Why the E46 BMW M3 is NOT worth the HYPE!
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Since Tyler helped the Car Wizard to buy 3 Yachts, now he wants to help the Car Ninja to buy one with all these broken BMW's 😂😂
Or Two
I need a yacht, I'm actually thinking about buying some tools and moving closeby
He is still at just three yachts?
Edit: He was buying one every episode..
At least ninja buys stuff from hoovie. When's his next Ferrari purchase?
Commodore Wizard please
I own an e46 M3 and an e92 M3 both 6 speed manual with under 60k miles on each. Definitely worth the hype. I didn’t think so until I bought the e46 first and I know about the big 3 vanos rod bearings and subframe I got mine with all 3 taken care of already and my e92 with the rod bearings and throttle actuators done as well. Amazing cars. Plan to keep them a long time. Congrats Tyler on the e46 m3
You, wouldn't have bought it if you thought otherwise. :D
Any E46 after 2003 the subframe cracking was taken care of
e46 m3 is a great car no doubt but the e30 and e36 m3 were much better balanced cars over all than the e46 !!
Do the E46 have rod bearing issues too like the e92?
@@hassanrashid5816 YES
I find the mechanics opinion more valuable than Hoovies and I bet he was reassuring to hear for the E46 fans. These cars certainly do still look great.
Hoovie is a sad little cretin, he doesn't have a clue about most things and spouts crap to generate views
Oh could simply ask any E46 owner and get the same exact shitty feedback, horribly reliable, expensive to fix, and nothing more than a cool sounding money pit lol. Wow how extraordinary
I didn’t see it in the video but the noise he was referring to that goes with the engine rpm just a fan?
@@ryanm4319 sure lets ask an E46 M3 owner. I happen to have owned one for 6 years now. The only thing that you mentioned that is true is it being expensive to fix. I have close to 200k miles and other than the "big 3" that need to be done, its been dead reliable. You sound like someone whos never owned one and is just hating for no reason.
@@travis4161 also an e46 owner, there extremely reliable vehicle's. none of mine have ever failed to start or have ever left me stranded.
I agree that the prices are way too hyped up for the E46 M3 currently, but it honestly is a great car when it is well taken care of. As far as your trans issue is concerned, just buy a SMG transmission and swap over the bellhousing and shifter parts. SMG trans can be found for under $1000! Good luck with the car regardless, if you want to get rid of it, let me know lol
Hey can u help me with my m3 lol I love your channel
I’ve followed your channel for your Pro Tips and my 2006 M3 is totally reliable. I even did the SMG to 6Speed swap on it.
I love your channel and you have helped me so much over the years. You do great work. I did an S54 swap into my 323 sedan. It is so awesome. I couldn't have done it without you. Thanks man.
Prices for the coupe are “hyped up” but convertibles are still dirt cheap
@@TomCogan dirt cheap no. Verts are hovering in $18,000 - $20,000 range. For fair mileage.
I have a 04 E46 M3 6spd with almost 220k imola on imola. High miles and all, this car is amazing. Gorgeous to look at, thrilling to drive and the good sound (eisenmann race exhaust). One thing I’ll add is that it gets a lot more compliments than it did a few years back, it’s an appreciated car for sure.
"It's terribly unreliable."
"Well it isn't if you maintain it."
Ouch.
It's unreliable even if u baby it
Imagine that. Maintenance makes stuff last longer. :D
M539 Restoration would agreed on maintance part
@@altergreenhorn Sreten is a legend!
This is the difference between an American and an European.
Johnny is Albanian, we know how to maintain this cars here in Europe... And we know that BMWs are super reliable, because we do maintenance!
Owned one of these brand new as a manual in 2003. It absolutely does live up to the hype, was best car I ever owned. You got the absolute worst year of production of that car. The 2001 year had tons of issues that were fixed by the 2003 year.
I recommend taking your transmission out and sending it off to get rebuilt. There is no reason to source a new one when yours is still working and can be rebuilt like new. Put a new clutch in it also obviously.
It's funny, I had the previous generation's 1995, the "worst" M3 of all time. Go figure, I never had a single problem, maintenance was a breeze and I had a ton of enjoyment for a couple of years with it. Even got 30 miles to the gallon if I really nursed it on road trips! Even the bad years can still be good cars 🤞
You got any people who rebuild these here in the west coast ?
@@ivanmartinez632 my BMW INDY mechanic had my E46 M3 transmission rebuilt by a certified //M transmission tech in Orange County, but this was 8 years ago. I don’t talk to him anymore.
I got it rebuilt for $400. Worked flawlessly. Let’s just say he owed me some favors…
This is the same clown that junked an Alpina B7 because it needed engine work. He is not a car guy but a TH-cam opportunist out for an easy buck.
Agreed. I have a 2005 M3 and bought it with 20,000 miles. Has 230,000 now and little to no maintenance. Heard 2001 was the E46 to stay away from.
I agree with the Ninja, how you service your car has a lot to with how reliable it will be over time. In 07 I bought a new Saab 9-3 Aero wagon with a 6spd. It was my daily driver for 11 years and I was the only driver. The oil, Mobil 1 synthetic, was changed every 5000-7500 miles.
It has 177k miles on it now and aside from brakes and the AC condenser everything else is original. Turbo, water pump, clutch, starter, etc. It's never stranded me and the only time it's failed to start it was in my garage. Part of the ignition switch failed and it was draining the battery.
I agree that oil changes will definitely keep the engine and turbo etc in good shape, however it won't affect the water pump, clutch and starter motor.
servicing your car doenst help with other poor quality things breaking down. i had my e39 window actuators fail. coolant hoses break. sunroof motor fail. even the cupholders were poor quality and broke into 2 pieces. i had over 20+ issues that were just due to poor engineering and quality. not to mention it left me stranded 3 times. garbage vehicles.
