I had a late Army mate who bought a Black cab M3 brand new in 2001 tax free. He let my drive it on the autobahn with the roof down, we maxed it out at 165mph on the speedo before the limiter kicked in. This video brought back that lovely memory and of my old army pal Paul, so thanks Joe.
BMW's had speed limiters at 155 mph back then. But I read that the E34 M5's which were hand assembled often didn't have it installed. We tested my 1992 5 speed 3.8 M5 quite a few times in various ways with gps and stop watches and we were pretty sure we were getting an honest 166 mph. I don't know about the E46 but it might well have been a real 165 or close to it. Autocar magazine also tested the 6 speed version of the 3.8 M5 and got a 2 way average of 171 mph in 1994 using accurate equipment, a car theoretically limited to 155 mph. Hopefully we will all see our lost friends again. We are only here but for the blink of an eye.
Love it. Great move testing something ‘affordable’, especially when the world is crazy expensive. The dash. Made at a time where a car was for driving. No distractions, no infotainment, just the functionality for driving
This is more like it Joe!!!! Everyone reviews the new stuff but this is what gets us all excited!!! More of this please!!! Had two E46’s and I can’t wait to get another, 330i being the dream!!
I’ve got 2 330 a petrol manual and diesel manual plus a 530d manual The diesels faster by far and more economical , the only reason I got a 530i m sport was it’s low miles and they have jumped in price hugely and this was mega cheap
I bought my E46 M3 coup in 2008 when it was 3 years old with 16,500 miles on the clock from Coopers Norwich. I used the car every day to travel to work summer and winter and it's now got just over 62,000 on the clock. The car has no mods and is absolutely awesome down the back roads with all the power you will ever want. In 2021 i bought a new M340i in oxide grey, good car but it's nowhere near as good as the E46 M3. I will never sell the M3. It would be good if you could do a video on the E30 and M36 M3 giving your views on the difference between the cars.
That E46 is a true classic. Not a line too much or too little, great stance and proportions, perfect wheel design, ... It makes a lot of modern stuff look like overexcited teenagers' drawings
Great video Joe! I worked at a BMW dealership from 2002 - 2004. I remember seeing many of these, in this combination. I also remember having 2 x M3 CSLs and a Z8 in stock, which we struggled to sell at around the same time. Great content! ❤
I had 51 reg m3 e46 will always be in my heart the best thing I ever did was have an inspection 1 service at Bmw. They adjusted all of the valves and God did it run well after that
I adored my 330i cabrio on the 'W' reg (2000). Purchased the official BMW cup holders that sat underneath the arm rest too. Such a silky smooth engine - I think the more relaxed tune and ride of the 330i means they make more sense twenty+ years on than the M3's. Personally never had an issue with the brakes though again helped by the more relaxed 7/10th's driving style the 330i encourages
Unfortunately it doesn't look like it's still around @sanmarino_cs1698, at least, not on that licence plate any more. I adored the Phoenixgelb and Kiwi leather combo, and it was definitely a "Marmite" choice judging by my friends' reactions, but these differences are what make the world go around. I believe that colour combination was a launch configuration, and my car - one of the first, registered May 2001, was originally a showroom car.
@@justinwheatley3760 I checked on the DVLA which I’m assuming you did the same and yeah it says vehicle details not found, but no way of finding out if there’s a private plate on it sadly :(
I've owned my 2005 coupe e46 m3 for over 5 years now, just done regular oil changes and never cost me much maintenance wise, just enjoyed it, highlight was it appeared on Fifth Gear earlier this year when Jason Plato drove it against the new G89 M3 (and he much preferred mine) it cost me £8k probs could get double that even with 136k Miles 👍
You’re right Joe, The older M cars have much more character and are not smothered in safety and tech like the new ones. Also the older cars are affordable for now unlike the new ones which are too big, too heavy and too expensive. Really enjoyed the video 👍
What a total joy to watch that video Joe! You were spot-on imagining it cruising along the Côte d'Azur among its many adventures, along with climbing over the Alps and the Pyrenees, Italy, Spain, Monaco, Scotland, and then the other stuff like weddings, beaches, watching shooting stars with a pretty girl on a hilltop with the roof down, and many many other things that would have been nowhere near as glorious without it. Loved that car for 18 years and 125,000 miles and it's truly bittersweet to see it again. Delightful surprise!
Great video, thank you. Cup holders are just not needed in cars as you should not drink and drive at the same time. The E46 is still a wonderful looking car and far exceeds any newer BMW because the newer models all look like they were made for a Japanese arcade game rather than having class like the older models. Lastly, it's a shame that M3 is being broken. These cars need to be preserved and surely it should be sold to someone prepared to do the work despite the enormous cost, instead of being broken for financial gain. Very interesting video though.
