High mileage E46's

[TouringTash]

Time appears to speed up when passing through my body and I'm thinking a more comfy touring is in order.
Now as I'm about to put another couple of grand into the E30 so I'll be looking at upto 3K for a daily runner.
Would it be worth having a punt on an E46 coming up to the 200K mark with FSH or would my hard earned cash provide a more reliable chariot in getting an E36 and spending a few £££ replacing bushes, shocks, springs etc.
Or what other car with dog/spare parts space would you recommend.
A Saab?

And before you suggest a plastic pig I do realise they are perfect with my version of style but alas no dog space.

[zaust]

There is going to be nought wrong with a high miler 325/328/330 e46 touring if it has been maintained correctly. The high milers are normally motor way joggers and I'd rather have one of thoes any day over a shopping trolly that never gets warm or used propley.

[Brian28]

Mine (E46 touring) is pretty high miles, 318i about 150k, only one other owner with history and all seems good. My 5 year old gets travel sick so needed one with leather seats for obvious reasons. My brother has the same type of car but mine is not as comfortable for long motorway trips (3 hrs +) as his is with cloth seats. Not sure if its just subjective, but seems like they make the leather ones harder to stop sagging or something. Overall pretty comfortable car with all of the toys. Can tootle on when you need to, we left Bournemouth at 4.30am on a Sunday morning to pick up his last race car in Lancaster before there was too much traffic, we were there in a tad over three hours. Only thing is its a heavy car so will drink juice when going quickly, but normal driving is fine. Everything (bushes etc) is still original on a 2002 car, so seems solid enough built. Have had engines gearboxes etc in the back so not too bad for load space, but not fantastic either. A 5 series would probably be a better bet if you are carrying big stuff around regularly.

[capri_rob]

I really liked my E36 Touring - under 100k on the clock and it drove like new.

There's a lot of sh1tters out there but if you pay a bit more there are some decent ones to be had.

£2k is pretty much top money for an E36 but that should bag you a very good lowish miles /low owner car- I'd rather have that than a medium-high mile E46 for £3k.

[TouringTash]

Thats what I have been musing over, all those sensors surrounded by fancy bits of plastic on the newer BMWs cost silly amounts. Know of a nice E36 328 but its green, only green car I had was a vauxhall shove-it. Then again that was a great car
Well never broke done in 25K miles in 4 months of thrashing it round the M25 ladders, steps and a boot full of tools. Cream tartan check interior kept my feet firmly on the ground.

[Alex]

My Dad bought a 323ci in 1999 his mother in law now owns it, it has 250k on the clock with FSH and still goes well and sounds lovely

[TouringTash]

Now thats a brave dad you have there fella.

[Brian28]

I was watching this one on ebay for curiosity, looks a very decent car for the money and for once reachable distance rather than somewhere like north wales or scotland which is what usually happens when I spot something I'd like


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

[TouringTash]

I nearly shed a tear at the price that went for. Then saw the A pillar and that cheered me up. Not the dent only but the screen isn't sitting right and is the rack a bit squ-wiff ?

[TouringTash]

I've never let distance put me off a car.

You watch a cheap good touring will come up on the Isle of Mann now
At least I'll be able to give it a good test drive

[B7]

You need to be talking to the surrey one. Barry is running a +200k 328i coupe e46 at he moment.

Oh Hang on! He not about much now is he?

[TouringTash]

Hopefully a break of his own choice will do the power of good. A totally different scenario from me but a little break does help.

Thinking more about an E36 as I'll still be able to play without the aid of a laptop.

[sheebie]

My daily e46 318 with part service history and has had 6 previous owner and has done 155k i dont get any problems with it so far... I have done 6 k in it and it still drives really well.

[Royalratch]

I have and have both.

At 3K, you'll struggle to get a nice E46, deffo not a facelift. Stay away from the Diesels unless you can confirm their intake manifolds have been updated as they have flaps that can fall into the cylinders.