@@prezVZ only the 540i was garbage. E39's with the straight six are absolutely bulletproof outside of the plastic cooling issues. But you only deal with that once every 10 or so years, and if you have ever picked up a wrench in your life, you can do the full service yourself, in about 5 hours, for well under a grand.... so yeah, you just dont know how to do maintenance properly, or you had a v8.
@@prezVZ but I will agree about the cupholders. Absolutely ass. ALL my window regulators have lasted almost 200k miles, without issue though.
@@prezVZ you're right, no amount of maintenance makes up for poor quality or workmanship. Unless you want to replace things proactively. And when you're talking about BMW engine cooling systems, that can get expensive.
Hoovie: "E46 M3's arents worth the hype"
Car Ninja: "They are though..."
Opinions are facts, yo. :D
I've owned my '05 M3 and daily driven it for the last year and a half now, and originally bought it with no service records. It currently just passed 150k miles, and to my knowledge has never had the rod bearings or vanos serviced. Yet at 150k miles she still runs and pulls like an absolute champ with no fault codes or issues what so ever. I've tracked it, thrashed it around, and driven it the way it was meant to be driven. I always do oil changes every 5k miles, and always use quality oils/fluids. These cars really are more reliable than many people think, and it seems like Hoovie is just looking for a reason to get more attention by ragging on the car, even after Ninja told him otherwise. But it really does come down to how well you maintain the car.
Just a note of caution, I bought my 2005 at 126k and it ran great. I recently did rod bearings as a preventative measure (it really isn't all that expensive) and most of the bearings were showing copper. The peace of mind is worth more than the cost of the job IMO.
Hoovie isn't used to having cars with few problems, so he is suspect of every car he buys. When he gets one that needs just normal work he doesn't know how to react.
i have an 03 SMG with over 300 000 km (Canadian driven) = 186 411 miles
Do all the maintenance needed and the car will run forever
Btw its been my daily and winter driven
@@jaredbuttles1753 Agreed, just had them done on my 2004 @ 180k without prior service records, and when I saw the condition they were in it's a wonder they hadn't spun yet. VANOS lockdown is a must as well, learned that one the hard way and it was a pricey ordeal with the head off, new valves, etc. Subframe is next on the list once I have the cash, and then I'll be ready to take this car to the grave with me. I've learned to do pretty much all the other routine maintenance items along the way, starting from zero tools / zero experience to just having completed a clutch / flywheel job. Call it Stockholm syndrome if you want, but I love this car and will never give it up.
I remember the early 2000's well and the E46 M3 was so damn special. There are certain cars from that era that left their mark on us and I can't quite explain why. More than just the styling, 6spd, and high revving inline six. It was their mystique at the time; the thrill of seeing one in the wild, reading the latest Road & Track review and trying to imagine yourself in the driver's seat, waiting for the day when you could finally afford one.. I don't know... car culture was so much different and more exciting back then, and the E46 M3 was a holy grail car for many people.
Also, never discount a well maintained E36 M3. Drive a nice one and you'll get it.
Wish I’d kept my E36 M3. Was a fun car
I agree with everything you said.
I'm personally an e36 M3 fan and own one as a daily driver. It's the most balanced power vs chassis matching I've ever come across. I'm OK with the flack they get, because it keeps them less expensive and the secret of those in the know of just how incredible the e36 is.
@@johnpearson492 e36 is the goat
Do not forget the car's influence in NFS Most Wanted and Carbon
Brilliant synopsis of being a 90s car nut!
$20 says the Car Ninja winds up with this car in the very near future. Also love how Hoovie says "that's like $3,000!" and Ninja just shakes his head in the background.
8:40 valve adjustments aren’t an issue. That’s a mandatory thing when you don’t have hydraulic lifters.
You can't mention anything common sense here, Tyler is just trying to stir up sh*t for attention.
I'd love to see him having to deal with an S14 or an S38! I loved my E34 M5, but that valve adjustment was always something I dreaded having to schedule.
I like how car ninja shut him down and told him that they’re reliable, he’s acting like a boomer and crap talking recent bmws which are great and talking down on these which are also great, I don’t get it but looking at the likes I guess he knows his fan base.
@@entrapperneur it's all about entertainment and he's making money out of it which is obvious. If you watch anything car related on TV, that's complete ton of bullsh*t most of the time. And as everyone think BMW's are money pits it's easy to tell them that this one is also bad and everyone gonna believe
event ninth and eigth generation honda civics with the 1.8 liter engine have to do that
I thought the same thing when I first bought my E46 M3 because I was scared to rag on it while it wasnt sorted. Once I got it sorted and was able to rag on it the driving experience is something you just cant compare to anything else. The novelty, the feel, the quality, the pureness. Give it time to become part of you and it will get under your skin.
I think the e46 Bmw’s are some of the best purist driving machines you can buy, even the non M models. Todays sports sedans and coups feel so disconnected from the driver. I will never not have at least one e46.
Well I'm selling my nom M E46 convertible 5 speed for 6500 if you're interested...
I love Hoovie but it's kinda painful to see him try and talk down the Ninja when he really knows nothing, valve adjustments are just what you do with these types of lifters, it's not a problem. Just stirring up shit to make it seem like the worst beater M3 when it's actually well taken care of and a solid car.
Thank you for saying my mind its an awesome car just do the big 3 and your good one and done and all the problems he listed a couple of them plague the 7 and 5 series so its a bmw universal thing of that era
I love Tyler also but this is a regular with him and BMW's. Some cars can handle bad maintainance, but not BMW's. You treat them good, they will be there for you. Don't care about them, they will leave you stranded.
