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I've been considering an E46 recently and this is a great "intro to E46" page: http://www.bimmerfest.com/wiki/index.php?title=BMW_E46 bolind posted:Forgive me for not plowing through all 180+ pages of this thread, but anyone has a good link to a resource for what to check when looking at a 2003 (2004 MY) E46 325i Touring? In particular with regards to rust. It has 113.000 km on the clock.
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Jan 18, 2011 15:54
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Chinatown posted:Hi, long time AI lurker here. Im not a gearhead by any means but I sure enjoy this forum. I am also considering getting a ZHP, or rather spend lots of time looking at them and trying to talk myself out of seriously trying to buy one. I don't have any first hand knowledge but there is a ton of information available:
In my own worthless opinion I would much rather have a low milage ZHP than an M3, unless I had lots more money and a mechanic to keep the M3 perfect for me. You can get a very nice low mile ZHP for 20k, and a very good but higher milage one for 15k. They are out there in manual, but you may have to be patient in finding the right one and/or look more long distance.
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Feb 17, 2011 22:55
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You can get a very nice ZHP for 18k. I just got one. They are awesome.
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Dec 19, 2011 16:25
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I agree 18k would have to be a very very very nice one. I got one for a little over 16 with 55k and in great shape. I don't know where all of the really cheap E46s are. I was scouring for zhps a while, and felt that while they are definitely a premium, they aren't crazy expensive. People keep saying you can get a perfect m3 for 20k, zhps for 13 and sport e46s for barely over 10. I don't know where this stuff exists, I certainly didn't see much in the mid atlantic area over the last few months. I'm happy with the amount of "car" I got for the money.
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Dec 19, 2011 19:24
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This place has seals and good writeups on the whole process: http://www.beisansystems.com/ Dr Vanos sells complete rebuilt vanos units that you swap in and send them yours back for a core. It's a lot more expensive but you aren't replacing the seals yourself. The beisan way is cheap but you will spend a couple hours with the seals, you need some special tools also. I need to do them on my car... I will probably just do a dr vanos. I will only have to do it the one time, plus I don't have a vise or anything. Infinotize fucked around with this message at 16:35 on Jan 6, 2012 |
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Jan 6, 2012 16:30
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Style 135 are also E46 ZHP wheels. Didn't know they came on any other car. Here is some more info on sizing/offset, if that helps... http://www.k-lach.net/style/style_135.htm You could compare that with whatever is stock on the E60 550 I guess?
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Jan 25, 2012 16:09
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For the first car when you say cooling system, VCG, etc do you mean that's already been done or it needs it? They both have similar milage... while 2 years newer is significant in my opinion I'd go for one that has better history and had some proactive maintenance done for you. At that milage VCG, cooling, and probably suspension work soon are the big ones that will be nice to have already taken care of.
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Jan 26, 2012 15:34
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I just started VCG/VANOS job on my E46. Man what a pain in the rear end. It should be a very easy job. My VCG happened to be the consitency of the plastic valve cover. It practially shattered when I removed it. Took a chunk out of my valve cover too. I was scraping bits of hard plastic off the head with a putty knife, and had to get a new valve cover. My car was an 04 with 58k. Hopefully when I put humpty dumpty back together I didn't miss a piece of plastic in the head somewhere. YMMV...
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Feb 22, 2012 19:13
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I know on the E46 it gives you a miles to service indication and it's based on fuel consumption, that is the interval is X liters of fuel and it converts that to miles based on mpg. No idea if E36 is the same.
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Mar 22, 2012 14:33
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It could be worse on the VCG job... I had to replace my valve cover when I did mine 
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Apr 6, 2012 15:30
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Voltage posted:My '01 e46 330ci is throwing a CEL - Do yourself a favor and get a spare F connector - the plastic bracket connecting those 2 small hoses to the lower intake boot in your first pic. The connector is cheap, and when I had the same problem I broke the little bastard and had to make an extra trip to a dealer for the part. Those hoses were practically fused on and the small extensions of the F are very brittle, so be real careful if you don't have an extra one.
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Apr 26, 2012 21:19
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Uh Oh. I used ECS once a while back and just again yesterday. I never got any email like that, though.
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Jun 26, 2012 22:23
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DrVanos is a whole vanos you bolt on and comes with proper gasket and everything. I did that route since I didn't have a vice and all that and was feeling a bit lazy. If you go that route the process is quite simple and just unbolting down to the valve cover and vanos and there are no real trouble spots if you take your time. It can be a bit messy as a bunch of oil spills from the vanos. And if you're like me the VCG has become solid and brittle and has fused to your plastic valve cover which will then fracture and waste 3 days of your time (on a car with <60k). Someone probably already said to but I will say anyway you should do plugs and VCG while you do vanos job if they haven't been done in a while.
