i ve gone to the dark side ive brought an e46 m3 few pics

[dano0]

but at least its an m3

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1674732.htm

don't worry i didn't pay the asking price really nice car and im well chuffed

opinions welcome

its got full bmw history mostly from vines and in my eyes was a really genuine car needs the odd bit doing but i like that it gives me something to do

ill still have the e30 but now it means i can keep it garaged throughout the winter months

any thoughts or ideas

plans are to just get it back to pristine condition and may be replace the rear boot lid with a genuine csl boot lid

[E30BeemerLad]

Lovely looking car and spec

[fingerman]

Wow that is gorgeous and nice colour

[oomz1975]

Thats quite a nice e46, love the interior.

[Blitz]

This a pretty special car. CS has a faster rack, CSL wheels, bigger font brakes and a better TC system. I think its the best E46 M3. Good its a manual and has a glass sunroof.

[Simon13]

Has Jim still got his? Say hello!

[Alex]

Lovely dan, i assumed you were getting an m3 e30

[dano0]

Has Jim still got his? Say hello!

yea but hes selling it soon ill be sure to say hi i think hes getting soft and getting a range rover sport or 535diesel

alex

i need something a bit newer and i cant get over lhd
1 e30 is enough at the moment

cheers for all the nice comments ill post some pics when i get it home next week

[Splondike]

Very nice that mate, your a lucky chap I really like the CS, one of my favourite of the modern BMWs that...

[harry_p]

lovely looking car

[bss325i]

CSL wheels

Not strictly true. The CSL wheels are made of a magnesium alloy where as the CS ones are made of an Aluminium alloy.

dann0, very very nice spec E46 M3 you have there! A good E46 M3 is a joy to drive and in some respects, better than an E9x M3.

Enjoy!

[AlpineAde]

Congratulations! What a lovely looking example. Fantastic spec, too.

[EVIR]

CSL wheels

Not strictly true. The CSL wheels are made of a magnesium alloy where as the CS ones are made of an Aluminium alloy.

dann0, very very nice spec E46 M3 you have there! A good E46 M3 is a joy to drive and in some respects, better than an E9x M3.

Enjoy!

I thought that was a legend (magnesium) , the cs and csl rears are the same part no although the fronts are different; 8 and 8.5 inch?
the last time I smashed a csl alloy it looked like any other alloy, that and they don't stay round long on British roads, so they aren't very tough at all. originally the rears were different part no's but became the same after the rim design was improved. If I remember correctly.

[Bakedbean100]

That is very nice, abit jealous. I want an e46 m3 before they reach pikey prices like the E36 did! or i could do what ive done with E30's and wait for them to become cool again :p

[MrBenn]

Very nice mate! Been looking at one of these myself, exactly the spec I'm after

[dano0]

cheers guys for all the kind comments

i picked her up today and what a beast i will get some photos up after a good valet

[bmwsport]

Last wednesday an E46 Alpina B3 3.3 (2002 & 100k iirc) went through our local car auction. It was an absolute minter but there was a small suspicious wet patch under the engine where it was parked which turned out to be coolant. Thankfully it was parked inside on tiles in the '5 star' area so this could be picked up easily and didn't get soaked up/disguised amoungst other crap on the floor as it would have done if parked up outside.

It could have been nothing but it was not worth the risk at £6800 + 7.5% fees - £7310. Everything else was mint though! The thing is with these auctions you carn't test drive them, look under the bonnet or even sit in them You only get to see what problems you've bought when you drive off and the car is yours

[dano0]

brought it friday and i am well chuffed
i paid £15000 in the end as the front end needs painting as its full of stone chips and needs a disk for the sat nav
i got it back to my work shop and set about giving it a full check over all i could find was some very slight play in the n/s/f lower arm so ive ordered a pair of genuine lembforder arms and some genuine bmw rear bushes as well as a full service kit oil/air/plugs/and pollon and fuel filters
this car did come with full bmw history but for my peice of mind ill do the lot but ill leave the service light displaying 8k till next sevice

few Qs there are 2 types of 10/60 there is edge and edge sport whats the difference?
and where the best place to get a sat nav disk
also the car came with bridgestone potensas are they any good on a m3

cheers danny

[Baz666]

Like on said on the phone dude very nice, good colour interior is very nice tooo

[pony]

but at least its an m3

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1674732.htm

don't worry i didn't pay the asking price really nice car and im well chuffed

opinions welcome

its got full bmw history mostly from vines and in my eyes was a really genuine car needs the odd bit doing but i like that it gives me something to do

ill still have the e30 but now it means i can keep it garaged throughout the winter months

any thoughts or ideas

plans are to just get it back to pristine condition and may be replace the rear boot lid with a genuine csl boot lid

Hello.

