track day, it's perhaps even of more value to the casual owner as these cars chew through rears in about 10k miles and the fronts over twice that, making a square setup allowing for rotation a practical option, while looking badass as well.
The e46 is literally the only car I like from them. I'm hoping I can scoop one that's not abused to pickup, but still on the fence for reliability. I gotta get to and from work at the hospital everyday. I can't have a shitbox lol
Best M3 video I've seen for a while. Imma sounds like a twat now though. I wish you were more relaxed and ad-libbed your way through the script a bit. It was distracting how robotic it was.
Really hope you can convince her, these cars are a ton of fun! Some of these cars (late model, low mileage, Coupe, 6-speed, desirable color combo, ZCP) are appreciating quickly so that may help your case. Put another way, these cars have bottomed out with depreciation and are on the upward trend so if you had to sell later down the road you'll be able to get most, if not all, of your money back out of the car. It's definitely a weird and interesting market for this M3. Really appreciate the feedback! I still have plenty of room for improvement but thanks for taking the time to watch and share your thoughts Dane!
Dane Heinrich thank you. Hope you find the right e46 m3 you won’t regret it it’s a joy to own one after 6 years and 2 m3s I’m willing to move on to an m2
Really good video, informative, on point, good script, amazing production value/editing for a channel this size. You earned my sub.. I am also a fellow E46 M3 owner since a couple of years, more focused on hooning and tracking and my car has some extensive chassis upgrades, subframe-reinforcement, Vanos-work, valves and head gasket done. Right now in a million pieces for bottom end work with all seals and gaskets and all ARP upgrade and cams/injectors/E85/Headers-upgrade. I am running it with aggressive wheel-alignment, a 100% neutral setup@2,75Hz harmonic frequency on three way adjustables and r-compound tyres and I can only tell you that there is so much untapped performance left in the chassis, without sacrificing ride-quality. I want to be able to drive to and from the track with girlfriend by my side and she loves the car although it is punching way above its weight-class on track. I am dreading the day when I drive it so fast I need a complete cage/interior/seats/harness is necessary since I love its stock interior.. (tbh, I think it is over due already).. Anyhow, if you want some input on chassie and setup please feel free to dm, and keep up the good work!
Wow, thank you! Mad respect to you though, sounds like you've been through just about everything in your car and you're a true enthusiast. These cars thrive on the track and I think it'd be awesome to have a dedicated track car some day. I have plenty of learning to do when it comes to tweaking the chassis for optimum performance, but it sounds like you've done your research and know what you're talking about. I may need to run some questions by you in the future. Ride quality is important, especially when you have a girlfriend in the car often. I will say that my girlfiend has come to appreciate the quirks of my M3 too which is good because I have a soft spot for old BMWs lol. I can imagine the decision to install a cage will be difficult, but I'd bet you'll have a ton of fun if/when you fully commit to the track build. Thanks again for the positivity, and best of luck with your current list of upgrades!
I'd probably still have my 2002 M3 if it wasn't totaled by a kid on his cell phone in 2013. I almost bought an M2 this year but settled for something different (RS3) as I owned an e36 M3 prior to the e46. The e46 was my favorite car I've ever owned (besides the M3s, I've also owned a C4 Corvette and a Lotus Exige S, and a bunch of non fun cars). The Audi is also really good, but I'll need more seat time before I decide if I like it more than the e46 M3.
Wow, really sorry to hear that. That's a worst nightmare come true in my book. I hear that the M2 is pretty comparable to the E46, but I've never driven one so I can't vouch for that. I like that you went for the RS3 though since that will give you more perspective into how the E46 ranks amongst your favorites. It sounds like you've owned some awesome cars, hope you enjoy the Audi for awhile!
Having owned both an e36 and 46 m3, should I sell my car so I can afford an e46 or keep it and buy and buy an e36? If the e46 ends up being too unreliable it might put me in a bad spot as it would be my daily.
One of the classiest and greatest drivers cars ever made! Should I sell my e46 328 to get an m3 for my daily or get an e36 m3 in good condition and keep both?
Totally agree! I don't think you can go wrong either way honestly, it'll prolly depend on what condition the cars around you are in. I'm actually interested in the E36 M3s and will be making a video on those eventually, so that might be a good way for you to have both an E46 and E36. The E46 M3 is a ton of fun, just gotta make sure the subframe, VANOS, and rod bearing issues are addressed so you can enjoy the car with a little less worry. Hope that helps some!
I just came from an E36 M3 and now have a 2002 E46 M3 as of two weeks ago. I loved my E36 M3...but I LOVE my E46 M3. There's really not a comparison in my opinion, I told my wife yesterday that I truly wish I wouldn't have waited so long and gone through so many cars before getting the E46 M3...there's a reason that it's a bucket list car for so many people! If you can swing it, get the E46 M3!!
No doubt, reinforcement is on the top of the to-do list. Planning on getting it done in the next month or so. Luckily the car isn't being driven much right now but this is still a priority.
