328Ci manual driver here. Owned it since 2002. No warning lights on dashboard. No oil consumption. 171k miles. Still reliable and fast as it develops a lot of its torque in the mid range where you spend more of the time daily driving.
M52tu was better than m54. They have better higher tension piston rings which means little to no oil consumption. I have a e46 323i which I’m about to retire and has close to 400,000km on it and does not consume any oil.
With how many kilometers have you bought it? Ususally M54 with zero oil consumption are well maintained, with alot if oil changes on low miles by previouse owners.
I own an e46 325i manual, with 312.000 Kms on the clock. Starts immediately, goes sideways, sounds godly, doesnt consume oil. Im absolutely in love with it.
had almost the exact same car. Mine was manual and had also the facelift led backlights that make a huge difference. Such a beautiful car I miss it every day
The VANOS system probably needs an overhaul. The VANOS piston seals usually fail at around 40k km. Once those have been changed the car feels like it’s an entirely different one. More power, better fuel economy etc.
I’m also living this dream as I bought a 325i E92 as my first car. A BMW 6 Cilinder is just in a league on its own imo. Loving the N52 engine with just 157k km on it, reasonably reliable and more then enough power for normal commute.
To get rid of the "quietness" of the engine, I find that opening the rear windows does wonders. You can hear a lot more of the exhaust without getting so much wind noise. I was really surprised at how quiet my car's interior is after learning this trick!
@@NomadJedi Some came with catted headers some didn't i believe. Both the m54 and s54 came with secondary downstream cats so when you remove the headers you're still not catless (being catless is illegal in my country)
The tires are pronounced Gi-sla-ved. It's a Swedish brand that started in the town of Gislaved and they have been producing tires since 1905. Now they are part of Continental and they are especially geared towards winter-, and all weather tires.
E39 LCI touring with the same engine and gearbox was my second car. Even though it was the cheapest LCI E39 listed at that moment and its condition was rather trashy it was still a great experience to drive it, this inline 6 sounds great, handling and comfort were also superb for its age and pricepoint and it was basically impossible to kill it despite me and previous owner(s) really overexploited it. Moving to it from Honda Civic 1.4 was probably the biggest jump I ever had, even moving from 4-cyl diesel X5 F15 to brand new V8-powered Cayenne GTS wasn’t such a big deal emotionally.
Rust, oil consumption, vanos, conrod bearings next to all standard consumables and old car problems. 9-10l+ fuel while being slow. I would say it's the perfect car if you want to learn how to repair for yourself.
@@JohnDoe_333 vanos is a pretty easy to diy on the dual vanos engines also they dont have rod bearing issues (thats the on the s54). fuel economy is more like 6-7l on the highway. these cars are pretty nice to work on tho
hard to say, i know e90/e92s that have been catastrophic, so its more of an anecdote, e46's are generally tho known for being a car like john doe said "the perfect car if you want to learn to repair for yourself". That doesn't make it a bad car tho, e46 was a fabulous gen.@@aronpummer6189
I had an E46 325i touring with a 3.0L swap and it was pretty quick and it also had the same automatic gearbox the ZF5. I did 250km/h with it on the autobahn and it was sooooo comfortable and just gliding in the left lane.
You can't talk about a 325i being quick and not having the stock engine. It's just stupid, if it hasn't the 325i engine and has a swap, its is NOT a 325i@@SenszR
@@JNicoSR He's just writing that his 325i with an engine swap to 330/3.0L was quick, not a normal 325i. But it still remains a 325i. So nothing wrong with that.
I used to own one of these in 2019, a 2004. Absolutely loved it but was burning a litre of oil every 300 miles. Already did the O2pilot mod (for people who know what that is), had some effect but not much. It was on 150k miles with only 5 oil changes in the book so needed a rebuild and I didn’t have the time or money. Had no rust, everything worked. Sold it for £1,500
I have the same engine in a e60 525i from 2003 and it still hits the 238 kmh top speed with 245s all around like a champ. The straight sixes are a masterpiece. Runs so quiet and smooth, it ruines most of the other cars for me.
So good to see an E46 on the channel! With a manual it's much more fun, and with the 3.0 litre there is a lot more torque. My 5 speed manual 330ci does 250 on the speedo still, after 23 years and 280.000km. And 100-200 in 21 seconds. From a time when bmw's had big character instead of just big screens, more reviews like this please!
Absolutely right. Today BMWs are as ugly and electrified as hell. A proper E46 with M54B30 is a gem. The engine is very reliable and one of the best sounding straight-sixes ever made. 100-200 in 21 with Dragy GPS?
@@Messergebnis-liebhaber Yes, timed with dragy. My 330ci does have a racing cat, stainless steel exhaust and Eisenmann headers, so it probably has slightly more than the 231 hp it had from new. And definitely more sound than stock, so good :)
320 Ci 2002,saphire black,manual driver here.Have it for almost 10 years.239 KKm,no oil leaks,likes to drink a bit of oil during faster highway drive.All in all I like that car.
