Subaru BRZ vs BMW e46 325i? Which one as an everyday fun car?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.ย. 2024
- You are looking for a fun rear-wheel drive car that won't kill your bank account? Here are two very good options. As always these are just my opinions and experiences!
Note: The BRZ was bought used also, with well under 100,000km. Prices stated are in Canadian dollars.
E46 owners unite over broken window regulators😂😂
Sad but yep
Still need to fix my passengers side. Haha
gang easy fix tho lol
Yup mines fucked
Drivers side window regulator broken on mine for almost a decade now. Passenger front window regulator starting to go lol.
Regardless our 325xi is a great car.
old models of bmw are lovely
literally died when he said "if the window regulator wasn't broken" lol mine just broke and it is terrible
my passenger side on is broken too on my e46 and both were bad on my previous e46 hahahaha. I would say it's a very very very common problem
Darrien G i had all 4 regulators broken on mine LOL
all 4 on mine broken as well haha
Darrien G luckily i dont have power windows in the back so i have only two broken
My passenger and sunroof are broken 😭😭
bmw because it has 6 cylinder engine for the long run. m54 is one of the best bmw engines. 325i and 330i e46.
It really is a wonderful engine isn't it. I love the brz and its engine. But the power delivery in the BMW is much more refined.
+E46 Reviews with T.H. What does refined even mean?
perfect power and response.
And the ability to deliver the power in a "sophistocated" manner, that isn't jarring or uncomfortable.
E46 Reviews with T.H. My e46 323ci(2.8l engine swap) + 5-speed manual. Is my new toy. I want to DIY. Where do I start
Mate, you guys are so spoiled by big engines in North America. Many people in EU drives 316i. Lol. 325 is the upper class at that period.
If they had gasoline that expensive they would drive 2,0 diesels too
Haha, fair point!
Haha, E46 chasis only got 6pot here. I could not imagine a 318 stateside. I would rather have a bunch of 4 cylinders running around in order to have BOTH of the diesel options you guys have. Straight 6 Petrol =/= Supercar diesel and alot of 4 cylinder wannabe's :)
Haha all you see in my state are 330s
Yup, European and I drive a 316i E46. The 86 will be my next car in a few years.
The M50/52/54 engines are beasts when supercharged or turbocharged. A lot of tuning potential. My e46 330ci makes 390hp with the ASA supercharger from the older Alpina B7/B8 on stock engine. KW V2, H&R Anti rollbar Kit, PU bearings, Federal RS-R tires and it drives fucking great.
got my 325i 03 with a slight damage on the front passenger side for a 1000 bucks. put 2 new headlight for 140, fixed the damages for 500 bucks, got 17inches wheels for 130 bucks. the car is a blast to drive. i love it. i have two good friends who are Mechanic. i change the brakes and did the fluids myself, plan on doing more preventive maintenance as I don't really know what the previous owner did. but so far, it's a huge satisfaction for the money
5,000 dollar car vs 20,000 dollar car? Ill take the 325.
Or the 3rd option: a $10,000 E90?
Me too. The Beemer is best value on the road.
youll put the other 15k into that 325 and she will eat every dollar of it up! 😂 good luck! 👍
Not finna buy a 2.5 BMW when I already have a 2.8 and it's ok at best with it's lsd. FRS any day over a 2.5 e46 unless I'm just to broke like I am now which is why I gave a e36 328i.
@@archer7716 Forreal if I put 15k into my 46 I’d be whooping cammed corvettes asses
Honestly man, this is an amazing review and comparison. I NEVER subscribe to someone based off of a random video I decided to watch because of a generic search, until now. Keep it up dude
Lmaoo, That window regulator joke. laughed my ass off, three of mines just suddenly went bad. one of the e46's flawed things. But I still love my 325 lol
Haha same that damn windows regulator but coming from e36 not a surprise anymore.
The joke keeps on kicking on the F30
@@vismortis it's a trademark now, it gets built in.
Wrong, E46s are not that bad to fix. Won't cost you $1000 every time it breaks down. And after owning an E46 myself, I can tell you, working on the car is super easy. Engineered with the tech in mind, and that's a rare thing.
