The greatest feature to me, is the way the engine and exhaust work in tandem to hit that interstitial harmonic. Only occupants of the car get it; from the outside, it just sounds like any other tuner car. But sitting in it, my god, the sound is absolutely heavenly. And the pull it has in second and third gears is amazing. The strength and evenness of the power delivery is unmatched and never beyond your abilities; you never feel like it's more than you can handle. Plus a chassis to accommodate that power. BMW M3: The Ultimate Confidence Machine.
Doug, a comment on the temperature dial in the middle console. It works like this: If you put it to RED, then your AC will heat your interior to what ever temperature you have set. If you have it on BLUE, then your AC will cool down the interior to the desired temperature. So in winter times, I set mine to red and in the other seasons I set it to blue because I keep my AC running all year round. I keep the AC on all the time because otherwise I get some weird smell out of the air vents.
Doug, Good overall.... A couple of additions. My 2006 M3 does have a Navigation Screen with a multiple CD changer in the trunk. (The last year of the E46 M3, which includes LED lights) The biggest problem with the SMG transmission was/is the location of the shift activator in the engine compartment. It is located too close to the exhaust, and it would get too hot causing miss shifts. The fix was moving it completely to the right side of the engine bay towards the front of the compartment. Simple fix requiring extended hydraulic lines. The subframe cracking is a big deal, since it's an expensive repair. If you catch the cracking before it starts or just starting to crack, it's not as an extensive repair. The cracking came from the torque of the rear differential and suspension mounts. The harder you launched the car, the more chance of the cracking. The brakes on the M3 are also much bigger than the Std E46. The fenders are flared to accommodate the MUCH wider wheels and tires on the M3. It's a lot more than looks, and many E46 owners would flare their fenders to copy the M3 look. I've seen the value of my 2006 go from about 15K up to 25K plus and back to 15K. I'm right at about 73K miles. I think the car is priceless. Like ALL BMW's, Maintenace is critical and expect things to break on schedule. But the driving experience is worth it!
favorite car of all. the design is classic, the size is perfect, naturally aspirated 6 cylinder engine that was responsive and quick and fun to drive. are there better cars techinally, yes, faster, ofcourse, and on and on, but this hit all points for me. its been 25 years and i still love it.
I work at bmw and i believe the purpose of the center temp control is to have separate temperature between the top vents and the footwells. Just in case you have cold feet but do not want 80 degrees in your face
Bought an Interlagos Competition E46 M3 for $18k a few years ago. Has appreciated quite a bit since then. The driving and ownership experience has been great. Easy to work on and an awesome driving experience. Love that S54.
I have a ‘05 330ci coupe 6 speed zhp. I am a sophomore majoring construction engineering, when I graduate the FIRST thing I’m getting is an e46 m3. The only thing I really envy in my life is getting the m3. All I want.
Such a good looking car, I regret selling my 2001 E46 325CI, I sold it at 146K miles and everything still worked on it and it ran perfectly. (OK it did have rusty front wings/fenders....Common issue). The only problem I had with mine other than consumables and externally caused damage (rock through the rad!) was 3 water pumps, but that was cheap to fix (25 UK pounds) and about 30min to change. I'd buy another E46 in a heartbeat. Also I reckon it was easily as quick A to B as my next car, which was a Mini Cooper S John cooper works. (The Mini would have been faster on a track, but on a real world bumpy road the E46 would keep up with it easy)
I would say that this was favourite M3 out of all of them. Mainly because the E46 in my opinion really transformed the 3 series. It was already decent but this model really put it ahead of the competition i think. I remember in the late 90s when I was a teenager really wanting one and being excited about the M3 version that would follow. The M3s before the E46 I thought were OK. Decent cars that I wouldn't have said no to but i dont think it was that distinguishable from a normal 3 series. Probably one level above a 328i in a "sport" trim is how I saw it. But the E46 M3 really changed it for me as it felt like it gained its own identity. An E46 with a lot of enhancements but at the same time keeping it elegant and not deviating too much from the E46. The recent ones I think are just way too over the top in my opinion. Almost looking like boy racers. So I suppose a 340i would be a better option.
Doug, we really need the DougScore back where you go over each category. It truly provided us an insight of why you ranked it that number, and it just doesn't feel the same without it.
He won’t do it because he has to sell these cars now, if he down ranks cars in the Doug score people he’s selling on behalf of will throw a fit and not allow them to continue to use their cars for ads…
@@JulianWatsonThe400 He has a video detailing why. The DougScore is pretty subjective in general and every video had tons of people ripping him for certain categories so he decided to stop explaining it.
yeah so great and beautiful that i've owned 2 so far, a titanium silver like this one in the video and my current one being an Imola red. both were factory manuals
I feel like this deserves at least an 8 on styling. Such a beautiful, timeless, classy car. I miss that stateliness that BMWs had in that era. My dad had the non-M, sedan version of this car, and I literally cried the day he sold it.
The temp control vents are one of my absolute favorite features. You can keep your body at a comfortable temp and have cool air on your face without getting cold all over.
love the vent control, in the winter you set it to hot so you feel warmer even though the car is same temp and vice versa in the summer without having to keep changing the overall temp, it just takes the edge off feeling too hot/cold. plus most have it in the back too, certainly my 5 and 4 did/does
Yes! I love this feature, also still at least in F32 gen cars. Why wouldn't you want not to be able to control the airflow's feel to your face WITHOUT changing the interior temperature. True luxury ✌️
My favorite BMW of all time. My gosh, these cars have so much soul!! Such a stunning machine. Enjoying my B5 RS4 Avant and B7 RS4 Sedan from the same era.
@@Oberkommando Agree with the driving experience yes. My father worked in BMW dealership from 94 to 01 so I could drive in them as a passenger that time. Most mind blowing was probably E36 M3 Evo (I live in Europe) that I was driven. But this era is the first one that has already a lot of plastic engine parts and cooling system parts are out of plastic also so they do fall apart and reliability is much worse than cars before. Although later it goes even more more worse :D Those at least do not fall apart inside the engine like chain problems etc. Personally I would consider the early 90s the best era as they have modern engines M60, M50 etc but still cars do not have plastic parts under the hood and are totally reliable. I still drive 330Ci for past 10 years myself, but they need to be taken care of more than average car.
Early 00’s were a great time. Enough tech to be modern, but few contrivances like touchscreens for climate control or monthly subscriptions for heated seats. Something else I struggle to describe, but cars of that era felt “honestly” engineered; things felt like they were built to work properly as the chief design requirements. Cars these days somehow feel expensive and cheap at the same time, where they have the latest shiny tech but are designed to break 5 minutes after the warranty expires. Lexus in that era was especially wonderful. Cockroaches and LS430s will inherit the earth after we are all gone.
"You just can't get this anymore." Doug, this was on-point. I was drawn to these in college and bought one a few years after graduating: Imola Red, coupe, manual. It was my daily driver for a number of years. It had such an engaging, raspy engine sound. So distinctive that I still can recognize an S54 engine with my eyes closed. It didn't have pretense or rely on flashiness to assert itself. I had the pleasure of taking it to a number of autocross and DE days at local tracks. I think it loved being there. BMW owners would hang together and chat about anything from how to drive better to what sort of brake pads to run to running small businesses. I'd wave at other E46 M3s when driving past. It was a car that I would do regular maintenance myself on: oil changes, brakes, transmission/diff oil. I learned a lot about mechanic work doing this. I even mustered the courage to swap the stock shock absorbers and springs for an Ohlins Road and Track coilover setup over an extended weekend. That brought the car to life on the track, even if it was a little stiff for bumpy city streets. The back seats were surprisingly comfortable (if snug)! Regularly, we would load my wife in the passenger seat and two sisters in the back seats for an 1.5 hour drive back to the city from my parents', complete with laundry baskets and luggage in the trunk. There were difficult moments too: I had sticker shock at a $4500 Vanos repair after a ticking noise started on my way to work one day. Or the DSC controller that failed and was $3100. I had wheel bearings regularly need replacement, probably due to the wider spacing in the set of track wheels. I paid $26.5k for it in 2013 and put $29k into it over
I had one for over a year and I sort of feel the same. I feel like it was slightly overhyped but maybe I had high expectations. Still prefer my Evo 8 over the e46 M3 but it’s a matter of personal preference like if you prefer a hit of espresso versus regular coffee
Folks if you are considering buying one of these then do your homework. I finally bought one in 2019, before the prices started climbing. It wasn't in the best condition but it was straight and the engine was good at 120k miles. After a ppi by bmw I decided to buy it. Since then I had to replace the clutch and flywheel, both drive shafts, regeneration of the diff, every single bushing and ball joint, reinforce the subframe mounts (it was cracked), relpaced all the rubber/plastic trim on the exterior, replaced the entire centre console plastics (worn out), interior A, B and C pillar trims, renovated the steering wheel trim, all ignition coils and plugs, all belts and pulleys, engine mounts and steering coupler. 2 weeks ago I began hearing the rattle which is the noise the head gasket makes when it fails between cylinders. It has failed between 3 and 4. Compression was down to 90psi in them. (should be 160psi). So now the car is with a specialist for a new head gasket and he also found the Vanos needed a refresh. While it's there and the engine is open I'm having the timing chain and guides replaced because they are worn and stretched. Once that is done he will do the rod bearings. Of course this isn't a cheap car to run/maintain but its worth every penny to me. If you are going to buy one then get the best one you can or if like me you are willing to put in the work just get the best one you can for the money and go from there.
