I know it's been some years, but that just makes what I'm about to say so much more fun:
NOPE!!
Turns out there was one in Houston, TX ... for $3,995.
It's a salvage title, though, so it could end up being a little ...eeehhh
We'll see, though. Everything's looking pretty fine so far; picking it up in a couple weeks. Excited!!
I know this is a dead-horse thread, but. . . are you talking about an automatic transmission here? In germany, this is only happening to automatics.
The reason for this line of questioning is that I am thinking of buying a 03/2000 323i (manual), with only 147,000 Km on it. Thanks. JG
IMPORTANT, ON THIS YEAR, I EXPERIENCED THIS MYSELF AND YOU NEED TO TAKE IT TO YOUR DEALERSHIP TO CHECK THE REAR CHASSIS MOUNT POINTS. My car was a recall car in 2007, the year I purchased it, so the recall missed me. I had the worst case scenario, the left rear mount broke and came through the trunk. I was running on 3 mounts! YIKES! It was a huge repair due to the broken mount, no warning either, hit a HUGE pothole and that was it. Made a weird clunking sound, which, at first, sounded like it could have been the rear suspension, little did I know at the time. The car still functioned, my chassis didn't end up on the road dragging it's butt, BUT, very dangerous. HAVE IT LOOKED AT THOROUGHLY, look it up online on 2000 323i recalls. I would not trade this car for ANYTHING. I've had it almost seven years, take really good care of it, and my son does all my work, with the exception of the mount repair. It's now better than new, looks amazing and handles like it's on rails. If I get the verbiage wrong, forgive me, I'm a chick. Deal? Good!
Hi newE46fan, this is too scary. Thanks so much for reporting this and it's very much appreciated. I've seen some terrible pictures of the cracks. I'm glad nobody got hurt in your case. I just found out about this issue with the subframe mount cracking. I did a lot of online searching and could not find an official recall for this problem. Although, there was a class action settlement (2009 i think) but it's way pass the deadline for repairs. BMW never did a recall from all the postings I read. There is a Technical Service Bulletin on it though and to have inspection done by dealers. But, what does that mean? They will inspect for free or do i have to pay? If nothing is found, does that mean I have to drive around knowing such a defect exists? If cracks are found, will they do the repair for free? In your case, the damage occurred, but did BMW pay for it?
Correct, there was no recall.
Under the terms of the settlement, BMW would have inspected for damage, and, if any was found, made the repairs for free. As noted, the period for that is long past.
If you want to have your car inspected for damage, you will have to pay...at least $125 these days. Money well spent, if you think you really want to keep the car.
Had a nice big post written up, but I deleted it! I will try to re-capture its glory:
If anybody is out there still, I am looking to buy a reliable, fuel-efficient, spacious wagon at a good price. I came across a 2000 323i Wagon with 148,000 miles. I will test drive it this weekend and look at the carfax, but basically, am I potentially purchasing a huge repair bill? Our 1995 Corolla is awesome, we just have some family changes this summer, and it has 248,000 miles on it (and a hole in the body lets the rain get into the back seat when we drive...oops, don't think that's good for kiddos!). So, is 100,000 mile upgrade worth it, or is this a whole different animal than a Toyota and I should be more prepared for an "investment?" It is a Automatic, BTW, and the guy I would be buying it from "has only had it since November and doesn't foresee anything major." Because the only major thing anybody selling a car can see is the cash coming their way
First, I would not call an e46 wagon "spacious". I suspect that the Corolla has more cubic feet and, importantly, more usable cubic feet inside.
Other things being equal, the BMW will cost far more to maintain than the Toyota. But it has a much better (and premium fuel thirstier) engine. And the suspension is in a different universe. And I find it to before comfortable. It is less on than the Corolla wagon.
At that age & mileage, expect at least a cooling system overhaul, suspension refresh with control arms and bushings, a window regulator or two, oil separator replacement, PS hose leak, VANOS seals, DISA valve -- in addition to the regular stuff you need to consider on any vehicle of 14 years. Oh, and check for rear subframe issues.
Search for e46 wiki -- read and understand the implications of its contents before making a decision to move forward. Then -- and this is MUST -- get a thorough PREpurchase inspection performed by a competent disinterested 3rd party. Know what they will cover and make sure estimates for repairs are included.
It is a delightful auto (we have a 5 speed copy with fewer miles). May be the best all-around car for our needs that I've driven. (I rent every week, so have a pretty broad sample.).
That said, it is very different from the Corolla. If you can accept the tiny size and the fuel bills don't bother you, the rewards are many. But they don't come cheap. After that initial burst of work to get it up to snuff, expect running costs to be at least 1.5, maybe as much as 3 times the Toyota.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful and informative reply. My wife reminds me that with our expanding family, fuel and repair costs (and space) are prioritized above engine performance, suspension, and comfort. I guess I was in a dreamworld The carfax says most of those repairs have been done within 10,000 miles, but still not ready to increase the car repair fund. Thank you again!
FWIW, if the touring really had all the work done recently -- and the size was OK -- I would not necessarily steer you away from it. Our 99 was properly cared for when purchased 7 yrs ago. Aside from a cooling system refresh and suspension renewal, it has needed only regular maintenance. But it is throwing the occasional code now and it is time for LCABs again. The subframe was fixed under the settlement agreement.
If fuel cost is a major factor in the purchase decision, though, an e46 is not likely to be a good fit in the long run.
If you want/need a a wagon-like vehicle with a high fun to drive factor that won't hurt your wallet, you might want to take a look at a previous generation Mazda3 hatch.
I have a bmw 323i that I recently just got and I was wondering if there’s a certain type of coolant that I need to buy
BMW blue or Zerex G05
I'm always a little hesitant on these low-mile old cars because after it gets some miles on it, it won't be worth anything as 323i. And low mileage doesn't necessarily mean trouble free. And the state of all the rubber gaskets would concern me. I'd personally rather buy one for 4K with higher mileage and keep the spare change for repairs. It's a bit of a gamble either way but at least you know what work you had done that way. But if it's a car you really want and intend on driving to the end of it's life it could be a good way to go. Hope it all works out either way!
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