For about $600 I've done my front lower control arms with bushings, intake cam sensor, exhaust cam sensor, crank sensor, alternator, all the lights, led headlight conversion. The clutch kit from Bavarian Autosports can be picked up for $499. That includes the flywheel (single mass, but same mass and diameter), new crank bolts for flywheel, pressure plate, clutch (not auto-adjusting), and throw out bearing. And for an extra $119 you can get the pivot pin, pilot bearing, exhaust gaskets, tranny gaskets, rear main seal, and rear main carrier gasket.
You get a lot of bang for your buck with the e46 platform, considering it is more than 10 years old now. Try getting all of that for the same price for your BRZ/FR-S...glwt
TL;DR = BMW e46 is cheaper to fix/maintain than any BRZ/FR-S and I love my e46 to death! Look at the comments here and see how all the e46 owners love their cars. Its for a damn good reason; peace!
He was talking about the m3....
Eric Helgesen no, he was talking about his 330 zhp, you know, the one he's driving throughout half the video.
If you watched the video, he says, "How much is it going to cost you to maintain an e46 m3? Because every single time something goes wrong, it's going to be $1000..." And that's not a 330 zhp, its a 325 zsp, which he explains later in the video.
Scott McKinstry My friend bought a clutch kit from the same brand he had stock, it cost him like 200 dollars. Bmw e46 are wonderful cars, ofc they have their typical faults, but they are great to drive, comfortable, sporty and good price.
i bought mine for $2000. i have about 1200 into repairs like new windsheild(200) window motors lol(80) and basic maintenance and new headlight lenses (20) and some useless shit like a spoiler and spacers im less than 4500 into mine and i did all work myself aside from windsheild from safelite. currently pissing oil with a bad ofh leak and some problem is keeping it from properly sealing, but it started with overfilling with oil which couldve been avoided :( but i drove it the other day while dripping and i still love it but miss it sm lol
I think the key line here is "If you are ready maintain one of these cars, then get one because they are fantastic". Only buy an older BMW if you are capable of doing basic / intermediate repairs and maintenance yourself. 'cause there is a fuckton of it. Gasket here, bushing there, oh the power steering pump fell out, and so on. And if all that happens at a shop/dealership, it will get really expensive, really soon.
But on the other hand, if you do the small stuff meticulously, it generally keeps the big stuff from happening.
If you own tools and don't mind getting your hands dirty there are a ton of DIY vids to help you keep your Bemmer running smooth !
True and Truth.
i think you are really OVER exaggerating the cost of BMW maintenance The 3 series 6 cylinder engines are bullet proof , like any car, Thrash it and u will Kill it, Subaru Boxer engines cost WAY more than BM 6s to repair
@@michaelgill5186 Well, depends on a model. If you have some rare 7 series, everything will be expensive. But for E46, atleast where I live, spare parts are plentiful and reasonably priced. Most of the cost will be from labour, usually several times over the parts going in.
@Mario Well, I beg to differ. While I agree that driving habits play a large role, I'd say empirical evidence would suggest that stuff on a BMW will break down more often than lets say, Honda or a Toyota. I mean, beamers are not designed reliable, they are designed fun.
I have the exact same BMW 325i model and It is fantastic.
I watched a few videos on E46s cause I just got an 04 330i ZHP, and YT throws me ALL of Thomas' old E46 content. Legend.
I love my E46 320i and it feels soo gooooood to drive it but everybody says ''new cars are better, fuck your hoopty''...
I mean wtf!!!!
Squad!!
I had the same one, the only problem of 320i is that 180hp is not rly enough. But now I have Infiniti with 300hp and it’s already not enough for me too lol
Just found this channel, love it! I bought a e46 330I for $4500 in February, it's a super fun, clean car with only 65,000 miles. Best part about it is the sub frame is perfect lol, being 16 years old I wouldn't be able to fix it due to making minimum wage and spending almost all my money on the car and gas. Great video and keep it up!
Also, my father and I do the maintenance, otherwise I wouldn't have a BMW lol
Congratz! Sold my e46 for an f36. Kind of regretting it a bit now. Its more economical and full of more gadgets and stuff, but i still loved the sound and the simplicity of the e46.