This car hasn't lost any of its horses over time. It can still do 100-160 km/h in around 13.0 seconds despite being an automatic. This proves that this engine is quite healthy. That 8.4 s 0-100 km/h claim for E46 325i Automatic was too optimistic even for brand new cars at the time. Don't judge the condition of a 325i Auto based on that factory claim. Anything between 9.0 and 9.5 s 0-100 km/h is considered excellent for an automatic E46 325i and anything between 7.5 and 7.8 s is ideal for the manual E46 325i.
It absolutely has. 9.8 sec to 100 km/h is way too slow for 192 bhp and it can barely make 218 km/h on the clock, which is 210 km/h GPS at best, a speed even the 318i was capable of achieving when new, let alone the 2.2l 320i.
@@SampleTracks2224 192 hp & almost 1.5 ton + 5 speed auto. With this configuration 0-100 km/h would be around 9.5 s (9.0 s at best). Top speed very much relies on wind and slope of the road. Yes, this car may have lost some of its original horses (I don't disagree) but I know something for sure: 100-160 km/h in 13.0 s is a great time for an Automatic E46 325i. A manual 5 speed Nissan Maxima A33 with 3.0 L & 200 hp do the same in 12.0 s!!
No, it's definitely lost some power. We used to have an e46 325i brand new back in 04 and it was definitely an 8 second car. This is a 20 year old car so it won't ever be the same again, but it's still got decent power considering all things
@@naysay5812 It hasn't lost power. It only needs some tune-up or maybe a few sensors need replacing. Even just a throttle body or intake cleaning can improve performance significantly. An automatic 325i is never a 8 s car (I have driven them). Only manual 325i are 7.5 - 8.0 s cars. A car's engine doesn't lose performance even at high mileages if it is maintained properly. Me and my friend both have the same car (Peugeot 406). My car has done 136,000 kms but his car has done 300,000+ kms! We have compared the two together and both cars are pretty much neck and neck in drag and rolling races. If his car had lost power due to high mileage, it couldn't keep up with mine.
I’ve owned my BMW E46 (2003 325Ci) and I’ve been repairing the common issues myself (it’s been fun) and I absolutely love this thing. I’m mechanically inclined so it’s a perfect car for me and offers all the features my 2011 Kia didn’t have. I love it and I knew what to look out for before getting it, make sure to do your homework if you’re interested in buying one.
I love my 330ci, also had a 318ci once but ofc the six cilinder is much more pleasurable to drive. When I have a passenger they usually mention the beautiful noise the engine makes. I need to manual swap it though lol.
Very strong machine. I'm Nigerian and here in Abuja we have good roads to let this M54 engine roar its life out. I still currently have a e46 325i 4door sedan. Its not that fun ln city driving but on the highway its a different animal on its own. Great review chief.
It's really cool to see a subscriber car that's not the biggest daddy it could be. If you ever want to drive a relatively base E39, I'd be glad to let you guys drive it. It's a 520i manual (dutch car). As a base car it's got pretty much no extra's and that's exactly how I love it (there's also less things that can break ;) ).
So cool you make a review about this car! I own a 2002 E46 320Ci (6cyl) myself and its my first car aswell! I own it since 10 months and drove 10.000km (additional to the 220.000km it came with) with it. Also already brought it to the ring and learned drifting it aswell xd. It really tought my how to drive since its manual aswell and has a quite difficult stock clutch. First thing I did was spark plugs, new stock suspension, renewed stock brakes and some 18inch summer wheels. Love all you reviews but personally this was the most special one! ♥♥♥
I had an e46 compact with the same engine but manual transmission. It was a great sounding engine and quite healthy too. Made 208bhp at the flywheel on a rolling road which is more than the stock figure
6:50 classic M54 low on oil because it really likes to drink (or just bad oil sensor in this case). Love the car though, own a 330Ci 6-Speed manual myself. Happy to see the car on this channel
i have this same car but as a convertible, handed down to me after my granddad got dementia and couldn't drive it anymore. it was a perfect car to learn to drive on and i'm enjoying it as my first car as well. it does have the automatic transmission but it's still fun. i especially love how the weight of the steering feels, and how the suspension really lets you feel the road. mine's gearbox also sometimes kicks you a little bit on the shifts which i like.
