Brads E46 M3

[Brad smith]

So I've finally been building myself up to the inevitable. I've had an e46 compact 316ti and my recent E46 330ci, so I've always been wanting to try the M3. I had thought of an E92 335i, but Ever since getting my 330 I've wanted to try an m3 and yes to some people it's may look like the same car but to me it's a totally different animal. And your only young once right.... so I've heard all the great reviews on them, and when I went out in my first one I was instantly determined to get one, the speed, the way it handles and of course so noise.

So I'd been searching for roughly just over 2 weeks, missed out on a few, went to look at a few which were just frankly not as advertised and were rubbish.

Was searching eBay just by chance due to being on nights and come across this one. Had only been up two hours ! Spoke to the guy, it's had 2 owners one was a bmw technician and the final one was a 40 year old who has clearly looked after it. The guy selling it had took it in px for a Porsche convertible...lucky guy. Spoke to the guy on the phone, and everything added up. FSH by dealer and specialists. Its had the dreaded subframe replaced by bmw. So I thought it was perfect. The paints looks inaccurate, no signs of rust he just said the wheels could do with a refurb. Guy seems like a genuine guy as he sells classic cars for a living, and just doesn't want this sitting around as he doesn't deal with them.

So the ad read as:

I have just taken this in PX today against one of my Classic Porsches.

Absolutely immaculate coachwork & equally pristine rare M-Texture Alcantara & Leather interior, seeing is believing

Specification;

. E46 M3 3.2

. 2004 (54 Plate)

. Only 2 owners

. SMG

. Silver Grey

. M -Texture Alcantara and half leather Interior with Gloss Black Trim

. 117k miles

. Full Service History (BMW & Specialist)

. MOT until May 17

. Electric Memory Seats with inflatable bolsters

. Aftermarket Sat Nav

. Bluetooth

. Polybushed Rear Suspension

. Upgraded JBL Speakers

. OEM Cupholders

. New Bonnet and Boot Badges

. Xenon Auto Lights and Auto Wipers

. The car is rust free.

. The car has very recently had a full oil change (including diff) and new spark plugs and filters at a BMW specialist.

. The car also has a pair of new rear coil springs and a brand new sub frame.

. The boot floor was replaced by BMW and inspected when the new subframe was installed.

. No problems with the SMG 'box

Points of interest :

. Front wheels need a refurb - lacquer bubbling and some kerbing marks

All seems perfect to me, I didn't ideally want alcantara seats but then I've not seen them very often and now I quite like the look of them. As there's no heated seats my bum won't be roasting or freezing cold. The seats don't look as though they've even been sat in. In fact the guy said someone had offered him £1000 plus his black leather.

He said he'd had 3 people message and I just knew as the price he had it up for to me its easily worth £10,000 so with that I left a £500 deposit and he's going to be delivering it to me in his race shuttle on Wednesday...going to be a very long day for me tomorrow.

Anyway pictures, only ones of his advert for now will update with more when it arrives Wednesday.

My plans at the minute is just to keep it absolutely mint. Don't think I'm going to make many changes on this, just keep it as it is. I say that now.... but I'd like to get an alcantara steering wheel with matching gaitors. A wheel Refurb. Then probably leave it at that just thoroughly enjoy every minute of being in an m3.

Hope you like.

Comments as always.

[govich]

Brad, congratulations, that looks like a very clean example. I fully understand the "you're only young once" mantra & glad you took the plunge. I had the same thoughts with a supercharger kit for my car (I did consider an M3 but am too much of a tinkerer). 

Looking forward to your updates!

[Brad smith]

Thank you mate I'm seriously pleased with it. Looked at a few s**t ones so when this come up I knew it had to be mine so put a deposit down straight away. Exactly money better in a car than in a savings account.

[avalaugh]

Very nice, I'd only consider a night m sun roof model, actually harder to find than you'd think [emoji106]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Daz 330 Cs]

Looks very nice, and well cared for by the looks of it. No heated seats would be a deal breaker for me. 

[Brad smith]

Looks very nice, and well cared for by the looks of it. No heated seats would be a deal breaker for me. 

It was for me to until I seen this one and the price I got it for I really didn't care for heated seats. I always said I wouldn't get one without heated but I think the material will be nice. And everything has been very well looked after, fsh bmw and specialist, also got a receipt for £1800 for a new BMW subframe.

[R11CH]

Looks a very clean tidy example. Alacantara has been growing on me for sometime as i find the leather in the 46 to not be the best. 

Wish i had taken the plunge and got an m3 but age and a house deposit have beaten me. Enjoy!

[John_C]

Awesome car your love the M3 they are like day and night over a 330ci !

[Brad smith]

Looks a very clean tidy example. Alacantara has been growing on me for sometime as i find the leather in the 46 to not be the best. 

Wish i had taken the plunge and got an m3 but age and a house deposit have beaten me. Enjoy!

Thanks mate. Yeah I really like it just unsure if it will go with the carbon trim so may just leave piano black in. Not sure until tomorrow.