Had an '04 that I purchased used in 2011. It was an absolute piece of garbage- hands down the worst car I've ever owned. I will never own another BMW after that experience and was thrilled to sell it and watch it drive away...
Half of those "repairs" were cosmetic, though the rest are valid. Surprised you didn't mention any issues with the cooling system, my non-M E46 had no issues besides a cooling system failure that junked it.
One thing I don't think many people realize with the SMG is that the actual transmission is exactly the same as a manual, so converting is relatively simple - just a matter of installing the pedals, shifter, etc.
Yes, the gearbox is the same. It's not that straightforward though, there's also some work required to add detents to the bellhousing. (if you're doing a proper conversion)
My 330ci had the 3.5" infotainment for car info, would've been pretty dope in 2000 as it had a TV tuner as well before I replaced it with an Eonon unit
9:43 the center temperature dial between the vents is there to allow people to adjust the temperature of the air hitting your face. Climate control still works, but the whole idea is so you can tune the temperature in the climate zone while having hot or cold air specifically out of those vents should you need it.
That is true... I think that this feature is really great, especially at night when is cold and you want heat cabin, but also want fresh air in your face.
YES! I don't know why Doug can't comprehend this as I've made this comment every time he has talked about said feature in every video and I've seen others make it too. It's really pretty simple - not complicated or confusing at all. Jeez!
It's the best feature. Sometime its not too cold or too warm in the car but you feel like it is. You just adjust that and your feeling is perfect, don't need to touch anything and you are hot in your car but your face is cooled nicely. It's one of best features especially in longer drives.
E46 platform is the most jack of all trades car I have ever driven. It literally is the most practical sports coupe from it's era. It will need a lot of maintenance and repairs though, and has some very big flaws like the subframe cracks etc. It needs a lot of improvement parts, once that is all done. It will be the perfect car for many.
@raulmartinez3484 considering I manage to get a second set of wheels, a full trackdays worth of spares and tools in the back on mine, plus I can carry a bike or roof box up top, yeah I'd agree it's the most practical sports coupe of its era.
Doug said that there is no e46 m3 sedan, am i missing something? Or am i mistaken with the namings.... Because i drove a e46 sedan, and they were popular in my country.... Unless it is named something else... Same car just 4 doors...
Buick may not have started the modern day trend, but I believe they were actually the first company to use the fender vent styling cue on production vehicles. Buick calls them portholes, and it was used consistently in the 40's, 50's and 60's (possibly as far back as the 30's) on their cars to signify engine size. 4 portholes per fender meant there was an 8-cylinder under the hood, and 3 portholes on each side meant the car had a 6-cylinder. The design feature had brief revivals in the late 80's and early 2000's on the Park Avenue Ultra, Lucerne, and LaCrosse. It was then a design characteristic of all Buick models in the early 2010's, I think, and they're still on today. They were on everything from a base Verano to a loaded up Enclave that old people would buy to shuttle their grandkids around. I used to work at a Buick/GMC dealership back around a decade ago. The GMCs sold better, but the Chevrolets were what sold like hotcakes, obviously because they're cheaper. Anyway, It seemed like the only people who ever bought new Buicks, at least in my area, were older folks with a lot of grandkids; and the only reason they'd consider buying one is because they had a CostCo membership that would help them get discounts during year-end sales events.
Came here to point this out. Buick may have jumped on the fender-decoration bandwagon, but at least they had some heritage to back it up. Everybody else was blatantly copying BMW's work.
@Max Realism yeah, I can't remember what they call it, but they have a Buick van over there that I've heard was well received. I actually rather like it and wish they made it available here in the states, though I'm fairly certain it wouldn't be profitable enough for GM to make that happen
@Doug DeMuro The temperature dial DOES have a function. It changes the temperature between the footwell, and the upper vents. So you can have warm feet, but cool air on your face. or vice versa... Also, the center console arm rest has a hidden compartment you didn't see. you raise the arm rest, and there is another button on the bottom of the arm rest that opens another compartment. Fun fact about that hidden compartment, it has a cutout that perfectly fits the BMW 'M' leather wallet. :)
Indeed and it’s actually quite a brilliant function. In summer the temperature on your face can be a little cooler without getting your body too cold and in winter vice versa you can have a warmer face while keeping the rest of your body below sweat temperatures.
Yeah, and blowing cold air on your face is incredibly effective if you are drowsy. Blowing warm air on your face does the opposite, think sitting in front of a fire. Notice this on a motorcycle too.
When you pointed out the upper center vent, you were wondering why anyone would want it to blow out warm or cool air seperate from the other temperature settings. I use to have that feature on an older 320iS and this is why I loved it. In the winter, I would have the heat on, but did not like breathing in the warm air. I appreciated being able to breath cool air from the center vent, aimed at my face. That kept me from having to crack the window to get cool fresh air. Think about it...helps to stay awake too, on those long drives.
Honestly I wished every brand had this design, I always loved having that breeze of cool air in my face despite I’m cranking the heat all the way up in winters!
I think it's there so that the driver can quickly change the climate control without having to take their eyes off the road....not your extremely niche and particular use case, lol
I drive a 991S and an E46 328i and every time I go from the Porsche to the E46 I sit there thinking damn, this is the best turn signal stalk of any production car in history, why can’t the Porsche have this nice smooth positive engagement feel instead of its clicky thing that feels like its snapping off every time you use it. Hands down the Lebron James of indicator stalks.
Yeah, that's one thing that always stood out to me whenever I've worked on or driven Porsches, especially older ones. Those turn signal stalks are so flimsy and cheap feeling that you wonder how the hell a company like Porsche decided to use them.
Lol immaculate? It’s done ver 100k miles. It’s probably got a shit tonnes of problems. Most e46 owners will know you’ll end up paying more with maintenance cost. Isn’t worth buying
I used to own one. And just FYI Doug. That is a 2003.5 ...big difference from a 2003. In 2004 a lot of revisions came about including the rear LED tailights and this car being a .5, has them. I sold mine because the reverse in the 6 speed would randomly pop out during engagement. 😭 Also he added the CSL wheels. I had them and love them
I actually liked that central vent feature on my old E36. It allowed me to have the heater blaring on my feet when it's cold outside, but still allowed cool air on the face so not to make me sleepy. I thought it was a great feature as I always like cool/fresh air blowing on my face when driving.
@@bigplanner nothing wrong as in morally wrong or something. I just think they very ugly. Of course most people don't think so because they are ubiquitous nowadays.
Somehow this car is 20 years old but still looks brand new design wise. The BMW designers were on another level drawing it. Truly a legendary, timeless car.
Buicks always had portholes (originally called Ventiports) on the fenders. 4 portholes meant V8, 3 portholes meant 6-cylinder. It was that way back in the late 40’s.