@@iVzQs holy cow this is an old thread and brought back some good memories with my e46. I love how F36 look although i haven’t driven one yet. I ended up giving my little sister my e46 when she got her license. Hopefully you get used to the new car and enjoy it!
@@jking6884 wow, that’s awesome. Wish i would have had someone to pass it on to in my family :)
Haha, I was shopping between a 325 and a BRZ. Never thought I'd come across a comparison of then two
What did u buy and why
He isn't lying when he says save money in order to fix repairs and maintenance, there fun to drive but a headache when something goes wrong . Thanks for the review I'm currently in the process of getting and frs
what problems have you run into?
An e46 is super easy to wrench yourself
And I'm James...... where tf is James lol. I thought you guys were glued together all the time. Love the video, you guys have surely come along way in 7 years, love it
Life is so complicated. I just need a brand new/headache-free/simple/low tech/reliable BRZ to balance my life.
2 years later, and this video was a huge help in deciding between a 4yr old BRZ or 10yr old 128i... The way you explained their driving-dynamic differences in such detail was terrific, and I like how you skipped on all the climatecontrol-satnav-autowiper-bull*** :)
Hi there. First I want to say you did a very good review.
Myself I own a 325 i MT E90 (2006) since 4 years and I have had the following parts replaced for a total cost of 3000 CAD ; Waterpump, starter, battery and a coolant cover. I test drove the Subaru BRZ and what I can say is that it is not a car I would drive every day. First off, the ride is not comfortable enough and the quality of the materials inside felt a lot cheaper than the german one. Also, it does not feel as solid or as smooth as the E90. On the reliability score I tend to think that the BRZ will score higher.
Cheers !
E46 for life bud. And I'll still smash with my 325i.
I agree with everything he said. I just purchased a 2003 BMW E46 325Ci about a month ago and it's absolutely an amazing car. It's Black on Black, Manual Transmission and it has the Sports Pkg. It has 140 000 Miles ( about 225k Km's ) which some people might consider high but it drives and handles like brand new. I bought it for 1400$ which is a bit under the market price ( got a good deal ) but from what I saw on the internet, they seem to be going for around 3-5k. Honestly, if you are looking for one, go for it, u won't regret it. Even if it may cost u a bit of money, keep in mind that u are buying a 3-5k car and not a 20k car so, at the end of the day, u are still having a decent car for pretty cheap.
Thanks- Good review/comparison and I'm a big fan of both cars. One key risk element with the E46 which you neglected to mention is that as with the E36 & E39, BMW really screwed up with the paint/rustproofing. Those who live in countries with real winters should be aware that these cars are really prone to rust and attempting to fix that can be much more costly than any mechanical maintenance, especially as the engine and drivetrain of these cars are relatively strong (and lovely!).
My bone stock E46 325i hits 60 in 6.9 seconds consistently :-)
Stephen you look like a friend of mine, hamdi serdar
How that i have e46 325i and i can 8+ sec 0-60
I currently own both. A 2015 FR-S RS1 with 20k miles that I bought about 3 years ago for $17k, and a 2002 325i that I bought for $1.5k about a year ago as a project car. I’ve dumped maybe $3k in the FR-S for fun mods (mainly a catless UEL header, flex fuel kit and a tune). I’ve spent over 6k in the e46 in a years time. Most of this was maintenance (all done myself), and maybe 2k in fun stuff (coilovers and poly bushings, higher gear ratio rear end that I welded, catless headers, chassis mounted short shifter, etc).
I agree with everything he said. Both cars handle amazing on curvy roads, but the FR-S is the hands down winner in that department. The FR-S feels much more connected to the road. The center of gravity in the FR-S feels like it’s at butt-level, whereas the the e46 feels more mid-waist level. The FR-S feels incredibly predictable. The welded rear end of my e46 makes it much more predictable than stock, but still not quite on the level of the FR-S, although it’s close. When I had an open diff in my e46, it wasn’t very predictable, but it was forgiving. With an open diff, you’d really have to try and spin the car out, otherwise you’d just lose traction in one wheel, and therefore lose speed.
