So I've always wanted a E46 BMW, since I was a little kid. I'm 19 now and my first car was stolen and wrecked. The insurance money + some money I had saved up have put me into the position of considering an e46 323/5i.
Everyone tells me it will be a money pit. I kind of figured this, but how much of a money pit? I know that it eats a cooling system every 100k, the subframe, the expansion tank, and the window regulators.
I have a coworker who is experienced with these cars and is willing to work on mine. My plan is to have my coworker replace the water pump, expansion tank, and radiator hoses. He's saying it's about 400 in labor. I feel like this would be a good preventative measure.
Other cars I've been checking out include a 3k eclipse gts and the same Hyundai shitbox I was driving before, but I would rather have the BMW.
Am I making a big mistake if I buy a 5k E46 with service records?
In all honesty you could do better bang for your buck or just plainly get a reliable car. But it will be expensive to maintain and fix but no other problems that are common apart from what you already stated if i remember correctly.
Benjamin Powell
Depends where you live. In USA - not worth, if EU - go for it, there are no better alternatives for the price and all the goodies.
Nicholas Long
I'm in the US, California to be specific. My heart and comfy wants the E46 but the eclipse would be cheaper to own.
Ethan Perez
this
Tyler Torres
Not to be mean but you have shit tier taste. For some reason you are attracted to money pits. If you dont make ok money at best, avoid those cars they are a hassle. I suggest to start looking toward other cars.
Aaron Ortiz
Any suggestions?
Cameron Anderson
Get the e46 you're young, the car is fun to drive and cool as fuck even if its a money sink, you need something to spend your money on
Nolan Martin
$5k is not bad. Just pay cash for it and run it 'til it dies. If you want it longer, be prepared to spend up to $10k at any time to keep it running. Or just be prepared to be out your $5k when it's fucked and sell it for like $1k for parts.
Where people get in trouble with these is when they have to finance them. Someone I know recently bought a low miles "great condition with service records" E46 M3 for right around $24-$25k. Told them that was not a smart decision because they can not afford the BMW "lifestyle." Sure enough, within 3 months need a new diff.
Landon Gonzalez
Im not OP, but would want to hear what are some alternative choices. You said shit taste, but didnt specify which cars to look for instead
Jaxson Green
Not him, but I already predict what he's going to spout.
Owned one. it was hellrot, wich translates, hellred colour. Every pussy around town mired my car, even the older drivers. It was a shitbox. Suspansion failed. Coolant leak. Once I had to dismount the ECU box in order to have the central loking fixed. Water pump changed. Front suspension parts, wich costs a fortune had to be changed. PLastic trims, parts fail with time. etc etc. Did I mention rusts?
Lincoln Wilson
BMW will sink you..... it will eat more parts and be more difficult to work on than an 80's shitbox. The sir that posted about the "BMW Livestyle" is correct. Buy something that will not end up sitting in your driveway because it needs parts/ you cannot afford to fix it.
Jonathan Nelson
You can't just translate half of the word. its "bright red" sage for language autism
Jason Perry
Forget about cost and buy the cars you want, within reason of course. You're 19, you haven't had much chance to experience cars and they will be going away soon, don't be put off buying a car just because you're scared you might have to spend a few $100 every now and again to fix it.
Do you think in 20 years time when cars are banned and self-driving electric cuckboxes are all you can have you'll be saying "well at least I saved $1500 back then by driving a shitty 4 cylinder Corolla"?
I'm not saying you should go buy a 200K mile CL600, but if the running costs of a E46 scare you, you should probably think twice about your financial situation before you buy any car at all.
OP here. I will probably just get an E46. I do have a job and my other expenses are low. My dad (a britbong living in CA) likes the 3-series, and who knows, maybe we will have fun driving it and trying to fix it together.
As long as the car doesn't constantly leave me stranded, it'll be okay. I have always wanted one of these cars so much, I'm just gonna go for it
Lincoln Lee
Don't listen to these pathetic plebs. Get an e46. They're reliable.
Here in Canada, its actually easier and a better deal to buy an e90. Prices have bottomed out and you can find a sweet 323 or 325 with approx 250,000km for like $3000 cad
Eli Jones
OP, remember to never listen to tripfags. These things are total money holes and everyone I've ever talked too about it agrees.
Brody Ross
I own an e90 328.
I bought it when it had 161,000 miles.
It now has 210. It hasn't broke the bank and prices for parts have been pretty cheap. I love it. Engine and trans are perfect.
If you are capable of handling maintenance on the car yourself then I absolutely recommend getting one, but if you are planning on taking it to a mechanic, forget about it.
I've had my E46 touring for years and been doing maintenance on it myself and it doesn't cost more than any other car and I only use OEM grade parts.
The main weakness of the E46 is the cooling system (like most BMWs) , so I would definitely make sure that was maintained properly, if not, don't get the car or be prepared to immediately replace everything from water pump to overflow tank, radiator etc.. Make sure you have a qualified mechanic to a pre purchase inspection on it and DON'T get a car without receipts of previous repairs.
Daniel Roberts
They're unreliable as fuck and expensive to fix because all the parts have to be imported, and they don't make the ones for the older models anymore making it more expensive to source.
Window roller upper motor goes out? $800 repair bill baby. Small thing wrong with the transmission? $6k down the drain. With their track record something big is bound to break, but you can count on the small things breaking like knobs and electronics.