I had a BMW E46 coupe myself, in dakar yellow, with the sport full leahter interior in black. I loved everything about it, the sound, the feel and it just looked amazing. Fun quirk Doug missed is when you held the "open" button on the keyfob is that all windows and the sunroof would open. As well as close everything holding the "lock" button. It was an awesome quirk to show-off to bystanders. Also handy if you forgot to close any windows or the sunroof, you didn't have to get back in to the car.
Great review. I wish that you will get once some Z4m Coupe E86 because it's basically almost the same car but in different body, very quirky like sides indicators in BMW emblem, huge tailgate and it has structure body so you can replace every body panel. Wish you best!
Oh Doug. The subframe didn't crack on these cars, it was the carrier panel that the subframe attached to that cracked. Oh and you forgot the hood bulge which is the most significant visual change from the regular 3 series.
So what if he forget some things? He reviews hundreds of cars every year why would he know everything of a car he only gets a few hours to review with?
Came here to post this re:the subframe. The subframe itself is fine, and overbuilt if anything. It's the attachment points on the chassis, and more specifically the two-layer spot welded sheet metal that gets ripped to shreds. A factory prescribed warranty repair was to fill the two layers of sheet metal in that chassis area with structural filler.
@@angelodi903 riiight... does tons of research, sometimes mentions things barely anybody knows about on multiple cars He is human, he is allowed to forget things or make mistakes However... we expect better due to the overall quality of the channel, its a video you watch and edit before posting... Dont be a butthurt fanboy, he doesn't pay you
@@jhelmsing all true, but the real culprit was bushing failure as the cars age or owners attempting to over-stiffen the chassis with poly or solid bushings. This left no shock absorption in the rear driveline, transferring torsion into the weak sheet metal around subframe mounting points. The better preventive repair (other than maintaining forgiving bushings) is sandwiching 1/8” steel plates for reinforcement. The foam fox was nonsense and was the lowest coat recall procedure to get to the next model.
@@angelodi903 What kind of a nonsensical comment is that? We have to point out details that he missed so others can read and be informed too. People came here to know the ins and outs of the cars.
I love my manuals but the SMG was just as enticing. The SMG in my opinion gets an unnecessarily bad rap as new owners were never educated on how to properly drive them. I had met a BMW engineer when these were new who explained to me that the SMG, like any other manual car, requires a learning curve to get it to drive smoothly. There is a gentle dance/play you do with the throttle which smoothens the shift transitions as the computer depresses the clutch automatically for you. But most people just floor them and wonder why the shifts feel weird. After just a short time and some practice, I was able to drive my SMG e46 and E60 M5 cars smoothly for many years and loved them for their Jekyll/Hyde personalities, because once they were in their most aggressive shifting settings they were so visceral and rapid at shifts, matching the personalities of the engines beautifully. The 1990s to 2000s BMWs are just so much fun to drive, regardless of transmission choice.
I had an 04 E46 M3 with the SMG and feel the exact same way. While I would have preferred a manual, the SMG was just so cool for how it felt and how configurable it was. Plus because it had a full auto mode my wife could drive it when she needed to. Miss that car.
I’ll agree that SMG isn’t as bad as everyone makes it but it’s still not better than manual. I will eventually be converting mine. There are a couple little things about it that really can be inconvenient. Downshifts into first while coming to a stop take a century, and if the light changes there is definitely a long pause before It shifts into gear and I can accelerate.
The red/blue dial is the stratified air dial as per owners manual. And it doesn't override cold when set to hot. Without hot coolant entering the core, the face vents can't blow hot. It's the other way around: you can override hot temp settings and have cool air coming from the face vents.
this. my 87 accord had a lever that let the center vents either blow cool or whatever hvac was doing. cool air on your face with warm air up and down was key for early am wintwr drives.
I'm sure people are aware of that, but who actually needs this? BMW fans always act like this is some sort of 5head genius invention that completely changes the way you interact with your car, but if you have the heater on and you want cool air, just turn the damn heater off.
another, though dependant on your region, are the front lights/indicators. mid way through the E46's life cycle the shape of the bottom of the lights changed and the indicators went from down turned to up turned on side, but the M3 never got these changes, so in regions where your plate gives the age of the vehicle it was an easy way particularly to spot a fake m3 quickly
Personally speaking, e46 m3 was easily recognizable and vastly different from the normal 3 series at the time. Nothing subtle about it back in the day. Nearly every body panel is different. This includes the aggressive front bumper, hood bump, wider fenders flares with m gills, rear spoiler, sporty diffuser to fit quad tip exhausts. Even the mirrors are different. I owned one for about 6 years back in 2003. With a full titanium exhaust from Amuse, the sounds that came from this inline 6 was straight 🔥. Now I'm old and drive a silent tesla that will make the m3 seem like it's standing when going 0 to 100. Still had some great memories in this car.
Oh that's a treat to the eyes. Late 90s-early 00s BMWs are so beautiful inside and out. Unmatched build quality, cool driving experience, unique L6 sound... And now they are very fast tablets, like all the rest
The vent control thing, it used to be called cool head something, it does not technically change the temperature, you can set the front vents to blow cooler air at your face if you don't like hot air, while the remaining vents heat up your cabin if it's cold outside. Same works in the summer, if you don't like the AC directly in you face, it will blow more ambient air instead. I personally enjoy this quite a lot and still have it in my E90.
Fact that Doug doesn't know this. Just shows how not about BMW he is. That us the best thing about bmw. The ability to have ultimate control of all the air zones in your vehicle. No other brand even comes close to offering such a detailed feature.
9:59 The reason behind this vent override is to adjust to your outside air before coming out. Picture this, you're driving in your AC for a couple of hours while it's +100°F outside, a couple of minutes before you reach your destination, you set this to blow hot, so when you come out of the car, you don't pass out due to a heat stroke. And you do that so you don't have to readjust your AC controls every time. (I mean that's how I used it)
E46 are some of the most beautiful cars. Great handling and feel as well. I drive a 2001 330Ci [manual] and I never want to get rid of it. Just a wonderful car to drive.
Also…it’s not sometimes the subframe cracks….THEY ALL DO. It’s not a “kit” like you just put in over a couple hours, reinforcing the subframe in a way that is proper requires removing almost ALL of the rear end of the vehicle and welding plates directly to the body of the car, hardly a “kit” It really surprises me how little Doug actually knows about e46 m3s considering he’s done 3 videos on them now and says he’s got a lot of seat time in them…..
Not even just the plates, if you do just those they will eventually just tear at the weld seams. You need to tie the subframe mounting points to the frame rails directly, either with bracing or something like a vincebar. In either case, all these solutions replace the blind subframe mounting studs with through studs/nuts all the way to the trunk
That extra BMW climate dial is useful. It controls the temperature of the air only blowing directly at your face. If you are trying to heat the car up and you don’t want the hot air blowing at you, you can turn the dial so that normal or cool air blows on your face while all the other hidden vents heat the car up.
exactly, I loved that feature on my e46 because on any other car with automatic climate control the computer decides the intensity of the cold/hot air coming in the cabin and when it was really hot, the cold air made my neck hurt and jam. Well, not in the e46/e39 etc. You just adjust the temperature on the climate control, adjust the intensity from the dial and voila!
Hey @DougDeMuro - I remember ready the OM for my E36 M3. The ability to have cool air blow on your face while heating the rest of the car was to help keep drivers alert.
To me that has always been the best M3. I'm glad you said something about the rubbery shifter. It has been a deal killer. I had a S2000 and the rifle bolt quality shifter has always been my benchmark shopping for a new manual.
Lots of memories with this car. My buddy was one of the first people in DFW to get one in Carbon Black and he was able to turn around and sell it for a pretty profit. He then got another from the dealer allocation in mustard yellow which he still owns. It's still shockingly fast for 300HP.
my 80 year old grandma had one of these in blue with less than 40k miles in her garage. She gave it to my cousin who hardly drove it and totaled it after 10 months :(
Doug, the centre vent for which you can adjust the temperature regardless of the temperature setting you have is so that you could, for example, keep your feet warm but still have some fresh air come in the cabin, or vice versa. It's a feature I actually love in my M3! Awesome video of an awesome car!
