I have no Idea what I am doing, Will this be a money pit?

[Nickco43]

http://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/de...2449/overview/

I know that a well maintained euro car will last 300,000 miles and I should buy a car with all service records. I looked into buying a B6 audi but then I found this. What do I need to know / what breaks easily or should be replaced?

EDIT: http://www.ecarlist.com/cgi-bin/show...6#full-history

[SilberVogel]

Welcome to the forums. Recommend you take a look at some of these resources for prospective buyers:

Buying an E46 (Wiki): http://www.bimmerfest.com/wiki/index...#Buying_an_E46
A Buyers Guide for the E46 (Part 1): http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=1007722
A Buyers Guide for the E46 (Part 2): http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthr...3#post16061691

Plenty of good reading material and answers to your questions in the links above. Most of these cars have been on the road for over a decade, and the collective knowledge here and across other forums goes back just as far. Well worth the read if you're looking to get into the platform.

[nathancarter]

If you can't or won't do any of the service and repairs yourself, it will definitely be a money pit. Or you can just neglect it and drive it into the ground, but don't expect it to last 300k.

If you're moderately handy with tools and basic maintenance techniques, it won't be a money pit. It does need a little more TLC than most econobox automotive appliances.

If you're not experienced but you're moderately competent, willing to learn, and have a place to work, the E46 is a pretty good starter car. Most basic maintenance and minor repairs are easy and intuitive.

As an example:
The window regulators are a common failure point. Buy the part from one of our forum supporting vendors and fix it yourself with basic hand tools for around $125. Or, take it to an independent shop for repairs, around $300. Or, take it to the dealership for repairs, expect $500.

[Pelican Parts]

If you can't or won't do any of the service and repairs yourself, it will definitely be a money pit. Or you can just neglect it and drive it into the ground, but don't expect it to last 300k.

If you're moderately handy with tools and basic maintenance techniques, it won't be a money pit. It does need a little more TLC than most econobox automotive appliances.

If you're not experienced but you're moderately competent, willing to learn, and have a place to work, the E46 is a pretty good starter car. Most basic maintenance and minor repairs are easy and intuitive.

+1

If you're DIY capable it will help keep money in your pocket. We have great DIY tech articles here that can help you with your maintenance needs.