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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 เม.ย. 2024
- It was a dangerous decision to revisit my favorite modified E46 M3...
2006 M3 Competition Package mod list:
Engine:
ACL rod bearings
Karbonius CSL airbox, OE CSL ducting
HTE tuned (MAP) - dyno 330 whp @ 7900 rpm / 250 wtq @ 4100 rpm
Supersprint oversized headers, catted section 1, and resonated section 2
Dinan muffler
Brakes:
OE Porsche (Textar) pads
Porsche 996 brake kit
Suspension:
MCS 1WNR, 400F / 650R
Turner 30mm front sway bar
SDW monoball rear trailing arm RTAB
CMP subframe reinforcement
CMP solid subframe bushings
OE rear diff bushings
Eibach rear lower control arms
Wheel/tire:
APEX ARC-8 18x9.5
Michelin Pilot Sport 4S 265/275 stagger
Interior:
Recaro Pole Position on Brey Krause mount, utilizes OE power rail
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Email me if you'd like me to review your car: zygrene@gmail.com - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
Thanks for reviewing this again! The E46 really shines in its breadth of ability. Would love to see you in a S54 powered track toy!
Pro Tip: sport mode was purely a marketing ploy. You should never use it. I’ve never met anyone at a track day who prefers it. Sport mode takes away all of the nuance and control from the driver and turns the throttle pedal into an off switch.
@@_Chev_Chelios totally agree. It makes it much more difficult to modulate.
@@_Chev_Chelios I never use it either for that reason
hey let me buy your driver oem nappa seat??
@@_Chev_Cheliosi like the instant throttle response in sport
One of the best mods out there for the E46 M3 is the 4.10 final drive diff. Especially for a higher-mileage car, you get the bonus of a rebuilt LSD. It massively upgrades the torque feel and will kick you back into your seat every time you put your foot on the floor. Keeps you in the powerband much more frequently, especially on backroads, and allows you to get that 2nd redline in much easier (top of 2nd is like 60 mph). The only caveat is that highway speeds are higher RPM than most would prefer, and if you have an aftermarket exhaust with a drone, this could be difficult to deal with - stock exhaust isn't bad though
Agreed, makes the world of difference
I had one with the dinan 3.91. huge difference. Car was able to keep up with a dinan f80 on the straights at laguna.
Hell yes your next track car should be an e46 M3. A well-sorted e46 M3 is absolutely epic. I agree with the S2K comparison, the e46 M3 is a bit more stable due to that wheelbase but the S2K is more agile and (at least AP1 S2Ks) more raw and manic. The back seat in the M3 is also unique among cars this good - it’s quite comfortable back there for a couple of adults. So it makes an all-around great car.
Also arguably one of the best looking m cars
It and the E39 M5 (The Beast) are timeless classics..
I vote shifter kart for your next track vehicle 🚀
I have zero interest in non-production based track vehicles...
I think the nimbleness comes back with proper weight reduction - since you're contemplating turning one into a track car. I have an E46 M3 and S2000 literally in my garage right now. My M3 has about 400 lbs taken out of it (back seats, rear interior, wiring, door cards, battery, suspension, exhaust, wheels etc.) and feels just as nimble and tossable as my S2K does around backcountry roads and track. Sits at at around 2950 lbs.
My first drive in one of these, on my favourite twisty road was amazing. Loved the engine, shift and clutch, handling and body control. I was super impressed.
Then I drove a stock 997.1 on the same road and suddenly realized that the M3, as amazing as it was, was just a modified sedan.
TIL the e46 m3 is a sedan 🤣
@@liquidus1295 you’ve proven you can read. Next, maybe work on thinking?
@@user-qn6yt3zx3w too busy enjoying my sedan e46 m3
I think I've seen this observation from Savagegeese before. For BMW dedicated sportscars on individual chassis are the exception rather than the rule. To be fair though, at least in the market here, you're paying almost twice as much to get into the Porsche.
@@ftovr2957 nowadays, both are about the same price (used), but that’s because the 911 is prone to bore scoring (necessitating an expensive engine rebuild).
Just a thought, a Z4MC with similar mods might make for the more fun track car. Slightly more edgy with the shorter wheelbase and 200% stiffer chassis, it would probably be closer in feel to an S2K if built right.
And NO ONE on TH-cam has properly built one for canyon/track use like I know you could, it would make for great content.
Good point. For some reason Z4M is overlooked, wonder why that is
It’s 200 lbs lighter, has a dedicated sports car chassis instead of a souped up luxury sedan chassis, CSL steering rack and brakes, retains the 50/50 weight distribution of the M3 but with a shorter wheelbase and your ass sitting on the rear wheels like a Viper.
