In my country they are around 5000-5500 €... even E36 is 2000-2500 €, and there are not many of them left in good shape. E36 cabrio goes for 3500-5000 €. And none of M3 E36 were ever seen in my country. SAD...
Please try to restore it! No boyracerish mods PLEASE. Too many nice e46s fall victim to the wrong people. 2-3k will make this a worthy sidekick to miles!
I put a Bilstein suspension kit on my 325 sport auto(2001). I upgraded because the OEM kit is just crap with springs breaking far too often. I took it to the ring and had a great time, the oem kit was far too soft for a heavy car like this.
@@Tjescoo i totally agree with you, but in this case it is like that because the rear washerjet would basically spray your trunk if the hatch isnt closed properly
Bruh in greece that car with the rust and stuff would freaking cost 2500€ like yea a crap car in greece would cost 900-1000€ ye we expensive in cars. It would only cost 2500 cause it’s a bmw lol
He just said he's going to daily it until it doesn't pass the MOT anymore and then he's going to scrap it (exactly what the donating family didn't want to happen to the car). How is that rescuing ? He never mentioned restoring it. And tbh, with that amount of rust, who would ?
Buys the car because the original owner sayed he didnt want the car to be scrapped. Later in the video he says he can scrap it if it doesn't passes MOT. *Insert the "Am I a joke to you" meme*
GabrielTVG "and propably even make more money by scrapping it". Not only does he do exactly what the previous owner didnt want to happen to the car, he will take their scrap money. Thats one hell of a douche move Alex.
I look forward to watching this series. My own 2001 330i touring with similar mileage has the same error code and was bought with it for £1k about 3.5 years ago, 20k on the light comes and goes. It just about manages to get through the emissions on the MOT every year although I make sure it's bloody hot when it arrives. If the brake light has only just come on, I would expect that it will probably have at least 5mm on the pads still...mine certainly did. Your bigger brake concern is the rear pipes if they've not been done, mine were frighteningly thin! The wishbone bushes I have are the Meyle HD and they've lasted okay so far. The CCV system is also worth doing in some circumstances as is the Disa rebuild, I used the i6 automotive kit to do mine 3 years ago...the original pin was frighteningly easy to remove. Have also done rear shocks, springs and top mounts and am replacing the Meyle top mounts that have been in two years with some Lemforder ones tomorrow as the Meyle rear top mounts have gone bad fairly quickly. Good luck, I look forward to seeing your rear arch solutions as I need some inspiration on that front myself.
I think the boot light thats on is because the switch that gets pressed when closing the boot isnt working , the rear wipers maybe dont work because the car thinks that the boot is open, at some cars the main wipers dont work because the hood is open, i dont exactly know if thats also possible for the rear but it might be. The catalytic converter error code could also be a failure of the 2. O2 sensor which sits right behind the catalytic converter and is checking how much O2 is left, the amount should be less than the amount that the 1. O2 sensor is measuring. Greets from Germany
@@gatoterapia404 but a diesel engine will never be a fast as a petrol engine..fact.. check fastest petrol engine in the world then check diesel... diesel should stick to trucks and Jeep's that's only what it's good for...
But Fords are the true winners in this category - anyone who has had a mk1 Focus will know what I'm talking about...and btw rust weighs even more than metal since the Fe3C molecules bind with oxygen molecules and the mass is then larger
Our e36 and e46 had serious rust problems but I have to say the e87 and e90 are much better when it comes to rusting. Still sad for such expensive cars...our golf 2 was 25 years old when we scrapped it and it had no rust at all...
It’s funny that Americans think European cars always break down. Had vw bora/jetta tdi 150k miles clocked back so really probably over 200k miles 0 problems for 2 years only changed oil and filters. :) I had 330cd done 60kmiles with it and it ran fine money spend was only with maintenance parts ( brakes pads, brake discs, suspension bushing, engine oil,)0 problems with engine itself. :) Now i have 330ci for now zero problems with it. Changed oil and couple bushes in a suspencion.:) So I don’t understand why Americans think that german cars are shit.? Maybe nobody properly service them after they ran out of a warranty?
The UK is a tiny rhd market on the edge of a huge lhd market, add to that the fact that a large majority of British people are not interested in keeping a car when its older than 3 years. You get a market that is saturated.
my E46 touring 325 has done 140,000 to date , still runs perfect with no rust spots. Interior leather still nice . Recently replaced the auto box, back springs, thermostat , belts, tensioner wheels and water pump over the last 2 years. Oh and replaced the Mk IV DVD sat nav unit off ebay . Otherwise all good .
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=1003820&mid=42108 - Thats the best I can do.. its few years ago, but its still going... on well over 200K now
Just went on there and read the whole thread, awesome job. The thing must be a hoon with the scharger especially when giving those M3's a run for their money
I wish my E46 330d touring had 170,000 miles. My car is currently on 247,000 and still going strong. It's still got the original turbo! Goes to show with correct servicing and and treating the car with a little respect it will last a life time (fingers crossed 🤞 lol) Last month I drove from Preston to Southampton and back in one day and used less than half a tank of fuel! Easily the best and most reliable car I've ever owned and my second favourite! The first is still my old A3 1.8T Quattro!
If you want to do a big build, you should turn it into an m3 touring. Put an e46 m3 engine and drivetrain in it and put its body parts on it (bumpers, bonnet, fenders, etc.)
here in New Zealand I recently saw a 325i touring that had a full m3 conversion, from the fenders to the interior, to the trunk floor to the electricals and motor. Best thing I ever saw, and it was well made. They used absolutely everything they could from the m3 to make it what the m3 should of been had it of had a touring version.
i own a 2000 e46 330i and i'm very happy to see what you're going to do to it! one thing i'll say is there is no way the thing is getting 40mpg . mine is on 74K and barely gets 34 on a long journey at 70. typical range is 440 miles from a tank on 98 fuel(which makes a difference for the engine). also those alloys are in amazing condition! mine were curbed to hell before i replaced them
Wow, my 2000 e46 only gets 22mpg. I’ve managed to get it up on long distance but most my driving is local. I manage to get around 300-350 on a full tank of super, maybe I’m flying about too much 😂😂😂
I bought a 2006 Fiesta 1.2 with 12 moths MOT for £100 a few days ago... mechanically perfect, rust free, 109k miles. Special features: Body handcrafted ‘tapework’ (both masking and duct), even came with OSF wheel 14’ whilst the others are all 15’, special feature which I’m sure the front diff loves. You can’t complain for the price of a few London pints.