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Jul 10, 2012 23:01
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From a couple pages back:an oddly awful oud posted:Wow, I was just cleaning my 2003 E46 and I noticed the bixenon headlights are manufactured by AL... I had always been told that all E46s from the 2002 facelift onwards had crappy ZKW xenons and their easily-scorched plastic reflector bowls. This is a pleasant surprise. I take it, then, that the ZKWs are only on the 2004 and later models? I think it depends on chassis. Coupes generally have ALs and sedans got ZKW. My 04 sedan has ZKW. A coupe I was looking at that was 04 or 05 had AL. So far so good with my ZKWs at 63k.
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Jul 18, 2012 15:14
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Yeah. I'm considering a move now where it would make sense to sell my zhp. It's just a machine and there's more of them and I've only had it 7 months but it's my [reasonably priced, daily driver] dream car!!!
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Jul 21, 2012 19:04
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Every time I see an E60 I think man it must be awesome to drive something with a V10, just because. Saw a VA-registered one leaving work a couple months ago with the plate "BCUZV10". Wish I had a camera. Congrats!
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Jul 27, 2012 15:44
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Yup, totally scraped mine a couple times, luckily not too badly, but it is the first point of contact instead of the tire 
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Aug 5, 2012 17:24
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Doh. Time to replace the control arms, bushings, and tierods this weekend on my E46. On a scale of Easy to Swearing-and-hitting-things-with-a-hammer, how bad is this job? I think I have a 3 jaw puller somewhere...
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Aug 23, 2012 19:01
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Realjones posted:Depends entirely on where your car has been driven. CA car? chip shot. Rain, snow, heavy winters? Make sure you have plenty of cutting tools around. televiper posted:I haven't done tie-rods, but the control arms and bushings are pretty easy if you have a ball-joint separator and know to use a jack to apply pressure to the underside of the balls to keep them from spinning while you remove/replace the nuts. Job in progress. Moderate swear level. 1st and hopefully last trip made to hardware store for bigger-rear end hammer as big-rear end hammer was not big enough. More as it develops.
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Aug 27, 2012 20:43
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When I took out my CDV I didn't bleed anything, and it all worked out OK.
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Dec 20, 2012 18:42
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When is the goon recommended interval for cooling system replacement? I have an 04 zhp with 71k. I used to think I would do it at 75k but now I'm closer to 90 or 100k (partly because I moved to nyc and I can no longer do all my own maintenance so it will be way more expensive). That and the roads here are so bad it's making me want to overhaul the suspension first, which hasn't been touched, outside of control arm stuff which predictably had already broken around 60k.
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Jul 6, 2013 01:43
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Definitely; maintenance schedules are designed to minimize cost of "free maintenance" programs and under the assumption that most people sell off their "old" cars before 100k and that neglect probably won't do anything bad before then.
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Jul 7, 2013 16:42
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Infinotize posted:When is the goon recommended interval for cooling system replacement? I have an 04 zhp with 71k. I used to think I would do it at 75k but now I'm closer to 90 or 100k (partly because I moved to nyc and I can no longer do all my own maintenance so it will be way more expensive). That and the roads here are so bad it's making me want to overhaul the suspension first, which hasn't been touched, outside of control arm stuff which predictably had already broken around 60k. Shameless repost.
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Jul 7, 2013 16:43
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Thanks for the replies, I guess I will get on the cooling system pronto. Also my oil light was coming on frequently and eventually was stuck on while driving, I popped the hood and noticed some oily residue near the VANOS and front passenger corner of the valve cover. This is annoying, since I did the VCG/VANOS and everything related about 10k ago. Seems like it's the vanos oil line, which is not replaced along with the other stuff.
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Jul 11, 2013 20:29
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ZHP postin' time
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Aug 30, 2013 11:46
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SeņorMisterioso posted:2005 330Ci ZHP ... 2004 325Ci Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm which one
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Mar 28, 2014 00:38
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Which series should I purchase if I want to maximize both Speed AND Class?