Another "frontier of innovation" is the digital, wireless, double binary ashtray and the translucent sun visor - an invention they stole from the talented engineers in Pontiac. BMW engineers knew back then, that Pontiac, undoubtedly one of the strongest brands in the Auto business, is THE brand to follow. They have definitely made the right decision. Pontiac cars are sporty, super reliable, full of the latest tech, beautiful and luxurious. Pontiac make the cars that everybody want at a surprisingly affordable price. Look at their ground breaking EV models that currently lead the EV market. Pontiac is a strong brand that will never disappear, just like The Weinstein Company or Trump Steak (or Trump University). These are strong, super clean brands you can rely on for years to come.
Huh, no problems with my 1999, 212k miles. I suppose they might have cheaped out in later years of the production run. They did this on starters. Earlier starters are big and bomb proof, I haven't replaced mine, later ones lasting this long are virtually unheard of.
I miss my e46 m3 every day! Sold it for about 1/10 of what it would be worth today! I was a broke(ish) college kid back then. One of the window modules or something went out and was going to be a $1,200 fix right after I had to replace the clutch Never forget the memories ripping up the 154 San Marcos Pass in Santa Barbara as well as highway 101 along the coast. The absolute best!!!
I guess all that Cars & Bids money is making Doug feel like he no longer has to squeeze himself into back seats.
Should be the number 1 comment :D
Underrated comment
Bring it back!
I miss it tho
LOL!!
The greatest feature to me, is the way the engine and exhaust work in tandem to hit that interstitial harmonic. Only occupants of the car get it; from the outside, it just sounds like any other tuner car. But sitting in it, my god, the sound is absolutely heavenly.
And the pull it has in second and third gears is amazing. The strength and evenness of the power delivery is unmatched and never beyond your abilities; you never feel like it's more than you can handle. Plus a chassis to accommodate that power. BMW M3: The Ultimate Confidence Machine.
Doug, a comment on the temperature dial in the middle console. It works like this:
If you put it to RED, then your AC will heat your interior to what ever temperature you have set. If you have it on BLUE, then your AC will cool down the interior to the desired temperature. So in winter times, I set mine to red and in the other seasons I set it to blue because I keep my AC running all year round. I keep the AC on all the time because otherwise I get some weird smell out of the air vents.
Doug, Good overall.... A couple of additions.
My 2006 M3 does have a Navigation Screen with a multiple CD changer in the trunk.
(The last year of the E46 M3, which includes LED lights)
The biggest problem with the SMG transmission was/is the location of the shift activator in the engine compartment. It is located too close to the exhaust, and it would get too hot causing miss shifts.
The fix was moving it completely to the right side of the engine bay towards the front of the compartment. Simple fix requiring extended hydraulic lines.
The subframe cracking is a big deal, since it's an expensive repair. If you catch the cracking before it starts or just starting to crack, it's not as an extensive repair.
The cracking came from the torque of the rear differential and suspension mounts.
The harder you launched the car, the more chance of the cracking.
The brakes on the M3 are also much bigger than the Std E46.
The fenders are flared to accommodate the MUCH wider wheels and tires on the M3. It's a lot more than looks, and many E46 owners would flare their fenders to copy the M3 look.
I've seen the value of my 2006 go from about 15K up to 25K plus and back to 15K. I'm right at about 73K miles. I think the car is priceless. Like ALL BMW's, Maintenace is critical and expect things to break on schedule. But the driving experience is worth it!
TL DR: "This was from BMW's era... when they were building true sports cars"
favorite car of all. the design is classic, the size is perfect, naturally aspirated 6 cylinder engine that was responsive and quick and fun to drive. are there better cars techinally, yes, faster, ofcourse, and on and on, but this hit all points for me. its been 25 years and i still love it.
The E46 is simply the best. I remember seeing a BMW logo in the Grand Theft Auto 2 logo when I was a lil lad and I knew I had to have one.
I work at bmw and i believe the purpose of the center temp control is to have separate temperature between the top vents and the footwells. Just in case you have cold feet but do not want 80 degrees in your face
Bought an Interlagos Competition E46 M3 for $18k a few years ago. Has appreciated quite a bit since then. The driving and ownership experience has been great. Easy to work on and an awesome driving experience. Love that S54.
I have a ‘05 330ci coupe 6 speed zhp. I am a sophomore majoring construction engineering, when I graduate the FIRST thing I’m getting is an e46 m3. The only thing I really envy in my life is getting the m3. All I want.
I’d love to go back to that, “if you know, you know” era
Such a good looking car, I regret selling my 2001 E46 325CI, I sold it at 146K miles and everything still worked on it and it ran perfectly. (OK it did have rusty front wings/fenders....Common issue). The only problem I had with mine other than consumables and externally caused damage (rock through the rad!) was 3 water pumps, but that was cheap to fix (25 UK pounds) and about 30min to change.
I'd buy another E46 in a heartbeat.
Also I reckon it was easily as quick A to B as my next car, which was a Mini Cooper S John cooper works. (The Mini would have been faster on a track, but on a real world bumpy road the E46 would keep up with it easy)
I guess you could say... It's the most wanted BMW ;)
I mean yeah since the GTR variant is basically rare and only 10 were made
So I guess the non GTR version is a Great substitute for the NFS MW build
I would say that this was favourite M3 out of all of them. Mainly because the E46 in my opinion really transformed the 3 series. It was already decent but this model really put it ahead of the competition i think. I remember in the late 90s when I was a teenager really wanting one and being excited about the M3 version that would follow.
The M3s before the E46 I thought were OK. Decent cars that I wouldn't have said no to but i dont think it was that distinguishable from a normal 3 series. Probably one level above a 328i in a "sport" trim is how I saw it.
But the E46 M3 really changed it for me as it felt like it gained its own identity. An E46 with a lot of enhancements but at the same time keeping it elegant and not deviating too much from the E46.
The recent ones I think are just way too over the top in my opinion. Almost looking like boy racers. So I suppose a 340i would be a better option.
My dream car
I regret selling my 2006 interlagos blue M3 Comp in 2019. Worth so much more now :(
Like the vent option - u can run your defrost and not experience a supernova
Finally, Doug completed every generation of the M3 from the E30 up to the G80 (the latest generation).
i'm shocked he hadn't reviewed one of these yet tbh.
@@kaesden he did a few years ago with an E39 M5
Achievement Unlocked
@@M00SEM0T0 that's as you even wrote. and m5 and not m3
@@seth19890103 he's saying that he reviewed them together.
The E46 styling is timeless to me. It will always look good.
Still looks new today
@@nickcaesar7650Facts. Timeless styling.
I agree and I'm mustang guy myself. the E46 M3 is my favorite BMW. beatuiful car
Pop a S58 powertrain in the E46, with hydraulic steering, a sturdy manual 6speed, done. Ideal sports sedan.
Indeed - infinitely better than the current generation of BMWs which frankly are ugly, each new generation worse than the generation before.
Doug, we really need the DougScore back where you go over each category. It truly provided us an insight of why you ranked it that number, and it just doesn't feel the same without it.
He won’t do it because he has to sell these cars now, if he down ranks cars in the Doug score people he’s selling on behalf of will throw a fit and not allow them to continue to use their cars for ads…
I can't understand why he got rid of it.
@@JulianWatsonThe400 He has a video detailing why. The DougScore is pretty subjective in general and every video had tons of people ripping him for certain categories so he decided to stop explaining it.
Not me lol always stopped watching just before the DougScore
It was a useless waste of time....just like you
future classic is such a understatement this car is a legend to my generation
I’m agree it’s been a classic for atleast 10 years already
Need for speed.
Most beautiful M3 ever. The car that made me a BMW fan. Completely perfect. And it reached it's peak form in the M3 CSL.
Greatest cars ever made!
yeah so great and beautiful that i've owned 2 so far, a titanium silver like this one in the video and my current one being an Imola red. both were factory manuals
Absolutely, the E46 M3 was was peak BMW!
Same here bro you have good taste 👌 👍 👏 😎
What do you think of the e39 m5
"Maybe a little less so in a BMW..." 5:26 This quote alone makes this Doug's best review. Lol.
yeah of ALL things in the BMW talking about turn signals was funny
i saw a bmw indicate yesterday, i couldn't believe my eyes
Top comment
Beat me to it!