Just picked up one of these. I've owned 22+ 90s and 2000s JDM cars, this is my first euro. The driving experience is familiar, yet everything is slightly different. I'm immediately impressed by how smooth the engine is. I've owned a couple of Toyota soarer, Lexus GS300, IS300 and is200(turbo'd) and the bmw motor is significantly smoother to redline compared to the 2jz-ge, 1gfe and 1jz-gte The auto transmission is very nice, shifting is so NON-jerky, even in downshifts. Honestly very pleasant, and I think this car demands an auto more than as a manual, as it shines more in a cruising scenario. I drove the manual, and it just doesn't feel like a sports car. The steering feedback is dull, but very fast to react. Again, more of a cruising car. I'm taken by surprise that the reviewer said the car feels slow. In my opinion, it feels quick and torque. Judging from how the car reacts, I think their may be a vanos problem, which will greatly change the characteristic of how it accelerates. Either that, or the transmission is tired. This car drifts very well. I don't know how it does so with an open diff, but I've broken traction in the dry and hit round abouts in the wet, not sure why it performs so well for an open diff but the general steering is so easy to operate when sideways. My final comments, the car is awesome but I'd still rather a Toyota ;) I'll be putting some coilovers and wheels on this car, and just using it as a highway cruiser. I have a GD Honda jazz which is my everyday car, but it sucks on the highway. I also currently have a 280whp wrx which just isn't that reliable due to many of the hoses perishing from age and causing leaks. The bmw seems simple, and is honestly a highway warrior
Great video, I love these cars. One thing to note is that it might not have lost (much) power, but when the DSC is engaged it is 1~2 seconds slower. Not sure if all BMWs are like that but the E46 is
Have a.lovely 330ci 2004 with the auto and i just use the steptronic fuction and change manually,still a nice car as you say with plenty of poke and smoothness.
Such a great choice of first car. The E46 is easily one of the most timeless designs. My first was a 2000 E46 330ci convertible with CSL wheels and red leather. It was beautiful and in excellent condition and I feel like an absolute bellend for selling it. Always wanted an E46 M3 - anyone got an opinion on reliability now that they’re 20+ years old?
The tire manufacturer Gislaved is Swedish. They do really good winter tires as you could assume from a nordic manufacturer. Produced in a region called Småland which is in the upper-bottom half of Sweden. The company dates back to the late 1800's and is definitely not your typical cheap asian tire brand. Today they are owned by Continental AG. For anyone curious :) The name is pronounced With a J instead of a G.
Man your reviews are something else ❤ Could you review a 406 coupé , c70 volvo, mercedes clk and so on?? Man we would love older cars reviewed by you 🙏
I own since 2019 an E46 325Ci, almost the same spec, but mine is 2002 prefacelift, manual, with sunroof , not slicktop like this and halogen headlights instead of xenon from this facelift, I still love my car, repaired the shit out of it since it was with all the factory parts, except the brake discs , pads and also oil and filters ( the fuel filter was the only one from the factory 04.2002 ). After a lot of money invested, the performance is decent comparing to most of the modern cars on the road, it keeps up and overtakes them really well. I did some upgrades : H&R Anti roll bar kit, Koni FSD front and rear shocks, and Eibach Pro Kit springs, with a strut bar under the bonnet, upgraded discs to ATE Powerdisc and EBC Yellowstuff pads, added an M Pack with a front lip and a carbon fiber ducktail :D. Running on 17 inch wheels, getting 18 soon and I also got rid of the existing rust on it, so now it's mint, it had only surface rust here and there. Unfortunately I had 2 crashes with it but it's repaired and it rocks the streets
You have a clogged DISA valve which restricts power i have worked on many.325 is normally decently quick.Good though the N54 is the previous single vanos N52 doesn't suffer from those problems, the 2.5. 2.8 was probably BMW"s best ever engine.
Well BMWs badges not always made sense, but in a good way. They understimated it. :D I had E46 coupe 318ci - 2 litre engine! :D Also 320ci was 2.2 litre, 323ci was 2.5 litre, 316i was 1.9 litre etc. :D
Compared to my 2004, e60 530i, m54b30 it is really slow. I thought the more weight of the e60 would compensate the more of power, but obviously it does not.
No point in "revving out" beyond 6,500 rpm or so as the breathing will barely keep up. If you have a manual, a small rev limit bump will be helpful if you insist on making a certain speed in a certain gear... but for power output, otherwise it'll make no difference. The problem as you will have noticed is that the final drive is way too tall, taller than the equivalent 330i. And it's DEFINITELY lost some horses over the years.
Own myself a 2003 320ci manual m-sport, same kind of performance or maybe slightly better as this 325 due to the gearbox. Same m54 engine, less displacement. Lovely cars to drive
@@vikingnemor15 as the one on the video? Surely it has, as its obvious that there is something wrong with that particular car. No doubt a healthy 325 will be faster than a 320
love the affordable car vids, this or a 330i ZHP are up on my list for first car (i live in the US, budgets around 5-9k) They’d be fun but the state that most e46s are in here are questionable
I really love the E46. But I think that the automatic gearbox isn’t the best choice for it. A friend of mine had the same enginde with this gearbox and after the oil change from that it was a lot better 😀. But I still prefer the manual E46‘s ❤️
What a cool looking car! I got a 125i E88 as my first car, unlocked the ECU to release 270hp so it’s hardly slow but still doesn’t feel fast so I can imagine 192hp with a 5 speed auto being quite lazy😂
A shame it's an auto. I had an e46 323i manual. It got to 230km/h easily, and then struggle a bit to 250. Really smooth and nice car for its age and price.
