BMW E46 M3 review after 10 years
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- Опубликовано: 9 фев 2025
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Roof motor fix & details:
• BMW E46 convertible ro...
Body/Engine:
Evolve Eventuri CF intake
Evolve remap (~355BHP / 385Nm, 8200 RPM)
Bonnet sound absorption removal
PS4S tyres
M-Track mode (not turned on in this video, not needed)
Custom comfort access codings
PFC Z Rated brake pads
ATE Typ200 brake fluid
Stop-Tech Black Edition brake discs
Carbon fibre CSL diffuser
Euro Style exhaust tips
Stubby aerial
12v glovebox torch mod
Window button tabs mod for global power auto windows
Saleri water pump upgrade
Cabin:
AVIN PX6 with hardware DSP and I-BUS integration
Induktiv wireless fast charging centre console
Storm Motorwerks billet Titanium heavy shifter & handbrake lever
Thick Italian leather gaiters
Steering wheel retrim 
Авто/Мото
This car is so hot man. Even 20 years later. I’ve always loved the drop top too. I own an E85 Z4 so I know how it feels to have unlimited headroom with a 6 speed manual transmission. Heaven!
Can't beat being involved in the process!
Nice video man, cheers for all the info.
What a top breakdown and review of the car. I'm looking to buy one in 25, and this has given me lots to go on. The head unit is trick. Definitely would consider one of those.
I owned one back in 2004 and regretted selling it.
Top video though.
Thanks!
It does seem like a lot of people who sold their E46 M3s years ago later wished they had not! hopefully you find a suitable one next year though 👍
I had the exact same car including colour back in 2010 , I owned it for 4 years and loved it , it’s such a good looking car and fantastic to drive , I miss it dearly and will probably have to purchase another one in the future ( coupe this time ) , traded it in for a Rangerover 3.6 V8 diesel which didn’t go well as so unreliable and broke down every weekend , I now drive the E60 M5 2007 LCI model which is fantastic ( owned now for 6 years) , me personally I think the M3 E46 is one of the best cars to own and drive for under 15k , brilliant motor. 👍🇬🇧🏴
Ah that's awesome, do you daily the M5? A mate of mine in Cheshire has had one for maybe 10 years now or longer and he works on it himself so all the usual issues are dealt with on the driveway :D
Mine is not really going anywhere until it eventually rots away I guess, it's too enjoyable to not use fairly often, the bills are what they are is how I see it 😂
@ I would never daily drive the M5 tbh it’s only a weekend summer car tbf , a great unique car to own and tinker with , yes they are expensive when not maintained properly , my one has been brilliant plus I’ve had all the preventative maintenance works completed including bottom end rebuild ( rod bearings ) , injectors and of course the throttle actuators. 👍🇬🇧🏴
@@groupb5420 This is the way!
Very thorough breakdown
I really enjoyed watching this
Great video
@@velobisha2908 Thank you!
Proper motor.
Looks great.
Lovely car and you've looked after it so well. Maintaining that OEM look earns respect always!
I had an 03 plate Convertible 20 years ago exactly the same colour but black leather interior
Engine blew my mind as I was only 25 at the time
The car does suffer from chassis flex being a softop which was a bit unnerving at times and if I'm honest I sold it after a year as it was a game of percentages if I crashed it or had a huge bill heading my way as there not cheap to run and maintain properly
Kudos to this owner as he seems like a real enthusiast ❤
Hey thanks! And yes I agree, I am actually the 6th owner of my car (!) and looking at the records, it seems each previous owner (apart from the original buyer) only had it for ~2 years before a bill came up and they traded it in!
Sadly many of these fell into the wrong hands during the low-price bubble from several years ago and many got thrashed and modified distastefully resulting in many of the problems that they tend to have a reputation for.
At least you've owned one and can have that box ticked as having had one of the last inline 6 N/A engine of legend :)
@RobbieKhan E46 or E92 arguably the most iconic M3s ever !