Very nice video, honest and to the point. One thing I wanted to mention is you say the sound is the best ... clearly you haven't heard the e92 m3, I own both and as much as I like the s54 sound, the s65 engine sound is on another level. Again, great video!
haha you're right Dimitar, I haven't had the chance to drive an E92 just yet but I don't doubt that it's awesome. If what you say is true, I can't wait to experience it!
Dimitar - I'm looking at a used m3 beit e46 or e92. You're in a great position here! Would you take the e92 over the e46? V8 over straight six? Thanks matt
@@matthewbell1968 this is a very hard question to answer Matt. I own both and really like both, they do have different characteristics though, with the e46 you feel a lot more connected with the car, the engine is very responsive and linear throughout the whole power band, a lot of ppl call it the last driver's car as it is more analog in nature. The e92 on the other hand is such a beast! Performance wise it is better than the e46 in every way, but you lose some of the direct feedback from the e46, everything is way more refined and you would feel a bit disconnected from the car, compared to the e46. But that v8 is amazing ... the sound, the feel and the power band is incredible, yes you do lack a bit of power in lower RPMs but that is common to all naturally aspirated cars, that aside the high revving engine in the e92 is insane when you go over 4K RPMs, the e46 is nice and is almost as high revving as the e92 but if the s54 feels linear throughout the band, the s65 feels exponential :). The e46 feels a little more balanced than the e92. If I were you I would test drive both and try to make a decision, which I bet won't be easy. I should mention that the e92 is more expensive to maintain than the e46. I think I am a little bit biased towards the e92, because of the sound of the engine and the power, but that is not to take away from the e46 :)
As said, nice presentation and summary of our car. You mentioned upgraded rims and times to 19”. Are you running a square set-up or staggered? What size are your rims and tires? I’m about to get rims and tires and curious what others are going to in 19” size. I had the original 19”s then bought E60 styled M6 (replica) at 8.5” frt and 9.5 rr and now I’m looking again. I really like the original (real) M6 wheels, but even used, really expensive. So I’m hunting. Thanks
Thanks TJ! The Imola red looks incredible on these cars, you’re gonna love it. I’m running 19x9” ET28 in the front and 19x10” ET25 in the rear without spacers.
Appreciate it! I totally agree, I daily an E39 540 and my dad has a project E39 so we love that chassis too. Definitely hold on to your M5, I feel like clean examples are a rare breed nowadays!
@PROPER GARAGE! No doubt! I think as long as you enjoy it and the car is driven like it was meant to be, you're doing the right thing. My M3 has its flaws too, but I love it anyways lol
Hey! - Great video! Do you mind sharing how you swapped out the interior? Did you find someone to re-upholster the seats and the panels? or did you buy parts on the market and replaced your grey interior? Could you also let me know how much that operation costs?
I’ll tell you about the rod bearings. I can answer your question. It’s not that BMWs destroy rod bearings more than other cars. It’s that they are cheap and used shitty ones. If they used the correct ones to begin with there would be no issues
Haha that’s fair, I guess they paid the price in the long run with the recall. They allegedly addressed the rod bearings in the 04-06 M3s but I’m sure it’s still worth keeping an eye on them. Pretty crazy lol
I think in total it came out between $3-3.5k. That includes the black dash, carpets, and a ton of new parts like the armrest, center console, sunglass tray, floor mats, etc. It definitely wasn't cheap but I'm really glad I did it, totally changed the look of the interior. Some people definitely think they have a gold mine on their hands though lol
Subframe is biggest Achilles heel on the car. Most if not all will require that fixed and it is super expensive. Unfortunately BMW NA failed to honor warranty repairs on this design flaw on the car after 2009.
I take it you're speaking from experience on the warranty woes, really unfortunate that BMW NA couldn't find some way to help with the repair. My dad and I had a really bad subframe tear in a 2000 323i with 200k miles that we had to weld up and reinforce. Pretty crazy to see something like that on the non M, but it definitely supports your point that it's a huge weak point on this chassis.
Awesome review! Question for you: I just bought a Topaz Blue over Gray and want to make the swap to cinnamon at some point. Did you buy all new carpet and a lower dash/center console or did you paint those? Would love your advice!
Really appreciate it! I bought the carpet ($200) and dash ($287) used from some sellers on eBay because my gray carpet was nasty and figured I could recover some cost by selling the gray dash. I did buy all new center console bits from ECS, including the armrest, sunglass tray, cupholders, etc. which look and feel really nice. My old center console was in decent shape but I'm definitely glad I went new in this area, it has totally changed the experience in the interior!
Definitely interesting numbers, seems like 9k 10 years ago would have been a steal. Does that 31k include any mods or is it just maintenance / repairs?
@@TireKickers nope just maintained and fixed. And yes some was preventive for sure. I love my car though lol. 212,000 miles and no check engine or maintenance lights on.
How did you change the interior color? I'm considering an E46 like yours with the black interior, and if I do get it I'd love to know how to make it red like yours.
I bought the Imola interior from an M3 that had been rear ended and then swapped out the grey. There's a guy who actually dyed his grey interior red and it turned out incredible. Check out this thread if you're interested: www.e46fanatics.com/threads/project-dyeing-dove-grey-interior-to-imola-red-black.944977/
I found a guy from California selling a complete Imola Red interior on Ebay and had it shipped via freight. The hardest part of the swap was the dash and carpet since everything had to come out, but if you have additional questions I'm happy to answer!