When you mentioned issues, I immediately thought 'rear subframe'. We had an 04 330 sport cab in Imola Red, one of my favourite cars ever, only sold as the family got bigger, for an 330d touring !
Joe, I have a silver grey coupe and am surprised how much nice attention it gets, people coming over when I park up somewhere reminiscing or driving alongside and giving thumbs up. Use mine a track day toy, great fun and relatively cheap
The simplicity of the E46 & E85 6cylinders, cabs is absolutely delicious and will become so sort after in the not too distant future if not already!! Top vid as well
I have a 2002 M3 Convertible with 145K miles and I keep her in good shape, whatever she needs. Fixed ALL of the major issues, except rod bearings and Vanos. I am doing regular oil changes, checks and add ons with Liqui Moly ONLY. When I do oil changes, I do Blackstone lab tests to gauge engine health, and she still rips flawlesly. This car is the closest thing to a good old school GT motorcycle when you put the top down , life is really GOOD. We need people to invest their time and skills into these cars and protect them from extinction, every example lost is sacrilegious, especially by a Mechanic!
Same year as my Z3. I remember the forums at the time were all about the boot floors cracking where the diff was mounted on the Z3Ms. BMW had many a warranty repair same as the E46s. Great episode, enjoyed it.
Lovely trip down memory lane, I had a blue 2004 M3 Coupe, brilliant car I loved driving it. My only mistake was ordering it with the then very new SMG gearbox, because I fancied changing gear with the paddles. I console myself that my current M340i is slightly more powerful , but it does not match the fun factor of the E46.
Nah, you didn't make a mistake. The SMG was actually a really cool transmission, and not something any manufacturer would ever make today (outside of race teams). You just have to drive as though it's a manual without a clutch pedal, rather than as an automatic. It felt like a slightly slower version of a modern sequential manual, and I think for many of the people who bought it at the time, that was exactly the problem; they wanted it to be a sporty automatic box, but what they were actually getting was a rally-car style sequential box. I still prefer the 3 pedal manual, but the SMG was a great box, it was just marketed confusingly. I honestly wish they'd bring back an SMG box, it's so much more befitting an M-car than all these 8-spd torque converters. They just need to make it clear to people that the SMG is *not* an automatic. The cost of building and maintaining SMG's would be far cheaper than a DCT (and would be less complicated and heavy compared to a DCT or a ZF8). I've heard so many people give that old SMG flack for not being a "good automatic", without realizing it was never supposed to be. As a sequential manual, it was a great gearbox (still is, for the ones still being used).
@@doggodproductions2259 I was coming from driving a manual, somehow it didn't seem to be one thing or the other as far as I remember. I think they had only just launched the SMG at the time so it was a very new product, I should have stuck with the manual! Just ma personally, others may have found it different
Now I'm not in my youth, chasing every apex in whatever car I get my hands on, I would always choose a convertible for a fun car. Cruising along, feeling the cool air and hearing the engine is a sensory treat that suits the current driving style in the UK. You feel anxious going too much over any limit, even on a fast A-road, whereas the experience of a convertible is useful at any speed. I miss my B7 2.0T convertible quite a bit, especially on warm days.
£20 will see you as the proud owner of not only one, but two cup holders in the e46. They replace the centre console coin / crap holder. It's a pop out, pop in job.
Great video. WRT the stone in the rear left brake disc, this can easily be resolved my stopping the car in a quite place and reversing it. In most cases the stone will come out.
Great vid! I have daily'd a 2001 E46 330ci Coupe manual for over 2 years and I love it. Got it with 42k on the clock, now it's 72k. 34 MPG on my commute, which ain't bad really. Comfortable cruiser, plenty of poke and fun on the twisties. One day, I'll have an M3 as a play thing 🤞
Love this video. Would like to see more older bmws. I have e39 530i sport. E90m3 and e70X5. Seeing how they managed over time. The Ultimate Driving Machine.
loved my E46 M3, had it 5 years spent too much on it. Luckily had boot floor replaced under the 10 year warranty but in the end sold it for what i bought it for......now they are 4-5k more
Joe you should revisit a m135i to see how you rate them now they have moved up(and deservedly so)in the car and TH-cam world to bigger and better things. Would be interesting,also a car that's obtainable to more people than 80k modern cars. As always keep the good work up.
Phoenix gelb (yellow) was an option, yet not ´individual´ color on e46 M3s... it was individual on other nonM E46s.. Very nice summary of this car in this price bracket. Good job on this video. I´d still go for an E64 M6 cab, although not as pretty, the rust and boot floor issues are really scaring me... and S85 is so much fun. Plus there have been much less built, the appreciation potential for the good ones looks a bit better, now that E46 have gone up so much.
