Thinking about buying a 1999 or 2000 3 Series, any input is appreciated.

[Stunna54960]

Hello, I'm thinking about buying a 3 series BMW. Most likely a 1999 323i 5 speed with Xenons. I've been looking at 99 and 00 and 323i and 328i. Does anyone have any input on the cars? Common problems? Things I should look for when test driving? Was there a certain mileage where you started to encounter more problems? Average city/highway mpg? Things you love about your 3 series? Also, I'd prefer a manual if I can find it. Does the transmissions reverse issue only apply to the automatics? Thanks for any and all input.

[rogue325]

get the 328

[CarlsonTheFlyer]

Read this thread. It should answer many of your questions. And good luck with your purchase.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...d.php?t=879887

[akhbhaat]

Good opportunity to plug the E46 Wiki at Bimmerfest:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/wiki/index.php?title=BMW_E46

That should answer all of your technical questions.

Now, I'm sure you're also looking for some personal feedback:

I owned a 2000 323i for seven years. Loved the car until it met an untimely demise at the hands of my neighbor's rotted out tree. The autos are sketchy, but the manual transmissions are bulletproof - I've never heard of one failing prematurely (i.e. before 200k) unless it was badly abused. The only problem you might have will be issues with the self-adjusting clutch: mine started to slip at 38k because something went wrong with the self-adjusting mechanism. Car was perfectly drivable and safe (I drove it that way for well over a year), but the clutch would slip under high torque loads...I don't think it was engaging all the way (disc had lots of life left when we pulled it). Anyway, clutch jobs aren't too bad and if you get an aftermarket clutch, you can be free of the self-adjusting device once and for all.

As far as problems cropping up, there are a couple trouble spots on the E46 that will show themselves as the car ages. The first is the control arm bushings and balljoints. The rubber bushings are considered wear items, and when they start to go you'll get sloppy steering, muted road feedback, and vibration through the steering wheel under braking. They aren't a safety issue unless they disintegrate completely, and that'll take at least a year from the time symptoms first become apparent. The ball joints also wear out, and these are (unfortunately) attached to the control arm, so when they go you'll have to replace the entire control arm. Depending upon which model you buy (M3 and 330i ZHP have different control arms), these cost $150-400 each.

Some people have installed urethane control arm bushings made by Powerflex. These are reportedly much stronger than the OEM bushings, but do have the disadvantage of introducing more road vibration into the cabin. Some like the extra road feel, others don't.

Second is the cooling system: by the time the car hits 80-90k miles, it's good practice to replace the expansion tank, thermostat, water pump, and the various hoses and clamps and such. Reason being that an expansion tank or water pump failure could quickly lead to an overheated engine, which means cracked head gasket, which is a $$$$ repair. The thermostat is less critical, though a stuck thermostat will make it impossible for the engine to reach operating temp, which could mean excessive wear. The components fail because there's just a bit too much plastic in them. The whole job can be done for $350 in parts plus labor (labor is free if you DIY - you'll only need $100 or so worth of tools!).

Finally, you'll probably have occasional sensor failures, a window regulator here and there, and maybe a jammed sunroof shade. Nothing critical. These could happen at any time - I highly recommend you learn how to fix the little trim problems by your own hand, because a window regulator is a mere $80/30 minute DIY but a $350+ trip to the dealer.

Bottom line is: if you can do all the minor jobs and maintenance yourself, you can easily afford to own and drive an E46. For the really big jobs (clutch, suspension work), find a reasonably priced independent mechanic. A clutch job (including parts) shouldn't cost you more than $750 at a good indy shop.

Here comes the really personal part:
323 vs 328 vs 325 vs 330 - people get into fights over this, though I don't really know why. The first thing that needs to be said is that all of these cars are varying degrees of slow - I mean, hell, the new damn V6 Camaro will trap 99 mph in the quarter mile and they're running $22k new.

As noted, I owned a 323i w/5 speed manual. I'm now shopping for a 330i w/ZHP with a 6 speed. I have close friends who own or have owned regular 330s, 325s, 528s, E36 M3s, and so on - I've driven them all.

Firstly, the 323 and the 325 are virtually the same thing. When these cars were new, BMW played some games with the specifications for marketing purposes - why else would they name a 2.5L car the 323? Well, it would've been hard to justify the 6k premium they were charging for the 2.8L if the 323i was listed as a 185 hp 2.5L 325i. My own 323 dynoed something like 160 rwhp when it was bone stock, which comes out to 180ish at the crank. When the 330 was introduced in 2001, BMW slapped a new intake manifold on the M52B25TU, called it he M54B25, and gave it a new model designation and power rating. The 325 does make slightly more high end power, but it also weighs more. In the end, they're about the same - I've run them all side by side in the real world and that's what experience shows.

Next up we have the bigger engines: 2.8 and 3.0. No doubt, the 3.0 is king here - in normal kit, they'll trap 96-97 mph and run mid 14s in the quarter. ZHP models have a bit more power and a shorter rear end, so they're a bit quicker. The 2.8 is right where you would expect it: smack dab in between the 3.0 and the 2.5.

In the real world, on a normal street, the biggest advantage to the bigger engines is the meatier torque curve - you can hold a taller gear longer, might not have to downshift as often. they accelerate with less effort. However, their balls-out power advantage doesn't really kick in until you get to third gear (autobahn runs!) - I used to run my buddy's 330Ci in my 323i all the time, and we'd be very close up to 50-60 mph, but he was a lot faster past that. The 328/330 do feel a bit faster than the 2.5. The difference isn't amazing, but you can feel it.

FWIW, I would buy a clean five speed 323i over an automatic 328 (or 330) any day of the week. I would also take a clean five speed 323i over a busted or super high mileage 328i even if it had a manual. I would just say buy the cleanest, nicest, best maintained E46 you can find, regardless of engine or options - the only real "must" option is the sport package, which brings better seats, a better suspension, and a better steering wheel.

The good news is that these things are getting up there in years, so the original MSRP difference between the various models has shrunk considerably - you won't pay much of a premium for the bigger engine, and those are the ones more likely to come with a manual trans, so there's a good chance you'll end up with one anyhow. BTW - the 328 and 330 won't cost any more to insure than a 323/325. In fact, a 330/328 sedan will be cheaper to insure than a 325Ci (coupe). Keep that in mind.

Good luck.