BMW E46 Subframe issues

Post Sun Mar 22, 2009 11:21 am

This looks very dramatic if you ask me, I found this information on a Norwegian car forum and here is the video of it...

Video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 8066992482

Post Sun Mar 22, 2009 11:27 am

Ah, E46 323i and 328i wrongness. The days of the E32/E34 are long gone when BMW would build a car to the highest standard and simply add a profit margin on top.

Post Sun Mar 22, 2009 11:47 am

Yeah luckily I have one where they had already started putting the ticker metal in the rear, I do give it a good inspection when ever it comes to service time to be sure though!

Post Sun Mar 22, 2009 1:55 pm

JazzMan wrote:Yeah luckily I have one where they had already started putting the ticker metal in the rear, I do give it a good inspection when ever it comes to service time to be sure though!

what year would that be out of interest?

Post Sun Mar 22, 2009 9:48 pm

Circa 98 to 01 or 02

Post Sun Mar 22, 2009 9:51 pm

nickso wrote:
JazzMan wrote:Yeah luckily I have one where they had already started putting the ticker metal in the rear, I do give it a good inspection when ever it comes to service time to be sure though!
what year would that be out of interest?

IIRC it was around the time the M54 was introduced.

Post Sun Mar 22, 2009 11:54 pm

JazzMan wrote:
nickso wrote:
JazzMan wrote:Yeah luckily I have one where they had already started putting the ticker metal in the rear, I do give it a good inspection when ever it comes to service time to be sure though!
what year would that be out of interest?
IIRC it was around the time the M54 was introduced.

lol sorry to be a pain but what year is that, i know fuck all after the e36 really.

01/02 as moxed says?

Post Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:22 am

I did a bit of looking around looks like it was sorted as of Feb 2000

Post Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:17 am

JazzMan wrote:I did a bit of looking around looks like it was sorted as of Feb 2000

Without checking I believe you're bang on. I tried to allow for later registered but early built cars. Hope that makes sense.

Post Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:39 pm

so feb 01 to feb02 is the car you want to avoid athe back end falling off and also to avoid the later tax issues. will have to remember that if i ever get an e46.

Post Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:51 pm

nickso wrote:so feb 01 to feb02 is the car you want to avoid athe back end falling off and also to avoid the later tax issues. will have to remember that if i ever get an e46.

I've got a 02 plate, tax is £210 this year on a 320Ci

Post Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:06 pm

JazzMan wrote:
nickso wrote:so feb 01 to feb02 is the car you want to avoid athe back end falling off and also to avoid the later tax issues. will have to remember that if i ever get an e46.
I've got a 02 plate, tax is £210 this year on a 320Ci

oops, i wasnt thinking when i wrote that. the car needs to be pre march 01 to beat the taxman. so what i meant was feb00 to feb01.

Post Mon Mar 23, 2009 10:13 pm

A friend of mine had a 99 V reg 328Ci which had this problem as cracked the subframe mount on the nearside. It cost him the best part of a grand to be welded up!

This problem isn't exclusive to the 6 cylinder models either!

This is a W reg 2000 model 4dr 318i which came into my work for a noise from the rear,

this is what i found!

Post Mon Mar 23, 2009 10:16 pm

bss325i wrote:A friend of mine had a 99 V reg 328Ci which had this problem as cracked the subframe mount on the nearside. It cost him the best part of a grand to be welded up!

This problem isn't exclusive to the 6 cylinder models either!

This is a W reg 2000 model 4dr 318i which came into my work for a noise from the rear,

this is what i found!

F*CK ME!!!!!! did the customer pay for a repair???

Post Mon Mar 23, 2009 10:17 pm

No trev, they were told to scrap it!

Post Mon Mar 23, 2009 10:20 pm

yipes

Post Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:19 am

BMW are 100% aware of this issue and will fix it if you put a bit of pressure on it. My '99 323Ci had this and I took it in, they called saying they've found out and will get it sorted within 4 weeks. I didn't even need to push them.

Take a look here: http://www.e46zone.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=103

And you can see here there are hundreds with the issue, this helps when you argue with BMW!

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread ... 02&page=60

Post Tue Mar 24, 2009 11:52 am

Interestingly, this is rather similar to the issue that affects the Z3...

Post Tue Mar 24, 2009 1:10 pm

E12 M535s were similarly afflicted !

Post Tue Mar 24, 2009 2:40 pm

I have always heard of people talking about this issue, but christ it is worse than I thought! Barry, are you sure thats not a c5 or something!

Post Tue Mar 24, 2009 7:26 pm

Pilsbury wrote:Interestingly, this is rather similar to the issue that affects the Z3...

The vary same. Earlier z3's, same era.

Post Tue Mar 24, 2009 9:27 pm

Do E36 Compacts suffer from it too, as they are mechanically very similar to the Z3?

Post Tue Mar 24, 2009 10:00 pm

i thought the z3 issue was more to do with the diff 'ear' mount tearing away from the boot floor, rather than the subrfame mounts themselves.

there have been some high power e30s that have suffered the same, and no doubt given enough power compacts would suffer too. most only have small engines so it's not likely to show up as often.

Post Tue Mar 24, 2009 11:01 pm

The Z3 suffers from subframe and diff problems. I heard of it happening on everything from 1.8's up.
I know there were 6 pot Compacts in LHD.