Agreed. But it tells you a lot about how a car's made when even a well-maintained and solid example requires repairs that shouldn't be normal. Changing rod bearings shouldn't be a maintenance item. Plastic water pumps that become brittle and explode at 80K miles-whose idea was that? Toyota, Honda, and others have developed highly reliable variable valve timing systems-why can't BMW (or Ford for that matter?). How come a car with 70K miles is leaking transmission fluid so badly that it destroys the transmission? For cars that cost as much as they do and the vaunted reputation of German precision, these cars should hold up a lot better than they do. They probably just take the Land Rover philosophy-build high-performing vehicles of marginal quality because people will lease it as a status symbol and trade it in after 3 years. Let the next sucker deal with the problems.
That's why unsub him few months back...he's not worth the hype...😂😂
I think the majority of the hype is that its the last of the analog “driver’s car” era. I owned one identical to this one and then right after owned an e90 M3 that i bought for only $6k running and driving! To me, i had way more fun out of the E90 and honestly it felt just as intuitive as the E46 M3. Glad you’re getting all of these together, can’t wait to see them all lined up!
holy shit you gotta e90 for under $10k? thats insane. e92 is by far my favorite m3
@@SicSemperBeats yeah man heres the story on it. Was a local trade in and the dealer had no idea what it was worth. Listed it for $10k and i offered $6 k lol th-cam.com/video/AONFgTGFxtA/w-d-xo.html
Yeah, E9x 6MT might well be the ultimate naturally aspirated M3, although I might prefer the DCT. I certainly prefer the DCT on the turbo engines N54/55.
I owned 2 E46 (M but not M3)s. Most of us Croats see the M3 as the 2nd coming of jesus.
Exactly, I test drove both an E46 and an E90 when I was looking for a car, and I found the E90 just as engaging and better to live with. The E46 is an awesome chassis, but I wish it didn't take away from how good the E36 and E90 are too.
Don't overlook the cracked subframe issues either. Almost bought one just like this, thank God for prepurchase inspections.
Mine currently parked up with a subframe crack gonna fix it this winter tho
I was going to say, he mentioned two of the 3 big ticket items with this car, but I heard nothing about the rear subframe. I'm assuming Johnny looked it over and it passed his inspection.
I had one PPI'd and the tech said it was cracked so bad he didn't even recommend driving it until the issue was fixed. Will never forget the look on the owner's face..
It’s not exactly difficult to have repaired plus it’s well known
Well you can just swap out the old one if the car is otherwise good.
I'm glad Hoovie made this video, hopefully a lot of people listen and pass on getting on one.
that way prices stay reasonable and I can find a good one to get again!
It took 2 years but I finally got one myself lol
I'm convinced at this point that he's intentionally pronouncing Euroasian Bob as "Urination Bob"
I like you Hoovie but I wholly disagree on this one. On the right day, with the right road and the right weather the E46 is sublime. I never get the whole maintenance issues thing people go on about? The valve shims, part of a major service every third service (no big deal), the SMG pump now has a relatively inexpensive fix and isn’t the horror story it once was. The rod bearings plagued the pre 03 cars and were a warranty job through BMW in many cases. Every car has certain things and people are all difference. Personally a ‘modern’ Corvette leaves me entirely cold in every sense, build, looks, general substandard quality materials etc. I think on drivability and smile value alone the E46 has it in the bag, not to mention how it looks. A transmission overhaul on a 20 year old performance car doesn’t seem unreasonable.
I’ve got to agree with you I’ve driven every m3 and it’s still my favorite it’s why I own one lmao. I’ve never had issues besides subframe which was expected and I’m fixing. My e46 m3 has let me down fewer times than my e39 528 or my e28 528 in fact it’s never let me down once.
I agree about the E46. Disagree about the Vette. I like both. But for a daily family wagon, there is no better car than a 2003-2006 E46 330i/d for under 15k.
Mines on 70k , cost £2k 5 years ago and touch wood, just servicing and tyres. So comfy, quick enough, 28mpg++ And it just drives... it's just so perfect.
I nearly got an e46 in February. £11k he wanted (SMG, 74K, Subframe points done) . I asked for a month to get some extra cash and he auctioned it... for £16000 😭😭😭
Totally agree. When these came out they were the coolest car to have the C5 wasn’t even close IMO. Back then the SMG was even cool. Lol
You neglected to mention the horrific subframe issues on these cars. You sound like the classic BMW excuse maker/apologist. I've had 5 of them over the years, most were trouble free, except for a warped head on my '77 530i. They were trouble free because I drove them gently (mostly) and sparingly and sold them before major issues cropped up.
I used to love the brand and was very loyal, but too much bad publicity from the Bangle era cars, forward, has put me off BMW. They shit the bed with their idiotic maintenance schedules, trying to save a few bucks, and they've tarnished their reputation permanently. And now the styling direction of their M cars is laughable. Yikes on the buck-toothed beaver look.
I drive a Mercedes and a Honda now. I prefer the Honda for daily driving/errand running, and not a cent has been spent on maintenance, other than fluid changes, for the past 14 yrs.
@@realMaverickBuckley 11k for that was a bargain 😂
That car won alot of races back in the day thats why it's legendary.
Not really. The E30 won races.
Besides that,it was in NFS MOST WANTED.Thats what it famous in more young generstions of adults.)
I was dreaming about buying a BMW when Hoovie announced assembling the dream team.. and around that time someone pulled out in front of me and totaled my car so I had to speed up my search! I found an 02 540i for $700 that allegedly needed an engine…I drove three hours to get it and didn’t ask too many questions…when I got it home I found that someone put timing components on it so I checked the timing and found it out of spec! Just got it fired up last night and I’m only $100 in parts on a $700 540i!! I’m pretty stoked!!
wut!??! Thats awesome! Good for you dude! thats the dream!
Start your own channel.
@@chrispy3866 I think I’m camera shy… 😞 but I’ve been thinking about it…also I don’t have a camera or computer to edit…
Nice man!