According to BMW Engineers, the fender vents were initially intended to be functional but they realized during testing that the channels responsible for extracting heat from the engine bay weren't as effective as they thought so they almost scrapped the idea entirely. The design team still really liked the vents so the team decided to get rid of the ventilation channels and keep the fender vents which initiated the trend for future M generations.
Rest in Peace senna. The S70 is a great piece but Honda should have built the McLaren engine originally however BMW good job s54 I'm getting the collection of tools from snap-on so I can fix you because I won't waste my time on a turbo BMW that in my opinion is the worst setup to be considered an ultimate driving machine because ultimately the driver is the one who should be shining not the car
My Summer / Golf Cart is an 02 e46 M3 Convertible in Carbon Black. It will be staying in my family forever ! I smile every time I walk into my garage! During Covid initially they even closed down my golf courses for a while, I would take daily stress relieving M3 runs. Buy one now before the pricing gets out of control. It’s happening. Coupes are going for 30-40 in Illinois with low mileage. BTW the SMG is better on the track for quicker shifts. There is a reason everyone went away from traditional manual in the sports car world. The best place to find low mileage ones is in the Midwest and cold weather states because no one drives them in the winter when it snows. You can find 60-80k mileage still today which is nothing. Great work to explain this legend! Enjoyed your passion.
Tire Kickers bro I’m getting the same rims and tire size. Apex recommended for the aggressive stance. Only difference is that I have 12mm spacers all around and h&r lowering springs. I wonder if I’d get any rubbing.....
Matt N I went with the 19x9” ET28 rims in the front and 19x10” ET25 in the back with no spacers and haven’t had any issues with rubbing. I really like the fitment too, especially bc I’ve added coilovers since I made this video which has made the look a little more aggressive
I just bough a 2005 Interlagos Blue M3 ZCP. I had it for 400 miles when I sent the oil in to Blackstone for analysis. Rod bearing failure. The car just fucking sits in my driveway now. What a fucking waste...
Really good video. Good presentation and very informative. Probably the most honest and objective review i've heard; so really well done. A bit short though (which means you must be doing something right). I'm an e46 m3 owner of 7 months and .... Wow. For me it's absolutely all the things you said it was, beautiful first though. The looks are second to none and the sound is amazing. It's alot of car for your money and there's plenty you can do on it. Liked and Sub'd.
Really appreciate it! There were some things, like the many engineering awards, that justify the E46’s greatness that I feel like aren’t talked about a lot. I figured I’d go a little deeper than surface level and I’m glad you enjoyed it. Congrats on the M3! You’re absolutely right, it has a timeless design that only seems to get better with age. BMW really nailed that. I’ll also say that you’re only gonna love the car more the longer you drive it, especially if/when you get it on a track. Thanks again for the positivity!
Hi in barry got a m3e46 o3 what I like to ask is do all your orange dash lights go out bar one then your oil gauge start to work thanks barry
Living legend
I almost cried when I heard the engine reving for the first time 15 years ago and since then bmw was and is my favorite cars not too fast and not slow. It has the looks the feel the performance.
Dove gray interior was possibly the worst thing BMW could have done to the E46 M3. Good on you for tearing out that atrocity. Also, tracking that car makes you appreciate it that much more.
haha totally agree, I was able to live with the gray for awhile but I always had my eye out for an interior that I could swap in. Really happy with the result. I need to get the car back on the track soon.
Well done! I love the interior. The wheels are beautiful as well. I have an 04 Convertible with SMG. It’s not what I would’ve chosen to be honest, but my sister bought it new in 2004. I’m not a young guy anymore, I recall vividly driving it the first time 16 years ago. She stopped using it regularly because of SMG problems. She gave me the car! I sold my 2016 Mk7 GTI and never looked back. I’ve put about $10K into it and it is fantastic. I find I enjoy driving top-down too. The key to making an SMG car work is upgrading the SMG pump motor, not the pump just the electric motor, and upgrading the fluid. I used the Burkhart Engineering kit. Most issues are gone. SMGs overheat, but not mine. I daily it and alternate occasionally with my X5 or X1. You did a very nice job presenting by the way. I’d say to loosen up a little, but you never had any “um, uh” moments. Try to stop yourself from saying “anyways,” anyway is the correct usage. Keep doing these videos. I know they are a ton of work, but you’re a natural. I’m so glad your video popped up in my feed.
First of all, thanks for taking the time to write all this out. Sounds like you have a really awesome sister considering she bought an M3 and then was cool enough to hand you the keys before selling it to a stranger! Sometimes I think about picking up a convertible just because I think it'd be fun to be able to put the top down on a nice day. The more I learn about the SMG, the more interested I am in driving one to see how I like it. From everything you said, it seems like you have addressed all of the right areas to make yours more worry free. Well done there. I really appreciate the feedback too, I'm definitely working on being more natural but I think that will come with practice. I wanted to try and give as much value in these early videos while I figure out my style. Thanks again for the comment Dan!