I also switched from E46 330i to M135i, the N55 turbo engine of course being a totally different animal. But still the M54 unit had its unique character with a creamy noise characteristic, that was smoother than most of the direct-injection engines of today.
I'm the guy that sold it to Alex. Yes, I agree with you. The 330i was creamy smooth and sounded great. The 135i almost sounds like a smaller 4 cylinder engine. Nice, but not the same, much quicker though!
Perry Westbrook do some exhaust modifications. You won’t be disappointed. I thought my 335i sounded like it like a vacuum cleaner but it sounds absurdly good now (I have no cat and no muffler. Wouldn’t recommend no muffler unless you don’t mind drone)
Engine not worth anything much, not particularly desirable for swapping and it comes in a car that is known to rust away before the engines die so there are loads available for the few people who want one.
From a guy who was replacing his car with a new one and didnt want to see this one go to the scrapyard because he thiught it desefved better, but it wasnt for the money
Despite the rust it shows how long newer cars last this one here is about 18 years old. Back in 2000 there were hardly any early 80s cars still on the road. Except for big old expensive cars
Constant 60mph or faulty O2 sensors causing the car to run lean and destroying the engine in the process. However, that rarely happens, usually they run a rich mixture when going bad.
My 225000 miles E55 will do 27mpg on the motorway if you keep your speed down below 70 and that has a 350bhp 5.4L V8 and 5 speed auto box in it, normal driving of course does about 17...but...ya know it CAN do 27mpg...
I think every generation of the BMW 3 series looks good, especially the touring versions. Except the G20.. The G20 can go fuck itself, it's horrendous.
Yup its a handsome beast, my personal fave is still the e36 family; love that blocky, no nonsense German styling. Pity theyve all rusted away/ been turned into drift cars 😞
Love your channel! Coincidently, after 60+ cars, picked up my first BMW yesterday. 2000 E46 323ci 180k miles, new MOT, £150!! My Bro is emigrating so it had to go. Bit of arch rust but that’s all. Very sweet engine, all round solid motor. I forgot how nice slightly older cars are to drive, no massive A pillars blocking your view, no silly tech! Keeping it here for a couple of months then a nice 1k road trip to Finland!
About that so many parts and cars comes from UK in Bulgaria. But to transport car from UK to BG cost 600 euros minimum. In UK the taxes are lot. For this 330i road tax is more than 500£ annual. Many people scrap them about the tax. So pity, hundreds of great dream cars was destroyed like that. Fackin capitalism
My dad's E46 328i had a spring snap too. It gouged a big groove out of the tire, and he had to use the 15-year-old FACTORY SPARE TIRE to go get it replaced.
Add tie rod ends and ball joints to the list, that should help tighten up the steering on a high mileage car. Also these e46 are infamous for vacuum leaks so get some 1/4" and 3/8" silicone vacuum lines and replace all of the old rubber.
It doesn’t help that BMW styling has changed VERY little in the last 20 years... so a 500 dollar mechanics special BMW from 2001 looks the same as a top of the line 2020 model to most people.
oh, you think you had rust? that's nothing compared to my trans am when I first bought it. The floor pans were rusted to hell and back and we had to tear them out and replacing them, not to mention the breaks, springs, and all of the others. I think we went through about 10 cans of POR.
My dad has a 2001 330i that has been in the family for about 15 years now. He absolutely loves it and can't bare to let it go. Has 150,000km but needs a respray and suspension overhaul all around but other than that its been a very very good car to him and my mother. Absolutely 0 rust on his
Only half of the produced W210 rusted, actually... Mercedes kinda messed up with their water-based paints they were using back then. The W210 however are still great cars, and here in Germany, you can pick up a clean one without rust for less than 2000€. Really hoping I can get my hands on one of these as a first car.
The Stig's German Cousin That's not true. I'm a Mercedes mechanic and last year I was looking for a nice W210 for a few months, basically the only thing I wanted was no rust. There aren't any. And it's not just the spoiled paint, which was the problem at first, it's the whole construction of the car. I love Mercedes, but man have they messed that up. If anyone wants to sell you a W210 without rust, don't believe them. Best hiding spots for rust: the door sills, underneath the chromelines and behind the covers around the wheels. Also the edges of the trunk and behind the seals around the doors and roof. If you think you found one 'without rust', lift it up and take a look underneath the car. Take off the rubber seals and door sill covers. You just need to look close enough and you will find rust, 100% sure. Of course you can buy one if you really love the car, but you have to be aware of the fact that you will have to get the body fixed from time to time. There are only two ways that a W210 has no rust: 1. the rust just got fixed 2. the car is in a museum-like condition and was barely ever driven. Either way, the car will start to rust slowly as soon as you use it regularly, and you will have to fix that soon. Sometimes it may cost around 500€ to fix it, next time it may be 2.000€ - you never know. It's a gamble and you have to like the car enough. But for sure a W210 will never be a cheap car if you want to pass the next MOT. My wife owns a W220, which basically has the same problems, and we bought it with almost no rust. Within half a year, the rust got so bad that the jack spot broke through the body when I jacked it up to change the wheels. We still have that car but the difference is that a S-Class is just more exclusive and worth to preserve than an E-Class of the same age. If you buy a Mercedes older than 2007 always keep at least 5.000€ on top of the price in mind for the rust cures.
If the engine management light comes on, and gives out the catalyst problem, it is easily cured by giving the 330i exhaust system the "golf tee" upgrade. Piece of cake, although I used a plastic screw to do mine. Makes the exhaust sound a little more throaty, plus the light never comes on again. Only the 330i exhaust system is this possible on. The other 6-pot engines have a different back box.