@@joshuamartin6841 But surely you have several thousand spare dollars that you had budgeted for the engine repairs? 🤔
From my point of view, the e46 M3 is and will be the best M3 ever made.
Its is the best m3 ever made
You know you have too many You Tubers in Kansas when one is filming the other 😆
Hoovie is spiraling right out of control infront of us with his beamer purchases. And we love it
Every Damm second of it
Great content, they are always broken. .
We are all just enabling an addict
@@Moncru hoovie would do this without us...
He’ll sell them all for more than he bought them. Practically 0 risk especially augmented with ad revenue and very good prices from the Ninja and Wizard.
I had a 2004 SMG car. Bought it at 117K and sold it at 133K two years later because I'd just had a baby. Despite it being an SMG car I loved every minute driving it. And it was very reliable. Drove it 60+ miles a day for months. Much more reliable than the E90 335i N54 I had afterward. I'd buy another one in a hot minute if I could.
Everyone that I talk to that sold one totally regret it
I was going to do a manual swap but ended up doing a CSL SMG tune and relocated it. Works awesome the rev matches are impressive and it is awesome on the track!
Most of these cars are now old with high milage so lots of deferred maintenance on many for sale. The long oil changes and "Lifetime" fluids also caused lots of wear on expensive parts. I do oil Analysis and in my M3 e46 more more than 4,000 miles before the oil meeds to be changed. That is half the recommended run. I had to do my rod bearings at 120k as the beginning of it's life it had long dealer oil changes. Now oil samples come back perfect.
I think the thing to remember about how well cars age mechanically is maintenance. If you are a business man or soccer mom type of luxury car owner you tend to just fix things when they break. But if you are a enthusiast car owner you get services done regularly and in turn the parts last longer.
yeah but on these recent cars its not just limited to maintenance now, low quality plastic parts of the 00s, the car is programmed to die regardless of maintenance
I was in college when those came out and I still think those are the most gorgeous M3's that have ever been made!
I like the looks of the next gen (E90) with the V8, too.
I agree. Even the top line 2 door coupe was absolutely gorgeous and you still see plenty around.
it's the last "pretty" m3 though it's plagued with the subframe issue but it just looks good,sounds good and is in the middle of the era where it's not too digital.
@@pequod1 E9X is nice but personally the gaps and the iDrive is frustrating
@@Indskret No idrive is the answer. Even 5 year old screen interfaces in cars start to seem dated.
cant forget about the rod bearings issue
Oh I don't know. The E92 and F30 coupes were pretty nice. To each their own. I won't touch one myself. No i-drive bmws for me.
@@Indskret You can get an E9X M3 without iDrive.
I love to watch people who really know what they're talking about. Epic! A High Performance car that has high performance car runing costs! Shocka!!!
Any high performance car has issues, actually almost any car these days. The E46 M3 is by far the best looking M car.
The values will continue to skyrocket as they did with the E30 a decade ago. The E46 will surpass it because it's an infintely better car.
It is good looking, but M F80/82 and F92 is looking sharper.
@@FVBmovies completely missed the point.
@@jjcvk i mean it’s just subjective
I agree with you. Although I don't reckon they'll surpass the values of the E30. Especially considering there are only 18000 E30 M3s in existence, compared to 85,000 E46s. I don't think the E46 is special enough to be worth more than the OG.
Hoovie: E46 M3 is NOT worth the hype!
Me: So I took that personally...
My 05 Mystic Blue Metallic 6MT is 100000000% worth the hype. :)
Agreed. 03 coupe steel gray 6mt here
well sorted E46 in some nice colour spec is always worth the hype, at least for me
Unpopular opinion but the c32 of the time was a more well rounded and more fun car
Typically m3 owner has to tell the world.
When I had mine I was proud but others just look at you funny ,I learnt this very fast .
Mystic Blue FTW!
"Title Text Here" I laughed out loud on that! Nice subtle dig on Ninja's new channel...
You are going to own all the check engine lights!
He's rich and cars like this make him even more money so he doesnt care.
But average income people shouldnt buy old cars like this as a means of transportation.
You WILL be sorry.
@@alphatrion100 they are great to buy if you want mechanical experience 😆
@@UnWrecked they are cool for a second car...if you have money to burn.
I love these Euro cars, since i’ve been a professional mechanic for 40+ years, they have helped my family tremendously. It does seem like many of their owners are always broke though. 6 out of 10 usually can’t repair all the issues we find and we have a half dozen abandoned out in the yard at any given time. A lot for a shop that doesn’t specialize in these types of cars.
I guess as a mechanic, you love them because they're always in your shop?
keep pounding those brews
Tyler you need to give the E46 M3 time to become part of you. Get it sorted and drive it. That may be hard with all the cars you have. It is about how it makes you feel. I raced an E30 M3 for 12 years and it is hard to top that. But my E46 M3 (6speed) is very rewarding to drive as it is engaging unlike new cars, yet doesn't beat you up. I think the only down side of the E46's is how out of align the steering wheel, seat and pedals are. I am liking the collection because I like you think this era was BMW's peak.
What’s up with the steering wheel? Is it at an angle or something? I have an E46 M3 and a Legacy GT, can’t quite figure out how to describe it, but the seating position of the Legacy seems more “connected” while the E46 is a obviously a much more engaging car overall.
@@jakegianino5762 Hi Jake, take a close look at the center of the driver seat bottom and compare it to the center of the seat back. Don't let the pleats in the leather fool you measure with tape or something from the side bolsters. You will notice the centers are not in the same alignment. Then project a line from the center of the steering wheel and you will notice it also does not line up with the center line of the seat. This puts a small twist in your back when your driving. I also have a Subaru (Impreza STI) and no such problem there. It's a BMW thing. Many of their cars are like this. Cheers
@@garysgarage2118 thanks man I had no idea how to describe it I wonder if someone makes a kit for a fix
I've heard great things about this generation M3. As long as you maintain them well, they do last a long time.