@@annihilaiser3736he mentioned that so often and always thought he wasn't serious and joking
I feel like this deserves at least an 8 on styling. Such a beautiful, timeless, classy car. I miss that stateliness that BMWs had in that era. My dad had the non-M, sedan version of this car, and I literally cried the day he sold it.
Are you me?
I hear ya Zach, I have a 1999 model and cant see ever getting rid of it.
Have a 02 330i manual, love it im gonna hold onto it
@@hugh_jerection 👀
I have an 04 325CI in gun metal gray with M sport wheels. All stock and it looks like an M3! But it is a timeless design, it’s my baby!
The temp control vents are one of my absolute favorite features. You can keep your body at a comfortable temp and have cool air on your face without getting cold all over.
exactly. I miss this feature. I'm disappointed Doug hasn't owned/driven older bmws to appreciate the feature.
love the vent control, in the winter you set it to hot so you feel warmer even though the car is same temp and vice versa in the summer without having to keep changing the overall temp, it just takes the edge off feeling too hot/cold. plus most have it in the back too, certainly my 5 and 4 did/does
Yes! I love this feature, also still at least in F32 gen cars. Why wouldn't you want not to be able to control the airflow's feel to your face WITHOUT changing the interior temperature. True luxury ✌️
@@dannyarooster even the newer ones have it, the F30 for sure
Even the 1 Series F20 from 2018 still has this, absolutely love it.
Man those need for speed most wanted days 🥲
Man, a fellow most wanted enjoyer, my dream car 🤝
That M3 GTR 😍
@@vishweshswaminadhan4337I would kill to have Doug review the Straßenversion (street version)of the M3 GTR
@@Charlie-Charlot Man, that will be ❤️
@@Odhaviing99it’d be hard to find someone in Doug’s comments section who isn’t a MW 2005 fan
My favorite BMW of all time. My gosh, these cars have so much soul!! Such a stunning machine. Enjoying my B5 RS4 Avant and B7 RS4 Sedan from the same era.
Driving an S4 B6 Avant 2003 daily, such a different feel to any modern car. They really don't make them like that anymore.
@@Oberkommando Agree with the driving experience yes. My father worked in BMW dealership from 94 to 01 so I could drive in them as a passenger that time. Most mind blowing was probably E36 M3 Evo (I live in Europe) that I was driven. But this era is the first one that has already a lot of plastic engine parts and cooling system parts are out of plastic also so they do fall apart and reliability is much worse than cars before. Although later it goes even more more worse :D Those at least do not fall apart inside the engine like chain problems etc. Personally I would consider the early 90s the best era as they have modern engines M60, M50 etc but still cars do not have plastic parts under the hood and are totally reliable. I still drive 330Ci for past 10 years myself, but they need to be taken care of more than average car.
Early 00’s were a great time. Enough tech to be modern, but few contrivances like touchscreens for climate control or monthly subscriptions for heated seats.
Something else I struggle to describe, but cars of that era felt “honestly” engineered; things felt like they were built to work properly as the chief design requirements. Cars these days somehow feel expensive and cheap at the same time, where they have the latest shiny tech but are designed to break 5 minutes after the warranty expires. Lexus in that era was especially wonderful. Cockroaches and LS430s will inherit the earth after we are all gone.
This top end 90's car's aged like wine.
It’s a shame they’re so slow tho
I love the look of this car so much. Quite easily the best looking bmw of all time.
The bmw f90 M5 LCI is a strong contender
BMW 8 series E31
This car for me is just perfect, the design, the way the lines meet, the wheel size. What a piece of art.
Wiggle your ass in the seats once and the interior starts to fall apart
Totally agree. Also, the W208 facelift is a close call. E46 coupe and W208 coupe are beautiful timeless legends.
@@haystackhider7158i really hate the design of that era of Mercedes. For me the E46/39/38 is the best looking cars of that era. Seriously beautiful.
WHAT?! oh no ma... plz dont compare the e46 m3 to a w208! loll @@haystackhider7158
This was recommended to me while listening to the song “Dupe - Gangsta Lyric” 🥵🥵🥵
I loved his under-the-radar dig at Beemer owners not using their turn signals. Excelllent review and video as always. Thank you Doug!
Was scrolling through the comments to see if anyone else caught that😂
That was a nice subtle joke!
Absolutely hilarious! I nearly spit out my lunch at that comment at 5:26😂
"You just can't get this anymore." Doug, this was on-point. I was drawn to these in college and bought one a few years after graduating: Imola Red, coupe, manual. It was my daily driver for a number of years. It had such an engaging, raspy engine sound. So distinctive that I still can recognize an S54 engine with my eyes closed. It didn't have pretense or rely on flashiness to assert itself. I had the pleasure of taking it to a number of autocross and DE days at local tracks. I think it loved being there. BMW owners would hang together and chat about anything from how to drive better to what sort of brake pads to run to running small businesses. I'd wave at other E46 M3s when driving past.
It was a car that I would do regular maintenance myself on: oil changes, brakes, transmission/diff oil. I learned a lot about mechanic work doing this. I even mustered the courage to swap the stock shock absorbers and springs for an Ohlins Road and Track coilover setup over an extended weekend. That brought the car to life on the track, even if it was a little stiff for bumpy city streets.
The back seats were surprisingly comfortable (if snug)! Regularly, we would load my wife in the passenger seat and two sisters in the back seats for an 1.5 hour drive back to the city from my parents', complete with laundry baskets and luggage in the trunk.
There were difficult moments too: I had sticker shock at a $4500 Vanos repair after a ticking noise started on my way to work one day. Or the DSC controller that failed and was $3100. I had wheel bearings regularly need replacement, probably due to the wider spacing in the set of track wheels. I paid $26.5k for it in 2013 and put $29k into it over
Unfortunately it will probably never happen again after the M2 CS, everything BMW does nowadays is "BIG GRILLS" and EV.
@@Stevel024 ikr
I think the closest modern version of this car is the Subaru BRZ. Coupe, manual, not super fast but fun to drive.
I had one for over a year and I sort of feel the same. I feel like it was slightly overhyped but maybe I had high expectations. Still prefer my Evo 8 over the e46 M3 but it’s a matter of personal preference like if you prefer a hit of espresso versus regular coffee
"on-point" is like, yeah. The "What's up guys" of youtb commentary
Folks if you are considering buying one of these then do your homework. I finally bought one in 2019, before the prices started climbing. It wasn't in the best condition but it was straight and the engine was good at 120k miles. After a ppi by bmw I decided to buy it. Since then I had to replace the clutch and flywheel, both drive shafts, regeneration of the diff, every single bushing and ball joint, reinforce the subframe mounts (it was cracked), relpaced all the rubber/plastic trim on the exterior, replaced the entire centre console plastics (worn out), interior A, B and C pillar trims, renovated the steering wheel trim, all ignition coils and plugs, all belts and pulleys, engine mounts and steering coupler. 2 weeks ago I began hearing the rattle which is the noise the head gasket makes when it fails between cylinders. It has failed between 3 and 4. Compression was down to 90psi in them. (should be 160psi). So now the car is with a specialist for a new head gasket and he also found the Vanos needed a refresh. While it's there and the engine is open I'm having the timing chain and guides replaced because they are worn and stretched. Once that is done he will do the rod bearings. Of course this isn't a cheap car to run/maintain but its worth every penny to me.
If you are going to buy one then get the best one you can or if like me you are willing to put in the work just get the best one you can for the money and go from there.
Never buy a BMW out of warranty. I made the same mistake with a 2003 530i. Something was always breaking. So glad I got rid of it.
Had an '04 that I purchased used in 2011. It was an absolute piece of garbage- hands down the worst car I've ever owned. I will never own another BMW after that experience and was thrilled to sell it and watch it drive away...
You guys just cured my temptation to own an E46.
Half of those "repairs" were cosmetic, though the rest are valid. Surprised you didn't mention any issues with the cooling system, my non-M E46 had no issues besides a cooling system failure that junked it.
Theseus’s M3
One thing I don't think many people realize with the SMG is that the actual transmission is exactly the same as a manual, so converting is relatively simple - just a matter of installing the pedals, shifter, etc.
Is that actually true?
Yes, the gearbox is the same. It's not that straightforward though, there's also some work required to add detents to the bellhousing. (if you're doing a proper conversion)
Also FYI Burkhart Engineering makes a repair kit that fixes many SMG problems. I absolutely love it!