Great video, this is why I bought a E36 M3 Cab a few years ago, memories from my childhood, no depreciation, too down Estoril Blue paintwork gleaming as my bald head enjoys what I love about being on a motorbike!
I had one of these about 10 years ago, the boot floor issue affected all of them. The people that said theirs was fine obviously didn’t know where to look! BMW totally messed up and let down many loyal customers.
I just want to throw my bit in as feel like there was quite a lot of negativity around reliability and issues. I have had my car for nearly 7 years manual coupe, never let me down. I would say over my ownership I have spent roughly 2k a year in maintenance and ticking off preventative jobs. Provided you look after these cars you will be fine. The most expensive problem I had was the rear arches rusting. This would be THE area I would be weary of, most other jobs are between 1-2k. If you are thinking about it, just do it. It’s the only car I don’t think I could sell.
Totally agree with this, my daily is a Golf R but I never get near as much enjoyment from it than when I'm in my M3 coupe. If I'd to sell either tomorrow it would be the golf without a doubt.
They did some strange interior colours during that period, I used to hate the blue/grey interior but I went collecting parts for a car I crashed and the guys had an e46 m3 coupe in light blue with the grey interior… very nice in person. There’s something about these modern classics, the interiors although ‘old’ looking in comparison to modern cars, they just feel so much more well built
Great video Joe 👍🏻 I own a 2005 m3 convertible with similar underside issues... im going to bite the bullet next year and have a full underside restoration and respray. I know I'll be massively arse about face on the value but I don't care as I absolutely love the car and can't ever see myself selling it...
Something garages don’t tell you is the vanos has a small oil filter that should be regularly cleaned, oil starvation is what causes vanos problems I was told.
Excellent review, nice to see more accessible vehicles reviewed. Always wanted an E46 coupe in a manual but missed boat many times. Eventually managed to buy an M4 competition 2018 which I do love but it’s an expensive car compared to the M3 in the video.
Too good to break. Really would be a shame to break that .. rare colour and interior option. Would make a great TH-cam resto car and exactly the type of thing I would buy!
@@renas5371 Because it wasn't popular when it first came out ... but has become desirable. It was a launch colour and still in the standard range but most people didn't opt for it. There were over 84k E46 M3's produced but not many this colour and less with the interior ... although this may have been added after. It would need a vin decode. Most pheonix were ordered with black leather. They certainly are a popular choice now and some of the BMW guys actively hunt them. I'd buy another in this colour any day of the week.
Drove that route in my E46 convertible last week on way to the office. Sunny day so went in that rather than the company car. Very nice it was too. (Unfortunately it’s not an M3!)
These E46 M3s were all recalled by BMW to replace the boot floors,they were inspected and replaced if cracks were found.the problem was because these cars changed hands so frequently a lot of them never got inspected.
My initial answer to your title question was, "obviously because it's a cabriolet and it's a horrible color". Actually, I suspected an automatic to, but I was wrong. I've been hankering after a silver E46 coupe manual and (if I get one) will no doubt pay 6 times more than what Russ has.
Phoenix yellow cab, the other half has one with under 50k on the cloak in immaculate condition inside & out on a 54 plate two owners from new👌 Thankfully hers has black leather!!👌
I had a 2006 M3 Competition with the SMG II transmission from Spring 2016 through Fall 2018. I wanted it to be my daily and a quarterly track day car. It had low mileage but , the SMG hydraulic unit failed within 4 months of my ownership 😮 $5600. I purchased a set of the BMW Optional 19 inch wheels in this video to run a set of sticky tires for track days. Those wheels were in better condition than the Competition Package wheels.The interior plastic was in poor condition due to age and use. During my second track weekend, the throttle actuator died. I had to drive home over two hours in limp mode 😢. The risk of another SMG failure and the rear floor cracking was more than I wanted to deal with. I traded it in on a 2018 F80 M3 Competition.
I had a carbon black one of these around 12 years ago , I have to admit it’s definitely one of the best cars I’ve ever owned along with my current M5 V10 E60 , I just wish I never traded it in for a Range Rover L322 V8 diesel 2009 around 8 years ago which was another story ( the worst most unreliable car I’ve ever owned ) , if I had the room I would without a doubt purchase another E46 M3 but it would be a coupe this time , these cars are for the money the best cars to drive on a Sunday on winding roads , what a car I do miss it especially with the roof down with that raspy sound … great memories with my two kids in the back. 😎👌🇬🇧 PS: there fast as well , I had nearly 170mph and that was not top end ( not on a public road of course ) 😉.