I can only really comment on the handling of my e46 with coilovers (BC Racing BR series, with the dampers set at about the middle position), as the OEM shocks were completely shot. But with the coilovers, the e46 does seem to give more feedback to the surface of the road vs the FR-S (my FR-S came factory with TRD springs). I honestly think the culprit here is the electric power steering in the FR-S vs the hydraulic power steering in the e46.
In stock form, the FR-S felt MUCH more visceral compared to my e46 in stock form. But after removing some sound deadening, adding coilovers, catless headers, chassis mounted shifter, and poly bushings everywhere but the engine mounts, my e46 feels just as “raw” as my FR-S, aside from a very different engine note. The engine note of the e46 sounds amazing but very “refined”. My e46 has a fully stock exhaust except for the catless headers. The FR-S has a much “rougher” sound but in an amazing way. The FR-S is also stock exhaust (TRD quad tip exhaust) with catless headers and catless downpipe. My FR-S is WAY louder than my e46, but I’ve seen stock sounding FR-S/86/BRZ on the street and they’re pretty quiet, at least in comparison to mine.
One thing that the FR-S lacks is that punchy “push you back in your seat” acceleration. I honestly don’t know what it is because it doesn’t make sense on paper. With the mods I have on both cars, the FR-S should have about 50HP more, with torque being about the same. I’ve tested both, and the FR-S has the faster 0-60mph and 1/4 mile times. If you’re watching the speedometer, the FR-S reaches triple digit speeds faster. But the e46 just “feels” faster, even before the rear end swap (I swapped from a 3.15 gear to a 3.46 gear).
It really just comes down to what you’re looking for in a car. The e46 is very practical, especially the sedan/wagon version. The FR-S could absolutely be daily driven, but it’s not going to be comfortable or practical.
With the e46 you can 100% expect to have some problems along the way. If you’re prepared for these problems and can stay on top of maintenance, the M54 engine will go 300k miles. It helps to be mechanically/electrically savvy, and able to do your own maintenance. The FR-S isn’t nearly as needy as the e46 in terms of maintenance, but don’t expect the FA-20 to do 300k miles. I wouldn’t expect it to do 200k miles unless you baby it.
Just had a look at the 325i dyno graph and the BMW has more torque and gets a bump at 4k rpm whereas the 86 never gets that torque bump. I think the 86 is quicker on paper because it revs slightly higher. Can you confirm?
I’ve owned both the 325 and 330 e46, I would take the 330 any day if I had the option. The extra half liter makes a noticeable difference in power, and it would smoke the BRZ.
Only on straight line
@@itchyonion3559 nah the 330i zhp would smoke a brz on a track bozo.
I'm getting a BMW tomorrow
Did you buy that BMW?
@@rubenmartinez5732 Watch him say, "I got an i8 spyder."
@@alexnunez8336 lmao 😂 I just saw one today too, is this a sign? Lol
You've got it?
Love the blacked out wheels on your e46, makes the car look really nice. IMO probably the cheapest, best looking mod you can do to one of these is to paint the wheels black, and for good measure, paint the kidney grills black too.
The 325 is better. Every kid in the world wants a BRZ
A fair point.
I want a 330ci
If you have the money don't buy a 325i this is coming from a BMW owner. And if you do don't buy one that's been around high heat areas or that's not garage kept and good luck.
@@MrJarvisful so for australians just dont buy one?
that "feeling in the back" is sooo true. BRZ is not my cup of tea overall (cause of power) but that handling is saucy
I'd stick with the BMW. I have the same one and I'm in love with it.
is it as he says? requiring a lot of fixing and maintenance?