Firstly congratulations.
I am a MASSIVE fan of the BMW E46 M3 CS and the CSL.
That is a great colour combination and great you have a manual gearbox.
The mileage is a little high but if well maintained shouldnt be a problem.
Get the oil changed every 6 months and between Official BMW services which is high recommended as engine is highly stressed. This award-winning engine requires a SPECIAL OIL. Castrol TWS.
That is the best engine in the world in there

That car has been on sale for a while.
When did you get it?

The BMW E46 M3 CS has over the regular BMW E46 M3 Coupe:

CSL brakes (I think front and rear??)
CSL steering wheel VERY NICE
CSL handbrake
Exclusive Interlagos Blue metallic paintwork as option
Exclusive Shadowline trim or some special trim i forget its name for the interior????
CSL style wheels though as rightly pointed out they are NOT lightweight wheels.
CSL steering rack
M-Dynamic mode.....the threshhold for Dynamic Stability Control is RAISED I believe over standard to allow the car to slide a little more.
Engine is EXACTLY as STANDARD
Suspension I believe this is standard though I am unsure because on MTorque someone who owned one said it was modifed and might be slightly stiffer????

The CS model is DEFIENTELY the BEST of the BMW E46 M3 Coupe range for a ROAD CAR. The CS package previously know in USA as Competition Package help give the car a bit more poise over the regular model. The CS was designed as a run-out last hurrah of this multiple award winning engine. It won International Engine of the Year from 2001 - 2006 even beating the likes of Porsche and Ferrari.

You might want to get it waxoyled and get all the arches clean out to avoid the dreaded rust. Watch out for rear axle subframes possibly failing.

I wouldnt bother with a CSL lookeylikey spoiler and I would keep it standard. As a CSL and CS are still worlds apart.

Btw which BMW E30 do you have?

[pony]

PS alot of these cars came with Michelin Pilot Sports 1s and 2s.
The CSL came with Michelin Pilot Sport Cups as an option though you had to sign a disclaimer.
Speedlimiter on CSL only removed if you held a valid acceptable race license then BMW would remove it.

[dano0]

bazz dont think igot your second text no worries catch up soon

pony my other car is a lachs silver tech 1 sport

i have all ready replaced all the filters and engine oil with castrol edge not the sport stuff though

all arches throughly cleaned

i picked it up last week i only paid 15k in the end due to the front end needing painting and the sat nav disk not working

also i have replaced both front lower arms and rear bushes as the near side had some slight play

i have had a good look for subframe cracks but cant find any

im afraid i will be replacing the boot lid for a genuine csl item as i think its the only thing missing from this car the rest is perfect
i also want to fit some folding mirrors and if i can ever find one an electric rear blind just to complete the options list

i can honestly say to any one thinking of buying one do it you wont be disappointed

big but though ..............................its defiantly no e30
still dont get the same grin as when i drive that

cheers for all the kind comments danny

[pony]

nice one mate. I got a Tech1 Sport to in silver.
Yes enjoy the car you got a great car there .

[dano0]

nice one mate. I got a Tech1 Sport to in silver.
Yes enjoy the car you got a great car there .

cheers pony

tech 1s are the best in any colour

[Farbbm]

That's a great looking car Dano0, love the colour.
A good while ago I was lucky enough to buy a brand new E46 M3 and had it painted in Techno violet, I loved driving it, then what happens I meet a girl who lives miles away and out goes the M3 as I couldn't run both. The story does have a happy ending though as just after we married I was able to go out and buy a tech1 sport although it's no where near the condition of yours Dano0.

[ben9040]

loads of good info on

forums.m3cutters.com

if you are looking for advice

[dano0]

FARBBM cheers mate im very proud of the tech 1 be glad once the m3,s up to that standard too

BEN9040 thanks i joined up there last week very good website and also very helpful

cheers danny

ill try and get some photos up soon just been raining constant down here

[dano0]

well finally managed to get the car cleaned and i took these photos







thanks for looking danny

[spook]

Lovely car mate

[dano0]

just thought i would update this thread with a few new pics since ownership i have fitted a genuine csl boot lid smoked indicators and side repeaters and and have recently fitted a electric rear blind













not sure on the wheels probably going to go back to the csl rims
what do you guys think

thanks for looking dan

[harry_p]

like the car, don't think the wheels work. it might pull them off if it was absurdly low, but at a useable rideheight i think csls look better tbh.

[bss325i]

Spot on in every way apart from the wheels. CSL wheels are perfection for the E46 M3.

[Blitz]

Smoked indicators

I agree CSL wheels look much better.

[Morat]

Back to spec and keep polishing, that's a keeper!