my first car was 2001 bmw 323ci 6spd, black in black. it had almost 400k km on odometer but didn't even required to add a single gram of oil between oil changes. miss that car so much
I had a e46 320i 2L with 150hp and it was an automatic as well. It had around 236.000km on the clock and the time from 0-100 was at 9.4 seconds. Its weird that this one with way more power ist slower. Even at higher speeds it seems very slow compared to mine. The top speed was 228 Kmh
babe wake up AutoTopNL reviewed an E46
Yeah. They should review more E46s and E90s like 325i or 330i. Those are pretty good and are perfect dailies
From a time when BMW built pretty cars. E39, E46 ❤
And E38, E36/8. ❤
g20 aint beautiful ?
@@torentmonkey G20 is like the new generation people, they have body not the soul
I understand Chris Bangle was co-designer and then people hated him ... !
more from a time when BMW built very generic cars and didn't try anything new
328Ci manual driver here. Owned it since 2002. No warning lights on dashboard. No oil consumption. 171k miles. Still reliable and fast as it develops a lot of its torque in the mid range where you spend more of the time daily driving.
M52tu was better than m54. They have better higher tension piston rings which means little to no oil consumption. I have a e46 323i which I’m about to retire and has close to 400,000km on it and does not consume any oil.
@@TheWretchedWorldrespect
My dad had a Z3 with that motor,fun to drive and good torque.
@@TheWretchedWorld M54B30 with 300K kilometers and 0 oil consumption.
With how many kilometers have you bought it? Ususally M54 with zero oil consumption are well maintained, with alot if oil changes on low miles by previouse owners.
I own an e46 325i manual, with 312.000 Kms on the clock. Starts immediately, goes sideways, sounds godly, doesnt consume oil. Im absolutely in love with it.
Just bought 2001 325xi automatic. Will bring it on Wednesday and hope it not be to many problems.
@@w-j7210how is it going now
lets race
i have the same spec, in stock, no engine makeover, no new petrol pump. nothing. 291000km
550 E60 PLEASE!!! Because the hype for the V10 was so big, the 550 was undeservingly underrated and ignored.
personally, love the 550i e60, it's a different breed.
What a beautiful E46 325Ci. Lovely sounding straight six. Small but sophisticated!
had almost the exact same car. Mine was manual and had also the facelift led backlights that make a huge difference. Such a beautiful car I miss it every day
Most beautiful model from BMW
E46 design is so timeless, eternal beauty
I have an 323I with the 2,5L M52 and a manual. It's my first car and has 270tkm on it. Still drives perfect!
M52 and M50 are much more better and reliable than M54. The M54 has few issues like oil consumption, Vanos etc.
Same car here with 390k ✌️ great engine ! Just did vanos and the right maintenance
@@ISSM87hello, i have an 1999 323i Coupé with 175k Kilometers. The Motor is a M52B25TU i think, do you know someting about it?
The VANOS system probably needs an overhaul. The VANOS piston seals usually fail at around 40k km. Once those have been changed the car feels like it’s an entirely different one. More power, better fuel economy etc.
Was searching for this comment 👍 you’re right.
true. my E39 530i had around 150hp with faulty vanos
I overhauled the vanos on our e46 323i at about 330,000km and noticed barely any difference in economy or performance
Yeah after I did my 325i vanos seal my mid range had way more punch and effortlessness. My fuel economy was the same mostly though.
I had a golden 330 ci like 15 years ago. Drove so nicely.
I’m also living this dream as I bought a 325i E92 as my first car. A BMW 6 Cilinder is just in a league on its own imo. Loving the N52 engine with just 157k km on it, reasonably reliable and more then enough power for normal commute.
That's awesome bro that's a dream as a first car
To get rid of the "quietness" of the engine, I find that opening the rear windows does wonders. You can hear a lot more of the exhaust without getting so much wind noise. I was really surprised at how quiet my car's interior is after learning this trick!
stainless steel exhaust manifold (headers) fixes all of it. Even with stock exhaust.
I honestly love how quiet those engines are. Seems classy/refined somehow.
You just need to get rid of the catted headers that the m54 came in 2002 very late 01.
@@moneyshifters does the S54 also have that?
@@NomadJedi Some came with catted headers some didn't i believe. Both the m54 and s54 came with secondary downstream cats so when you remove the headers you're still not catless (being catless is illegal in my country)
I really like E46 3 series, in my opinion some of the best looking cars BMW have ever made.
Review old models its sooooooo cool!!