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Apr 15, 2014 23:27
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If I'm at 78k/10 years on an E46 should I replace suspension of cooling system first? I have already done suspension like CAs, CABs, TRs. I mean more shocks+struts and some other bushings (I am pretty sure they are done by now it has been a very rough 78k on lots of bad roads and my car rides like crap). I don't drive a lot anymore (public transport commuting) and it would probably take me 3-4 years to hit 100k. The OCD answer is "both" but money is an object and I live in an apartment and have no work space, I used to do all work myself but it is too much hassle living here now so I will just suck it up and have a shop install parts I buy, so money is a concern and I'm not gonna do both right away unless they both catastropically fail at the same time. Infinotize fucked around with this message at 19:21 on Jun 7, 2014 |
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Jun 7, 2014 19:16
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Ultimate Mango posted:What kind of service life should we expect out of replacement cooling systems? I get the idea of the all aluminum radiator, and aren't there redesigned pumps as well? Go people also move to electric fans when they do this? I replaced mine at 10 years and 80k; there were no signs of failure about to happen (cracking plastic, weeping water pump, etc). The GDCS is something that should be done at some point but I really think a lot of people go overly insane over it. I would do it at ~10 year max/75k-100k and expect the same after a replacement. Obviously stuff like the belts will be replaced more frequently. IMO radiator is a "when-it-fails" replacement, or maybe something like 150k/20 years. Of course there there is some story of some guy who blew his motor because the cooling system went at 30k and 3 years.. you can probably find examples of every part failing prematurely in some cases.
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Sep 14, 2014 17:15
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Higher RPM with slip is easier although I've found low RPM to be fine but you have to get it just right or it will start to lurch. I have done the CDV delete and have an extended clutch-stop-nubbin-thing that makes it much more comfortable for me.
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Dec 19, 2014 03:26
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mafoose posted:How does the nub make it better, and does anyone other than UUC make it? On my e39, nothing has made the clutch feel better than replacing the (blown) motor mounts with 750il/m5 ones. It is so much less jerky, from a stop I'm under 1k RPM with no issues. Car is still super cush with the 500rpm idle. I did the nub the home depot way, there was a DIY on e46fanatics or the zhp forum on how to do it. If I remember right it's just a plastic round thing with a threaded end - think a big plastic button (~2" diameter) with a bolt about 1-2" long on one side. It threads right into where the stock one is (or there is just a perfect hole there). I forget what/where the plastic thing is for but it's some random household gizmo stocked in hardware stores. Then you stick a big furniture slidey pad on it. Costs like $1, mine has been on a few years. It just reduces the distance you have to push the pedal. The pedal is effectively 100% pushed before it hits the stop, so there is an extra couple inches of travel that are pointless, and for me kinda messed up in my head my idea of when the clutch should be letting out based on my foot pressure. The longer nub removes that slack. Made a noticable difference for me. I also hate long leg travel distance, I'm not short but whenever I get in someone else's car it feels like they have to fully extend their legs to hit the pedals, I am weird and like to sit close and not extend my legs much. Pre edit: There I found it it's actually like a few dollars maybe http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=206363
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Dec 19, 2014 04:24
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I have Koni FSDs on stock springs. I needed a refresh and they are good and cheap, a little improvement over OEM (huge improvement over 80k old OEM). Still daily driver comfy, and lowered the car maybe .5".
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Jan 3, 2015 20:05
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Add on the poor tax 'cause it's still a 3er
Infinotize fucked around with this message at 01:33 on Jan 6, 2015 |
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Jan 6, 2015 01:30
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One more superior German servo motor probably buried under brittle plastics to break in ten years.
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Jan 6, 2015 03:49
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It seems like newer 5's are actually really nice since they aren't supposed to be that sporty and raw anyway. Car nerds seem to not like the F30 very much, how about the M3?
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Aug 6, 2015 16:34
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11 year old E46 sedan window regular replacement count: 1 
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Aug 18, 2015 20:48
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Any don't-forget maintenance stuff on a 90-100k E46? Already done GDCS, basically entire suspension less springs, and vanos. Diff oil is about 30k old, going to do that (mtx oil not that old). Brake fluid is like 3 years old I guess I'll do that. Plugs and fuel filter are ~40k, going to wait another 10k. Never had to touch any of the CCV/oil separator crap yet. I don't want to do an Inspection 2 since it seems like a lot of bullshit.
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Oct 12, 2015 14:50
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GD oil pan gasket
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Oct 31, 2015 15:36
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Funzo posted:Yours too? Just when I thought I was done all of my ocd preventative maintenance, found that one doing an oil change [from last page; oil pan gasket]. This wound is beyond my nyc-apartment-dweller skills to heal; at least my cool indy shop is going to do my fubar'd motor mounts for free at the same time 
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Nov 2, 2015 15:17
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Guinness posted:Welp, just about a year later and still no resolution to this yet. What a clusterfuck.  Yyyup, when I got the first one I figured well obviously the other airbag has the same problem, how long will it take? I'll just get them both done at the same time 
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Apr 27, 2016 13:58
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