Long term ownership is perhaps more fruitful imho
My biggest regrets were not purchasing..... first one being back around 1992 there was an influx of LHD Porsche 964rs that were being imported and they were selling for a mere 20-25k (150k)
Secondly I could have bought an E46 csl
for 13k back in the banking crash in 2007 (huge regret)
So sometimes the moral of the story is it's what you do have instead of what you don't 🤣
The only long term ownership I've had are my 40ft Motorboat and also
I currently own a 1968 cali GP beach buggy which always puts a grin on my face weather permitting.....I fart about in my sons fiat 500 abarth
essessee which reminds me of my
Renault 5gt turbo via 1988
I've got 2 jetskis and 3 motorcycles of one being a Superbike and one for MX
But unfortunately at 51 the Eggtimer does feel somewhat more prevalent and I'd suggest to any aspiring young Father to grab life by the Horns and make it count......Keep up the great content 👍
@@type1krush205 That's a whole lot covered at age 51! I'm 41 soon and most prized car I've had is this M3 haha. A jetski/boat ride would be bucket list items for sure though!
This is not my first E46 though of course, the first was the 318i saloon from 1999, 1.9 litre petrol, and then had the 318Ci facelift from 2003, so the 2 litre 4 cylinder which actually sounded nice for a 4-pot. Always wanted the M3 but didn't have the budget or driver experience, and the 330Ci was too out of price range as well for insurance. So fast forward 10+ years and the chance came up and I've not looked back since. Though going from 143BHP to ~355 was a bit of an eye opener and a new found respect for relative performance.
@RobbieKhan Your defo a Beemer fan boy ha ha 😂
You must love a Dash fault sign 😆 🤣
I gotta be honest I've been tempted at times to purchase either an E46 or an E92 or dare I say it an M4 as there all swinging around the same sort of numbers and there phenomenal cars in there entirety so who knows 🤷♂️
Like you said there was a huge depreciation a few years back but I think we're in a slight correction atmo so I might be tempted back by the M badge
Sadly it won't be a Converts this time round as I'm as bald as a plucked chicken (not a good look) P.S
I did get 165mph out of my M3 and it had more to go but it started to rise without any aero and I tapped out
From memory the feeling I got from the E46 M3 was pure German DTM RACER
Epic sum's it up
@@type1krush205 I have been witness to many dash warning lights over the years for sure, hah!
Not had the chance to do a top speed run yet but with the increased rpm range and power generation to 8250, the M3 should be capable of exceeding 180mph given that last little bit of power from the remap. Stock gearing means it runs out of rpm not long after that though. E46 M3 is 173mph at stock for reference.
I just wanted to take a 2nd to say what a fantastic video you have uploaded and shared.
I too I’m a proud owner of an E 46 M3 - mine is a dark car yellow factory manual coupe and I love the car.
Like you, I have upgraded several similar things and I too am running the venture kit however I have deca pipes and a scorpion back box so dare I say it sounds even better.
Another modification I done to mine was I changed the final drive in the diff to a 4.1 and that has totally transformed how it drives.
Keep up the good work, you have a new subscriber!
Just seen your scorpion video, that does look like it fits very snug, any drone noise at motorway speeds?
@@RobbieKhan with the shorter 4.1 rpm is up at motorway speeds so definitely more drone. Having said that mine is almost purely a weekend car so I don’t even mind about it being louder
Bro….what a motor. I had the Silber Grey with red nappa leather on a 55 plate, in 2013 - the SMG version. It was my first car, I had it for 2 years but didnt really have the money to spend on it and do what i wanted to do or maintain it as it needed. - was paying £3k a yr on insurance. What u have done to your is exactly what i have done. Amazing video aswell, every bit of it
@@adzsyed2051 wait you had an E46 M3 as your first car?! And there I was with a 1 litre Metro as my first car 😂
Insurance is the main issue nowadays for most people it seems :(
aww nice one sound like some great ideas you have there you will have to keep us updated with them 👍😉
Great video! Love how well the car has been kept and the small changes made to the car. Makes a huge difference!
Awesome video, I've owned E46 M3 LCI 2005 swapped it for E92 M3 limited edition 1 of 500 now I have f82 M4 🔥🔥 must admit the E46 is a masterpiece the E92 M3 nice noise but feels slow the F82 M4 running 560 bhp is aupercar quick .