@@2DRINKSMINIMUM really depends on how you treat it, I used to have a 325xi but now I have a 330ci 6spd, my 325 was in such great condition but I didn't even have to spend much money on it because I didnt beat it or anything like that
I have an 06 325i sports package... It's sooo fun to drive. And gets a lot more attention than a Subaru
Personally, I'd be entirely apt to side on the 86 chassis. Two big things sway me. Sticker price, and family. I need a decent sized rear seat for my kid and car seat, and something my wife can agree on. She dislikes getting in and out of my tc. Just recently, she blew my mind by expressing interest in a convertible. I immediately knew Honda S2000s and Miatas were out (as much as would love both, and my wife likes Hondas) for lack of a rear seat. So this has left me considering a Mustang, which to be honest, I had been already. Mustangs that interest me though, at a doable price point, I feel would be a hard sell past the wife. Interestingly, out of my interest in Supras and Skylines, I've been looking in on inline sixes. Lo and behold. The 3 series. Soon as wifey saw it, she was on board. Rwd, convertible, fun to drive, family manageable... those are some pretty big wins in my book. Hopefully, enough to offset the maintenance costs. Xp
E46 owner☝️ and love every minute of the drive
I paid 4k for a 01 325ci with 125k miles last year. Mint. I love it, put over 15k miles on her and the maintenance was allot cheaper and reliable than my 01 Dodge by far.
Always a pleasure to watch your vids and hear your insights on different cars. I became a lover of all things BMW after buying a modified 2011 335i. In short it’s basically full bolt ons maxed out stock turbo. Behind the wheel driving, if you don’t look behind you, you would swear you’re driving a high end sports car. It really is crazy how well they can make a 4 door “sedan” drive. I call it a 4 door supra lol. **edit to mention reliability** on a side note, the catch is that you will be replacing almost every cooling component and basically anything rubber or plastic past 75k miles. I researched this car and engine extensively and I do all my own work and inspections. People who aren’t willing to do that may not find it worth it. But once you experience one, it’s hard not to.
just bought a 2018 BRZ with 60k miles, aftermarket coil overs, wider tires/rims and a tuner for $11,000. FUN!
I just subscribed. I just purchased my first bmw. 330 ci with zhp. love it. your videos help out a lot. I am also from gta. if you ever want to use it in a video or comparison feel free to contact me. high km but everything been replaced. cheers look forward to more vids.
+George Glasbergen thanks for the offer! I'll contact you if I'm looking for a zhp to test. That's a special car you have there.
Thx man. I love it. Anytime. I'm in pickering
Great honest review. From a BMW 325i 2003 driver.
You made good videos from the start, no wonder your channel exploded
Well spoken and intelligent person presenting your thoughts very clear and understandable
I am a e46 330 owner who thinking of buying a toyota 86 recently
This video give me the answer
Thanks!
I would pick a Subaru between the two reviewed cars, that 325 is just too worn out/tired. BUT, if I had to choose between my 325Ci and the Subaru, I would go with mine. Simply because its well maintained and I don't "run into problems" I just always check over my car car and do preventive maintenance if I come across a weak spot or a worn out part. If you think of it, it's really down to personal preference.
Bought a 2003 325i for 500$ off auction. 1000$ worth of basic maintenance (rack and pinion brakes etc) and it is amazing.
I bought my 2000 328i with 150,000 miles and with the sports package for $3600 and absolutely nothing wrong with it and unbelievably clean
The reason you buy the M3 over the BRZ is because in 10 years the M3 will still have value while the BRZ will be worth almost nothing. The fact that its wayyy faster, more refined, and just overall a better and more complete car is just a bonus.
Yes without question the m3 is the better car and will hold its value. However it will hold that value only at the high cost of maintenance. So when doing a direct comparison the m3 potentially will cost way more over the length of ownership assuming you don't plan to sell later on. The m3 will be a "classic" the BRZ probably won't imo. However for a car to car comparison. The 325 or 330 are way closer in performance than the m3 to a BRZ.
I'm sorry, but I don't understand people's obsession with "E46 M3 holds value", although it is true. There are not many of them anymore that are not either SMG, or cabrio, or beaten to death and that are for sale. Not beaten manual coupes are just not for sale anymore, people hold on to those. So, if you're lucky to find one and buy one, you will keep it for life, so it really doesn't matter if it holds value or not.
Oh man. Thomas, james, im gonna love going through your oldest videos
After having owned several e36 and an e46, I bought an frs. The only reason being that living in Vermont requires that my driver's side window work unequivocally. Every single BMW I have owned has broken my heart when the glass eventually goes sliding into the door and I immediately know the next week of my life sucks.