The tires are pronounced Gi-sla-ved. It's a Swedish brand that started in the town of Gislaved and they have been producing tires since 1905. Now they are part of Continental and they are especially geared towards winter-, and all weather tires.
Old is gold
E39 LCI touring with the same engine and gearbox was my second car. Even though it was the cheapest LCI E39 listed at that moment and its condition was rather trashy it was still a great experience to drive it, this inline 6 sounds great, handling and comfort were also superb for its age and pricepoint and it was basically impossible to kill it despite me and previous owner(s) really overexploited it.
Moving to it from Honda Civic 1.4 was probably the biggest jump I ever had, even moving from 4-cyl diesel X5 F15 to brand new V8-powered Cayenne GTS wasn’t such a big deal emotionally.
Cheap, reliable, bmw with a 6 cylinder NA petrol engine and rwd... it cant be bad!
reliable?
lmao, thats only words coming from someone who's never owned a e46 personally HAHA.
Rust, oil consumption, vanos, conrod bearings next to all standard consumables and old car problems. 9-10l+ fuel while being slow.
I would say it's the perfect car if you want to learn how to repair for yourself.
@@ahmadomar1-v3t i am owning an e90 325i which is less reliable than an e46.
@@JohnDoe_333 vanos is a pretty easy to diy on the dual vanos engines also they dont have rod bearing issues (thats the on the s54). fuel economy is more like 6-7l on the highway. these cars are pretty nice to work on tho
hard to say, i know e90/e92s that have been catastrophic, so its more of an anecdote, e46's are generally tho known for being a car like john doe said "the perfect car if you want to learn to repair for yourself".
That doesn't make it a bad car tho, e46 was a fabulous gen.@@aronpummer6189
I had an E46 325i touring with a 3.0L swap and it was pretty quick and it also had the same automatic gearbox the ZF5. I did 250km/h with it on the autobahn and it was sooooo comfortable and just gliding in the left lane.
Then you can't say you had a 325i
@@JNicoSRwhat?
You can't talk about a 325i being quick and not having the stock engine. It's just stupid, if it hasn't the 325i engine and has a swap, its is NOT a 325i@@SenszR
@@JNicoSR oh sorry I missed that part lol I agree
@@JNicoSR He's just writing that his 325i with an engine swap to 330/3.0L was quick, not a normal 325i. But it still remains a 325i. So nothing wrong with that.
These things are so hard to get somewhat stock nowadays
people have trouble maintaining old cars
@@Lemingtona-x5g
Yes, but E46 is worth investing money init.
@@jareknowak8712 not really it was a mass produced common model
Got one :D
But in really good shape..it's very hard to find. I have 89k 04. Drives perfectly. Love it.
I used to own one of these in 2019, a 2004. Absolutely loved it but was burning a litre of oil every 300 miles. Already did the O2pilot mod (for people who know what that is), had some effect but not much. It was on 150k miles with only 5 oil changes in the book so needed a rebuild and I didn’t have the time or money. Had no rust, everything worked. Sold it for £1,500
My 325i E90 burns a litre of oil every 2.000 kms 🥲🤦
@@VademecumExInferisМеняй маслосъёмные колпачки.
@@Mister-Brain-Wash translation please? 😂
@@VademecumExInferis Google translate CTR C copy text + CTR V 😂
@@Mister-Brain-Wash 🤦
I have the same engine in a e60 525i from 2003 and it still hits the 238 kmh top speed with 245s all around like a champ.
The straight sixes are a masterpiece. Runs so quiet and smooth, it ruines most of the other cars for me.
So good to see an E46 on the channel! With a manual it's much more fun, and with the 3.0 litre there is a lot more torque. My 5 speed manual 330ci does 250 on the speedo still, after 23 years and 280.000km. And 100-200 in 21 seconds.
From a time when bmw's had big character instead of just big screens, more reviews like this please!
Absolutely right. Today BMWs are as ugly and electrified as hell. A proper E46 with M54B30 is a gem. The engine is very reliable and one of the best sounding straight-sixes ever made. 100-200 in 21 with Dragy GPS?
5 speed?
@@jareknowak8712 It’s a 2001 M tech 2 330ci, only the lci from 2002 and onwards came with the 6 speed manual sadly
@@Messergebnis-liebhaber Yes, timed with dragy. My 330ci does have a racing cat, stainless steel exhaust and Eisenmann headers, so it probably has slightly more than the 231 hp it had from new. And definitely more sound than stock, so good :)
@@damianwillemsen9224probably much less as 21s 100-200 is insanely slow for that power.
I'd take this as a fun car over the new 4 pot c63s any day! Ideally as a manual though :)
,???
this dude will be forever buying car parts for his ol bmw
@@Lemingtona-x5g yea, car parts like oil changes so it doesnt fuckin break :3
@hassyg4083 Doubt that 4-cyl AMG rental toy will make it to 10 years, let alone 20. At least parts are still available for the BMW.