Ownder a number of BMW cabs over the past 25 years: my current G23 has no discernible scuttle shake compared to the earlier ones! Roof up, it's as quiet as the coupe.
Not a car that I would look at for long in a forecourt but nevertheless a cool car when you take the package as a whole into consideration. At £5k for a car like that there is a reason why and it is the bill for maintenance. I bought my son a Fiesta Zetec S with low miles for passing his test and now he has driven it for 2 years we are in the stage where it is 10 years old and although the paint is mint the running gear and brakes and exhaust are going to or have been replaced and it costs us £700 every time it visits our local workshop so not even main dealer prices but it is his first car and he is attached to it and he will need to finish Uni and get a full time job to replace it. Another interesting watch and again I learned something new i.e. what Pinking was, having heard the term at Primary school 50 years ago but never let on I had no clue what that was.
If a car is properly serviced from new it shouldn’t loose any power but actually gain some power as the engine is loosened up, I’m talking about reasonable mileage not 300 and 400k cars, and I remember guys I knew with the E46 M3 back in the day changing the exhaust for an upgrade and reverting back to the original exhaust as it sounded better, the coupe was £38,000 new and the cabriolet was £42,000
oh your going through Cholesbury right near my house..lol i was up there in my mint restored m3 today. Mine has cup holders in centre console. This one is base spec and doesn’t have them. But they are an option
I had an E46 cab back in 2002, Avus blue with full champagne interior. Absolutely loved it. I did notice in the video that the car didn’t have a strut brace, mine definitely did. Maybe it’s missing or the first ones didn’t and BMW added them later ?
Ahhh that stone crap happened to me earlier this year on my X3 M40i. Thankfully mine came out fairly swiftly by itself while driving but that squeaky sound for 5 minutes was extremely annoying.
I had a late Army mate who bought a Black cab M3 brand new in 2001 tax free. He let my drive it on the autobahn with the roof down, we maxed it out at 165mph on the speedo before the limiter kicked in. This video brought back that lovely memory and of my old army pal Paul, so thanks Joe.
Im sorry for your loss that's a great memory! These M3's are great cars I should be getting a blown up one soon!
BMW's had speed limiters at 155 mph back then. But I read that the E34 M5's which were hand assembled often didn't have it installed. We tested my 1992 5 speed 3.8 M5 quite a few times in various ways with gps and stop watches and we were pretty sure we were getting an honest 166 mph. I don't know about the E46 but it might well have been a real 165 or close to it. Autocar magazine also tested the 6 speed version of the 3.8 M5 and got a 2 way average of 171 mph in 1994 using accurate equipment, a car theoretically limited to 155 mph. Hopefully we will all see our lost friends again. We are only here but for the blink of an eye.
What a great memory to cherish of your mate and the M3 , respect 🙏👌
Sorry to hear that mate, but glad to hear it brought back good memories mate ♥
I blew one of these into the dust with a Saab
Love it. Great move testing something ‘affordable’, especially when the world is crazy expensive.
The dash. Made at a time where a car was for driving. No distractions, no infotainment, just the functionality for driving
This is more like it Joe!!!! Everyone reviews the new stuff but this is what gets us all excited!!! More of this please!!! Had two E46’s and I can’t wait to get another, 330i being the dream!!
I’ve got 2 330 a petrol manual and diesel manual plus a 530d manual
The diesels faster by far and more economical , the only reason I got a 530i m sport was it’s low miles and they have jumped in price hugely and this was mega cheap
I bought my E46 M3 coup in 2008 when it was 3 years old with 16,500 miles on the clock from Coopers Norwich. I used the car every day to travel to work summer and winter and it's now got just over 62,000 on the clock. The car has no mods and is absolutely awesome down the back roads with all the power you will ever want. In 2021 i bought a new M340i in oxide grey, good car but it's nowhere near as good as the E46 M3. I will never sell the M3. It would be good if you could do a video on the E30 and M36 M3 giving your views on the difference between the cars.
Every time you pressed on the accelerator and I heard that raspy engine note 😍… Just incredible.
The e46 cabriolet's look so elegant with the roof down. The long flat shoulder line is a beautiful design
More old cars on the channel Joe, they have so much more character and appeal to a bigger audience.
Definitely more content /reviews like this on older cars !
Say one a month or similar !
Love this vid
Nostalgia is such a powerful emotion -
Love the fact that it is not “restored”
A few of these vids now and again would be sweet
That E46 is a true classic. Not a line too much or too little, great stance and proportions, perfect wheel design, ... It makes a lot of modern stuff look like overexcited teenagers' drawings
Great video Joe! I worked at a BMW dealership from 2002 - 2004. I remember seeing many of these, in this combination. I also remember having 2 x M3 CSLs and a Z8 in stock, which we struggled to sell at around the same time. Great content! ❤
I had 51 reg m3 e46 will always be in my heart the best thing I ever did was have an inspection 1 service at Bmw.