And I NEED to live vicariously through someone like you who can properly handle/build one before I can get mine 😂
great point.
@@big-Rthey’re ugly when compared to a Cayman or E46. Great platform though
The gauges kill it for me on the Z4MC (M3 Owner).
My interest peaked as soon as I heard you say MCS with those spring rates AND that 265/275 tire setup. The suspension and tire setup I’ve always wanted but never tried. On the old deleted M3 Forum, I remember someone having MCS with front springs in the 300’s and having excellent ride quality for a street car. MCS should be household name, but I feel always gets overlooked.
Damn. I wish I hadn’t see this. I forgot about this one. One of my halo cars from my beginning auto cross days. Got me searching the market place and I’m talking with a potential now. Now look what you did lol
These are my favorite BMW of all time. They have their flaws, but are still amazing in many ways. If I had more room I’d love one.
review allur boys car !! sick content
Beautiful ride, always loved the E46's. How would you compare it to a similar era 996 911 or your NSX?
I daily mine. Pretty compliant.
Have you driven a z4m coupe? It'd be interesting to see what you think. I have both. Love both. The m3 may be for sale if you're interested
Great video. Only thing is the tire sizing is very peculiar. Either go 265 or 275 square. If you're really bent on stagger 265/285 offers way more stability at the limit and overall. Fastest E46s on the ring are on that setup, with only 1 thats coming out soon on 265/295 but that's a unicorn.
The spec on that car is literally mine minus cams, rear strut cage to combat the top side paper mache and double Cobra Nogaro Circuits. It's bar none the best M3 made imo, distilled down to the S54 induction and great chassis once you sort it out.
Great vid
Goat car
Peak bmw 😎
As for brakes - Megane RS front caliper, stock rear caliper? Buildjournal has a great run down on the different options & changes in brake bias (per kit).
Why would the rear springs be firmer than the fronts in a front engined car, with supposedly 50/50 weight distribution? That sounds very aggressive for the road, with likely a bouncy rear, and also potentially too loose on the track also. I've read these cars are very traction limited anyway. How does it work?
your arms are massive what do you do for triceps ? I just do single arm extensions and db skull crushers
As the owner of two E46 M3s - this car is one of the best cars you can buy sub $40k. If you’re thinking of getting into one, I suggest doing it sooner rather than later - clean examples are becoming harder to come by and will continue to rise in value.
Based on your previous experience with these cars, what are your thoughts on the additional power/torque? I have almost the same mods and my goal now is to get it down to 3000-3100lbs. I think at that weight with the added hp, it would be an ideal canyon car.
The extra power is great. But less weight would be even better.
Fenton, is the E46 more fun on street and track than your Integra? I have a 981S for mainly track use, but I’m missing my M2C that I sold. The Cayman is surgical, but lacks character below 9/10ths. I’m looking at trying FWD (FK8/FL5), or buying an E46 build (MCS, etc.) as an addition to the garage as a second canyon/track car (I don’t trailer to HPDEs). Are you seriously considering swapping the DE5 for an E46? Is the E46 tolerable to drive to and from HPDEs (in terms of NVH)? Great content, as always!
I am the owner of this E46 and a FL5 daily. The E46 is more fun without a doubt than the FL5 on both street and track. My FL5 rarely gets driven on weekend unless I need to haul people or things, E46 is well rounded enough to be a road tripper and exciting canyon and track car in one package.
Funny I was just looking for a 330ci for a track and weekend car .. Coupe and hard top. 😅 How'd you read my mind
6:00 as a S2000 and E46 M3 owner, agree with all said there. Was considering selling the E46, watched this vid and... I guess reconsidered for now :D
As an 2000 S2000 and 2005 e46 M3 owner I will never sell either of them.
@@Tiger-gs6xmgood plan and high five fellow S2k & M346 owner :D
@@big-R 😀👍😃
@@Tiger-gs6xm If you had to choose one, which one is better for more weekend street use? Very minimal track days
@big-R If you had to choose one, which one is better for more weekend street use? Very minimal track days
Hey Fenton, how would you compare the m3 to an s2k? Where I live, they’re both in comparable price ranges. This would be a weekend warrior with 5-10 track days a year, so nothing extreme. I feel the space, visibility, and extra power is nice to have on the m3, especially in the city. S2000 edges it out on pure feel.
S2K more raw and pure, E46 more lux and more power. S2K more edgy, E46 easier to drive. S2K drama free reliability wise compared to E46. S2K more single use case, E46 more breadth.
StopTech ST40s are more than enough for an E46 .. will just need knock back springs for heavy track use. There’s no beating performance of AP/Alcon though.
How reliable are these cars?