We have an E46 330d M-Sport Touring Auto with 211,000 miles. Our boot light comes on when we go over a pot hole, we have the ABS, Traction control and stability control warning lights. It's not predictable but it's so reliable.
Sounds like your ABS pump is on the blink. If you're in the UK, I think this may be an M.O.T. failure. Same thing happened to me. Fixing it yourself is difficult as the electric motor (which is usually the fault) is crimped onto the pump. If you shop around (i.e. don't go to a BMW dealer), you may get it repaired for under £800. The boot light, of course, is a much more serious issue (Lol).
You keep talking about 170,000 miles (274 000 km) is some unbelievable number. My old 2003 Golf TDI had 370 000 km before it got totaled. And my 2005 A4 1.8T quattro has 260 000 km already; she runs and looks mint
I'm an auto electrician and I can't tell you the sheer amount of hinge wiring I have fixed in touring models over the years. They ALLWAYS break either in or very close to the stainless steel wiring tray clipped to the side of the hinges (driver side usually). To repair it is a PITA. You need to remove the rear roof speaker cover, speaker, plastic wiring plate and then you have a small amount of freedom available to actually repair the wiring.
So you're going to install new bushes, roll bars, lowering springs and new shocks and a stainless exhaust. Only to scrap it once it doesn't pass MOT? Use some more money for rust repair and you'll drive this until the wheels fall off.
Don’t bother with a stainless back box, I just chopped mine off on my 325ci and welded two straight pipes in place of it. Sounded lovely and was only loud when you wanted it to be!
+carthrottle I had a 330i se touring for 5 years - hands down the best car i ever owned - leave the back box alone, remove the middle box and (optionally) the cats, then do the "golf tee" mod (easiest to fold the pipe to the back box and cable tie. It will sound amazing after that.
I'm buying an e46 in 2 months, just can't decide between 330i and 330d (both facelift) My daily drive is Focus mk1 1.6 100hp and I definitely need more torque Does the 330i have problems with hills? I mean like 3 people on board, 6th gear 2k rpm. I know that diesel produces more torque, but is 300nm in 330i enough for effortless daily driving? Had 1.9 TDi 105hp before the FoFo and although it felt quite effortless to drive, it didnt have enough power. If you are native English speaker I'm deeply sorry about my english. I just hope you understand my questions
@@MrDanielsahne Yeah, definitely. It also sounds amazing, I'm just not sure if it's powerful enough for daily driving. There are a lot of hills in the area I live and my Focus feels like 50hp car when going uphill
I’ve had both (pre-facelift). The m57 unit in 330d is brilliant but very boosty. In your description my car would crawl from about 1600 rpm until the turbo spooled then fly. Very exciting but really old school. Could always change down a few gears of course. Test drive it if you can. The M54B30 is the favourite engine I have owned ever. So linear and easy to drive from tickover and so willing to rev and exciting when you do. Got rid of mine at 196k miles and it was still going strong. Unless you do big miles and need diesel economy it’s the one I would choose.
About 4 years ago my dad bought an 01’ Focus for £50 and with another £40 of TLC, she was running like a dream, only a few days ago the turbo blew and she’s stuck at the workshop waiting for a new slug 🐌
Good video! I’ve got a e46 330ci sport with 96k and it’s probably one of the tidiest around. A true belter of a car for what it’s cost to run. 31mpg genuine average. 50mile per day.
We're buying a 400k+ km 320d estate with my friends to trash around the winter and on ice for 200 euros. It's also rusty as hell and has all sorts of throttle response issues etc but we'll try to sort out as many problems as we can. Maybe the car will get a new life, we'll see after we get it this weekend.
@Jed Lawson they put so much salt on the roads here you drive for 5 minutes and your car is white, no matter what colour it was before. Its now salt white
@@minidude4321 I live in northern MN, but visited TN for Thanksgiving a couple of weeks ago, and I washed and waxed my "modern steel" (dark gray) mk III Honda Fit while I was there. I got caught in a blizzard around Chicago on my way back, and the next day the car was a much lighter shade of gray than the previous morning.
@Jed Lawson we salt our roads here in Europe. The difference is we have really strict road worthiness tests for vehicles and cars tend to fail either based on mechanical issues or rust. European market Ford's are particularly terrible for rust. I would say this BMW has potential one MOT pass left before it fails.
Im a Bilstein shocks guy more than a coilover guy. But Solo Werks Coilovers are, according to reviews, good value for money & perform well. Company was started by ex KW engineers. That way you're getting shocks upgraded too. Good under rated car the 330.
All the talk amongst this thread concerning mpg is easily answered by knowing what the car will do over a full tank (55 < 60 litres). Suspect that’s doing more like mid 20’s and hence won’t do much more than 300 miles to a tank? My manual e92 330d mapped to circa 270bhp will do just shy of 600 miles to a tank with a mixture of lengthy motorway drives and B road thrashing...so more like mid to low 40’s regards mpg (best of both worlds 👍🏼👍🏼😁).... Best thing for this is to weld the diff and use it as a drift car, forget putting it through its mot, it’ll just become a money pit for something’s that’s not fast nor overly desirable. Other than that I love it and the cheap car thrill concept you keep on giving us, thanks Alex 😁👍🏼
Don't get it dirty. If you pressure wash it half the car will dissappear
@Jakob Jasper 🧢
140£ for a 330i?! In germany the engine alone is worth 1000-2000€. And the interieur is great. Full leather. A great deal.
In my country they are around 5000-5500 €... even E36 is 2000-2500 €, and there are not many of them left in good shape. E36 cabrio goes for 3500-5000 €. And none of M3 E36 were ever seen in my country. SAD...
That’s a 330d... however I have a 330i engine and gearbox I would happily sell for €1500 haha
@@finnice The title says: I bought this BMW 330i for......
MrDanielsahne my bad the 41mpg made me think it was a diesel
The £ symbol comes before the amount btw
Please try to restore it! No boyracerish mods PLEASE. Too many nice e46s fall victim to the wrong people. 2-3k will make this a worthy sidekick to miles!