They adjusted all of the valves and God did it run well after that
Forget torque, that NA 6 sounds utterly marvellous!
Only didn't have cupholders because the original owner didn't tick the box for them - you could have two of them in the centre console
Beemers are BMW motorcycles. Bimmers are BMW automobiles. This is in the USA.
When Beemers were good looking...
6:31 humm .. shifter knob rocking when you turn the wheel? 😆
I adored my 330i cabrio on the 'W' reg (2000). Purchased the official BMW cup holders that sat underneath the arm rest too. Such a silky smooth engine - I think the more relaxed tune and ride of the 330i means they make more sense twenty+ years on than the M3's. Personally never had an issue with the brakes though again helped by the more relaxed 7/10th's driving style the 330i encourages
Best looking 3 series. The E46. I miss my one.
My first M car was a 2005 M3 convertible in this exact colour combination. YR05 CEN no idea if it’s still alive now. This was back in 2008 😮
Unfortunately it doesn't look like it's still around @sanmarino_cs1698, at least, not on that licence plate any more. I adored the Phoenixgelb and Kiwi leather combo, and it was definitely a "Marmite" choice judging by my friends' reactions, but these differences are what make the world go around. I believe that colour combination was a launch configuration, and my car - one of the first, registered May 2001, was originally a showroom car.
@@justinwheatley3760 I checked on the DVLA which I’m assuming you did the same and yeah it says vehicle details not found, but no way of finding out if there’s a private plate on it sadly :(
I've owned my 2005 coupe e46 m3 for over 5 years now, just done regular oil changes and never cost me much maintenance wise, just enjoyed it, highlight was it appeared on Fifth Gear earlier this year when Jason Plato drove it against the new G89 M3 (and he much preferred mine) it cost me £8k probs could get double that even with 136k Miles 👍
You’re right Joe,
The older M cars have much more character and are not smothered in safety and tech like the new ones.
Also the older cars are affordable for now unlike the new ones which are too big, too heavy and too expensive. Really enjoyed the video 👍
Absolutely agree too big, too heavy, poor traction, and you see M4’s M3’s of later models literally everywhere.
What a total joy to watch that video Joe! You were spot-on imagining it cruising along the Côte d'Azur among its many adventures, along with climbing over the Alps and the Pyrenees, Italy, Spain, Monaco, Scotland, and then the other stuff like weddings, beaches, watching shooting stars with a pretty girl on a hilltop with the roof down, and many many other things that would have been nowhere near as glorious without it. Loved that car for 18 years and 125,000 miles and it's truly bittersweet to see it again. Delightful surprise!
Great video, thank you. Cup holders are just not needed in cars as you should not drink and drive at the same time. The E46 is still a wonderful looking car and far exceeds any newer BMW because the newer models all look like they were made for a Japanese arcade game rather than having class like the older models. Lastly, it's a shame that M3 is being broken. These cars need to be preserved and surely it should be sold to someone prepared to do the work despite the enormous cost, instead of being broken for financial gain. Very interesting video though.
When you mentioned issues, I immediately thought 'rear subframe'. We had an 04 330 sport cab in Imola Red, one of my favourite cars ever, only sold as the family got bigger, for an 330d touring !
It's nice to see you driving an older BMW and enjoying reliving some memories.
Maybe this situation was different but when I've picked up a rock in the brakes i just drive in reverse for a few seconds. Usually pops straight out
I’d still be tempted to give it a light refresh and still daily it
Joe, I have a silver grey coupe and am surprised how much nice attention it gets, people coming over when I park up somewhere reminiscing or driving alongside and giving thumbs up. Use mine a track day toy, great fun and relatively cheap
The simplicity of the E46 & E85 6cylinders, cabs is absolutely delicious and will become so sort after in the not too distant future if not already!! Top vid as well
I have a 2002 M3 Convertible with 145K miles and I keep her in good shape, whatever she needs. Fixed ALL of the major issues, except rod bearings and Vanos. I am doing regular oil changes, checks and add ons with Liqui Moly ONLY. When I do oil changes, I do Blackstone lab tests to gauge engine health, and she still rips flawlesly.
This car is the closest thing to a good old school GT motorcycle when you put the top down , life is really GOOD.
We need people to invest their time and skills into these cars and protect them from extinction, every example lost is sacrilegious, especially by a Mechanic!
Same year as my Z3. I remember the forums at the time were all about the boot floors cracking where the diff was mounted on the Z3Ms. BMW had many a warranty repair same as the E46s. Great episode, enjoyed it.