Someday i will own this beauty of a machine
Looking forward for more E46 M3 content. Sub’ed
Appreciate it Gelo, got a lot of stuff planned!
Loves the E46 ///M3. Own one and fallin in love. Cool vid . Subscribed
Appreciate it Seth! There’s a lot to love about the E46 and it’s even better when there’s one in your garage.
I've been loving the m3 e46 for a year and a half enough power ,speed most awesome looks ever
6:17 Kudos for mentioning rear space 🤗 It's ridiculous how comfy you look with front seat leaned back. Other honorable lowkey awesomeness include
1)telescopic steering wheel
2)adjustable buckets for fat or skinny people
+1 for warning getting warning signs for the VANOS.
For me, I was out driving one night, and noticed that after speeding up to 60km/hr it felt as though the revs kept climbing on their own without bringing the speed along with it.
I pulled the car over straight away, scanned it, and low and behold it was the VANOS.
Immediately ordered a full rebuild kit from Beisan and haven't had an issue since.
Thanks for sharing! I'm sure you had a bit of a heart attack when that happened but really good decision to stop driving. Glad Beisan's solution fixed the problem. Did you do the rebuild yourself? I'm gonna be tearing into my engine soon for the VANOS
Well done on keeping it clean and classy man. And that Imola interior is so much better. Good vid thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thanks Frank! Still working on being more natural on camera, but I’m glad you enjoyed it. I definitely agree that the imola interior looks miles better, there was way too much gray before the swap.
I want that interior for my car! Stunning.
Love mine and have had it for a decade. I've driven way more expensive rides like Ferrari, Lamborghini and so forth but they are too much a pain to deal with on a daily basis.
That's awesome, really cool to hear that kind of perspective. I've always idolized the Ferraris and Lamborghinis but I can definitely see what you mean about them being a pain to deal with regularly. I love that the M3 is perfectly capable of being a daily driver and a weekend toy, makes it a ton of fun to own!
I have driven and owned an SMG. With the upgraded CSL shift logic it's really good.
One thing I haven't seen yet that people should know is the S54 only blew rod bearings in 2003 models and earlier. '04-'06 models were fine and they all had recalls and replacements for them so if you're going to buy one today, the recall has most likely already been done and if not you can get it done for close to nothing since the recall still applies. It's not as big of a thing to worry about as people make it out to be
I've owned mine for a little over a year and love it more now then the day I bought it. I've put nearly 15,000 miles on mine and matches your mileage.
Changing oil every 2,500 miles is easy using a pump. Takes me 15 minutes total!
Love it! Stoked to hear you're enjoying your M3 and taking proper care of it!
This is such an underrated channel
E46 m3 is still my dream car lol even if the prices are going up every year I have a 01 330ci right now same color as yours black with red interior
Sound like a true car enthusiast💯🙏🏾♥️💎 but I’ve been thinking so hard about owning one of these. Fell in love with the car myself, even when I was small playing nfs most wanted💎✨
Really appreciate it Kaharie! The E46 is an awesome car, you just gotta be aware of the Subframe, VANOS, and rod bearing issues. As long as you know what to look for, I 100% recommend this car. Values have bottomed out and are appreciating for some of the nicer examples so you (hopefully) wouldn't lose money. NFS Most Wanted was exactly how I fell in love with this car too, prolly one of my favorite games growing up!
Kaharie Clarke lmk if u want one I got low miles m3 nice one for good $
Every race bred engine will have its own manufacture weakness, the engine was built solidly for performance so there will be a slight reliability and efficiency compromise considering the era that the E46 S54 engine was built. Buy an M2 if want performance, reliability and efficiency, we the purist are happy to replace rod bearing to keep the S54 engine alive. E46 M will be celebrated in the future as an automotive marvel. If you buy an M2 you will spend money buying exhaust to get the sound of a true mechanical engine. It's never a win win buying a sports car, a sports car must be compromised or flawed in some cases. Nice content
Before watching this video, I wanted the E92. After watching this video, I now want the E46(and the E92).
haha you may be on to something, I wouldn't mind picking up an E92
@@TireKickers I wasn’t too big on BMWs before but the E92 and now E46 have my attention.
I got my M3 a couples months back, but due to COVID I haven't been able to work on it. Now things are starting to pick back up, I'm starting to work on it and really excited to properly drive it when it's in working condition
Awesome man, I have no doubt that you're gonna love it. It's a ton of fun on the street but if you can get it to a driving event you'll be even more stoked.
Correct oil for engine is TWS Msport 10w-60. Not using the correct oil may cause bearing problems.
Knowledgeable, concise, enthusiastic yet restrained. Perhaps the best overview of this car I've ever watched, and I've seen many such videos. I've driven two E46 M3's, both 6MT's as my daily for 8 years now and I can't imagine the car ever feeling old. My current one is Titanium/Dove, and replaced my original Mystic/Black, that my son completely totaled (ouch!) but walked away from. He's lucky I didn't put him in the hospital myself but years later we just joke about it.