Beautiful... just beautiful....
Wonderful condition the mileage , especially the touch points / rubberised plastic.. Amazed no issues with the rear arches,, clearly you keep everything super clean. Credit to you.
@@jamesh2515 I try! My fear is the rear arches though lol as it is common on the E46 but so far I've been all good so hopefully it stays that way!
It's the plastic arch liners that cause the issues they rub the grit against the paint as there are touch points at certain points same as the front arches.
Hey yo! How you just pop up on my YT feed?! Nice surprise :) Glad you still got her, wish I kept my e46! Hope you're doing good mrk. NVP xxx
Ah man small world! This video did become popular unexpectedly, thank you algorithm I guess!
Oh yeah I hear the E46 sale regret from a lot of people!
@@RobbieKhan Very thorough video on an absolute mint condition E46 M3, views will forever climb :) gj
I think if I were to go for an old M3 again it would probably be an E36, but the E46 coupe is still timeless.
I just finally finished my R53 build
@@nu_vi_pe RS3s do sound rather great, oh yeah not seen any motors meets in a long time from there sadly, usually attend more local ones with a mate or two!
@RobbieKhan Ah that's a shame. Well, if that ever changes just reply to this comment with the date and location and I'll meet you guys there
10 Amazing years
Wonderful video
Great upload ive been looking at the exact same car for the last week but im getting as much info as possible before selling a car to make room for it 😊
Best of luck hopefully you track down a good example too
Absolutely love the sound but if it wasn't for the maintenance costs we would all have one
Defo, I think these days to run such an old M car you really have to have mind and soul right in there otherwise the rest going maintenance isn't cost effective.
She's beautiful!
Would like to see more vids on the car/cars in general
Great vid. Exactly what feel about my B3S Alpina of same era. Sure it costs to run but not bored after 8 years. FAWheels are great BTW.
Oh man I've only ever seen 2 B3S of this era in my life, and I've even considered swapping to one just for the cool factor and rarity!
@RobbieKhan great cars, a bit softer then the m3 but super stable at high speed and awesome ride quality even at 20years old. In terms of engine differences the S54 m3 is an epic engine. The Alpinas 3.4 engine is also characterful but more bass sounding. Both great just different. This vid reminded me of my z4m coupe wicked sounds.
@@3000FAst Forgot that Alpina bored the engine o 3.4, given how bassy the 330's 3.0 was of that era, can only imagine the 3.4!
well done loads of info really great more please
Hey mate, really nice example of a proper well taken care of M3 E46. Could you please post a part number for the wiper blades? I am struggling finding some proper ones…TIA
Put your vin into realoem. It will show all parts for your car
@@AbdulHaq11901 i know that, problem is have the aero ones and the OE are no longer available and the AM ones which are just as expensive don’t fit as well and Khan is using some Lexus ones, that’s why i asked for the PN.
@@mik15ful ah ok fair enough my bad
That 6 cylinder noise is just addictive 😍 love the video mate! Really cool insight into your ownership, and hats off to you for actually driving it, like it’s meant to be 👏
There's still more I want to do, a proper Europe road trip for example! Done Scotland's NC500, done the mountains of Wales, done some of Southern France and Belgium, an Autobahn run is neede, ,too!
I have a 330CD M convertible in black with black leather interior 2005 also and I absolutely love it wicked cars
@@billylip680 I've heard they remap rather amazingly, the torque on the diesel!
@RobbieKhan yeah I have a polo 1.9 tdi the 129 hp version which is already pretty quick I'm thinking about mapping that first cos I got it cheap and see how that goes.
@@RobbieKhan Yeah, you can boost the M57 up to 600HP. I had a 330d in 2019 I was pushing reliable 460HP on the wheel with just a bigger turbo, intercooler, injectors,and a HPFP from a N57D30S2. I daylied it till 2022 and it never broke down.