Lovely trip down memory lane, I had a blue 2004 M3 Coupe, brilliant car I loved driving it. My only mistake was ordering it with the then very new SMG gearbox, because I fancied changing gear with the paddles. I console myself that my current M340i is slightly more powerful , but it does not match the fun factor of the E46.
Nah, you didn't make a mistake. The SMG was actually a really cool transmission, and not something any manufacturer would ever make today (outside of race teams). You just have to drive as though it's a manual without a clutch pedal, rather than as an automatic. It felt like a slightly slower version of a modern sequential manual, and I think for many of the people who bought it at the time, that was exactly the problem; they wanted it to be a sporty automatic box, but what they were actually getting was a rally-car style sequential box.
I still prefer the 3 pedal manual, but the SMG was a great box, it was just marketed confusingly. I honestly wish they'd bring back an SMG box, it's so much more befitting an M-car than all these 8-spd torque converters. They just need to make it clear to people that the SMG is *not* an automatic. The cost of building and maintaining SMG's would be far cheaper than a DCT (and would be less complicated and heavy compared to a DCT or a ZF8). I've heard so many people give that old SMG flack for not being a "good automatic", without realizing it was never supposed to be.
As a sequential manual, it was a great gearbox (still is, for the ones still being used).
@@doggodproductions2259 I was coming from driving a manual, somehow it didn't seem to be one thing or the other as far as I remember. I think they had only just launched the SMG at the time so it was a very new product, I should have stuck with the manual! Just ma personally, others may have found it different
Now I'm not in my youth, chasing every apex in whatever car I get my hands on, I would always choose a convertible for a fun car. Cruising along, feeling the cool air and hearing the engine is a sensory treat that suits the current driving style in the UK. You feel anxious going too much over any limit, even on a fast A-road, whereas the experience of a convertible is useful at any speed. I miss my B7 2.0T convertible quite a bit, especially on warm days.
£20 will see you as the proud owner of not only one, but two cup holders in the e46. They replace the centre console coin / crap holder. It's a pop out, pop in job.
The E46 DOES have a twin cup holder centre console option.
Great video. WRT the stone in the rear left brake disc, this can easily be resolved my stopping the car in a quite place and reversing it. In most cases the stone will come out.
Great video and weirdly timed with Calvin filming a video the other day. Shame russ reckons it's done for but then I can understand.
Great vid! I have daily'd a 2001 E46 330ci Coupe manual for over 2 years and I love it. Got it with 42k on the clock, now it's 72k. 34 MPG on my commute, which ain't bad really. Comfortable cruiser, plenty of poke and fun on the twisties. One day, I'll have an M3 as a play thing 🤞
Joe you even managed to colour co-ordinate your shades with the car👏👏😂
Love this video. Would like to see more older bmws. I have e39 530i sport. E90m3 and e70X5. Seeing how they managed over time. The Ultimate Driving Machine.
loved my E46 M3, had it 5 years spent too much on it. Luckily had boot floor replaced under the 10 year warranty but in the end sold it for what i bought it for......now they are 4-5k more
Joe you should revisit a m135i to see how you rate them now they have moved up(and deservedly so)in the car and TH-cam world to bigger and better things.
Would be interesting,also a car that's obtainable to more people than 80k modern cars.
As always keep the good work up.
Love this idea, I bought a 140 because of joe and I still miss it even though I’ve had more powerful cars since
I bought a m135i 2016 cause of joe great car
Phoenix gelb (yellow) was an option, yet not ´individual´ color on e46 M3s... it was individual on other nonM E46s.. Very nice summary of this car in this price bracket. Good job on this video. I´d still go for an E64 M6 cab, although not as pretty, the rust and boot floor issues are really scaring me... and S85 is so much fun. Plus there have been much less built, the appreciation potential for the good ones looks a bit better, now that E46 have gone up so much.
Great video, this is why I bought a E36 M3 Cab a few years ago, memories from my childhood, no depreciation, too down Estoril Blue paintwork gleaming as my bald head enjoys what I love about being on a motorbike!
Absolutely love this episode
Haven’t watched the video yet but glad to see you in an older car.
I had one of these about 10 years ago, the boot floor issue affected all of them. The people that said theirs was fine obviously didn’t know where to look! BMW totally messed up and let down many loyal customers.
I just want to throw my bit in as feel like there was quite a lot of negativity around reliability and issues. I have had my car for nearly 7 years manual coupe, never let me down. I would say over my ownership I have spent roughly 2k a year in maintenance and ticking off preventative jobs. Provided you look after these cars you will be fine. The most expensive problem I had was the rear arches rusting. This would be THE area I would be weary of, most other jobs are between 1-2k.