Rod bearings and Vanos rebuild, then the engine is good forever pretty much 🤙
Well, normally, as long as you mantain every car well, it lasts longer
They do. Easy 180k ++ miles.
That's exactly it. You can buy BMW and "take care of it", or Mercedes and only change the oil
@@mro4ts457 Haha! is that all? That's a lie
As a 2001 E46 M3 owner, I can confirm…
Simply fantastic, despite what Hoovie said, definitely one of the best BMW’s of all time
Best BMW ever = E46 M3
Cheers in my E46 320i
@@pakdolan
E46 gang🤙
Cheers*
Hoovie just says it to be a contrarian. Even Wizard who'd whine about a free trip to Barbados says the E46s are great cars.
As with many cars, only people who haven't owned one or bought a sh1tbox and expected it to be a gem, moan about them.
I just missed a car identical to this for only £10,500 😭😭😭🤮😭😭😭🤮😞
Yep, what he said, the click bait is strong with Hoovie. I know that’s how he monetises his content, but it’s irritating nonetheless, especially when he spouts stuff that’s just plain wrong
I’d recommend looking for an E39 530i sport package with the 5 speed. They’re becoming increasingly rare, and it’s a phenomenal machine. Quick enough, much lighter than the M5, better steering than the M5, and better reliability than the M5. With those cars, you just have to worry about the cooling system and oil leaks, otherwise they’re very solid. I’ve noticed the upward trend in price over the past few years as I almost bought one 4 years ago, and they’ve only gone up in price.
I have an E39 M5 and a 523 and yes true about the steering
What's the catch with steering? How can it be better than M5 in that department?
That was my first car! I miss it every day
@@JedemPoKucama V8 E39's had steering box. I6 E39's had rack and pinion.
@@JedemPoKucama Rack and pinion in the I6 cars. Better road feedback and more precise. It’s immediately noticeable driving them back to back. The M5s have a steering box.
The noise is probably an input bearing, clutch out noise points to that as well as the leak from the same place, strange that Ninja didn't call that out right away.
$10 seal, $695. Hoovie keeps his mechanics very happy 😃
When he says reliable and you say it's not, I think you mean compared to most cars, he means compared to cars that are equally capable/fun.
Nail on the head. Not sure where he got the idea that these suffer from rod bearings so bad either. Maybe from when people took 10k miles per oil change like BMW used to suggest (which is wrong).
Nearly any car from 2000 and up isn't actually unreliable if you keep up with maintenance (at least mechanically)
@@tati-anaroseee4316 I also believe this to be true, this and the maintenance intervals getting too infrequent, I drive a jaguar diesel, service interval says oil every 2 years or 36.000km, I am not doing that, I do oil every year, car is rock solid, and it's supposedly a drama queen for reliability.
@@tati-anaroseee4316 a 20 year old car you buy used is gonna have problems. BMWs are gonna be more expensive to fix than say a toyota. Also cars like this probably have been raced for 20 years by the previous owners....
@@glennv3176 yup I drive a Benz c class with a V6 and it's not had a single issue other than a dead battery due to living in the desert. I do oil every 6-8 months depending on how much I drive but I drive a lot. Still drives brand new at 270k miles
I agree with the Ninja, how you service your car has a lot to with how reliable it will be over time.
Unless you purchased a BMW with the N63 engine, a total turd of a motor. Not their only trash can, but took them three revisions to stop the recalls.
Yes, but reliability includes design flaws, amount of maintainance required and mean time before failure.
Hoovie is celebrating BMWs that have been largely overlooked- that aren’t worth the hype- that are the best of BMW… which is not great… that he loves… I don’t,at all know why I love this guy🤔😂
I owned one of these for 10 years. 2003.5 SMG. Traded it in with 180k mi on it. The only major issue with it was a Vanos replacement but no smg problems short of a salmon relay. It was one of the most reliable cars Ive ever owned.
Ok lost all respect for you. E46 M3 is a legend, probably the best M3 ever produced and one of the most well built and reliable.
You have obviously never owned one. You tend to be a martyr to them. I drove mine 70 thousand miles. They’re a lovely car but certainly overrated.
@@ghettofatman Actually I own a silver grey m3 E46 convertible. My second. Tried the e92 but the V8 sits too high for me, feels like a fast m3 rather than a dedicated sports car.
Hey Hoovie, thanks for eating at Mi Casa it was nice to meet you guys. The BMW looks sweet!
I like more the solid feel in the Euro E36 M3.
?? Ive had an e36, they are cheap af.
I’ve owned an E46 M3 and an e90 M3 and let me tell you, the e90 M3 feels so much better. My opinion the e90 is the last REAL bmw. I own an f30 now and i’m not impressed
@Dominick the Z8 came way before the E90, so it’s not in the running for “last” real BMW
I agree. I own an E46 M3, and have had the pleasure of driving a few different E92 M3's, both DCT and stick. The E92 is definitely more of a car. Faster, better sounding, higher revving, better brakes. I'd say it also looks just as good as the E46. But I still love the E46 M3 though :)
I owned a 2003 E43 M3 from 2006 to 2016, with the SMG transmission, and I can tell you it absolutely lives up to the hype and more. During the entire time I had it, I swapped wheels, did oil changes and brake flushes at the dealer or at AAA Auto Repair, and changed 2 batteries. it was relatively problem-free for 10 years. The only unscheduled issues were a starter motor that went out, and a rearview mirror that exploded in the hot Phoenix summer sun and spilled electrochromic fluid on the interior, which was fixed by an auto repair shop. It is a fantastic car. You get a car with a backseat, and exhilarating performance on demand. My car was supposed to have the “engine of Damocles” but it was always well-behaved. I would definitely do it all over again.