I love this car
Great cars one of my favourite. I've the CSL but still love the standard M3. 🇬🇧👊
@@leesmith7009 Missed the boat on a csl sadly, they were around £30k when I got this! Now they're £80k+ lol
@RobbieKhan I remember them in 2011 for 25k! 🙈
@@leesmith7009 If only I had the money in 2011 lol
@RobbieKhan come and do a video on mine 😉
@@leesmith7009 That would be awesome!
Love them
Great video found your link to this on the m3 page on facebook and must say what a great interesting video im also a e46 m3 phoenix yellow oem plus owner 😃 ps you planning on doing more videos or this just a one off
I have a little project still being planned out called "Khanversations" - Think Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee but the synopsis is general conversations on topics whilst driving with different guests from all walks of life and disciplines!
I'll also do videos as and when issues with the car arise too but as I've already seen to almost all of them, might be a while before the next M3 jobs update haha.
A European road trip is still on the bucket list too so that's one to look forward to 👍
My interior mirror was 55 plate,had turned itself inside out like a daliesqe aero bar,dont leave it in an oven or very hot days🎉dont risk that lovely interior..❤
6:04. “ I did need to have my rear end repaired because it got rear-ended by an old guy” 😂😂😂😂. Ouch!!!!
It was a rough time alright!
Clean car 👍🏽
Oh I love your car! I have a 323ci & 330ci both auto. As you’re probably aware manuals are quite rare. With the on going price rises I’m quite certain I will never own an M3. As for rust it’s often the rear quarters that can be a problem. Though it may just be owners who just don’t care about their car 😢
I think it's also people with no mechanical sympathy! Kicking up rocks all in the rear arches doing skids and stuff. That's kind of uncouth :p
@ yes perhaps. Idk. I just think too few people care about their vehicles. Btw the Denso hybrid wipers? 450’s? Please clarify. Thank you 🙏
@@christopherriley1187 Ah yes the Deno hybrids, on Euro Carparts:
Qty Part# Description Vehicle Reg. Price
1 485778226 Denso Hybrid Wiper Blade 22 Inch £15.99
1 485778206 Denso Hybrid Wiper Blade 20 Inch £13.99
Not sure what you mean with the 450's though?
@@RobbieKhan thank you 🙏
I really appreciate that.
@@RobbieKhan when I googled denso hybrid one of the options was denso hybrid 450 hence my asking for specifics & thank you again 👍
Hi there, nice video, owned my E46 M3 for 14 years now just one of the great cars, where did you get the AVIN PX6 with hardware DSP and I-BUS integration, Thanks
14 years wow! It's great to see others have had theirs for so long too 👍
The Avin was bought direct from Avin USA, you can pick the DSP and other options there too:
avinusa.com/avant-4-multimedia-navigation-system-for-bmw-3-series-e46-m3.html
Great video mate and beautiful car tastefully done not a boy racers wet dream.
Love to see you enjoy the car especially on the Bealach na ba pass.
Done the nc500 a few times in different bmws.
Can you give more details about the interface set up. Who did it. Costs.
Thanks
The pass was amazing back then, this was before the route got cluttered up with caravans and cyclists! We had a whole week of hot sunshine too which was some sort of miracle l;ol.
Do you mean the head unit? That was bought direct from AVIN USA and I installed it all myself. Takes an afternoon to do and you do need to take the glovebox out too in order to feed in the USB cable and stuff if you decide to use those connections for Android Auto and USB sticks and stuff.
@RobbieKhan thank for the info yes was the head unit. Looks fantastic.
I have been lucky on 3 occasions doing the complete nc500 great drives all around.
That car looks the business mate 👌 👍
Would love for some more information or a how to on the enabling of the M track mode.
Beautiful m3!
Hi, you will need the MK60 module on your car in order to do this as this is what's found on the CSL and later model E46 M3s, but if you have it then this is the guide to follow:
www.ecuworx.co.uk/uploads/M-Track.pdf
@@RobbieKhan I have a pre face lift 2003 built e46 m3 coupe that I belive to already come with th MK60 and i also have an 2004 e46 m3 convertible that for sure have the MK60 so will try on both. any way to check if the 03 has it before the attempt?