I put a Bilstein suspension kit on my 325 sport auto(2001). I upgraded because the OEM kit is just crap with springs breaking far too often. I took it to the ring and had a great time, the oem kit was far too soft for a heavy car like this.
yeah great idea actually spend 3k on this heap thats worth 1.2 max after
the rear wiper doesnt do anything because the car thinks that the hatch isnt closed.. had the same issue with my e34 touring
I hate cars that are made to decide things for you...
@@Tjescoo i totally agree with you, but in this case it is like that because the rear washerjet would basically spray your trunk if the hatch isnt closed properly
That or it's seized solid.
@abs prob the motor is seized, some can be unseized with some work (saab estates were renowned for it due to alloy corrosion)
140£?! In Finland i could sell those rims by themselves for atleast 200€...
Also in Spain.
You can always buy parts from British companies whilst they are still in the EU?
@@roosterbooster6238 Yes, I think...(I'm not sure)
Bruh in greece that car with the rust and stuff would freaking cost 2500€ like yea a crap car in greece would cost 900-1000€ ye we expensive in cars. It would only cost 2500 cause it’s a bmw lol
More like 2000€
Love it when these cars get rescued. Looking forward to your restoration :). Cheers, Jon.
Especially when you own the same Car (just with m kit) its really interesting ^^.
Thanks, Jon
He just said he's going to daily it until it doesn't pass the MOT anymore and then he's going to scrap it (exactly what the donating family didn't want to happen to the car). How is that rescuing ? He never mentioned restoring it. And tbh, with that amount of rust, who would ?
Buys the car because the original owner sayed he didnt want the car to be scrapped. Later in the video he says he can scrap it if it doesn't passes MOT. *Insert the "Am I a joke to you" meme*
GabrielTVG "and propably even make more money by scrapping it". Not only does he do exactly what the previous owner didnt want to happen to the car, he will take their scrap money.
Thats one hell of a douche move Alex.
So, Gareth just got a new car to heal to MOT standards, or he will be healing Alex'es kneecaps to walking standards
*Insert "Thats a Paddlin" meme*
*said
@@yusufkacchi9012 fair enough, english is not my main language so yeah...
@@GabrielTVG Atleast you are true to yourself. You are amazing.
I just bought a pedal bike more expensive than a BMW. Where’ve I gone wrong in life?
Supercars in England lol
What bike?
Supercars in England you went wrong the moment you went cyclist
cycling during adulthood, thats where you went wrong
You're helping save the planet from global warming and keeping fit at the same time.
I love those videos with old everyday cars.
So thank you for this.
Greetings from Portugal.
I look forward to watching this series. My own 2001 330i touring with similar mileage has the same error code and was bought with it for £1k about 3.5 years ago, 20k on the light comes and goes. It just about manages to get through the emissions on the MOT every year although I make sure it's bloody hot when it arrives. If the brake light has only just come on, I would expect that it will probably have at least 5mm on the pads still...mine certainly did. Your bigger brake concern is the rear pipes if they've not been done, mine were frighteningly thin! The wishbone bushes I have are the Meyle HD and they've lasted okay so far. The CCV system is also worth doing in some circumstances as is the Disa rebuild, I used the i6 automotive kit to do mine 3 years ago...the original pin was frighteningly easy to remove. Have also done rear shocks, springs and top mounts and am replacing the Meyle top mounts that have been in two years with some Lemforder ones tomorrow as the Meyle rear top mounts have gone bad fairly quickly. Good luck, I look forward to seeing your rear arch solutions as I need some inspiration on that front myself.
I think the boot light thats on is because the switch that gets pressed when closing the boot isnt working , the rear wipers maybe dont work because the car thinks that the boot is open, at some cars the main wipers dont work because the hood is open, i dont exactly know if thats also possible for the rear but it might be. The catalytic converter error code could also be a failure of the 2. O2 sensor which sits right behind the catalytic converter and is checking how much O2 is left, the amount should be less than the amount that the 1. O2 sensor is measuring. Greets from Germany
Spot on regarding the rear glass hatch. It's likely just the glass hatch release knob.
+1 to this. Correct on both.
There you are, everything sorted!😉
Alex the type of guy to turn £140 car into a £1400 car with mods
With £10000 mods
Why put that money into a diesel..if you put that 14 Grand into a petrol car imagine the power you would get...so pointless really...
@@twincammike8329 u can make so much power with diesel engines, u shouldnt say that, and we want to see a different thing
Twincam Mike83 where the fuck do you get 14 grand from
@@gatoterapia404 but a diesel engine will never be a fast as a petrol engine..fact.. check fastest petrol engine in the world then check diesel... diesel should stick to trucks and Jeep's that's only what it's good for...
Alex - “I have a girlfriend”
Weird Flex but okay
Hahaha, don't forget the dogs and the bikes...
Who knew that the upside of an estate car was the superior boot space for storing your girlfriend?!
If you were married this video probably wouldn't have happened m8.......the £140 wouldn't have been there!!
I envisioned him "chucking" her in, when he said that. Wonder how that works?
THEY DID SURGERY ON A GRAPE
o
Send it to CrisFix for a week😂😂
Out with the old in with the new
comes back as good as new
Comes back better than it did from BMW
@@cullenrennie5693 😂
Pfff yeah right ship it, it will cost like 30 bucks or so.
"You can chuck anything on the back."
His checklist of things that can be chucked in the back:
-dog
-bikes
-girlfriend
-dead bodies
-hookers
-drugs
-anti tank land mines
The rust is BMWs secret weight reduction
The rust weighs more than the metal... until it falls off.
Yet, mercedes does it better.
But Fords are the true winners in this category - anyone who has had a mk1 Focus will know what I'm talking about...and btw rust weighs even more than metal since the Fe3C molecules bind with oxygen molecules and the mass is then larger
@@turboahdettusupra58 lol have you seen a ford before?
Our e36 and e46 had serious rust problems but I have to say the e87 and e90 are much better when it comes to rusting. Still sad for such expensive cars...our golf 2 was 25 years old when we scrapped it and it had no rust at all...