E46's are great but you need to start at £4.5+ to get a proper one. They munch bushes and you won't realize how much until you fit new ones.

At 3K I'd be going with a nice lo-miles 323i E36 Sport Touring and then as you say sort all it's bushes and any niggles for an awesome car with a bit of E30ness to it.

The E46 is nothing like the E30.

[TouringTash]

Cheers for the advice fellas, as usual when browsing at cars I've discovered a liking for something off the beaten track and this time its a Hyundai coupe as I cannot spend any more than 3K and to be honest 2.5 would make another monkey free for the E30. For the money and what you get it seems a good package and as I'll have a 2.7 in the touring I won't need two cars that drink silly amounts of go go juice.
I know its a cheapsters 'sports' car with FWD (For Women Drivers) and no soul but there are a lot worse cars available.

[mc_hawkings24]

hyundai coupe? you sure your not smoking the crack?? but to be fair we've never had a coupe in for a service or any work for that matter. Still if i was spending 3k i wouldnt be looking at hyundai there just a step up from kia.

How about an e36 touring 328i very cheap? or even a 328i coupe? you could buy an s14a for 3k or a skyline gts, lexus ls400 v8 with all the toys good condition 1k??

[TouringTash]

True I can bag a good e36 328 touring for 1500, but I'm thinking of the cost of the fuel.
true about the 200sx but I want a newer car as a daily and older jap cars have horrid interiors imo.
Then again I chose a golf over a civic because of the interior, and that decision cost me a few grand.
One of the plus points with the hyundai is with the rear seats down the back is dog friendly due to the rear hatch. And with the state my dog gets into not being able to put him in the back would wreck the rear seats on a 3 series coupe or moredoor in no time. Still I've got another 4 days till I finally have the cash available and know of a 2.7v6 will only 70K with full main dealer history that I can get for 2200 on a 53 plate. Which although its a 2.7 and not the 2L version, the price is very tempting.

[mc_hawkings24]

True about jap interiors there more suited to a taxi than anything else. But hey the hyundais still a 2.7 and still juicy and fwd and well i had a 16v e30 and the e36 320i i have now fuels better and the m52 2.8 from what ive read is better on fuel.

if fueling is a draw back i'd go for a passat 130 tdi estate on a 53 plate. 3k can get you a decent mileage well specced one with performance that'll tear a gti and probably a 328i to bits. Chipped your looking at 160-170hp and over 300lbs of torque

[TouringTash]

Had so much aggro from a brand new golf PD150 that I vowed never to buy any vag car, and thus give money through parts to them ever again.
I have been sort of swayed with the 2.7 only as its a good 500-700 below price, but should find a 2L one. Thing is I have been without a car for three weeks and living in the sticks means I'm getting a little cabin fever creeping in.
As for the size of car its only me and big nose in my avatar and don't see the point of lugging round more metal than I need.
I'm starting to think my brain isn't functioning correctly (wouldn't be the first or last time) and the odd slap or two may help.

[bigwinn]

Had so much aggro from a brand new golf PD150 that I vowed never to buy any vag car, and thus give money through parts to them ever again.
I have been sort of swayed with the 2.7 only as its a good 500-700 below price, but should find a 2L one. Thing is I have been without a car for three weeks and living in the sticks means I'm getting a little cabin fever creeping in.
As for the size of car its only me and big nose in my avatar and don't see the point of lugging round more metal than I need.
I'm starting to think my brain isn't functioning correctly (wouldn't be the first or last time) and the odd slap or two may help.

+1 on the VAG gig

and yet I find myself going back to the dark side sometimes, to prevent this I always think of the sh1t dealers, build quality and general greyness of the current golf

[TouringTash]

so when are ya gonna hand out a bit of medicinal violence stu?
I'll pm you the shamefull motor in question

[bigwinn]

your head is fine- your logic is bang on fella

its the rest of em thats out of line

[mc_hawkings24]

Sorry i thought you needed a big car so was suggesting estates and your user name isnt giving the game away nor are your sig cars my bad anyway. Tbh on the vw ive never had a bad tdi come in, its just petrol 1.8t's are the worry with clutches turbo's and smashed boxes.