Yeah I'm glad I've done it. I will start saving for a house soon but gonna have some fun first, plus better to have this than money sitting in the bank. And will just sell this when I'm in a position to buy.

[Brad smith]

Awesome car your love the M3 they are like day and night over a 330ci !

Thanks mate yeah I'm pretty excited.

[Brad smith]

So got delivered today, wow is all I can say. A massive step up from my 330 obviously. Only been out in it for about half an hour due to having to work tonight. But I'm over the moon with it so far. Interior is really nice ! Will be giving it a clean tomorrow then will take some more pictures. Thinking I just need the csl software update. Which might be getting done Saturday. Guy was a genuinely nice guy glad to have purchased from him.

Just a comparison pic between my old 330

[Brad smith]

So today I swapped over the carbon fibre trim from my 330 and some of the trim that was in better condition. All I've got left to swap over is the lower steering wheel trim but cba today as have to take both steering wheels off and I'd had enough after basically removing and putting in two whole interiors. I have put the iPad in the m3 as I much prefer it to any system even tho it's not oem. But so much better to use and with the kenwood stereo and the Jbl speakers that have been put in this, sounds really good. Really impressed. Although not that I've had the music on tbh just enjoying the sound from the engine [emoji23]. Still got to put all the interior back in the 330 ready for sale so at least that will have a nice piano black interior and eonon unit.

Starting to get used to the smg and have to say I'm loving it. Already hating getting in a manual.

Few pictures they are terrible but I just pulled over and took a few.

Things I've noticed that need sorting soon are:

New headlight lenses

New fog light lenses

New side indicator lenses

Silvervision indicators

Sidelight led to match xenons

Alcantara steering wheel

Alcantara gear nob and handbrake gaitor

E60 m5 gearnob

Extended smg paddles

Wheel Refurb or two rear wheels for the front

Eurostyle exhaust tips

That should see it looking in perfect condition.

Also a good clean and some better pictures.

[TriggerFish]

Love that! Those seats are my ideal e46 factory items. I'd take those over heated leather e46 seats any day.

(leather seats suck, and the e46 leather is especially bad IMO. I've replaced the leather in both of mine with alcantara, so I'm not hating without justification )

[Brad smith]

Yeah there perfect tbh was unsure at first but I love them now ! Especially with no heated it's perfect.

[Brad smith]

So with being off today I got a few more jobs sorted what I wanted to

First of all changed the side lights to led to match the xenons

Cleaned up the steering wheel and seats, still can't get over how immaculate the seats are, quite a bit of dirt came off. Think it's mainly the steering wheel. Also changed over my lower steering wheel trim as didn't like the piano black preferred the oem.

Then gave the outside a good clean, and a bit of autosol on the exhaust pipes.

[TriggerFish]

and lumbar support in the seats too! Very nice 

[Benji83]

Looks like you found a gem there Brad, I'm so glad we now get 2 build threads! 😆

[Brad smith]

Looks like you found a gem there Brad, I'm so glad we now get 2 build threads! [emoji38]

Thanks mate. Really happy with it. [emoji23][emoji23]I'll try to keep updating.

[Brad smith]

So been and had the csl software installed and a few other little bits installed. Overall I'm so impressed with the software,made the gear shifts so much better. Would recommend anyone who's thinking of doing it to do it straight away.

Also just a small change got rid of the fried egg look. Always hate that.

[Brad smith]

Well the 330 is no more. Ad went up within 15 mins I had a phone call saying he wanted to look, within 1 hour he was taking it away. Got the price I wanted to and now don't have to worry about it taking ages to sell and time wasters. So can now fully concentrate on the m3.

[Brad smith]

Thinking of getting a new wheel as I hate the original coming from a refurbed one. Thinking of going alcantara this time to match the seats and getting gaiters to match. I quite like the look of the flat bottom ones, what's people's thoughts ?

Prefer the top one as I'm not keen on the enlarged thumb grips. But prefer the colour on the bottom.

[bennno2005]

Do you know why its had a subframe Brad? Its a bit odd as the subframes themselves aren't a common issue - its the boot floor failing that is so its worth having a look at this to check it isn't split, even if the RACP was replaced by BMW its worth checking as they will have just replaced it with the same wafer thin metal they leave the factory with.

Looks very nice though - if those seats were heated I'd be throwing money at you and begging you to take my leathers in part ex!

Edited March 15, 2017 by bennno2005

[Brad smith]

Yeah your right think I'll still give all that a check. Due an mot in April so will get it checked.

Yeah I love the seats, not overly bothered about heated as these don't get very cold found that out the other morning lol. So perfect

[bennno2005]

2 hours ago, Brad smith said:

Yeah your right think I'll still give all that a check. Due an mot in April so will get it checked.

Yeah I love the seats, not overly bothered about heated as these don't get very cold found that out the other morning lol. So perfect

Its not about being cold its about having all the benefits of feeling like you've p*ssed yourself with none of the drawbacks (being covered in p*ss)

[Brad smith]

[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]that's a new one.