Gearbox is the same, but some holes in the bellhousing require machining
I watched an episode of Wheeler Dealer where they showed the baked in provisions for a manual swap on an E46 and how it was done.
was waiting for the turn signal joke as soon as he mentioned the indicators
Utterly gorgeous car!! Just fantastic, elegant design from every angle!
I remember just putting the key into the ignition of this car felt like I coupled two train cars together because how solid it was!
Doug Loves Wagons 😂
We had a 2005 M3 it was amazing. It was silver and we had dark blue rims, gorgeous gorgeous car.
solid yes unreliable
The looks got too rounded and bloaty for me. Just never sat right with me.
Gotta love the s54 though (as long as you watch your rod bearings )
6:15 Doug says this is the last 3 series available without a screen/navigation but you could get e9x cars as single hump? (No nav/screen)
Correct, there were E46’s with nav and E90’s without it
I was sitting hearing that while my e90 had a single hump (cut it to fit a screen)
My 330ci had the 3.5" infotainment for car info, would've been pretty dope in 2000 as it had a TV tuner as well before I replaced it with an Eonon unit
E8X too
My dad had a 325 from 2012, that didn’t have any screen either. Do you know which year the car Doug reviews in this video is from?
9:43 the center temperature dial between the vents is there to allow people to adjust the temperature of the air hitting your face. Climate control still works, but the whole idea is so you can tune the temperature in the climate zone while having hot or cold air specifically out of those vents should you need it.
That is true... I think that this feature is really great, especially at night when is cold and you want heat cabin, but also want fresh air in your face.
It's yeah sorta you don't fall asleep . Cool air in the face and hot in the feet for example .
YES! I don't know why Doug can't comprehend this as I've made this comment every time he has talked about said feature in every video and I've seen others make it too. It's really pretty simple - not complicated or confusing at all. Jeez!
It's the best feature. Sometime its not too cold or too warm in the car but you feel like it is. You just adjust that and your feeling is perfect, don't need to touch anything and you are hot in your car but your face is cooled nicely.
It's one of best features especially in longer drives.
This has been a stone cold classic for ages, there’s no ‘future classic’ about it!
E46 platform is the most jack of all trades car I have ever driven. It literally is the most practical sports coupe from it's era.
It will need a lot of maintenance and repairs though, and has some very big flaws like the subframe cracks etc. It needs a lot of improvement parts, once that is all done. It will be the perfect car for many.
If you are saying it is the most practical sports coupe from it's era then it must have been a terrible era. HAHA
@@raulmartinez3484 I've got a 330Ci E46, as close as an M3 as I'm gonna get. I daily this thing and it's *extremely* practical
To me this is the 2nd greatest bmw ever made (and I LOVE the s54b80?) but the greatest bmw imho is that but the gtr 🥵❤️
@@BuriedDutchman I scored an s54 swapped 330i sedan and couldn't agree more. Don't necessarily want/need an m3 anymore.
@raulmartinez3484 considering I manage to get a second set of wheels, a full trackdays worth of spares and tools in the back on mine, plus I can carry a bike or roof box up top, yeah I'd agree it's the most practical sports coupe of its era.
Probably one of the most beautiful BMWs ever made imo
No lie
Doug said that there is no e46 m3 sedan, am i missing something? Or am i mistaken with the namings.... Because i drove a e46 sedan, and they were popular in my country.... Unless it is named something else... Same car just 4 doors...
@@goliathmb18 there was no E46 M3 saloon / sedan, though there were those variants on the non-M cars, such as the 318, 320, 325, 328 and 330.
@@goliathmb18 it was probably a regular e46 3 series converted into an m3
Doug is a type of person who has personal opinion on BMW turn signal stalks. Also this was the car in NFS Most Wanted.
Sucks that it got totaled in Carbon bigtime
he's right though - something about the feedback is perfection in weight and resistance
No that's the gtr version.
This generation, but the GTR.
Buick may not have started the modern day trend, but I believe they were actually the first company to use the fender vent styling cue on production vehicles. Buick calls them portholes, and it was used consistently in the 40's, 50's and 60's (possibly as far back as the 30's) on their cars to signify engine size.
4 portholes per fender meant there was an 8-cylinder under the hood, and 3 portholes on each side meant the car had a 6-cylinder. The design feature had brief revivals in the late 80's and early 2000's on the Park Avenue Ultra, Lucerne, and LaCrosse. It was then a design characteristic of all Buick models in the early 2010's, I think, and they're still on today.
They were on everything from a base Verano to a loaded up Enclave that old people would buy to shuttle their grandkids around. I used to work at a Buick/GMC dealership back around a decade ago. The GMCs sold better, but the Chevrolets were what sold like hotcakes, obviously because they're cheaper. Anyway, It seemed like the only people who ever bought new Buicks, at least in my area, were older folks with a lot of grandkids; and the only reason they'd consider buying one is because they had a CostCo membership that would help them get discounts during year-end sales events.
Came here to point this out. Buick may have jumped on the fender-decoration bandwagon, but at least they had some heritage to back it up. Everybody else was blatantly copying BMW's work.
Electra 225
Buick is kept alive for the Chinese market, the American buyers are an afterthought.
@Max Realism yeah, I can't remember what they call it, but they have a Buick van over there that I've heard was well received. I actually rather like it and wish they made it available here in the states, though I'm fairly certain it wouldn't be profitable enough for GM to make that happen
There was a fender vent on the BMW 3.0 coupe, much older than the car in this video.
@Doug DeMuro
The temperature dial DOES have a function. It changes the temperature between the footwell, and the upper vents. So you can have warm feet, but cool air on your face. or vice versa...
Also, the center console arm rest has a hidden compartment you didn't see. you raise the arm rest, and there is another button on the bottom of the arm rest that opens another compartment. Fun fact about that hidden compartment, it has a cutout that perfectly fits the BMW 'M' leather wallet. :)
Indeed and it’s actually quite a brilliant function.
In summer the temperature on your face can be a little cooler without getting your body too cold and in winter vice versa you can have a warmer face while keeping the rest of your body below sweat temperatures.
Yeah, and blowing cold air on your face is incredibly effective if you are drowsy. Blowing warm air on your face does the opposite, think sitting in front of a fire. Notice this on a motorcycle too.
Not in my E46
Came here to say this. Funny that Doug didn't know about the feature.
We still love you but BMW enthusiasts will need an immediate apology
When you pointed out the upper center vent, you were wondering why anyone would want it to blow out warm or cool air seperate from the other temperature settings. I use to have that feature on an older 320iS and this is why I loved it. In the winter, I would have the heat on, but did not like breathing in the warm air. I appreciated being able to breath cool air from the center vent, aimed at my face. That kept me from having to crack the window to get cool fresh air. Think about it...helps to stay awake too, on those long drives.
Honestly I wished every brand had this design, I always loved having that breeze of cool air in my face despite I’m cranking the heat all the way up in winters!
best simple feature that every car should have
Makes so much sense... I definitely like that cold air on long drives
Best feature. Have it in my F87 M2 and will miss it when it is gone.
I think it's there so that the driver can quickly change the climate control without having to take their eyes off the road....not your extremely niche and particular use case, lol
I drive a 991S and an E46 328i and every time I go from the Porsche to the E46 I sit there thinking damn, this is the best turn signal stalk of any production car in history, why can’t the Porsche have this nice smooth positive engagement feel instead of its clicky thing that feels like its snapping off every time you use it. Hands down the Lebron James of indicator stalks.
Yep, worked at shop, and was always disappointed unless it was one of these.
Yeah, that's one thing that always stood out to me whenever I've worked on or driven Porsches, especially older ones. Those turn signal stalks are so flimsy and cheap feeling that you wonder how the hell a company like Porsche decided to use them.
@@hotchkess846 my 928 has a good one
@@hotchkess846 928 and 996 were good ones too.
Bro earned the like from me by calling it the lebron of turn signal stalks🤣🤣🤣🤣
Wow, this car is immaculate. The new owner will be so happy.