I love when someone ll maintain an old car, so a car history survive as much is possible!! That's something that i love with this channel, older cars reborn again..
4:29: you’ve got a nail in your drivers side front tire. Stay safe dude.
Keep the videos coming.
4:26 is a pretty good shot. You're right!
haha niice. You're one f those guys who discovers hidden entrances & Pyramids in Satellite photos I take?
This car became a legend 'cuz of NFS: Most Wanted 2005. It was the Hero car (even tho you made like 3-4 races with it) and it looked cool, and many kids grew up with this car. But it was more or less one of the worst car of the game, I recall having a bug for the last police escape and instead of having to use it, I used the car I beat Razor with and that car was WAY better than the Hero M3.
Actually, the M3 was one of the fastest cars in the game. High top speed, ridiculous handling, and amazing acceleration. The only thing. that held it back was poor nitrous.
Now that I'm a grown man, all that I'm able to think of is how bad it would've been the M3's rod bearings had gone bust in the middle of a police chase 😂
@@BAdarsh With all the abuse that car had been the victim of in the game, Razor might not have been able to show up for the end races. XD
@@vegeta12379 As I said, when I had that glitch happening, the car I had was WAY better in all those aspects. I think I drove the Punto or the CTS then.
already knew before clicking play Hoovie was going to trash another BMW. The E46 M3 is amazing because of it's perfect dimensions, engine and what it can do on the track out of the box. It's also important to judge this car based on a well maintained example. So many drive these after they're trashed and broken and claim it's not that good. Where Hoovie lost me is when he said "you could go to BMW today and buy something with a turbo off the BMW floor that is faster and way more fun" yeah, no. Not even close. The new BMWs have no feel nor do they perform well on a track. If you want something that's fun from light to light this is not the car for you.
You've clearly never driven an M2 lmao and imo if you want a track car get a Porsche😂this m3 is great and all but it's not worth being called one of the best cars ever made bc it's not and a lot of people hype it up to be that
You fan boys can’t help but make yourself look cringe
Every new m car would out perform an e46 m3 on a track. Come on dude
@@ianrossman3209 funny, he didn't say M car in any part of his statement. Outperforming and funfactor are not the same.
@@tati-anaroseee4316 always cracks me up seeing people on the internet think they know others. I've driven 3 different versions of it. did you watch the video or read the quote in the comment. He never said anything about an M2 or M car. Many people that buyer newer BMW M products go back to the E46 and E92 solely due to feel and drivability. The idea of buying a track car so go buy a Porsche is ridiculous. M3's have race car pedigree and one of the most common tracked car in the hobby. E46s are still more common than M2s and way more common than the F80 and new G M cars
Over hyped and over priced are different things. I wouldn’t pay 30k-40k for a 20 year old car, but that doesn’t mean that the car itself is over hyped. Its an icon
I’ve had 2 e46 m3 smg’s. Drove them both for a year with no issues and sold. Love the cars.
thank you for this video hoovie, now i need you to keep saying all old BMWs are trash so i can buy them for cheaper :)
The next time you compare the Fisher Price C5 to the E46 M3 I'm calling the M3 goon squad on you lol
Instead of a "new" used transmission for $3,000, why not get the Ninja to rebuild it? If it's just one or two bearings, a gasket set and 5 or 10 hours of extra labour, the bill would probably be well under $3,000.
If it was "run low" on fluid, there may be more than bad bearings. Like dogs and gears, too.
@@TucsonDude True, but the transmission has to come out anyway, so why not take a look?
@@Ijusthopeitsquick Sometimes, a teardown is just not worth the effort if there's sufficient metal in the oil.
420G isn't easily rebuildable
@@TucsonDude Well then they should at least take a look at the oil...
Man this makes me miss my 2002 M3. Mine was Leguna Seca Blue and with the 6 speed transmission. I sold it in 2006 and I have regretted it almost every day since.
LSB?? Oh man,... the dream.
BRUH LSB?! I HAVE ALPINE WHITE WITH IMOLA RED SAME HERE IM SO SAD FOR YOU BRUH
what would you recommend on how to learn how to take care of these things?
@@oni5909 plz keep it. amazing car
@@giudasilva3651 i got her at 165k it’s at 169k now rather just sell her
My BMW mantra has been "Keep Up with the Maintenance". If something leaks, I fix it. I change the oil every 5k miles. My 2013 328i now has 123K miles and has proved to be quite reliable. My timing chain is nice and quiet too.
While shopping for one of these, I happened to drive an E90 M3 and bought it instead. I enjoyed driving the E90 a lot more, BUT an E46 would have been a lot more reliable in comparison. Yes, it's all about how you service the car. However, the E90 is A LOT more expensive to service. I bought a well maintained example and still spent $5k on maintenance within a year. Ninja is spot on with his assessment.
This is wrong on so many levels.. E9X has light years better build quality than any E46 and servicing both cars is quite literally identical. If you spent 5K on maintenance you got ripped off hard.
@@augustortiz I respectfully disagree. S65 requires more attention than s54. Parts are way more expensive as well. My e9x came with extensive records going back to day 1. I had to do a transmission flush (both filters, pan and side pan gaskets, mechatronics sleeve seal on a separate occasion, new tires, water pump and thermostat, I also chose to revert back to stock suspension setup). Now compare the prices of these items with the same parts/services on e46 M3.
One of the best cars ever made.
I just sold my manual coupe E46 M3 competition pack after 4 years of ownership. It was an absolutely amazing car, I already regret selling it. Definitely worth the price I paid for it. Too bad the prices have skyrocketed now. The car was largely reliable; I had to install a new clutch kit and valve cover gasket, but those were the only major issues I had. Get one if you can.