Caleb Flores
I am willing to learn, I'd pick up a Haynes manual and watch a couple of YouTube videos, and if my dad or I couldn't figure it out, I have a mechanic coworker who would be able to fix it for less than a shop
I don't think the window regulator should be costing $800 lol
Isaiah Howard
Do it OP. I was in a similar situtation not long ago and got one. At first I was scared to drive it because I thought something would break, but over time I relaxed and have been loving the shit out of it. They're super fun cars (despite not having the 330/m3) and I'm extremely happy with my purchase. You live in Commiefornia so your climate is much warmer than mine (canada) so you won't have as much wear and can use better oils in your tranny. When you get it, do the regular maintenance to be safe, and then enjoy it. Good luck op, hope you get a good car.
>tfw "Should've gotten a 330"
Cooper Carter
Maybe not the most reliable car in the world, but it's definitely fun to drive.
Levi Mitchell
Window regulator and motor online are $40-60 a side. You're an idiot if you are paying someone $800 to fix it.
Learn to fix your car yourself, order parts online, and enjoy the car. They drive great. Also, don't pay your friend to fix water pump, radiator, etc. Those are not very hard to fix, and will be a great learning experience. Just make sure to research it online, and follow it step by step.
Nathaniel Cook
Thanks for the advice user. I would be fine with a 323 or 325, the examples out here are cleaner than the 330s in my area. I just love the smooth, comfy ride and the awesome handling.
I will definitely baby the car - it'll be getting a new cooling system and fluids in the first month of ownership.
Xavier Reed
Doing the maintenance is good, but when you say "I'll baby the car", just wait until you own it. These things are so fun that I've put 2300km on mine in the last month. Doesn't help that it feels so nice to floor it in these things. Enjoy the car, that's what it's there for.
Nolan Perry
Guess what. Old japanese cars are even worse in this aspect. Their parts are horribly overpriced.
Also: Don't compare fixing a Civic yourself for 50$ and letting a dealership do the job on the BMW and then go on to cry about your 500$ bill. The E46 does have some flaws - but none of them are true money holes or require speciality tools thus allowing you to do the yourself. If you want to look at true money holes, look into sporty Italian cars.
Elijah Garcia
As another user in the same position, thanks guys. #YOLO
>get a fuckn civic u idiot civics are for soybois get a real car
Ian Davis
>Am I making a big mistake if I buy a 5k E46 with service records?
They're not going to break the bank like a Mercedes or 7 series, but the parts and other shit (fluids, premium fuel, etc.) can put a squeeze on the wallet if you're not making very much. If you can find a decent example at 5k, you're not really as worse off than other econboxes from the era.
Joshua Gomez
Or the LS/SC400 The GS is a bit too much Mercedes copycat styling for me
Joshua Lee
op here, I did consider the SC400 but I can't find a clean one in my price range. Also, the insurance would be a lot higher
Luke Sanders
If go for the E46. I have a 323 I bought for $3000 with 118,000 miles on it and it hasn't been bad at all
Isaiah Cruz
Is it a speed demon?
Jaxon Gonzalez
For 5k you should be able to get a 330i. Don't settle for any less.
And if you can't even do the cooling system, you're fucked. Replacing the cooling system is really easy, one of the easier repairs on an E46. It's simple and it will prepare you for the harder endeavors of your BMW ownership.
There's this guy I see around town every so often with a built E46 330xi. Definitely something to consider if you can find a good one.
Jackson Sanchez
>AWD BMW That's like buying a FWD Audi, fucking kill yourself.
Matthew Lopez
They're 68/32 rear wheel bias though. Also AWD helps out a lot in the north where we can get snowfall of 1foot< overnight sometimes.
Mason Ross
If you're gonna get a awd bmw the 330 the only na choice
Nathaniel Ramirez
Im with this guy If i had kids and im 50 and want a lux barge this is what id get
Hunter Adams
My first 'good' car I burried, out of respect for all we did together, changed my life and cemented my taste for the rest of it. You can always get another car, but you can never get another first love. Buy it immediatly!, run it until it's far into beater category. Don't forget to wax.
Mine was about that, got it for $50 used and it was in with an afternoon of youtube and a pal with an insanely expensive tool I didn't have yet. (#Not all moneypits are german)
Luis Morales
>I've always wanted a E46 BMW, since I was a little kid how was this even possible? if it wasn't some super unique/sentimental 'my uncle who passed away had one' type thing, i'm genuinely curious how this was a car you wanted
Well of course there's the E46 M3 from NFS most wanted. I can't afford an M3, but a normal 3 series will be plenty of fun for me.
If anyone has suggestions for cars I should get instead my Craigslist is inlandempire
Isaiah Brown
Then get the next best thing, an e46 330i ZHP.
Ethan Campbell
>be prepared to spend up to $10k at any time to keep it running.
What the fuck no, unless you plan on taking it to dealership and ask for a whole new engine sent from deutschland + labor
Once the cooling system is sorted, as long as do your basic maintenance as you're supposed to, its glorious m52/m54 will be eternal (until plastic shit cooling pipes get brittle again).
parts are no more expensive, if not cheaper than any other yurop car. only other thing that will stop it running is CCV system, but you live in california so that will never freeze over.
Thomas Young
bought an e92 with 149k miles, changed all the gaskets, tuned it, and no problems. shits reliable people just hate breaking bank over servicing these cars. Will last forever is you don't hoon like you're a teenager.
Michael Wright
If you can work on cars and have at least a couple thousand saved up for stuff you can't do, by all means go for it, if not you are making a bad decision..and get a 3k civic meme