With £2k you can revive that car and make it into a nice daily :)
Why is that? Different spec cars to begin with, different driving conditions?
@@ItsViquh Here in Europe its the other way round
@@ItsViquh not only in the USA ;)
Not worth it
It’s funny that Americans think European cars always break down.
Had vw bora/jetta tdi 150k miles clocked back so really probably over 200k miles 0 problems for 2 years only changed oil and filters. :)
I had 330cd done 60kmiles with it and it ran fine money spend was only with maintenance parts ( brakes pads, brake discs, suspension bushing, engine oil,)0 problems with engine itself. :)
Now i have 330ci for now zero problems with it. Changed oil and couple bushes in a suspencion.:)
So I don’t understand why Americans think that german cars are shit.?
Maybe nobody properly service them after they ran out of a warranty?
In Canada's rust belt, that's not considered rusty
Seriously! If you're lucky enough to find an E46 touring for sale you can put your fist through the front fenders. Those rears are an easy fix.
I know, almost irritates me when he talks about "rusty" vehicles.
thealperson3 just moved to Ontario and can’t believe how much salt they use..WHY? I have to wash my truck every couple days!
Dude! I was thinking the exact same thing!
Fr. He thinks that's alot of rust😂
When your phone costs more than a car
Seriously?? In my country Opel Corsa 1995, covered in rust(and I mean covered - there is more rust than paint) goes for 250 euro.
Really?? In my country a rusty '95 Corsa would definitely cost more than 700 euro. Cars are expensive in Greece
@@Billkap95 Make it 1500 euro. Salutes from Turkey.
It’s because the uk is RHD not many countries to export too so it all eventually goes to scrap value. Cars are cheap as fuck here.
Actually its because of importation age limits.
@@Billkap95 you can buy 500hp Toyota Supras for like 15 grand in Britain.
It's insane how cheap the used cars are in the UK. This equivalent car would've cost 1400£ in my country
Indeed, would probably be $1500-$2000 in the USA.
Cars in such condition would cost about 14000£ here in my country.
Asian cars suck so much that any rusty BMW or Benz would cost 2000£ or more
@Stinky Ferrari ShirtI live in Eastern Europe and the cheapest running car you could have will cost you at least 600 euros
The UK is a tiny rhd market on the edge of a huge lhd market, add to that the fact that a large majority of British people are not interested in keeping a car when its older than 3 years. You get a market that is saturated.
tbf this would of sold for around £500
They would charge 4k+ in my country for this 330i.
Lucky you. In Portugal, one of these in bag condition would fetch around 7.5k
It will cost 30 thousand in my shity country 😑
BlackBeetle lucky Alex
apparently they cost £140 for me hahaha
In turkey it’s like 12k :(
This cheap car series is awesome
Our 330xi also had broken rear springs 4 times! :(, also warped brake rotors and bald tires, doesn’t matter at all i still loved that car...
my E46 touring 325 has done 140,000 to date , still runs perfect with no rust spots. Interior leather still nice . Recently replaced the auto box, back springs, thermostat , belts, tensioner wheels and water pump over the last 2 years. Oh and replaced the Mk IV DVD sat nav unit off ebay . Otherwise all good .
new iphone or 10 bmws?
Got the iPh XSMax and realised i could buy 10 Bmw's ... :((
Samsung Galaxy or Huawei Mate 10 Pro lol
@@leoking7672 iPhone is shit
IPhone is shit
TB Tech Hahaha so ur broke?
We fitted a supercharger to a 170k e46 330i estate like this, still going strong years later..
joper90 prove it you got videos?
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=1003820&mid=42108 - Thats the best I can do.. its few years ago, but its still going... on well over 200K now
Just went on there and read the whole thread, awesome job. The thing must be a hoon with the scharger especially when giving those M3's a run for their money
*My brand new BMW's blinkers don't work*
Hi
_Bob McCoy lol
Rule#1 when buying a bmw; Always check blinker fluid.
Yes the blinker fluid is notorious for excessively draining on new BMs
They have blinkers?
I wish my E46 330d touring had 170,000 miles. My car is currently on 247,000 and still going strong. It's still got the original turbo! Goes to show with correct servicing and and treating the car with a little respect it will last a life time (fingers crossed 🤞 lol) Last month I drove from Preston to Southampton and back in one day and used less than half a tank of fuel! Easily the best and most reliable car I've ever owned and my second favourite! The first is still my old A3 1.8T Quattro!
7:52 the suspension is more expensive than the car 😂😂😂😂(car cost 140 and the suspension cost 197)
My PC's CPU Cost's more than that car... Welp 🤔
Snap.
Sucks to be nerd
Don't worry I'm a car nut too
@@turboahdettusupra58 probably own more cars then you....
@@spannerworx7106 Weird flex but okay
If you want to do a big build, you should turn it into an m3 touring. Put an e46 m3 engine and drivetrain in it and put its body parts on it (bumpers, bonnet, fenders, etc.)
here in New Zealand I recently saw a 325i touring that had a full m3 conversion, from the fenders to the interior, to the trunk floor to the electricals and motor.
Best thing I ever saw, and it was well made. They used absolutely everything they could from the m3 to make it what the m3 should of been had it of had a touring version.
So I second this comment. Lol.
i own a 2000 e46 330i and i'm very happy to see what you're going to do to it! one thing i'll say is there is no way the thing is getting 40mpg . mine is on 74K and barely gets 34 on a long journey at 70. typical range is 440 miles from a tank on 98 fuel(which makes a difference for the engine). also those alloys are in amazing condition! mine were curbed to hell before i replaced them
Wow, my 2000 e46 only gets 22mpg. I’ve managed to get it up on long distance but most my driving is local. I manage to get around 300-350 on a full tank of super, maybe I’m flying about too much 😂😂😂
Curious to see have you still got yours and what’s she on now??