I have a 320i first BMW I've owned and instantly fell in love
really good comparison/review, thanks for sharing!
I currently own both. The beamer is lovely, but the handling of the BRZ leaves it for dead. 2001 BMW 325ci 5spd manual and 2019 Toyota 86 6spd manual Dynamic Sports Pack, (Brembo's Sachs and bigger wheels). Beamer has the sweeter engine, more conveniences and day to day practicality. BRZ isn't much use when shopping. Find the tuning argument somewhat redundant. Work a B25 M54 and you'll have some tangible results. Anything short of forced air induction is pointless on a BRZ. If you blow the 2.5L V6, you'll have a rocket ship. Either car is enjoyable, but the E46 is always going to crack around floorplan where the rear subframe bolts up Who wants to re-engineer a chassis. Boo BMW ! I love the brand and still planning to put another engine in my burnt exhaust valve 232000km BMW, then reinforce the cracked rear end. Look, if you afford it, just by a new BRZ.
I absolutely love my 2013 Genesis Coupe and have had zero problems with over 140k miles.
Michael Lambert mt or at?
Great video about a topic many people would find interesting, keep up the good work!
I bought a 325Ci with hardtop and complete M-Package for €1500 ($1700) a month ago and spend €100 on a revision kit for the Vanoss. I cant think of a diffrent car as enjoyable for that little money... Cant wait for summertime driving with the top off!
Sliiiiiiiiightly older but Had an E30, loved to drive it and work on it but sadly it would consume so much time in the driveway for repairs. Eventually sold it and found myself a BRZ and is an absolute joy to drive. Would love to have the time to restore/ maintain an E30 again for it to be a reliable DD
I read many of the comments. I learned to wrench on my old 1974 2002. I was going broke with the "gasket here bushing there" I am looking for a 325i as I type. Many friends swear by Subaru's and thats cool...BMW forever.
Nothing quite like 90's-00's BMW's!
Always choose a new car over a used one, If you have the money! e46 owner here!
I disagree. Even assuming money is no object if you get a new car you are restricted by the rules of warranty for performance mods you can make. If you plan on keeping the car 100% stock and essentially don't care about up front costs then sure. Buy new.
definitely the BMW! screw a Subaru. the 325i is the perfect car. it just does so many things well. it's very fast for a sedan, it's luxurious and refined. but it can be raw when you want it to be, also. it's s beautiful automobile, and still a little sporty. I love this car. I just bought a beautiful black and tan model.. and I love driving it every day.
Stev A I also have a black and tan model, and I love it.
Really great review! I subbed yesterday and your vids are amazing :)
Keep going
+HLP .Theo thanks! Lots more to come.
My first car was a 325i now I have 330xi love BMW
A bit of a misnomer , A) as u can see the E 46 is say 20 years old , No BRZ will not make it that far , BMs then and Before that were built to last , My own E36 325i coupe is 28 years old , has NO trouble dealing with new kids on the block ...who wont be there next year anyway , Just secure an E46 330ci and enjoy it for the rest of your life, as opposed to the 86GT and BRZ... the rest of the Day !!!
Wait in Canada isn't the 320i the 'lowest model' for the e46? I had a 323i with ~170hp before I got the 330i 5-speed, so it definitely goes lower than a 325. In Europe it goes down to about 316 I think.
in europe lowest is 316 with 1.9l engine (105hp).
I have a 2003 BMW 325i and a 2017 BRZ. You honestly can't compare the two. Each one has a different purpose than the other.
Idk my 01 e46 325i automatic is slow as a snail and yes, i have done ALOT of work on it
I have one to and it really just depends on where you drive...I live in the city and it’s fast enough for me and when I go on freeway I can get it up to 130mph easy. A big thing that changed performance for me was the spark plugs and fuel filter.
9:07 third button on the drivers side of the gear stick gator?! What's this? My 02 325ci sport doesn't have this but I want it, don't even know what it does but I want it
Locks out the rear window switches. Gonna look mighty stooopid having that in a coupe.
Thanks for the vid, I believe what you're saying. Im currently on the fence whether I would sell my E90 for the BRZ or just having both.