Only on cars and bids
Lol immaculate? It’s done ver 100k miles. It’s probably got a shit tonnes of problems. Most e46 owners will know you’ll end up paying more with maintenance cost. Isn’t worth buying
9:12 Doug is the type of guy that films himself while robbing a dude and posts the video on RUclips
Enough of that bull💩
Doug - "Thiiiiiiissssss~ is not what it looks like officer."
Officer - "Let me show you the quirks and features of my interceptor." 🚓
I used to own one. And just FYI Doug. That is a 2003.5 ...big difference from a 2003. In 2004 a lot of revisions came about including the rear LED tailights and this car being a .5, has them. I sold mine because the reverse in the 6 speed would randomly pop out during engagement. 😭
Also he added the CSL wheels. I had them and love them
I'm really not going to lie, I've been waiting for this for a very long time.
Ever since I bought mine I’ve been checking to see when he would finally make a review on one 😂
Thanks for your honesty.
I actually liked that central vent feature on my old E36. It allowed me to have the heater blaring on my feet when it's cold outside, but still allowed cool air on the face so not to make me sleepy. I thought it was a great feature as I always like cool/fresh air blowing on my face when driving.
Ditto! Very well said! Late 80's Saabs had the same feature, loved it. 👍👏
Exactly my tought and a extra reason to love my bmw e46😊
This is the correct answer - the exact reason it was made!
100%! Came here to say the same thing
E30 also had this feature
It is so "refreshing" to see such a beautiful, subtle car with no hideous black rims. This is just design perfection.
Agree, the firetruck red seats are so nuanced and elegant
Lol what’s wrong with black rims (besides too many cars having them)
@@bigplanner nothing wrong as in morally wrong or something. I just think they very ugly. Of course most people don't think so because they are ubiquitous nowadays.
And totally lacking giant beaver teeth in the front.
Somehow this car is 20 years old but still looks brand new design wise. The BMW designers were on another level drawing it. Truly a legendary, timeless car.
Mine turns heads to this day!
@@JohnTaylor-bd1uy I have an M3 convertible. I wish I was joking when I say I get a compliment on how nice it is everyday.
Buicks always had portholes (originally called Ventiports) on the fenders. 4 portholes meant V8, 3 portholes meant 6-cylinder. It was that way back in the late 40’s.
Pontiacs also.
@@purwantiallan5089 I don’t believe Pontiacs had them. What Pontiac do you believe had portholes?
Thank God there's the original stereo. I hate it when people ruin older cars with those incoherent space ship looking replacement stereos.
I own E46 coupe. You forgot to mention that cool 6 cd disk player in the boot :D
This car doesn’t have that
To be fair, even a 2002 Ford Taurus had a 6-disc changer in the trunk. It really wasn't that special.
@@fregytt’s probably behind the flap on the driver’s side you can see at 12:11. That’s where my one is.
How this car is recognised around the world:
20% BMW fanboys, car enthusiasts.
80% NFS Most Wanted
I had a BMW E46 coupe myself, in dakar yellow, with the sport full leahter interior in black. I loved everything about it, the sound, the feel and it just looked amazing.
Fun quirk Doug missed is when you held the "open" button on the keyfob is that all windows and the sunroof would open. As well as close everything holding the "lock" button. It was an awesome quirk to show-off to bystanders. Also handy if you forgot to close any windows or the sunroof, you didn't have to get back in to the car.
Dear Doug it’s already super classic not future classic. It’s the best analog M car ever and old school pure driving pleasure. Well done as always.
Absolutely, I have 330 sedan and I have so much fun driving it. I can only imagine what the m3 would be like.
THIS is a car not worth 30-40 grand :)
Seriously. It gives you 5-10k nissan 370z performance
Great review. I wish that you will get once some Z4m Coupe E86 because it's basically almost the same car but in different body, very quirky like sides indicators in BMW emblem, huge tailgate and it has structure body so you can replace every body panel. Wish you best!
I think the e46 will in the future be recognized as a very well designed and good looking car, the proportions are just perfect really
Oh Doug. The subframe didn't crack on these cars, it was the carrier panel that the subframe attached to that cracked. Oh and you forgot the hood bulge which is the most significant visual change from the regular 3 series.
So what if he forget some things? He reviews hundreds of cars every year why would he know everything of a car he only gets a few hours to review with?
Came here to post this re:the subframe. The subframe itself is fine, and overbuilt if anything. It's the attachment points on the chassis, and more specifically the two-layer spot welded sheet metal that gets ripped to shreds. A factory prescribed warranty repair was to fill the two layers of sheet metal in that chassis area with structural filler.
@@angelodi903 riiight... does tons of research, sometimes mentions things barely anybody knows about on multiple cars
He is human, he is allowed to forget things or make mistakes
However... we expect better due to the overall quality of the channel, its a video you watch and edit before posting...
Dont be a butthurt fanboy, he doesn't pay you
@@jhelmsing all true, but the real culprit was bushing failure as the cars age or owners attempting to over-stiffen the chassis with poly or solid bushings. This left no shock absorption in the rear driveline, transferring torsion into the weak sheet metal around subframe mounting points. The better preventive repair (other than maintaining forgiving bushings) is sandwiching 1/8” steel plates for reinforcement. The foam fox was nonsense and was the lowest coat recall procedure to get to the next model.
@@angelodi903
What kind of a nonsensical comment is that? We have to point out details that he missed so others can read and be informed too. People came here to know the ins and outs of the cars.
I love my manuals but the SMG was just as enticing. The SMG in my opinion gets an unnecessarily bad rap as new owners were never educated on how to properly drive them.
I had met a BMW engineer when these were new who explained to me that the SMG, like any other manual car, requires a learning curve to get it to drive smoothly. There is a gentle dance/play you do with the throttle which smoothens the shift transitions as the computer depresses the clutch automatically for you. But most people just floor them and wonder why the shifts feel weird.
After just a short time and some practice, I was able to drive my SMG e46 and E60 M5 cars smoothly for many years and loved them for their Jekyll/Hyde personalities, because once they were in their most aggressive shifting settings they were so visceral and rapid at shifts, matching the personalities of the engines beautifully.
The 1990s to 2000s BMWs are just so much fun to drive, regardless of transmission choice.
I had an 04 E46 M3 with the SMG and feel the exact same way. While I would have preferred a manual, the SMG was just so cool for how it felt and how configurable it was. Plus because it had a full auto mode my wife could drive it when she needed to. Miss that car.
This. I’ve owned mine for 10 years and it’s fantastic once learned.
I’ll agree that SMG isn’t as bad as everyone makes it but it’s still not better than manual. I will eventually be converting mine. There are a couple little things about it that really can be inconvenient. Downshifts into first while coming to a stop take a century, and if the light changes there is definitely a long pause before It shifts into gear and I can accelerate.
I agree with you. Am a long term E46 SMG owner. Unique car. Ton of character.
Defender/garage update?
That Beamer is a classic. This car ages well like wine
I have always liked that era interior, and the exterior is nice too, it isn't over styled at all, clean front, clean rear.
classic for marginalized people
@@weltrogg1768 lol ok
Bimmer
Like vinegar
The beautest Car on the Holy Planet
That dynamic red line is actually so genius, idk why it's not common in sportscars in general
This car is the epitome of timeless design. You see a clean one of these on the road and it would pass for a newly released model.
Definitely not because it's way too good looking for a 2022 car
The red/blue dial is the stratified air dial as per owners manual. And it doesn't override cold when set to hot. Without hot coolant entering the core, the face vents can't blow hot. It's the other way around: you can override hot temp settings and have cool air coming from the face vents.
The middle dial is to have the cool air blowing in your face regardless of your heater being on. It makes perfect sense.
this. my 87 accord had a lever that let the center vents either blow cool or whatever hvac was doing. cool air on your face with warm air up and down was key for early am wintwr drives.
I'm sure people are aware of that, but who actually needs this? BMW fans always act like this is some sort of 5head genius invention that completely changes the way you interact with your car, but if you have the heater on and you want cool air, just turn the damn heater off.
@@jbphilly1234 Warm air on your feet, cool air in your face. Perfection!
I love this feature. This kind of "dual zone" makes way more sense to me than the driver/passenger split.