*Buys a new daily*
**Builds next track car **
🤣 Oh Alex
I bought a 2006 Fiesta 1.2 with 12 moths MOT for £100 a few days ago... mechanically perfect, rust free, 109k miles. Special features: Body handcrafted ‘tapework’ (both masking and duct), even came with OSF wheel 14’ whilst the others are all 15’, special feature which I’m sure the front diff loves. You can’t complain for the price of a few London pints.
pretty insane seeing a guy who i live with selling a car to one of my favourite automotive personalities, GO DUNCAN WE LOVE U DAD!
Hahaha, awesome. And thanks again Duncan!
I also switched from E46 330i to M135i, the N55 turbo engine of course being a totally different animal. But still the M54 unit had its unique character with a creamy noise characteristic, that was smoother than most of the direct-injection engines of today.
100% confirm 🤙
I'm the guy that sold it to Alex. Yes, I agree with you. The 330i was creamy smooth and sounded great. The 135i almost sounds like a smaller 4 cylinder engine. Nice, but not the same, much quicker though!
Perry Westbrook do some exhaust modifications. You won’t be disappointed. I thought my 335i sounded like it like a vacuum cleaner but it sounds absurdly good now (I have no cat and no muffler. Wouldn’t recommend no muffler unless you don’t mind drone)
@@wristoww the sound pozential of the N54/ N55/ B58 ja unreal. I really like these 3.0 inline 6 turbo engines
@@wristoww potential* is* ..damn..
for only £140? wtf???? the engine alone is worth £1100
Not true. With that many miles you would be lucky to sell it for £250.
who would pay £1100 for a 170,000 mile engine ?
@@Matt-we7si Exactly
Engine not worth anything much, not particularly desirable for swapping and it comes in a car that is known to rust away before the engines die so there are loads available for the few people who want one.
You must be fucking dreaming
A friend of mine has BMW E39 3,0D with 800.000 km/ ~500.000mp on the odometer and still runs okay. These engines are built well.
Suggestion on the back box - deal with the rust and bodywork first.
"I convinced myself it was an o2 sensor." Lol
6:17 Me as a proud owner to a 2002 E46 318ci.
Ewww... Inline 4. That's not even a true BMW.
@@basshead. if it's diesel it's acceptable but not petrol
Were do you actually find cars for 140£ ? 😂
From a guy who was replacing his car with a new one and didnt want to see this one go to the scrapyard because he thiught it desefved better, but it wasnt for the money
Facebook and eBay have a few, a lot are just for spares but I’m sure there are some in there that work.. even if not well
Gumtree works for me
auto trader has tons of cars listed for £100 with the vast majority that work
In the trash can, mostly
Please make more videos on this!
I also have a silver E46 330i touring and would love to see more things done to this car
Despite the rust it shows how long newer cars last this one here is about 18 years old.
Back in 2000 there were hardly any early 80s cars still on the road.
Except for big old expensive cars
I got a golf gti mk4 with 100k and long MOT and good condition (no rust) just serviced for £200! Best deal ever!!!
...And its probably a Clone...
41 mpg 330i, how's that possible?!
Constant 60mph or faulty O2 sensors causing the car to run lean and destroying the engine in the process. However, that rarely happens, usually they run a rich mixture when going bad.
Drive them soft and you'll get that. I've got high 30s in my M3 when on the motorway
I get 34 on motorways at best in 6th , 27 average overall. No way is a 5 speed getting 41
My 225000 miles E55 will do 27mpg on the motorway if you keep your speed down below 70 and that has a 350bhp 5.4L V8 and 5 speed auto box in it, normal driving of course does about 17...but...ya know it CAN do 27mpg...
By talking bollocks.
I always loved the look of that BMW :) Anyone agree?
I think every generation of the BMW 3 series looks good, especially the touring versions.
Except the G20.. The G20 can go fuck itself, it's horrendous.
@@shona5512 Or the F30 and F80...
I own the same model for 6 years, it's not a special or desirable car but i keep looking back every time when I parked it :)
Yup its a handsome beast, my personal fave is still the e36 family; love that blocky, no nonsense German styling. Pity theyve all rusted away/ been turned into drift cars 😞
@@stinoman69 I know what you mean. I like the facelift coupe (non M) in Sapphire black metallic. It looks great!
Love your channel! Coincidently, after 60+ cars, picked up my first BMW yesterday. 2000 E46 323ci 180k miles, new MOT, £150!! My Bro is emigrating so it had to go. Bit of arch rust but that’s all. Very sweet engine, all round solid motor. I forgot how nice slightly older cars are to drive, no massive A pillars blocking your view, no silly tech! Keeping it here for a couple of months then a nice 1k road trip to Finland!
Just got a ZHP package E46 here in the states thanks to your videos. Love it.
Here in Bulgaria, a car similar to this thats 100 times worse than this is like 1500 euros minimum
About that so many parts and cars comes from UK in Bulgaria. But to transport car from UK to BG cost 600 euros minimum. In UK the taxes are lot. For this 330i road tax is more than 500£ annual. Many people scrap them about the tax. So pity, hundreds of great dream cars was destroyed like that. Fackin capitalism
*pulls off square inch of rust* Wow! In Illinois: *rear bumper falls off* nothing some tape couldn’t fix!
"So i convinced myself it was an O2-sensor"
:P love it.
My dad's E46 328i had a spring snap too. It gouged a big groove out of the tire, and he had to use the 15-year-old FACTORY SPARE TIRE to go get it replaced.
Add tie rod ends and ball joints to the list, that should help tighten up the steering on a high mileage car. Also these e46 are infamous for vacuum leaks so get some 1/4" and 3/8" silicone vacuum lines and replace all of the old rubber.
non car people: "omg a bmw, such a typical spoiled kid, i bet his parents payed for that"
alex:
only if it's new, where I live, I can with my 19yrs of age go and buy a used BMW with some saved cash lol
@@Niraol i doubt people who think all bmw owners are rich douchebags can really tell the difference between a 20yo bmw or a new one
It doesn’t help that BMW styling has changed VERY little in the last 20 years... so a 500 dollar mechanics special BMW from 2001 looks the same as a top of the line 2020 model to most people.