The King of the Cars,E46, is here ❤️
This thing is truly an e46… airbag light on, oil level comes on after start (just a faulty sensor) love it 👍
Oil level sensor? Pls. Comment.
I daily a 330ci 5 speed manual. Absolutely love it!
same here! i have automatic LOVELY CAR!!
320 Ci 2002,saphire black,manual driver here.Have it for almost 10 years.239 KKm,no oil leaks,likes to drink a bit of oil during faster highway drive.All in all I like that car.
Love how the airbag light is on, typical E46 🤝
And the yellow oil light after starting the engine indicating that the oil level sensor is not working correctly.
@@bobsonmkdomg i have the same on my 320ci and i was thinking only mine does that
@@sambal4338 its a common problem on these cars, the oil level sensor needs to be replaced.
This car hasn't lost any of its horses over time. It can still do 100-160 km/h in around 13.0 seconds despite being an automatic. This proves that this engine is quite healthy. That 8.4 s 0-100 km/h claim for E46 325i Automatic was too optimistic even for brand new cars at the time. Don't judge the condition of a 325i Auto based on that factory claim. Anything between 9.0 and 9.5 s 0-100 km/h is considered excellent for an automatic E46 325i and anything between 7.5 and 7.8 s is ideal for the manual E46 325i.
It absolutely has. 9.8 sec to 100 km/h is way too slow for 192 bhp and it can barely make 218 km/h on the clock, which is 210 km/h GPS at best, a speed even the 318i was capable of achieving when new, let alone the 2.2l 320i.
@@SampleTracks2224 192 hp & almost 1.5 ton + 5 speed auto. With this configuration 0-100 km/h would be around 9.5 s (9.0 s at best). Top speed very much relies on wind and slope of the road. Yes, this car may have lost some of its original horses (I don't disagree) but I know something for sure: 100-160 km/h in 13.0 s is a great time for an Automatic E46 325i. A manual 5 speed Nissan Maxima A33 with 3.0 L & 200 hp do the same in 12.0 s!!
My e46 328ci Cabrio m52b28tu swap, "m54b28" with ms43, schrick cams, 3.0 intake, 200zeller cats runs 100-160kmh in 9s ,100-200kmh in 18,9
Maybe 250hp
No, it's definitely lost some power. We used to have an e46 325i brand new back in 04 and it was definitely an 8 second car. This is a 20 year old car so it won't ever be the same again, but it's still got decent power considering all things
@@naysay5812 It hasn't lost power. It only needs some tune-up or maybe a few sensors need replacing. Even just a throttle body or intake cleaning can improve performance significantly. An automatic 325i is never a 8 s car (I have driven them). Only manual 325i are 7.5 - 8.0 s cars. A car's engine doesn't lose performance even at high mileages if it is maintained properly. Me and my friend both have the same car (Peugeot 406). My car has done 136,000 kms but his car has done 300,000+ kms! We have compared the two together and both cars are pretty much neck and neck in drag and rolling races. If his car had lost power due to high mileage, it couldn't keep up with mine.
I’ve owned my BMW E46 (2003 325Ci) and I’ve been repairing the common issues myself (it’s been fun) and I absolutely love this thing. I’m mechanically inclined so it’s a perfect car for me and offers all the features my 2011 Kia didn’t have. I love it and I knew what to look out for before getting it, make sure to do your homework if you’re interested in buying one.
after all those years i still loooove when max says blaaast
I love my 330ci, also had a 318ci once but ofc the six cilinder is much more pleasurable to drive. When I have a passenger they usually mention the beautiful noise the engine makes. I need to manual swap it though lol.
Very strong machine. I'm Nigerian and here in Abuja we have good roads to let this M54 engine roar its life out. I still currently have a e46 325i 4door sedan. Its not that fun ln city driving but on the highway its a different animal on its own. Great review chief.
I miss my E46 Ci everyday, it is such an amazing car to drive, you have a lot of enjoyment doing it, great review 👍🏻
It's really cool to see a subscriber car that's not the biggest daddy it could be. If you ever want to drive a relatively base E39, I'd be glad to let you guys drive it. It's a 520i manual (dutch car). As a base car it's got pretty much no extra's and that's exactly how I love it (there's also less things that can break ;) ).
i bought my secound e46 320d touring 150hp. car is amazing i will keep it as long as possible.
So cool you make a review about this car! I own a 2002 E46 320Ci (6cyl) myself and its my first car aswell! I own it since 10 months and drove 10.000km (additional to the 220.000km it came with) with it. Also already brought it to the ring and learned drifting it aswell xd. It really tought my how to drive since its manual aswell and has a quite difficult stock clutch. First thing I did was spark plugs, new stock suspension, renewed stock brakes and some 18inch summer wheels.