Would like to know the exact weight of that car I’m guessing around 3400lbs?
hell ya dude
Do an e46! What would you do differently to make it a great track car?
2 way dampers and stiffer springs and a big brake kit
Don't know how much these go for nowadays. But say you can get this particular one for 40-50k and you already have a daily driver, what would you pick? This or the Integra Type S?
This is my E46 and I have a FL5 as well. FL5 is a decent daily. For a weekend fun drive the E46 gets picked every single time 🙂
What Chris said!
@@dreamdrivedrift man, with that kind of cash flow, just save up and get a Mezger powered 911..
Whats the road name?
Get a 135 M sport instead. It’s not quite a 1M but you can mod it up and you’ll get the N55 turbo’s torque and the hydraulic stereing. Or maybe a 128i which is the last NA I6 motor that BMW made IIRC…
What didn't you like about the brakes? 996 brakes have smaller pistons so pedal travel/feel is greatly improved over stock. Textars are just street pads, so that could be improved a tonne.
Yeah he really means the pads. I have Textar pads on my Cayman right now and am dying to get them off. They’re trash and immediately fade with any amount of heat (I have Motul high temp fluid)
@chipattack912 I was just wondering. Because I run this setup as track setup, and I struggle not to boil fluid or fade dtc70 pads. The problem is the inefficient rotor which doesn't get good airflow due to hat design and front pad size is basically same as stock so you don't get increased heat capacity. I run cooling ducts, titanium shims, etc. This go around I upgraded to titanium pistons and swapped to Girodisc rotors. I hope that holds. Oh, and don't get me started on number of dust boots that melt that I have to replace pretty much every track day :).
The pedal felt a little soft to me, even at canyon speeds. No fade though.
The OE 996 pads have poor bite and feel a bit wooden with nonlinear pedal response that falls off when you press harder
And those calipers require bleeding about 3-4 times for some reason, like bleed, go drive, bleed again, repeat. Pedal should be dead firm. But overall, yes, have to push harder given smallet piston sizes, so overall braking torque is less than stock.
mpg?
Do ya thang 🎶 🎵
I just sold my e46 m3 :( with 4.10 it was so fun. Looking for something better is hard (in the price range)
I heard 996 calipers on these cars perform worse on the street and BBKs don't stop the car any better on the street, it just dissipates heat world's better at the track. I do want to get a Karb intake for mine lol.
At least on video, that S54 sounds really good. My experience with 'opened up' BMW's has been very mixed as far as sound quality goes.
headers are the key.. ppl who dont change the headers but do the CBE almost always have horrendous rasp, lol..
@@dre32pitt Good to know. It's probably a matter of ensuring the exhuast pulses reach the main tubing section in the correct order and time, especially on 6 cylinder engines.
Thought I heard wrong, e46 m3 came with 343 Bhp and the csl had 360bhp. So when you mentioned 330 and in the same breadth said at least 50bhp more than a stock m3 with 333hp confused me. Think you need to edit the title info as well. Oh and a sensational car with fab setup. Cheers 👌🏿
you're mistaken across the board.
@@KuostA okay then, state where the mistake is? Happy for you to correct me instead of just saying “mistaken across the board”. Please come correct!
@@y0057the US version has 333hp. The ratings are different from Europe but the header design is different. Euro is rated at 343bhp.
CSL also correct 350-360bhp. Different intake and tune.
Additional 50 bhp is a stretch. 30 is more reasonable and dropping 200 lbs.
@@f430ferrari5 that would make sense being an American spec. Thanks for clarifying 🙏🏿
I’d still take an evo. I see the value in all motor tho
Definitely head back to RWD for your track car
I told him as soon as he bought the Type S that he'd regret it, lol... But i get trying to be different to stand out in the over saturated youtube car community.. I wouldve gone with an Evo X built for handling as not too many build them for that (everyone going for drag times and dyno #s)... but with the Active Yaw Control (aka, torque vectoring)in the rear axle, it's a handlier for sure..
You should review the Camry trd
Nah
@@opmike343I know it’s nothing exciting lol. That’s why I wanna see what he thinks of it
Lol I would full send it
@@Zygrene pls do
Handling is awful. I drove my friends and couldn’t wait to get out.
100%
I had one
Daily Driver and modded for the track
Not really good at either
Understeer at the track
No power down low, had to rev the snot out of it
Just my opinion
To each his own
where are the BMW angels coming to run you out of town?
@@RelaxAndSmokeMeth they can’t, even if they tried because I’m more hardcore than most of them with my Euro ‘82 e21 to my perfect ‘18 F80 M3.
What brake pads is the car running ?
OE Porsche pads. They have poor bite and feel a bit wooden with nonlinear pedal response that falls off when you press harder. Better pads are on the to-do list!