Ty again!!!
@@SaimonZ69 You can take a look at the DSC module in your car to see the label as this will tell you the version but yes it's fairly easy once you have one of the PDF guides on enabling it t hand!
Good video 👍🏼
I’ll definitely be pulling my switches out tomorrow!
What were the pads you’re using? Couldn’t quite here you.
Thanks! The pads by the way are PFC Z Rated 👍👍
Pulled the tab out the switch and it now does the second click, but nothing happens! Does it need to be coded as well?
Thanks.
@@jamespsmart1 Depending on whether the car has ever been coded before, you will need to enable it on the lighting module via coding. This can be done using laptop tools or using the Carly app for your phone which is what I did way back. Just a few toggle buttons to unlock full power windows all round.
Nice one 👍🏼 thanks
Very interesting video, thanks for these features, aftermarket’s things and tips. I actually own a M140i and I’m wondering about a M3 E46 convertible to replace it.
@@Dolyoyo If you do get one then the experience will be different for sure although comes down to what you're used to as power delivery and feedback is very different in how both approach it from what I've seen!
Yes I think too. The difference between turbo and atmo should give a very different feedback, moreover with a manual gearbox. I aldready have an automatic. It’s very efficient in this generation but I wand a manual of if I choose a M3.
Lovely motor! Did you get the rod bearings done or any of the other ‘big’ ticket issues with the car
@@makaveliangel87 Hi and thanks!
Yes the road bearings were done just before covid so all good, subframe has never had any issues as get that checked annually anyway, think mine is one of the rare lucky ones driven with mechanical sympathy.
VANOS system is also in good shape, once the telltale symptoms show I'll get it swapped by Mr Vanos though 👌
@ thanks for the quick reply. I’ve got a 320CI and been eyeing up the M3 for a while now. Some have come up but without the rod bearings done which scares me a little but not sure if the issue is overplayed on forums or whether it’s a real issue. Did yours show any symptoms? Or just a preventative measure when you got it done?
P.S. love the upgrades you done to yours. It’s just right and not too much as some people go over the top with them.
@@makaveliangel87 Ah yes, so it's a bit of a long story on the rod bearings as I didn't know about the issues until mid way into ownership when one day driving home the engine died - It was then I discovered the rod bearing issue and turns out mine had the original pre 2005 bearings whereas in later years BMW revised them to last longer. I think previous owners didn't pay much attention to the oil temp either as the tach lights with variable redline is matched to water temp not oil temp by default so people just see that and once it's at nominal level start to rag about before the oil has hit optimum which is much later.
I got a donor engine with half the miles and had Redish motorsport do all the bearings on the new engine and give it a health check along with new clutch and flywheel which was due anyway and that's given me peace of mind with a basically new engine with new rod bearings, bolts and so on.
It is a preventative measure as you just don't know how previous owners have been driving it, but once it's done then you know it's going to last a lifetime based on your driving. I think all the forum drama stems fro people changing gears at above 2000rpm when the oil has not reached at least 85 degrees yet even though the water temp and tach lights show it's all warm.
@ wow that does sound like a long story! Like you said at least you’ve got that peace of mind now. Thanks for replying.
Look forward to any other content you put out. Maybe a short one on the issues you’ve just mentioned would be good 👍
Just came across this channel and video for the first time: very informative - thanks. Huge fan of these e46 m3s. The interior looks behind new and the red interior is still popping; how do you maintain it? Writing this 12 mins into the video, apologies if you covered it later on in the video
Ah yes for the leather I exclusively use Gliptone cleaner spray and then the conditioner spray which feeds the leather 👍👍
@@RobbieKhan nice, will buy some. Thanks!
A nice and clean M3. Is there a DIY video or write up anywhere for the auto rear window mod?
There is discussion of it here: forums.m3cutters.co.uk/threads/rear-window-and-all-windows-auto-up-switch-mod.76316/
Note that I didn't need to do anything with NCS Expert coding, though now I think back, I may have toggled the auto power windows for the rear in the Carly app which enables you to tweak a whole bunch of coding.