Love all you reviews but personally this was the most special one! ♥♥♥
Best chassis BMW ever released 😍❤
Love these reviews of sports cars that are budget friendly. It is just cool to see something relatable.
I had an e46 compact with the same engine but manual transmission. It was a great sounding engine and quite healthy too. Made 208bhp at the flywheel on a rolling road which is more than the stock figure
6:50 classic M54 low on oil because it really likes to drink (or just bad oil sensor in this case). Love the car though, own a 330Ci 6-Speed manual myself. Happy to see the car on this channel
its the oil level sensor, have the same issue on my bmw 320ci at the moment.
i have this same car but as a convertible, handed down to me after my granddad got dementia and couldn't drive it anymore. it was a perfect car to learn to drive on and i'm enjoying it as my first car as well. it does have the automatic transmission but it's still fun. i especially love how the weight of the steering feels, and how the suspension really lets you feel the road. mine's gearbox also sometimes kicks you a little bit on the shifts which i like.
What color
Just picked up one of these. I've owned 22+ 90s and 2000s JDM cars, this is my first euro.
The driving experience is familiar, yet everything is slightly different. I'm immediately impressed by how smooth the engine is. I've owned a couple of Toyota soarer, Lexus GS300, IS300 and is200(turbo'd) and the bmw motor is significantly smoother to redline compared to the 2jz-ge, 1gfe and 1jz-gte
The auto transmission is very nice, shifting is so NON-jerky, even in downshifts. Honestly very pleasant, and I think this car demands an auto more than as a manual, as it shines more in a cruising scenario. I drove the manual, and it just doesn't feel like a sports car.
The steering feedback is dull, but very fast to react. Again, more of a cruising car.
I'm taken by surprise that the reviewer said the car feels slow. In my opinion, it feels quick and torque. Judging from how the car reacts, I think their may be a vanos problem, which will greatly change the characteristic of how it accelerates. Either that, or the transmission is tired.
This car drifts very well. I don't know how it does so with an open diff, but I've broken traction in the dry and hit round abouts in the wet, not sure why it performs so well for an open diff but the general steering is so easy to operate when sideways.
My final comments, the car is awesome but I'd still rather a Toyota ;)
I'll be putting some coilovers and wheels on this car, and just using it as a highway cruiser. I have a GD Honda jazz which is my everyday car, but it sucks on the highway. I also currently have a 280whp wrx which just isn't that reliable due to many of the hoses perishing from age and causing leaks. The bmw seems simple, and is honestly a highway warrior
I loved all my 325s.. i had two e30 one e36 an now a e46.
Super Video Lieber Max 😚😍🥰👍👌🤟❤️
just bought a 328i couple weeks back monney well spend such a lovely car
Great video, I love these cars.
One thing to note is that it might not have lost (much) power, but when the DSC is engaged it is 1~2 seconds slower.
Not sure if all BMWs are like that but the E46 is
I'm glad I had an E46 .. the last of the 3 series greats .
More old bmw´s pls!
Have a.lovely 330ci 2004 with the auto and i just use the steptronic fuction and change manually,still a nice car as you say with plenty of poke and smoothness.
As a first car, this one is absolutely perfect tbh
Used to have one on these. Amazing car, miss it a lot.
Thank you so much i think i am going to buy one , ps your intro was very good
Such a great choice of first car. The E46 is easily one of the most timeless designs. My first was a 2000 E46 330ci convertible with CSL wheels and red leather. It was beautiful and in excellent condition and I feel like an absolute bellend for selling it.
Always wanted an E46 M3 - anyone got an opinion on reliability now that they’re 20+ years old?
You'll have to throw $5k into it to make it reliable and drive like new
engine needs much love for sure
Nice car, brings back good memories of the good period for BMW and the whole car industry, but unbelivable slow gearbox/car.
Whenever you get the chance, review an E92 325i.
I have a 325i manual on Lpg.Drives wonderful
The tire manufacturer Gislaved is Swedish. They do really good winter tires as you could assume from a nordic manufacturer. Produced in a region called Småland which is in the upper-bottom half of Sweden. The company dates back to the late 1800's and is definitely not your typical cheap asian tire brand. Today they are owned by Continental AG. For anyone curious :) The name is pronounced With a J instead of a G.
Man your reviews are something else ❤
Could you review a 406 coupé , c70 volvo, mercedes clk and so on??