@@dreamdrivedrift ah that makes sense.
Lots of amazing pads out there (I'm sure you're aware). That's a great set up and no need for bigger 'bbk' .
E46 has potential but it requires a lot of work to make it track worthy. The rear subframe bushings are rubber and they wear, the chassis needs spot welds, and needs to be stiffened. It's a lot more expensive to make it fast than it is other cars, it does have high limits though. The E46 chassis was the basis for the all conquering GT2 class BMW GTR.
Yes, a Spec E46 in particular. Grab a ratty 330i for $3500 and make racecar! (or bail someone else out of their almost-complete build for M3 money) I got a nice blue sedan with 200k miles and am about 20% of the way through "replace everything"
I 100% call BS on the 333whp. You did not extract 50whp+ from an all motor straight line six.
...with only intake, exhaust and a tune. Probably more like 15 flywheel bhp over stock.
You should do a 370z nismo next, very similar philosophy
Haven't been able to find one to review just yet!
I actually agree with this, more reliable , no issues with bearings vanos and subframe constantly
@@oversteer6771If you have driven both, you would know the 370 isn’t nearly as engaging. Plus they’re BOATS. ~4,000lbs.
@@gt1r well a stock 370 is 3200lb, yes the Nismo is too heavy I agree. M cars are just too problematic I owned a e46m3 for three years just sold it last November . You can get what it offers in more reliable cars . Plus turbo Z are crazy
@@Zygrene when I get mine this year I’ll let you review it
Get a 370Z. More driver focused and the engine sounds much better with a exhausts. You can tune them with just 300 bucks and make 400hp to the wheels
Gr86 waste of time? Used m car better buy?
depends on how much cash you have in reserve for repairs and maintenance.. are you going to wrench yourself? Do you have another vehicle to use when the M is up on jack stands? Are there reliable independent BMW shops near you? These are questions all BMW M, Porsche, and Audi RS buyers ask themselves before taking the plunge, lol..
@@dre32pittreal car guys work on these cars themselves.
@@ryanb8736 Good to know.
E46 is arguably the best 3-series chassis ever made. I say go for it.
Best 2000’s true sport car not coupe or performance car of rally car none of that bs is a S2k simple as that. These bmw like to overheat for starter, now if u want a new car that is not a failure like an s2k (discontinued) miata is always the answer guys..
M3 e46 competition doesn’t exist. It’s either M3 or M3CSL
Yes it does. It only existed in the USA. Europe got M3, M3 Clubsport, and csl. USA got m3 and m3 competition. It only came in 2005 or 2006 model years
NO, NO, NO, NO, don't buy problems and don´t pay the crazy market prices, get an E30, the base not the M3, do an S54 engine swap and all the track mods, or get an E36, not the M3, do the engine swap and all the track mods.
Reasonable advice considering these old M car prices have gone bat shit crazy...
Always enjoyed driving tbese especially with those mods. Its night and day compared to stock!
I just could never get past the ugliness ,weight and overapl 'ricey-ness' of this thing.
Ive always felt the regular 330i (or zhp) were much cleaner looking and more handsome.
E46 M3 ugly? Might be the first time I've heard that!
@@Zygrenecognitive bias . It's always been ugly and 'ricey' with plenty of us who can appreciate the package but don't find it appealing to the eye .
Are you saying that *you* have cognitive bias that makes you think the E46 M3 isn’t better looking?
I think it’s the best M3, if not best 3-series…only reason I chose E36 over this is that I preferred the convenience and practicality of 4 doors.
How is a German car ricey?
@@z32luvris that a joke ?
Did you forget the dtmpower days
The S2000 is better in every category besides practicality and power. Possibly steering because it’s hydraulic.
E46 M3 > S2000. M3 has more power, easier to drive, better looking, smoother and better sounding engine, and a roof lol. The S2000 does have a far superior manual transmission and much more reliable out the box. However the M3 only has two or three very well known faults that once repaired makes the car just as bulletproof as any S2000.
Those 2-3 faults are expensive as hell.. with that said I’d still take an s2000 over an e46 m3 most days. An eventful engine doesn’t need to be super powerful. Hence why the 911 Gt3s are so fun and preferred over their more powerful competitors. In this day and age, I’d be happy with a clean low mileage example of either cars
Better looking?
@@z32luvr It’s subjective, but yes, I think the E46 M3 is much more attractive with its business interior, muscular exterior, quad exhaust, and short overhangs. Although I’ve never been a huge fan of Japanese pointy nose car designs. The S2k isn’t bad looking. Just looks kinda boring.
I hate it when people only put one bucket in, it's not symetric and it drives me insane.