If you are thinking about it, just do it. It’s the only car I don’t think I could sell.
Totally agree with this, my daily is a Golf R but I never get near as much enjoyment from it than when I'm in my M3 coupe. If I'd to sell either tomorrow it would be the golf without a doubt.
E46 M3 is such a timeless,well designed and the best drivers BMW M3 they made. I was a bit disappointed that its not Joe's project car.
They did some strange interior colours during that period, I used to hate the blue/grey interior but I went collecting parts for a car I crashed and the guys had an e46 m3 coupe in light blue with the grey interior… very nice in person. There’s something about these modern classics, the interiors although ‘old’ looking in comparison to modern cars, they just feel so much more well built
Was waiting for this video, great to see the shed getting some airtime! 🎉
Great video Joe 👍🏻 I own a 2005 m3 convertible with similar underside issues... im going to bite the bullet next year and have a full underside restoration and respray. I know I'll be massively arse about face on the value but I don't care as I absolutely love the car and can't ever see myself selling it...
Something garages don’t tell you is the vanos has a small oil filter that should be regularly cleaned, oil starvation is what causes vanos problems I was told.
So much more interesting than all the modern, virtually irrelevant, cr*p. Well done. Z3M Coupe next, please.
Flipping engine alone is £5k, bargain
Excellent review, nice to see more accessible vehicles reviewed. Always wanted an E46 coupe in a manual but missed boat many times. Eventually managed to buy an M4 competition 2018 which I do love but it’s an expensive car compared to the M3 in the video.
Don't regret f82 m4 is much better car and more reliable I had both e46 m3 convertible and f82 m4 zero issue with f82 alot of trouble with e46 m3
Him saying he is going to break it just breaks my heart really. Donate it to me instead.
Excellent video Joe, a mate had a E46 M3 cab and let me have a drive, only driven BMWs since and now enjoying my M340D touring! 👍😀
Great video, thanks . More oldies please
Too good to break. Really would be a shame to break that .. rare colour and interior option. Would make a great TH-cam resto car and exactly the type of thing I would buy!
Not a rare combo, almost every phoenix yellow came in this spec, quite a common colour for an m3 too.
@@renas5371 1 of 580 produced in the UK in this combo out of 84,000 worldwide.
@@AllTorque might be rare on paper but personally I see them at BMW gatherings regularly
@@renas5371 Because it wasn't popular when it first came out ... but has become desirable. It was a launch colour and still in the standard range but most people didn't opt for it. There were over 84k E46 M3's produced but not many this colour and less with the interior ... although this may have been added after. It would need a vin decode. Most pheonix were ordered with black leather. They certainly are a popular choice now and some of the BMW guys actively hunt them. I'd buy another in this colour any day of the week.
@@AllTorque There is only 378 RHD Convertible in phoenix yellow, so I'm not sure how it can be 1 of 580 in the UK.
I'm more interested in the green e46 m3 parked nearby.
Phoenix yellow was the best of the 4 M specific colours! So much so I bought a coupe in 2003! What a car that was at the time!
Yessss, please bring more affordable cars to the channel, Joe :)))
Just for future reference, if you get a stone caught in your brake disc, try reversing, this often flicks the stone out
Drove that route in my E46 convertible last week on way to the office. Sunny day so went in that rather than the company car. Very nice it was too. (Unfortunately it’s not an M3!)
These E46 M3s were all recalled by BMW to replace the boot floors,they were inspected and replaced if cracks were found.the problem was because these cars changed hands so frequently a lot of them never got inspected.
Cup holders were optional on E46 and E39
Thank you, really this video and learning regarding E46s; as it made my Sunday afternoon.
18s especially the rear deep dish look are lovely. Much prefer them
Love seeing some older BMW cars. Shame to see this one is nearing the end of its life but I am sure some bits will live on to help other cars.
Even in this colour it makes the new M2 look as appealing as dog poo
Coz you can’t afford it that’s why
Knobbie
@@yuriferreira8 butt hurt because you don't have taste
I agree
You just make the best car review videos!
My initial answer to your title question was, "obviously because it's a cabriolet and it's a horrible color". Actually, I suspected an automatic to, but I was wrong. I've been hankering after a silver E46 coupe manual and (if I get one) will no doubt pay 6 times more than what Russ has.