What app did you use mate, to track the costs, looked good.
That is Fuelio, it's on the Google Play Store, not sure if it's on iPhone though!
@RobbieKhan thank you champ
I think the reason the rear power windows don’t have the auto up second stage click is because that they don’t have the anti trap (fingers etc) function like the fronts do
Yeah it's a safety thing, a bit OTT I guess but at least the mod is super easy and takes 10 mins.
@ same as the coupe rear pop out quarter windows
are these the one
What size are blade the both side
Nice video, I have a 330cic. Where did you get the mirrors you said?
@@mikolizazi www.mirrorjohn.com/ is where I got them 👍
Hi Robbie great content and insight into your ownership, given you’ve had it now 10 years do you have any plans to sell?
Hi, I'm afraid no plans to sell any time soon!
Send a link to the wiper blades
You'll find them on euro carparts by punching in these part numbers:
Qty Part# Description Vehicle Reg. Price
1 485778226 Denso Hybrid Wiper Blade 22 Inch £15.99
1 485778206 Denso Hybrid Wiper Blade 20 Inch £13.99
Does your breakdown include the price of the car? Seems a lot just for maintenance fuel and insurance etc etc
This does not include the purchase no.
How did you get the AVIN unit in that layout? With just the background and swiping up for apps?
Just like on an Android phone, using an alternative launcher. I use Nova Launcher on both phone and stareo.
Will they fit the coupe
They will fit any E46.
I need my rear arches done. Anyone suggest someone in Hertfordshire, Cambridge area?
PS - mind sharing the name if product used on tyres- if any..
@@jamesh2515 ah the tyre sidewall? That's CarPro Pearl 👌
I use it in a bottle sprayer with 50% distilled water mixture. I also use it best when using it on plastic trim.
A link for wipers pls
I got them from euro car parts but are available elsewhere too, part numbers:
Qty Part# Description Vehicle Reg. Price
1 485778226 Denso Hybrid Wiper Blade 22 Inch £15.99
1 485778206 Denso Hybrid Wiper Blade 20 Inch £13.99
@ thanks man,this size feet well on your car? Because in official Denso site no option for hybrid wipers for e46 coupe
@@GK-Greece As long as it's the Denso hybrid and this size for each blade then it's a perfect fit on any E46 yes.
Why a vert ?
Because it's a car used on the road through winding country roads and mountain passes etc when on road trips, not a track. And it's also the best way to enjoy the ITB and carbon induction noise.
M3 badge in wrong place on boot looks mint
How do you mean wrong place?
no its not, it's like this on the drop top
This car makes my pants fit funny.
🤌🤌🤌
@@HomeGrownMedia 🤌
Beautiful car and well suspended but the verts are straight up pigs. Too heavy for the motor. Turbo Passats would be hard to keep up with on Freeway onramps. The 420g in these are not smooth shifting boxes, no matter the fluid and CDV delete and the biggest letdown is the steering feel. Its simply just meh. Drive an S2000, E30 with Z3 rack or 911 with one of these back to back and you'll notice it. Enjoyed mine with low miles as a sweet looking convertible for 4 years but would not get one again.
Was yours fully maintained though as none of those mentioned issues are issues here, plenty of power to keep up without passing license losing numbers and the Getrag gearbox can be as sloppy or as fast and smooth as you want it to be, when I have the family in it on a long drive you'll never feel the gears change, but if I'm out solo or with a mate then it will kick you into the seat as the b-roll clips hopefully show.
360-355bhp is no slouch and with the Evolve remap extending the rpm range to 8250 all the power continues to generate that power too instead of tailing off after 7000rpm as in stock form.
If you're in the USA then you guys also got 10bhp less as standard due to your emissions rules over there if I recall so 333BHP Vs the 343 for us in Europe.
The main issue with keeping performance and handling high on these is relentless upkeep costs, if you don't do that then they will lag behind on the road.
Personally I'm not bothered about newer cars being faster or tuned Passats etc too, none of them have the character and feel/sound of the S54 and that's what matters most as a drivers car instead of a traffic light GP car.