I’m still loving my 02 M3 convertible👍 I’m the 2nd owner since 2008, 6 spd manual, 92K no leaks, no tranny issues, no frame issues, the VANOS is fine, it’s a sweet ride I dare not sell.
Revs to nearly 8k, over 100 HP/L, one of the fastest piston velocities of all production cars ever, the S54 is an amazing platform. Holds over 900whp stock block (maybe not for long, though). E46 M3's are amazing cars and this is an interesting take lmao.
Hoovie, you disappoint me by suggesting getting a C5 Corvette over the E46 M3. Look beyond the power to the incredibly balanced handling of this chassis. On a windy mountain road, the only cars I'd rather drive than this are a Porsche Cayman or a Lotus Elise.
And yes, I own the poverty spec 6 speed 330Ci and am quite happy with it.. 228 HP is plenty, especially once you wind the engine out. But there's no arguing the fact that while my car is beautiful, it pales before the sultry sex kitten in your garage.
I’d take a c5 vette over the bmw anyway. I do love how the bmw looks, I’ve always wanted a c5 vette.
Maybe it makes sense in the USA where the roads only have 17 corners throughout the entire country. I feel queasy at the mere thought of driving a Corvette along a twisty alpine pass!
Sure an LS has quite the shove but I have never driven a car that feels so directly wired to your brain. The throttle response is like lightning
BMW's motto is 'Freude am fahren' or 'Joy at driving'.
This the best driving saloon car of the beginning of the century by far, with a really superb chassis. It has a naturally aspirated high revving BEAUTY of an engine (won awards from 2001 to 2006 for best in displacement class and international engine of the year when released). The equally amazing balance and handling are universally praised by pro drivers. It looks absolutely gorgeous, quite perfect in all it's lines. You bought a well maintained one that's going to continue to appreciate. Then you turn to the nice Merc and fawn over that. There's the problem I think. You desire something it isn't (a softer car with a burly V8) and don't (yet) appreciate what it is - a driver's car.
I think Tyler does have an unhealthy obsession w/ Mercedes 😂
Not all "drivers" prefer hard-riding, high-revving, maintenance hogs. Some enthusiasts like a car for effortless driving. I like both, tho.
@@TucsonDude absolutely, and that's fine. But like I said, it should be judged on what it is (which is really good) and not on what it isn't. Typically, Americans have always leaned towards more comfy cars with a surplus of torque.
It's a driver's car you say, yet it has a heavy dual mass flywheel and it also has a rubber coupling in the middle of the steering column. I don't think you're wrong completely, but some BMW fans make it sound like BMWs are Lotuses!
UK they are now revered, rust aside. Sound. Prettiest M3. Well e30 was pretty …. But.
Mine has appreciated so much thanks to that...
@@yoda-1551 I know. They’re fit. British slang for great looking.
I think why Hoovie doesn't rate these as he cannot go around a corner. These cars are just amazing in the corner. Not the fastest car but just sublime.
7:00 that's why the Pontiac G8 and Chevy SS were so special and underappreciated.
I’ve gained a lot more interest in watching hoovie now because he’s been buying my favorite kind of Euro cars, BMW
I loved my e46, but maintenance worries definitely kept me up at night.
If you wanted cheap maintenance you should have bought a Toyota or Honda.
@@Just_Pele If a car is going to be expensive to maintain and unreliable, it should not be expensive to purchase.
@@jcdawg8363 It's not unreliable. If you maintain them they're very reliable.
@@Just_Pele Or, learn how to do the maintenance myself, which is what I did.
@@paradox206 Then why did it keep you up at night?
I’ve driven mine for 6+ years every day maintenance doesn’t faze me anymore. Once I retire this thing any other car I own is gonna be a breeze maintenance wise.
My E46M3 in Topaz blue now has 80,000 miles on it and has been garaged and cared for for it entire life. I wax the car every 6 months and it is stored under a car cover. I have Dinan modifications and HRE wheels. The interior is immaculate and the exterior has paint protection film. The car is a manual and is still on the original clutch.
Hoodie doesn’t seem to grasp the free market. Bemoaning the high cost of a 20 year old bimmer is sort of silly. The price is determined by what people are willing to pay for them.
What is not to like about this car. It's a manual, with a sunroof and the colour/condition looks great. Mileage is low, interior is also good and your BMW guru can't find anything major!! They're not all disasters waiting to happen you know!
Depending on what you paid for this... with an affordable mechanic like the Car Ninja and a solid source for a replacement trans, this actually seems very worth the hype (esp. with the bottom end already done, the Vanos service done, and it being low miles). Plus you can refurb all the shifter bushings while you've got it apart. You've got an excellent recipe for a really fun car for a while and will prob get your money back after a year. Smartest channel on TH-cam? This might be a start.
Whenever I see "dealer maintained" on a modern car that means NO maintenance more than an oil change! Lol
To add to the list of overhyped cars the S2000 has to be on there. The prices these cars are going for makes zero sense.
Around here, they are almost listing for msrp when new. Mind you, they aren't selling
Have you ever driven one? It is an amazing experience. Not sure if it justifies the insane prices right now. The high mile ones haven't gone up too much in value.
I had one and I agree. Insane for the price
@@jmazza774 I have and they 100% arent even close to being worth what they are asking for them. Fun cars for sure but not 30k for a clapped out example.
I like how he downplays all of his cars for drama and content.
Back in the day people kept talking about, how BMW is affordable with lots of power. As i keep seeing BMWs go for 10-20k, i wouldnt call it affordable at all.
it's a matter of where you are in life financially, for me a 19k 2016 435i m sport package and 12k miles on it with a full time job and no kids or wife its definitely affordable. it's has had a few things come up, leaking oil cap and the charge pipe blew but that was expected because I did my research on the flaws before purchasing. the worse part of the car is how often I go through tires and gas.