How about a mondeo hatchback? you may laugh but you can get some good power out of the td with a bluefin chip and mundano's are cheap. vectra? bit bland?

how about going crazy and buying a hilux 4x4 or there abouts

[TouringTash]

oh god now I'm getting leftfield fantasies bounding through my thinking sponge.
did look at a 3L xtype jag with lpg for 2.8K.

to be honest the estate thing for a daily is down to the state the dog gets into evertime I take him up the woods. Down every hole he can squeeze into an ends up a right state. even with covers over rear seats, carpets and one over the front seats backs don't do the trick. as lonlg as he is on a flat firm surface he is fine.
Should be sensible and get a focus or maybe a compact, but the Hyundai looks so much better for the money.

[Blitz]

I think Kos has got a 318i touring for sale.

[TouringTash]

Its gone to a new owner already. Good cars never hang around.

[Simon13]

i average 30 mpg in my 328i touring, it cost me £800 the engine is nikasil and very strong and is not heavy on oil with 164k on it. Mine is the tattyist e36 touring i've seen around though with some previous cat C write off action in the past.

its a bombproof sh!t box thats brilliant fast estate car, i've got leathers which are nearly mint, ice cold A/C and cruise (but thats broke). Also one iffy parking sensor but i've not got another yet. With my M50 inlet manifold, full alpina exhaust and M20 flywheel means it will out drag a 330i without too much drama

An e36 is still a very civilsed car but i've had to renew the clips that hold the front door cards on as the sweeks were driving me mad. I love mine and theres nothing to touch it for the money. DIY without major electrical dramas and the need to code everything to it. Cheapest bmw to run and possibly one of the most reliable cars on the roads even now.

i like mine even though its a turd to be fair

[spook]

30mpg from a 328i. thats interesting to know.

[TouringTash]

thanks for the input Si much apprecated from a guy who knows his onions Its put the E36 in the frame again.
so far my list looks like this
E36 touring
2.0 Hyundai coupe
1.8vvt celica
and for some strange reason a saab
my head says the 36 as a fair 46 will be out of my price range without diverting funds for the E30 and thats a no no.

E36 ftw and still have a monkey left over for bushes, suspension and a brake overhaul.
Sound like reason has returned for me?

[mc_hawkings24]

Si yours didnt look that much of a rot box when i saw it but then it was dark, how does it fair with the m50manifold. From what ive read it lowers mpg and your getting 30? a remap could probably up that however much that costs.

Tash the celica a mate has one on a 53plate but the 140hp version it looks nice but its overly slow go for the 180hp if you can find one, the interiors abit bland in leather form still looks the part though. As for saabs there just a vectra in disguise but what one would you go for?

[Simon13]

its not rotton anywhere just lots of big dents, scabby bits. The M50 inlet is all plus points to me.

I'm not sure how much a remap would cost or how much it would improve the drive. I'm sure it would improve it further

[Brian28]

You sorted yet Jason? This looks like it could be pretty good value if you're still toying with the idea of an E46 touring. And you get a private-ish plate as well

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2001-BMW-318I-SE- ... 255ff7b7c5

[TouringTash]

Cheers Brian, still on the hunt but waiting to hear about a E36 compact.
I'll keep an eye on this one though, strange plate.
Well it does all I need and would be ready for a few track days

[bpowell555]

Don't count an E46 out - this one with FBMWSH - "bar 1 stamp" - 328 moredoor facelift 150k up for £2,195

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... 374665373/

[TouringTash]

well I'm off to notts on tuesday or wednesday so it would be rude not to see this, and not on a slush box either
Being a poor E30 owner I take it the rear seats fold flat for the dog. Couldn't let him on leather he would eat it.