A couple of questions. Where the heck did you find such a nice Imola interior for only (haha) three grand or so? Very envious. Also, is the wheel/tire upgrade a square setup? Appears to be by the video and looks fantastic. I've been thinking about doing that myself but my indie BMW mechanic advised me against it for handling reasons. Any thoughts on square vs. staggered?
Wow Greg I really appreciate that, it was my first serious attempt at a car review and I'm glad you found value in it. That's awesome that you've daily'ed an E46 M3 for that long, I totally agree that I always look forward to going for a drive in mine. I can't even begin to imagine how upset you both were when that happened and I'm glad you can joke about it now.
I actually bought it from a guy on Ebay that was parting out an E46 that had been rear-ended and totaled. I always had an eye on my local craigslist listings and the listings on sites like Ebay, but I never expected to actually pull the trigger on something because my dove interior was always in much better condition. I think I must've gotten lucky that I found the auction when I did but I'm really glad I decided to do the swap. The wheels are actually staggered, they're 19x9" in the front with 19x10" in the back. I really like the fitment too and think it will look even better when I get a set of coilovers. I think the primary advantage of the square setup is having the option to rotate tires front/rear, especially when doing track/autocross events. I believe my stock rims are 18x8" in the front and 18x9.5" in the rear and the CSL/ZCP rims are something like 19x8.5" and 19x9.5". I wanted to get as wide of a rim in the back as possible so that's why I went with the staggered setup, but I haven't tested them in a track environment yet. I'm definitely interested in seeing how they do when that day comes!
Thanks for the response. Awesome how you acquired the interior from a motivated seller on Ebay, but I still think you "stole" it, and by that I mean you got a great deal. Good driver seats go for $800 a pop easy in any color, let alone the back seat and trim pieces. Also thanks for the info on the wheel package. Budding E46 enthusiasts (I'm fully bloomed haha) who come here for content and advice are often mislead not only by the channel, but also in the comments.
I believe your style of presentation is spot on, and suggest you do a walk around of the car while delving into more detail about wheel and tire packages and such, and the vast difference they make in that regard. And by the way, though it's true that real enthusiasts can take advantage of a square setup on track day, it's perhaps even of more value to the casual owner as these cars chew through rears in about 10k miles and the fronts over twice that, making a square setup allowing for rotation a practical option, while looking badass as well.
Good video very educational, a lot of things I learned that I didn't know about and I owned one too. Very fun car to drive. Love my E46 M3!!!
The e46 is literally the only car I like from them. I'm hoping I can scoop one that's not abused to pickup, but still on the fence for reliability. I gotta get to and from work at the hospital everyday. I can't have a shitbox lol
I think this and and s2000 are the only cars I’d keep NA and relatively stock aside from some suspension upgrades.
This is so beautiful bro i am 16 and i am thinking to buy this car in future its awesome 😍🔥
I’m trying to find a e46 m3 with red leather seats, 6 speed manual, stock. I grew up on this car
Best M3 video I've seen for a while.
Imma sounds like a twat now though.
I wish you were more relaxed and ad-libbed your way through the script a bit. It was distracting how robotic it was.
I can't wait to get one of these. Currently trying to convince my wife it's a good idea to have a 3rd car that doesn't get driven much.
great video too. Well spoken.
Really hope you can convince her, these cars are a ton of fun! Some of these cars (late model, low mileage, Coupe, 6-speed, desirable color combo, ZCP) are appreciating quickly so that may help your case. Put another way, these cars have bottomed out with depreciation and are on the upward trend so if you had to sell later down the road you'll be able to get most, if not all, of your money back out of the car. It's definitely a weird and interesting market for this M3.
Really appreciate the feedback! I still have plenty of room for improvement but thanks for taking the time to watch and share your thoughts Dane!
Dane Heinrich I got a low miles nice m3 for sale lmk if you interested it’s very well kept
@@arminbmw100 Looks nice. I'm in Australia though... Best of luck with the sale.
Dane Heinrich thank you. Hope you find the right e46 m3 you won’t regret it it’s a joy to own one after 6 years and 2 m3s I’m willing to move on to an m2
I noticed your shifter action looks great - short and precise!!!
haha you've got a good eye!
What is it? Maybe I can have it on my ZHP...
gmartirosyan I’m using the 330d shifter and like it a lot, seems to be a pretty popular upgrade for the E46
@@TireKickers Thank you very much and best of luck!
Really good video, informative, on point, good script, amazing production value/editing for a channel this size. You earned my sub.. I am also a fellow E46 M3 owner since a couple of years, more focused on hooning and tracking and my car has some extensive chassis upgrades, subframe-reinforcement, Vanos-work, valves and head gasket done. Right now in a million pieces for bottom end work with all seals and gaskets and all ARP upgrade and cams/injectors/E85/Headers-upgrade.
I am running it with aggressive wheel-alignment, a 100% neutral setup@2,75Hz harmonic frequency on three way adjustables and r-compound tyres and I can only tell you that there is so much untapped performance left in the chassis, without sacrificing ride-quality. I want to be able to drive to and from the track with girlfriend by my side and she loves the car although it is punching way above its weight-class on track.