325i is not the smallest engine in the BMW 3 series range lol
I got my 330ci for 6k. It was a steal too
7 years younger Thomas ❤️🔥💥💥💥💥💥
I own neither, but my soul gravitate towards the BMW anytime!
I raced my friend in his '13 brz automatic with my 04' 325i 5 speed manual and im not sure if it was his shifting with the autobox or what but i beat him from a 30 roll, he pulled from the launch faster but i was hauling past around 70 and up lol
Some fuckboi in a e46 325i tried to race me while I was driving my gf's '18 BRZ manual, I was double clutching and redlining but he got walked. I think the fact your friend's car is an automatic made the difference, the BRZ has more power to weight.
I don't wanna be like unfair or anything but I mean those cars aren't even close in price. I can't find a BRZ where I live under 20k but E46 325is I can find for as much as 14 thou. You even say that the car is worth 5k. Like... not only that but the bimmer has more power than the BRZ stock (could be wrong, not a huge BRZ fan)
I daily an e46 325xi. Note this one is even more boring than yours, not only bone stock and using the 2.5L M54, but its 4 wheel drive and has an automatic transmission. But it still handles very well and has a lot of kick when you put your foot down. The car isn't mine (yet), I'm an 18 year old high school student who drives it to school every day. It is currently my dad's car, and he is the first owner, buying it new in 2004. Its in great condition with 75k miles, and even to this day its a reliable family hauler. For someone like me, if your ready to maintain it, the e46 is a great car for young drivers.
Funk music isn't necessary, especially when you're talking. Make sure to duck the sound, at least.
Thanks for the feedback. I tried to duck it enough so it was background music but you are right, there are a few spots where it takes over my voice. The sound seems to render a little differently when it uploads than when I'm editing in iMovie. Thanks for watching.
Yeah, I find iMovie seems to increase the volume of the music unintentionally. I don't know why, but I'd drop the volume by at least 50%, if not more.
Yea, I'm just making these videos for fun now, but if I start taking it more seriously I might invest in a proper editing program. imovie has me cursing most of the time when I'm trying to use it.
E46 Reviews with T.H. Haha, understood. Maybe give DaVinci Resolve a try? It's a pro-level program, but it's free from Black Magic Designs.
It seemed fine for me, I didn't even notice the music.
The answer is always Miata. 😁. Just kidding (though I do daily drive an ND.) nice comparison between these two cars. I don’t usually have the time for maintenance so I’d probably go with the BRZ, and I did almost buy one a few years ago. One other car I’d have recommended for this comparison would be the Nissan 370Z. I’m sure you can get an older one at a decent price, and have more power than both these cars.
I bought my 2005 325i for $2,800 and it only has 127,000 miles on it. No issues just some simple wear and tear things
Iv got a 325ci msport with lsd from factory I'm from uk tho didn't really understand that the 2.5 is lowest engine size because they made a 1.8 here. I also used to own a e36 328is and that was a beast and probably would be more comparable to the brz in my opinion
Yea the e36 gen was a little more raw. Probably closer to the BRZ. But now we are talking about a huge age gap. And in Canada where I'm from. 15 years of rust nearly murders most cars.
dave lowe they made even smaller engines 316i is the smallest since e30, the smallest was e21 315 that is first gen 3 series
dave lowe only the m3 comes with an lsd from factory
Renas lsd was a dealer available package for most models. My old 318is had lsd
The E46 328i was the best - especially one with the optional higher 3.46 diff ratio. That would be a good comparison.
Makes me miss my Red 2005 BMW 325Ci so much. Almost 7 years of pure love... rudely taken away from me by a simple on ramp driving to work on a cool wet morning 😭 191K. And drove like a champ everyday. Luckily, my 2020 Si was waiting. Just not the same anymore missing the option of a fun FWD or a fun RWD car 😣
BMW by far, theres just something about the E46 which makes it awesome to drive
He says 1000 dollars lmao I've spent like 200 max on my e46 325i
Congrats u one of the lucky ones😹
I’ve spent like $300 on mine so I’d say we’re pretty lucky with our 325i lmao
I facing the same dilemma in buying a manual rwd car. I already own an e39 525i auto which i do a lot of work on myself. So in my case i would go for the the less attention seeking car because i dont want to spend more time wrenching, just want to drive. But it wouldnt be the brz though, i would go for the gt86/frs instead. Just my preference.