It’s stupid asf. Not needed and useless
Exterior M specific you missed was the power dome on the hood.
another, though dependant on your region, are the front lights/indicators. mid way through the E46's life cycle the shape of the bottom of the lights changed and the indicators went from down turned to up turned on side, but the M3 never got these changes, so in regions where your plate gives the age of the vehicle it was an easy way particularly to spot a fake m3 quickly
Personally speaking, e46 m3 was easily recognizable and vastly different from the normal 3 series at the time. Nothing subtle about it back in the day. Nearly every body panel is different. This includes the aggressive front bumper, hood bump, wider fenders flares with m gills, rear spoiler, sporty diffuser to fit quad tip exhausts. Even the mirrors are different. I owned one for about 6 years back in 2003. With a full titanium exhaust from Amuse, the sounds that came from this inline 6 was straight 🔥. Now I'm old and drive a silent tesla that will make the m3 seem like it's standing when going 0 to 100. Still had some great memories in this car.
When my coworker saw mine, she said it looked like the Batmobile. I kept the cosmetics stock, btw.
"You use your turn signal a lot! Probably less in a BMW than in other cars, but..."
Extraordinary subtle dig. Loved it.
“You push the turn signal a lot. Well Maybe not as much in a BMW”
No wonder it feels so solid and in excellent condition. It was never used.
Oh that's a treat to the eyes. Late 90s-early 00s BMWs are so beautiful inside and out. Unmatched build quality, cool driving experience, unique L6 sound... And now they are very fast tablets, like all the rest
The vent control thing, it used to be called cool head something, it does not technically change the temperature, you can set the front vents to blow cooler air at your face if you don't like hot air, while the remaining vents heat up your cabin if it's cold outside. Same works in the summer, if you don't like the AC directly in you face, it will blow more ambient air instead. I personally enjoy this quite a lot and still have it in my E90.
Exactly
Love this feature on my F90 M5 also.
Fact that Doug doesn't know this. Just shows how not about BMW he is. That us the best thing about bmw. The ability to have ultimate control of all the air zones in your vehicle. No other brand even comes close to offering such a detailed feature.
@@Kidsmtbexperience MERCEDES DID HAVE THE SAME .
@@sunnylove7772 key word DID. All my current bmws still have air blenders
13:50 *WRONG!* Buick had vents like that back in the 1980s on the Buick GNX, *they were also on the Buick Roadmaster from 1936-1958!*
9:59 The reason behind this vent override is to adjust to your outside air before coming out.
Picture this, you're driving in your AC for a couple of hours while it's +100°F outside, a couple of minutes before you reach your destination, you set this to blow hot, so when you come out of the car, you don't pass out due to a heat stroke. And you do that so you don't have to readjust your AC controls every time. (I mean that's how I used it)
As an e46 owner, this goes straight to the favorites list :)
E46 are some of the most beautiful cars. Great handling and feel as well. I drive a 2001 330Ci [manual] and I never want to get rid of it. Just a wonderful car to drive.
Perfect bmw daily drivers in my opinión ❤
Also…it’s not sometimes the subframe cracks….THEY ALL DO. It’s not a “kit” like you just put in over a couple hours, reinforcing the subframe in a way that is proper requires removing almost ALL of the rear end of the vehicle and welding plates directly to the body of the car, hardly a “kit”
It really surprises me how little Doug actually knows about e46 m3s considering he’s done 3 videos on them now and says he’s got a lot of seat time in them…..
Typical German shitbox. 😂
Not even just the plates, if you do just those they will eventually just tear at the weld seams. You need to tie the subframe mounting points to the frame rails directly, either with bracing or something like a vincebar. In either case, all these solutions replace the blind subframe mounting studs with through studs/nuts all the way to the trunk
That extra BMW climate dial is useful. It controls the temperature of the air only blowing directly at your face.
If you are trying to heat the car up and you don’t want the hot air blowing at you, you can turn the dial so that normal or cool air blows on your face while all the other hidden vents heat the car up.
exactly, I loved that feature on my e46 because on any other car with automatic climate control the computer decides the intensity of the cold/hot air coming in the cabin and when it was really hot, the cold air made my neck hurt and jam. Well, not in the e46/e39 etc. You just adjust the temperature on the climate control, adjust the intensity from the dial and voila!
Every car should have this feature. I use the low hot air and cool air combo all the time.
Hey @DougDeMuro - I remember ready the OM for my E36 M3. The ability to have cool air blow on your face while heating the rest of the car was to help keep drivers alert.
@@Rene-Hernandez Rene Hernandez, the M3 E46 imo still cool to ride like Maserati MC12.
@@punamipower yep. It also has fully functionable assist feature.
To me that has always been the best M3. I'm glad you said something about the rubbery shifter. It has been a deal killer. I had a S2000 and the rifle bolt quality shifter has always been my benchmark shopping for a new manual.
Well, the S2000 is renowned as pretty much the best stock shifter of all time, I think you’re in for a tough time looking for something better
You can’t beat the feel of a manual trans Honda, shifts like butter
You can upgrade the shifter and shift bushings to change the feel. BMW made it feel like that by design.
I added a UUC short shift kit to my E46 M3. I used to have an Integra Type R and the shifter was nice and pedals were light.
Best BMW period
Doug is the first person in history to point out the turn signal stock “feel” in a BMW. Shame it never gets used.
Also the weird vent dial. Feels affirming to know I’m not alone
Lots of memories with this car. My buddy was one of the first people in DFW to get one in Carbon Black and he was able to turn around and sell it for a pretty profit. He then got another from the dealer allocation in mustard yellow which he still owns. It's still shockingly fast for 300HP.
The greatest, and most beautiful car BMW has ever made. I still dream of owning one one day.
I had an e46 1999, with over 300,000 miles, yet it still drove the same as when it was new. Super easy to work on, and very well thought out.
I think I hear rod bearings, vanos, lifter tappets, itb's and subframes talking! loll, besides those major jobs yeah you right.
my 80 year old grandma had one of these in blue with less than 40k miles in her garage. She gave it to my cousin who hardly drove it and totaled it after 10 months :(
Doug, the centre vent for which you can adjust the temperature regardless of the temperature setting you have is so that you could, for example, keep your feet warm but still have some fresh air come in the cabin, or vice versa. It's a feature I actually love in my M3! Awesome video of an awesome car!
Currently own one and it’s everything you could think and more. Need for speed made me fall in love with this car and it’s timeless
Its why i own one. Ill never sell it.
Not only somewhat legendary, but it was a benchmark for others of its time. And we miss our 2002 E46 M3... the one that got away from us.
Another "frontier of innovation" is the digital, wireless, double binary ashtray and the translucent sun visor - an invention they stole from the talented engineers in Pontiac. BMW engineers knew back then, that Pontiac, undoubtedly one of the strongest brands in the Auto business, is THE brand to follow. They have definitely made the right decision. Pontiac cars are sporty, super reliable, full of the latest tech, beautiful and luxurious. Pontiac make the cars that everybody want at a surprisingly affordable price. Look at their ground breaking EV models that currently lead the EV market. Pontiac is a strong brand that will never disappear, just like The Weinstein Company or Trump Steak (or Trump University). These are strong, super clean brands you can rely on for years to come.
Man, those orange dash screens are so finicky, and a pain to fix when they fail. Finding pristine examples may become harder to find as time goes on.
Huh, no problems with my 1999, 212k miles. I suppose they might have cheaped out in later years of the production run. They did this on starters. Earlier starters are big and bomb proof, I haven't replaced mine, later ones lasting this long are virtually unheard of.
This is the cleanest E46 I've ever seen and in the best color combo - silver over red!
So you have not seen the Laguna Seca Blue M3 yet :D
Silver and interior always looks great!
And it’s in such a good shape!
The red is awful, cheap and really nasty looking. Cream would have been the classy option.
@@murphyebass7837 Red leather for the pimps :D
I miss my e46 m3 every day! Sold it for about 1/10 of what it would be worth today! I was a broke(ish) college kid back then. One of the window modules or something went out and was going to be a $1,200 fix right after I had to replace the clutch
Never forget the memories ripping up the 154 San Marcos Pass in Santa Barbara as well as highway 101 along the coast. The absolute best!!!
There's nothing more expensive than a cheap German car.
“You push the turn signal a lot! Made a little bit less so in a BMW…” 😂😂😂