I am dreading the day when I drive it so fast I need a complete cage/interior/seats/harness is necessary since I love its stock interior.. (tbh, I think it is over due already)..
Anyhow, if you want some input on chassie and setup please feel free to dm, and keep up the good work!
Wow, thank you! Mad respect to you though, sounds like you've been through just about everything in your car and you're a true enthusiast. These cars thrive on the track and I think it'd be awesome to have a dedicated track car some day. I have plenty of learning to do when it comes to tweaking the chassis for optimum performance, but it sounds like you've done your research and know what you're talking about. I may need to run some questions by you in the future.
Ride quality is important, especially when you have a girlfriend in the car often. I will say that my girlfiend has come to appreciate the quirks of my M3 too which is good because I have a soft spot for old BMWs lol. I can imagine the decision to install a cage will be difficult, but I'd bet you'll have a ton of fun if/when you fully commit to the track build. Thanks again for the positivity, and best of luck with your current list of upgrades!
Good video, I love the e46 m3.
Appreciate it Joseph! Agreed, it’s an awesome car 🤘🏼
Yes good vid from another 6ft 1 m3 owner they are beasts to drive
Nice review man. Thinking of buying my first M
Nice car love the interior love the red need that interior in my car
I'd probably still have my 2002 M3 if it wasn't totaled by a kid on his cell phone in 2013. I almost bought an M2 this year but settled for something different (RS3) as I owned an e36 M3 prior to the e46.
The e46 was my favorite car I've ever owned (besides the M3s, I've also owned a C4 Corvette and a Lotus Exige S, and a bunch of non fun cars).
The Audi is also really good, but I'll need more seat time before I decide if I like it more than the e46 M3.
Wow, really sorry to hear that. That's a worst nightmare come true in my book. I hear that the M2 is pretty comparable to the E46, but I've never driven one so I can't vouch for that. I like that you went for the RS3 though since that will give you more perspective into how the E46 ranks amongst your favorites. It sounds like you've owned some awesome cars, hope you enjoy the Audi for awhile!
Having owned both an e36 and 46 m3, should I sell my car so I can afford an e46 or keep it and buy and buy an e36? If the e46 ends up being too unreliable it might put me in a bad spot as it would be my daily.
Yes e46 best looking... I'm 32 just bought my first BMW fucking love it...bought it for a grand so.....picture me turning wrench's...SO EASY TO WORK
I have a bmw 330ci in i really could use your help on making my car faster than now and being u can make make it faster
Great video and informative ! Your imola red interior over that ugly dove grey is on point, great car !
One of the classiest and greatest drivers cars ever made! Should I sell my e46 328 to get an m3 for my daily or get an e36 m3 in good condition and keep both?
Totally agree! I don't think you can go wrong either way honestly, it'll prolly depend on what condition the cars around you are in. I'm actually interested in the E36 M3s and will be making a video on those eventually, so that might be a good way for you to have both an E46 and E36. The E46 M3 is a ton of fun, just gotta make sure the subframe, VANOS, and rod bearing issues are addressed so you can enjoy the car with a little less worry. Hope that helps some!
I just came from an E36 M3 and now have a 2002 E46 M3 as of two weeks ago. I loved my E36 M3...but I LOVE my E46 M3. There's really not a comparison in my opinion, I told my wife yesterday that I truly wish I wouldn't have waited so long and gone through so many cars before getting the E46 M3...there's a reason that it's a bucket list car for so many people! If you can swing it, get the E46 M3!!
Beautiful machine
Thanks for review!!
Really appreciate it!
Most beautiful M car ever. It is also the only M3 that has two doors only!!
Gotta get that rear subframe reinforced
No doubt, reinforcement is on the top of the to-do list. Planning on getting it done in the next month or so. Luckily the car isn't being driven much right now but this is still a priority.
Very nice video, honest and to the point. One thing I wanted to mention is you say the sound is the best ... clearly you haven't heard the e92 m3, I own both and as much as I like the s54 sound, the s65 engine sound is on another level. Again, great video!
haha you're right Dimitar, I haven't had the chance to drive an E92 just yet but I don't doubt that it's awesome. If what you say is true, I can't wait to experience it!