I'd stick with my e46 330i over a brz
325i wasn't a close comparison in my opinion. Interesting video none the less
got my 2004 325ci for 6k with
100,000 miles. recently rebuilt the
disa-valve and about to order the ccv to do that aswell. might replace the thermostat and water pump when it hits 110k.
Go with the e46 330i ZHP ftw!
Cost of ownership of the E46 would be much more and ultimately it looks like every other BMW on the road. The BRZ looks much better than it is.
lol I bought an 01 325i recently for 500. has 230000 miles, some minor wear on paint, leathers a bit worn an had to replace 2 tires, water reservoir, fresh air intake hose an battery. things fun af to drive an people still offering me 1000 for it 😂 if nothing else it's a good play toy in terms of driving an learning the ends an outs of a bmw mechanically.
The bummer is the Brz costs over 3x more than a good condition E46 does in the US.
Huge BMW fan! I don't have an e46, my friend does I have an e60 5 series. Absolutely love it, but very expensive more so an extra $2,500+ a year to maintain roughly. But if you can afford it, man it's a blast and they are beautiful as hell! So worth it. Plus fast as hell! Will slam your ass in your seat lmao.
Get a 323Ci. The sport package comes standard in coupe. I bought it for $12000hkd which is about 2000 usd and a used 1.5LSD here costs around 500usd.... so yeah, I'll stick with BMW any day..
what's the name of the music at beginning?
lol the ft86 in Indonesia cost usd58.000 second hand cost usd 45.000 the bmw 325i 2002-2004 cost usd 10.000 high price lol . i own a bmw 325i 2004 full maintenance and blabla bla cost me total usd 11.000
Melke Lam susah gan hidup di negara dengan peringkat no.3 tempat termahal tuk beli mobil. pdhal sudah mahal2 masih saja di downgrade. btw ntu beneran sampe 11.000 USD total maintenancenya? apa aja yg rusak dn udh di ganti gan? lgi niat minang 1 e46 325i pre-facelift nih. jdi takut..
I daily my 2017 BRZ and love it! Bought new in 2017. 56k miles on the clock now.
you can change the open dif with an lsd and in europe the 325 has 192 hp. so the control of the car can be just as good as the gt86`s. which would be the better to drive than?
Honestly it would be very close. The BRZ still has a lower centre of gravity and it is lighter. You can feel the mass of the bimmer in the corners a bit more, but with a proper suspension set up, I would be happy to have either of them as a track car.
IMO, you really should be factoring in the cost of a LSD and full suspension upgrades since in an old car like this, bushing will be worn out and the stock suspension will be trash - all that will bring it up at least a few grand.
And then there is the point that the 325i is likely a cash purchase, whereas the BRZ is, for most, a financed car with easy monthly payments and hassle-free maintenance.
Last point and I'll STFU -everyone is always comparing new car costs to old (you coulda bought this for way less) costs. I think it's silly, most ppl don't keep their new car for more than 5 years, so they loose (pay) the depreciation - NOT the whole purchase price. however, if you buy a car that's already at 150k mi, basically you pay and loose whatever the purchase price was, since you'll probably be driving it strait into the ground.
Good points. However it varies in some cases. Certain cars will only depreciate so much. So if you buy an old one keep it running then sell it for what you bought it for you are winning. And as long as you do your due dilligence you can find older e46s that have already had suspension refreshes done and you can just go and drive.
You are missing the big point though... To make a stock BRZ comparable, you will have to do that work regardless. One has proven Longevity as well. The spread does not become as big when you take realistic maintenance and modifications into account.
Just traded my 240sx that I picked up for 2500 for a 4,000 bmw 👌💀 pretty hyped
What bmw is it?
DS3 e46 i guess
Perfect comparison, super helpful
Also these cars most of the time will do a one wheel peal, but than again i dont know about the 325i but my e46 328i has a posi diff so it can be possible to do a 2 wheel peal at some points