@@CadgerChristmasLightShow sorry but their is a massive difference from the e90 to the f80 and a massive difference from the e30 to e36 and e46
@@jawzzo6761 yeah the e90 looks better lol
oh, you think you had rust? that's nothing compared to my trans am when I first bought it. The floor pans were rusted to hell and back and we had to tear them out and replacing them, not to mention the breaks, springs, and all of the others. I think we went through about 10 cans of POR.
38 mpg ! From a 3.0 petrol 👌👏👌 😜😜😜
He got 80mpg from a skoda rated at 45 mpg he's somewhat good at economic driving
It's a diesel
Love watching the CT series videos on here. Any tips you guys could share for anyone starting on youtube?
My dad has a 2001 330i that has been in the family for about 15 years now.
He absolutely loves it and can't bare to let it go. Has 150,000km but needs a respray and suspension overhaul all around but other than that its been a very very good car to him and my mother.
Absolutely 0 rust on his
I thought W210 E-Class Mercs were bad for rust!
Only half of the produced W210 rusted, actually... Mercedes kinda messed up with their water-based paints they were using back then. The W210 however are still great cars, and here in Germany, you can pick up a clean one without rust for less than 2000€. Really hoping I can get my hands on one of these as a first car.
Every Mercedes after 1998 were rust buckets. From the 210s to the 170 SLKs
I have an E250 W210 TD... literally no rust at all
The Stig's German Cousin That's not true. I'm a Mercedes mechanic and last year I was looking for a nice W210 for a few months, basically the only thing I wanted was no rust. There aren't any. And it's not just the spoiled paint, which was the problem at first, it's the whole construction of the car. I love Mercedes, but man have they messed that up. If anyone wants to sell you a W210 without rust, don't believe them. Best hiding spots for rust: the door sills, underneath the chromelines and behind the covers around the wheels. Also the edges of the trunk and behind the seals around the doors and roof. If you think you found one 'without rust', lift it up and take a look underneath the car. Take off the rubber seals and door sill covers. You just need to look close enough and you will find rust, 100% sure. Of course you can buy one if you really love the car, but you have to be aware of the fact that you will have to get the body fixed from time to time. There are only two ways that a W210 has no rust: 1. the rust just got fixed 2. the car is in a museum-like condition and was barely ever driven. Either way, the car will start to rust slowly as soon as you use it regularly, and you will have to fix that soon. Sometimes it may cost around 500€ to fix it, next time it may be 2.000€ - you never know. It's a gamble and you have to like the car enough. But for sure a W210 will never be a cheap car if you want to pass the next MOT. My wife owns a W220, which basically has the same problems, and we bought it with almost no rust. Within half a year, the rust got so bad that the jack spot broke through the body when I jacked it up to change the wheels. We still have that car but the difference is that a S-Class is just more exclusive and worth to preserve than an E-Class of the same age. If you buy a Mercedes older than 2007 always keep at least 5.000€ on top of the price in mind for the rust cures.
If you keep your car clean it and treat it well, it will not rust.
A 340.000km 2001 bmw 330 i is 50.000 turkish liras here (1$= arounda 5-6 turkish liras) and a 170.000 mile one is around 200$ in other countries??????
I love these types of videos. There are so many bargains in the UK! Not so much in the EU however...
If the engine management light comes on, and gives out the catalyst problem, it is easily cured by giving the 330i exhaust system the "golf tee" upgrade. Piece of cake, although I used a plastic screw to do mine. Makes the exhaust sound a little more throaty, plus the light never comes on again. Only the 330i exhaust system is this possible on. The other 6-pot engines have a different back box.
We have an E46 330d M-Sport Touring Auto with 211,000 miles. Our boot light comes on when we go over a pot hole, we have the ABS, Traction control and stability control warning lights. It's not predictable but it's so reliable.
Sounds like your ABS pump is on the blink. If you're in the UK, I think this may be an M.O.T. failure. Same thing happened to me. Fixing it yourself is difficult as the electric motor (which is usually the fault) is crimped onto the pump. If you shop around (i.e. don't go to a BMW dealer), you may get it repaired for under £800. The boot light, of course, is a much more serious issue (Lol).
So you paid scrap value for scrap, classic. Now turn it into a racecar!!! Fix the rust first, no point putting lipstick on a pig.
Go find a running driving 330i manual with MOT for £140 then come back to us. FYI, it's not scrap value, for a 330i touring, scrap value is £200-£230.
@@AW_2000 why so serious;) I love these projects, Alex allways turns it into something awesome 'looking at you Phil'.
Cyancapsule
Love how you said dog before girlfriend 😂
Son: how many cars did you have?
Car throttle: Yes
You keep talking about 170,000 miles (274 000 km) is some unbelievable number. My old 2003 Golf TDI had 370 000 km before it got totaled. And my 2005 A4 1.8T quattro has 260 000 km already; she runs and looks mint
I love premium states, and your rescuing of old cars 💕✨
please could you modify it instead of giving it to scrap just like how you guys did for the skoda octavia. that would be the bestt seriess :)
Alex has a rust fetish
I sold my 2001 Skoda Octavia 1.9SDI with 191k miles for £80
What ?!!
Here it's worth like 2000£
they produce like 60bhp tho 😂
will park was a workhorse
xxEclispExx *** ours was done it was a workhorse for 7 years
General Shark was gonna say
I'm an auto electrician and I can't tell you the sheer amount of hinge wiring I have fixed in touring models over the years. They ALLWAYS break either in or very close to the stainless steel wiring tray clipped to the side of the hinges (driver side usually). To repair it is a PITA. You need to remove the rear roof speaker cover, speaker, plastic wiring plate and then you have a small amount of freedom available to actually repair the wiring.
So you're going to install new bushes, roll bars, lowering springs and new shocks and a stainless exhaust. Only to scrap it once it doesn't pass MOT? Use some more money for rust repair and you'll drive this until the wheels fall off.
That škoda pronunciation. Š is read the same way as sh. Still very good video. Keep it up!