Dimitar - I'm looking at a used m3 beit e46 or e92. You're in a great position here! Would you take the e92 over the e46? V8 over straight six? Thanks matt
@@matthewbell1968 this is a very hard question to answer Matt. I own both and really like both, they do have different characteristics though, with the e46 you feel a lot more connected with the car, the engine is very responsive and linear throughout the whole power band, a lot of ppl call it the last driver's car as it is more analog in nature. The e92 on the other hand is such a beast! Performance wise it is better than the e46 in every way, but you lose some of the direct feedback from the e46, everything is way more refined and you would feel a bit disconnected from the car, compared to the e46. But that v8 is amazing ... the sound, the feel and the power band is incredible, yes you do lack a bit of power in lower RPMs but that is common to all naturally aspirated cars, that aside the high revving engine in the e92 is insane when you go over 4K RPMs, the e46 is nice and is almost as high revving as the e92 but if the s54 feels linear throughout the band, the s65 feels exponential :). The e46 feels a little more balanced than the e92. If I were you I would test drive both and try to make a decision, which I bet won't be easy. I should mention that the e92 is more expensive to maintain than the e46. I think I am a little bit biased towards the e92, because of the sound of the engine and the power, but that is not to take away from the e46 :)
@@toxic_dis thanks Dimitar for an excellent and eloquent reply. I'll let you know what I do, thanks again. Matt
As said, nice presentation and summary of our car. You mentioned upgraded rims and times to 19”. Are you running a square set-up or staggered? What size are your rims and tires? I’m about to get rims and tires and curious what others are going to in 19” size. I had the original 19”s then bought E60 styled M6 (replica) at 8.5” frt and 9.5 rr and now I’m looking again. I really like the original (real) M6 wheels, but even used, really expensive. So I’m hunting. Thanks
Nice review! Can’t wait to pick up my imola red once this quarantine is over. What size/offset are your apex arc8’s and are you running any spacers?
Thanks TJ! The Imola red looks incredible on these cars, you’re gonna love it. I’m running 19x9” ET28 in the front and 19x10” ET25 in the rear without spacers.
Tire Kickers stock suspension correct? Any rubbing issues? They look great on the car
I’m running Koni Yellows on H&R springs, but I think it’s pretty close to stock fitment. Haven’t had an rubbing issues so I’m happy with that.
TJ Vu I got an amazing imola red for sale with great service history and low miles 6speed lmk if ur interested
Cool video man I can tell you put a lot of work and time into it 👌
Such a good video man...not sure why it felt so scripted...as if you were reading the entire time 😅😎
Still working on my style for these types of videos, but I agree there’s definitely room for improvement to be more natural. Thanks for watching! 🙏🏼
Awesome car mate , respect !
Appreciate it Christian, it has definitely been a fun car!
keep going man 🥰
That's the plan! Thanks for watching!
Please keep this car and don't think about letting it go and don't live the regret than I'm living with right now 😔
Awesome review ! I got an e39 M5 for some it’s old and out of style for me it’s worlds best M5 lol
Appreciate it! I totally agree, I daily an E39 540 and my dad has a project E39 so we love that chassis too. Definitely hold on to your M5, I feel like clean examples are a rare breed nowadays!
Tire Kickers yes sir ! Clean examples are rare... mint isn’t clean but who cares I love the car and maintenance is the key
@PROPER GARAGE! No doubt! I think as long as you enjoy it and the car is driven like it was meant to be, you're doing the right thing. My M3 has its flaws too, but I love it anyways lol
Tire Kickers yes exactly what you said is exactly what I do ! Absolutely agree ! I also change my oil around 2/3,000 miles
@PROPER GARAGE! Love it, I'm sure you're just as meticulous with all your maintenance items and I'd bet that you've got a lot of life left in your M5.
The e46 has to still be one of the best looking cars ever made
What are your wheel sizes on the apex? Offset wise? Thanks
Sick interior and m3 bro
Amazing video dude 🙏🏼
Thank you! Plenty of room for improvement but glad you enjoyed it!
Love the car. Good video buddy.
Appreciate it Ryan!!
Hey! - Great video! Do you mind sharing how you swapped out the interior? Did you find someone to re-upholster the seats and the panels? or did you buy parts on the market and replaced your grey interior? Could you also let me know how much that operation costs?
Your channel is golden! Subbed 😎
how do i get the car to stop kangaroo hopping in sport mode especially
brilliant review id love one
Doug Demuro vibes 😂
I’ll tell you about the rod bearings. I can answer your question. It’s not that BMWs destroy rod bearings more than other cars. It’s that they are cheap and used shitty ones. If they used the correct ones to begin with there would be no issues
Haha that’s fair, I guess they paid the price in the long run with the recall. They allegedly addressed the rod bearings in the 04-06 M3s but I’m sure it’s still worth keeping an eye on them. Pretty crazy lol
@@TireKickers haha yup! And then in the E92 they were cheap again lmfao
Sounds about right, at least everything else about the cars make up for it!
Properly sized sports car, easy on the eyes, handles like a “Bimmer” Quick at the time but slow by todays standards. Non aspirated👍👍
How you compare to a N52? I know its an M engine, but just curious
Where did you get the red interior costume?
Which gear stick and shift boot do you have installed? Mine is worn and requires replacing.
How much the did you swap the interior for ? Because I got a quote for a cinnamon interior and the guy was asking 5k which I find to be WAY to high
I think in total it came out between $3-3.5k. That includes the black dash, carpets, and a ton of new parts like the armrest, center console, sunglass tray, floor mats, etc. It definitely wasn't cheap but I'm really glad I did it, totally changed the look of the interior. Some people definitely think they have a gold mine on their hands though lol
Subframe is biggest Achilles heel on the car. Most if not all will require that fixed and it is super expensive. Unfortunately BMW NA failed to honor warranty repairs on this design flaw on the car after 2009.