Guys EVERYONE!!! DO NOT forget the fact that this car was released around 20 years ago, back then it was 100% amazing in every single aspect, nowadays it is still great, but technologies are moving forward, and that's the ONLY reason why we have such videos like this, 'does it worth the hype'?! This is a LEGEND! and that's the reason the prices are going UP!
Bought mine brand new 18 years ago and never getting rid of it.
It is worth the hype.
I daily a ZHP and have gotten to drive an e46 M3 and E39 M5 for an extended period of time and I would put the M3 and M5 at the same level but each of them have their own strengths over the other. In my current living situation being near the roads I'm around, I'd much rather have an E46 M3 over an E39 M5 any day. But if I had a choice for a more of a Daily and practical car, definitely the M5 hands down. The E46 M3/E39 M5 can be very reliable cars that won't leave you stranded but they do come at a cost at times and require more attention to stay tip top shape, but that's the cost for the experience of driving them. They're both a car that I personally wouldn't own unless I had a daily/spare car.
With all that being said, ZHP is probably my favorite car to daily though. It's easy and fun to drive, really cheap to maintain once you address the infamous subframe issue, and it doesn't look outdated. It also flies under the radar in traffic and you don't really stand out to the avg population.
The deal with all of the “maintenance nightmares” is that they are all 1 and done fixes.
Engine out 1 and done 🤣
LOL no. E46 M3's require continual maintenance, it's just that rod bearings and VANOS have already been done on this particular car, which are tow of the Big Three that should be taken care of in order to prevent the engine from grenading.
@@oneswellfoop I drove one rain, snow or shine for 2 years. I bought it with 178k miles, sold it with 213k. After the initial sorting out what the previous owners had not fixed, it was only oil changes (with blackstone lab samples) and rear shock mounts. It was the most headache free car that I have ever owned. Dead reliable.
@@brianm.595 The engine doesn't need to come out for rod bearings or the vanos. racp reinforcement is really the only big labor item.
@@oneswellfoop Continual maintenance is one thing-people expect high-strung, high-performance cars that are driven hard to need maintenance. The problem with some BMWs is that there are major engine issues (timing set, VANOS, rod bearings, water pump, valve seals, etc. depending on the engine) that are so common that they're considered regular service items if you want to avoid catastrophic failure. It's like they're designed to get through the first lease term and no further.
Omg the interior and dashboard of that car is just pure perfection. Puts modern cars to shame with how gaudy and cheap and ugly the dashboards are.
YES! Totally agree, a real driver's cockpit (same with E39 and E38).
People passing up on smg e46's are idiots. Its the easiest manual conversion on the planet as its already a manual just automated. Make sure the subframe is good and ride into the sun with your $1000 conversion.
It’s gonna be more then 1k for the conversion but yes if you find a nice smg car drive it till something happens and then convert it.
@@FishFind3000 $1200 is the highest ive seen honestly. Lowest ive seen is around $600 (years ago).
I have an SMG transmission atm but I am definitely converting it to the Manual.
Isn't the transmission alone $3,000?
@@thecman26 When you do the conversion you keep the core, but you change the bell housing and shifter assembly. So you don’t pay nearly that.
He is absolutely correct about maintaining the oil. Newer cars absolutely rely on excellent lubrication. The VANOS system is literally a hydraulic system that operates via the oil. If you use cheap oil, and cheap filters, and never change them, big problems arise.
Properly maintaining your vehicle is directly proportional to its life span. The better you maintain it, the longer it will last.
All time favourite BMW. Not the quickest but even today it still looks perfect .
Input shaft seal and running on low fluid. Good luck to those synchros
I love the BMW geeks coming out of the woodwork to comment on this video 😁
Makes a clickbait title about not being worth the hype. Mechanic debunks it. LOL. And your clickbait title will still net you profit on this car when you sell it I bet.
Kind of doing the e46 m3 community an injustice since these cars are all over the racetrack for their reliability other than routine maintenance due to having a pretty much a race engine for the street. My uncle owns a BMW shop and can confirm the reliability of these m3s and how much repairs he has to do on regular standard e46s. So quick to have an opinion on a car you've owned for 2 seconds. HAHA
I own an e46 m3 and had 175,000 of Non- oil-burning miles that was also taken to the track. I now have over 200,000 miles and have since rebuilt the engine due to outside circumstance unrelated to what you call "un-reliability". I may seem biased but the car has been great.
I'd bet the car will last longer at the track than your LS-911. LOL
You've taken it too seriously
It's the NFS Most wanted car. Thats why I love it so much.
the NFS M3 GTR has a V8 ;) so same, but completely different.
I own 2 of them A 2001 Convertible manual and a 2003 convertible SMG. They are very much worth the hype. It will eat a rice car without trying. They have style and always get compliments. The M3 is very much a legend it is called a collectors car now. As long as you take care of the car it will run good
Hoovie titled the video knowing he was going to get triggered BMW enthusiasts to click on the video fast and he was right. Look on hoovies face when he drove it on the highway , ninjas opinion about the car, low cost of the transmission repair proves that the E46 m3 is indeed worth the hype
M3 has fans World around, because of Need For Speed : Most Wanted
that's the car which people fall in love about.
and That stamp of approval from Johny car ninja seals the matter shut.
I've done 20k miles in my M3 in the past year, absolutely reliable every day but sure it does cost a lot to maintain.
Your rear boot floor will almost certainly be cracked, they fuckin all are and no M3 is safe (they're designed to fail). It's expensive to fix them properly, i am considering a Z4M Coupe until i can afford my dream Laguna Seca blue perfect M3. The one i currently have isn't one i want to spend all of the money on.
BMW=Bring My Wallet. I've owned 9 of them over the years. Loved 'em, but they were money pits, one and all.
How can it be very relaible but cost a lot to maintain?
@@cambridgemart2075 reliability & maintenance are different things.