In Miami $140 doesn’t even get you dinner
Damn I paid $3600 for a 330ci w/ 180,000 in the states! No rust but I'm jealous
Coupes are more desirable than wagons
Don’t bother with a stainless back box, I just chopped mine off on my 325ci and welded two straight pipes in place of it. Sounded lovely and was only loud when you wanted it to be!
+carthrottle I had a 330i se touring for 5 years - hands down the best car i ever owned - leave the back box alone, remove the middle box and (optionally) the cats, then do the "golf tee" mod (easiest to fold the pipe to the back box and cable tie. It will sound amazing after that.
what is the model of the OBD2 ??? I have a M3 E46 and I need a OBD2 like this, this obd looks awesome
That i want to know as well. Is perfect to be integrated on a dash and to running all the time
Did you find out what it was?
@@Rayan-tv1lg nope
When your truck's rocker panels have more rust than the whole exterior of this car.
I'm buying an e46 in 2 months, just can't decide between 330i and 330d (both facelift)
My daily drive is Focus mk1 1.6 100hp and I definitely need more torque
Does the 330i have problems with hills? I mean like 3 people on board, 6th gear 2k rpm.
I know that diesel produces more torque, but is 300nm in 330i enough for effortless daily driving?
Had 1.9 TDi 105hp before the FoFo and although it felt quite effortless to drive, it didnt have enough power.
If you are native English speaker I'm deeply sorry about my english. I just hope you understand my questions
I would say a 330d because more torque and better fuel economy. But if you find a 330i in good condition go for it.
@@Hithere-gm8je I still can't decide.. I guess I'll love the torque of 330d.
But the smoothness of 330i on the other hand..
@@monsterrapid The 330i is more sporty.
@@MrDanielsahne Yeah, definitely. It also sounds amazing, I'm just not sure if it's powerful enough for daily driving. There are a lot of hills in the area I live and my Focus feels like 50hp car when going uphill
I’ve had both (pre-facelift). The m57 unit in 330d is brilliant but very boosty. In your description my car would crawl from about 1600 rpm until the turbo spooled then fly. Very exciting but really old school. Could always change down a few gears of course. Test drive it if you can. The M54B30 is the favourite engine I have owned ever. So linear and easy to drive from tickover and so willing to rev and exciting when you do. Got rid of mine at 196k miles and it was still going strong. Unless you do big miles and need diesel economy it’s the one I would choose.
About 4 years ago my dad bought an 01’ Focus for £50 and with another £40 of TLC, she was running like a dream, only a few days ago the turbo blew and she’s stuck at the workshop waiting for a new slug 🐌
Good video! I’ve got a e46 330ci sport with 96k and it’s probably one of the tidiest around. A true belter of a car for what it’s cost to run. 31mpg genuine average. 50mile per day.
4:30 typical German car lol😁
Wait what???!!!??? today is wednesday what is happening here??
Ssshhhh, don't ask questions just be thankful and enjoy my friend.
I enjoyed this video :))
BMW- done 170000 miles
Honda- that’s cute
Mine bmw has done 333333 km witch is 207 000 miles and it runs well but it is diesel
We're buying a 400k+ km 320d estate with my friends to trash around the winter and on ice for 200 euros. It's also rusty as hell and has all sorts of throttle response issues etc but we'll try to sort out as many problems as we can. Maybe the car will get a new life, we'll see after we get it this weekend.
Get all the rust sorted out, fix the vanos, replace the suspension, brakes etc. and you've got yourself a wonderful classic daily for years to come!!😍
It's the best unexpected thing I've ever "bought, and I've bought a lot of crap😂
How is this car only 140 quid? Aren't the rims alone worth more than that?
Probably buckled to shit with all the pot holes in the u. K
If u are calling that much rust bad, come to america.
@Jed Lawson try canada m8
@Jed Lawson they put so much salt on the roads here you drive for 5 minutes and your car is white, no matter what colour it was before. Its now salt white
@@minidude4321 I live in northern MN, but visited TN for Thanksgiving a couple of weeks ago, and I washed and waxed my "modern steel" (dark gray) mk III Honda Fit while I was there. I got caught in a blizzard around Chicago on my way back, and the next day the car was a much lighter shade of gray than the previous morning.
@Jed Lawson we salt our roads here in Europe. The difference is we have really strict road worthiness tests for vehicles and cars tend to fail either based on mechanical issues or rust. European market Ford's are particularly terrible for rust. I would say this BMW has potential one MOT pass left before it fails.
@@ian9037 I dont know whats wrong with you, but american cars arent really known for their quality.
I did the same with a Lotus Elan. Check out my vid.
Im a Bilstein shocks guy more than a coilover guy. But Solo Werks Coilovers are, according to reviews, good value for money & perform well. Company was started by ex KW engineers. That way you're getting shocks upgraded too. Good under rated car the 330.
He actually got this for 140?
WOW
In my country that car would be 7000 euros
MYR 18500 is the cheapest we could get in Malaysia for 318i sedan. That's around €4000. Super rare to get the Touring.
@@MrDragonfly honestly used car in Malaysia is severely overpriced compared to what you can get in the UK.
So you mean that i could buy three 2.0L 250hp bmw 330i instead of a 4gb ram, crappy cpu smartphone :/ you should check youtube before buying stuff
All the talk amongst this thread concerning mpg is easily answered by knowing what the car will do over a full tank (55 < 60 litres). Suspect that’s doing more like mid 20’s and hence won’t do much more than 300 miles to a tank?
My manual e92 330d mapped to circa 270bhp will do just shy of 600 miles to a tank with a mixture of lengthy motorway drives and B road thrashing...so more like mid to low 40’s regards mpg (best of both worlds 👍🏼👍🏼😁)....
Best thing for this is to weld the diff and use it as a drift car, forget putting it through its mot, it’ll just become a money pit for something’s that’s not fast nor overly desirable.
Other than that I love it and the cheap car thrill concept you keep on giving us, thanks Alex 😁👍🏼
I love my E46 touring 330d se. Just 118k miles and goes like stink and still returns 45+mpg. Might sell it for £2k