I take it you're speaking from experience on the warranty woes, really unfortunate that BMW NA couldn't find some way to help with the repair. My dad and I had a really bad subframe tear in a 2000 323i with 200k miles that we had to weld up and reinforce. Pretty crazy to see something like that on the non M, but it definitely supports your point that it's a huge weak point on this chassis.
Just buy one made after 2003. This 20yr old car handles *better* than most cars made today design flaw or not
Awesome review! Question for you: I just bought a Topaz Blue over Gray and want to make the swap to cinnamon at some point. Did you buy all new carpet and a lower dash/center console or did you paint those? Would love your advice!
Really appreciate it! I bought the carpet ($200) and dash ($287) used from some sellers on eBay because my gray carpet was nasty and figured I could recover some cost by selling the gray dash. I did buy all new center console bits from ECS, including the armrest, sunglass tray, cupholders, etc. which look and feel really nice. My old center console was in decent shape but I'm definitely glad I went new in this area, it has totally changed the experience in the interior!
Beautiful car
Hm...interesting... Is it a Convertible sunglass holder you have there ?(;
Hahah it might be, I swapped that sunglasses holder when I redid the interior and like how it folds outward. You've got a sharp eye!
Tire Kickers hahaha thanks (; it's all about the details and little things (:
We’re can I get a imola red interior need one for my car
the beast
Bought mine for 9k owned it for 10 years at about 31k in maintenance and repairs.
Definitely interesting numbers, seems like 9k 10 years ago would have been a steal. Does that 31k include any mods or is it just maintenance / repairs?
@@TireKickers nope just maintained and fixed. And yes some was preventive for sure. I love my car though lol. 212,000 miles and no check engine or maintenance lights on.
For how much can you get one with all the problems you've stated unsolved yet
How does the e46 compare to your e39?
You chose the pink leather? Joking right?
What bumper cover is that and where do I get one?
Are you running square or staggered tires and in what size in either case?
Also this car has issues with the rear subframe
It cracks
How much did pay for the interior
How did you change the interior color? I'm considering an E46 like yours with the black interior, and if I do get it I'd love to know how to make it red like yours.
I bought the Imola interior from an M3 that had been rear ended and then swapped out the grey. There's a guy who actually dyed his grey interior red and it turned out incredible. Check out this thread if you're interested: www.e46fanatics.com/threads/project-dyeing-dove-grey-interior-to-imola-red-black.944977/
What size wheels are wearing
what hoodie is that?
How did you swap out the seats?
I found a guy from California selling a complete Imola Red interior on Ebay and had it shipped via freight. The hardest part of the swap was the dash and carpet since everything had to come out, but if you have additional questions I'm happy to answer!
Price
According to my research, the rod bearings came the wrong size from the factory. 🙃🙃🙃
Love
The vent in the driver's side fender is not sthetic, its functional to cool down the computer
According to BMW Engineers, the fender vents were initially intended to be functional but they realized during testing that the channels responsible for extracting heat from the engine bay weren't as effective as they thought so they almost scrapped the idea entirely. The design team still really liked the vents so the team decided to get rid of the ventilation channels and keep the fender vents which initiated the trend for future M generations.
Rest in Peace senna. The S70 is a great piece but Honda should have built the McLaren engine originally however BMW good job s54 I'm getting the collection of tools from snap-on so I can fix you because I won't waste my time on a turbo BMW that in my opinion is the worst setup to be considered an ultimate driving machine because ultimately the driver is the one who should be shining not the car
I love because I'm a most wanted guy.
My Summer / Golf Cart is an 02 e46 M3 Convertible in Carbon Black. It will be staying in my family forever ! I smile every time I walk into my garage! During Covid initially they even closed down my golf courses for a while, I would take daily stress relieving M3 runs. Buy one now before the pricing gets out of control. It’s happening. Coupes are going for 30-40 in Illinois with low mileage. BTW the SMG is better on the track for quicker shifts. There is a reason everyone went away from traditional manual in the sports car world. The best place to find low mileage ones is in the Midwest and cold weather states because no one drives them in the winter when it snows. You can find 60-80k mileage still today which is nothing. Great work to explain this legend! Enjoyed your passion.
What size tires?
Fronts are 245/35R19 and rears are 275/30R19
Tire Kickers bro I’m getting the same rims and tire size. Apex recommended for the aggressive stance. Only difference is that I have 12mm spacers all around and h&r lowering springs. I wonder if I’d get any rubbing.....
Matt N I went with the 19x9” ET28 rims in the front and 19x10” ET25 in the back with no spacers and haven’t had any issues with rubbing. I really like the fitment too, especially bc I’ve added coilovers since I made this video which has made the look a little more aggressive
It appears that the reviewer is reading as he reviews the car... in fact, he is~ So it's not on the fly or genuine review
Ok I'll like the video damn. Haha :)
I just bough a 2005 Interlagos Blue M3 ZCP. I had it for 400 miles when I sent the oil in to Blackstone for analysis. Rod bearing failure. The car just fucking sits in my driveway now. What a fucking waste...
I did my bearings at 120k recently on a 2004 model and I at a quick guess say they had 30k life left in them, very little wear. Hey ho.
333cv no!!!, 343cv yes!!!