Phoenix yellow cab, the other half has one with under 50k on the cloak in immaculate condition inside & out on a 54 plate two owners from new👌
Thankfully hers has black leather!!👌
I had a 2006 M3 Competition with the SMG II transmission from Spring 2016 through Fall 2018. I wanted it to be my daily and a quarterly track day car. It had low mileage but , the SMG hydraulic unit failed within 4 months of my ownership 😮 $5600. I purchased a set of the BMW Optional 19 inch wheels in this video to run a set of sticky tires for track days. Those wheels were in better condition than the Competition Package wheels.The interior plastic was in poor condition due to age and use. During my second track weekend, the throttle actuator died. I had to drive home over two hours in limp mode 😢. The risk of another SMG failure and the rear floor cracking was more than I wanted to deal with. I traded it in on a 2018 F80 M3 Competition.
I've got the graphite grey with red interior absolutely love it ...but this phoenix yellow is way more rare and I think the best color
Brilliant! Please do more of this type of thing!!
I had a carbon black one of these around 12 years ago , I have to admit it’s definitely one of the best cars I’ve ever owned along with my current M5 V10 E60 , I just wish I never traded it in for a Range Rover L322 V8 diesel 2009 around 8 years ago which was another story ( the worst most unreliable car I’ve ever owned ) , if I had the room I would without a doubt purchase another E46 M3 but it would be a coupe this time , these cars are for the money the best cars to drive on a Sunday on winding roads , what a car I do miss it especially with the roof down with that raspy sound … great memories with my two kids in the back. 😎👌🇬🇧
PS: there fast as well , I had nearly 170mph and that was not top end ( not on a public road of course ) 😉.
Great video, never thought I’d say it but I actually enjoy the colour combo. Classic.
Ownder a number of BMW cabs over the past 25 years: my current G23 has no discernible scuttle shake compared to the earlier ones! Roof up, it's as quiet as the coupe.
Love this content - much more relatable. Keep it coming!
I loved my e46 M3, bought it for £7200 sold for £5750 a couple of years later! Think that was in about 2011
Also had a 330Ci sport before the M3, great cars.
Not a car that I would look at for long in a forecourt but nevertheless a cool car when you take the package as a whole into consideration. At £5k for a car like that there is a reason why and it is the bill for maintenance. I bought my son a Fiesta Zetec S with low miles for passing his test and now he has driven it for 2 years we are in the stage where it is 10 years old and although the paint is mint the running gear and brakes and exhaust are going to or have been replaced and it costs us £700 every time it visits our local workshop so not even main dealer prices but it is his first car and he is attached to it and he will need to finish Uni and get a full time job to replace it. Another interesting watch and again I learned something new i.e. what Pinking was, having heard the term at Primary school 50 years ago but never let on I had no clue what that was.
Ahhhhh the special one ,yes Joe we like this ,keep it up
If a car is properly serviced from new it shouldn’t loose any power but actually gain some power as the engine is loosened up, I’m talking about reasonable mileage not 300 and 400k cars, and I remember guys I knew with the E46 M3 back in the day changing the exhaust for an upgrade and reverting back to the original exhaust as it sounded better, the coupe was £38,000 new and the cabriolet was £42,000
top tip regarding stones in disks. Reverse at high speed. Job done.
oh your going through Cholesbury right near my house..lol i was up there in my mint restored m3 today. Mine has cup holders in centre console. This one is base spec and doesn’t have them. But they are an option
Makes me want to buy one of these 😂 looks mega. Gonna chop the E36 in
Looking forward to this one Joe. I'll save it for the plane journey tomorrow. 👍
Pheonix yellow was definitely an original colour.
Yup! It was the E46 M3 launch colour 🤓
I had an E46 cab back in 2002, Avus blue with full champagne interior. Absolutely loved it. I did notice in the video that the car didn’t have a strut brace, mine definitely did. Maybe it’s missing or the first ones didn’t and BMW added them later ?
They added them as standard after 01. Because the struttowers in front aren’t the best ones aswell 😂
I own an 03 Avus blue one, love it… super rare colour
Great video idea, looking forward to more like it!
More content like this please 😊
Phenoix on kiwi is actually a rare color combination can’t be many of those running around , also US e46 m3 definitely came with cup holders
Those colour choices are so unbelievably uncool that it comes back full circle to make it kind of cool
Ahhh that stone crap happened to me earlier this year on my X3 M40i. Thankfully mine came out fairly swiftly by itself while driving but that squeaky sound for 5 minutes was extremely annoying.
Just put a wrap on it!
The engine is the star. Also had a cab and liked the smg 2. But just wasn’t as special as I wanted as third car
Bruh, rare color and Individual interior for $5000? That is nuts. The interior alone is worth more than what you paid.
Behave yourself. Utter nonsense.
It’s not dollars why are you putting dollars for??
Often a little tweek to the disk dust cover will dislodge jammed pebbles (flat-head screwdriver between the disk and the dust plate..very carefully..)