Man we would love older cars reviewed by you 🙏
I own since 2019 an E46 325Ci, almost the same spec, but mine is 2002 prefacelift, manual, with sunroof , not slicktop like this and halogen headlights instead of xenon from this facelift, I still love my car, repaired the shit out of it since it was with all the factory parts, except the brake discs , pads and also oil and filters ( the fuel filter was the only one from the factory 04.2002 ). After a lot of money invested, the performance is decent comparing to most of the modern cars on the road, it keeps up and overtakes them really well. I did some upgrades : H&R Anti roll bar kit, Koni FSD front and rear shocks, and Eibach Pro Kit springs, with a strut bar under the bonnet, upgraded discs to ATE Powerdisc and EBC Yellowstuff pads, added an M Pack with a front lip and a carbon fiber ducktail :D. Running on 17 inch wheels, getting 18 soon and I also got rid of the existing rust on it, so now it's mint, it had only surface rust here and there. Unfortunately I had 2 crashes with it but it's repaired and it rocks the streets
Would be nice if you do a comparison video to a e46 330ci
You should've reviewed E46 330d 204hp. It will surprises you with the acceleration.
I just had one for a few weeks I thought is was ace
Best driver
You glazin
@@Stayclassy65bro let him give a compliment. the fuck u sayin?
Guys, taking into concideration that you have just revieved E46, you can also reviev somekind unique Volvo C70 II D5/T5 😊❤
Kind regards
Good car
YUP! E46 330i Mtech2 from factory owner here :)
The best BMW EVER MADE !!!
AutoTopNL, Pleas ! Go 400+ Pleas !
Omg, this video reminded me of how much I love and miss dual one-sided exhaust pipes. Can't stand the current both-sided pipes anymore.
You have a clogged DISA valve which restricts power i have worked on many.325 is normally decently quick.Good though the N54 is the previous single vanos N52 doesn't suffer from those problems, the 2.5. 2.8 was probably BMW"s best ever engine.
looks gorgeous this 325Ci, please if there is a possibility to test a Volvo C30 T5 230hp! I´m curious about it
I had also an E46 Coupe. Very nice car.
Well BMWs badges not always made sense, but in a good way. They understimated it. :D I had E46 coupe 318ci - 2 litre engine! :D Also 320ci was 2.2 litre, 323ci was 2.5 litre, 316i was 1.9 litre etc. :D
Beautiful car❤
I love BMW E46
I could drive a 325CI for the rest of my life with no problems🥰
Compared to my 2004, e60 530i, m54b30 it is really slow.
I thought the more weight of the e60 would compensate the more of power, but obviously it does not.
the legend....6 Zylinder in Reihe
No point in "revving out" beyond 6,500 rpm or so as the breathing will barely keep up. If you have a manual, a small rev limit bump will be helpful if you insist on making a certain speed in a certain gear... but for power output, otherwise it'll make no difference. The problem as you will have noticed is that the final drive is way too tall, taller than the equivalent 330i. And it's DEFINITELY lost some horses over the years.
Own myself a 2003 320ci manual m-sport, same kind of performance or maybe slightly better as this 325 due to the gearbox. Same m54 engine, less displacement. Lovely cars to drive
Sorry but your 320 does not have the same or even better performance than a 325 bro. Not while being stock that is
@@vikingnemor15 as the one on the video? Surely it has, as its obvious that there is something wrong with that particular car.
No doubt a healthy 325 will be faster than a 320
love the affordable car vids, this or a 330i ZHP are up on my list for first car (i live in the US, budgets around 5-9k)
They’d be fun but the state that most e46s are in here are questionable
I really love the E46. But I think that the automatic gearbox isn’t the best choice for it. A friend of mine had the same enginde with this gearbox and after the oil change from that it was a lot better 😀. But I still prefer the manual E46‘s ❤️
Gislaved are quite good tires from Sweden🎉🎉🎉🎉
I simply love analog speedo. ❤
I love normal cars vids!
What a cool looking car! I got a 125i E88 as my first car, unlocked the ECU to release 270hp so it’s hardly slow but still doesn’t feel fast so I can imagine 192hp with a 5 speed auto being quite lazy😂
Damn that's a fast first car
Gislaved tyres were made in Gislaved, Sweden until Continental moved the production overseas.
A shame it's an auto. I had an e46 323i manual. It got to 230km/h easily, and then struggle a bit to 250. Really smooth and nice car for its age and price.
my first car was 2001 bmw 323ci 6spd, black in black. it had almost 400k km on odometer but didn't even required to add a single gram of oil between oil changes. miss that car so much
2001 323ci not exist with 6 speed manual
@@cadet2188 yeah your correct. Cant even remember correctly 😀😇
beautiful car
My first hero
Gislaved is a small city in Sweden and that is where the name of tires is from😎
the s54 was based on the s50, a little correction. the s54 has a cast iron bottom end and an aluminum head, the m54 is a fully aluminum engine
thats a well detailed bmw; nicenicenice
Exactly that series, but 2006 the latest amd in 330Ci option or 330Cd is perfect 😎
I had a e46 320i 2L with 150hp and it was an automatic as well. It had around 236.000km on the clock and the time from 0-100 was at 9.4 seconds. Its weird that this one with way more power ist slower. Even at higher speeds it seems very slow compared to mine. The top speed was 228 Kmh
Gisla ved, famous brand tbh
I like the automatic in this car very much!