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Thread: High Mileage M3

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    High Mileage M3

    Hey everyone, I'm looking to get an M3 (coming off of a B5 S4) and I found this while searching the web. I know of some of the issues with the car like vanos and subframe but this one says it has all been complete and looks like it has been taken care of by an enthusiast. My questions is how high is to high with an E46? I work at a german car shop so if anything major goes wrong I'm fairly certain it could be taken care of.

    Here is a link to the add, let me know what you think! https://siouxfalls.craigslist.org/ct...754914852.html

    Thanks for the help

  2. #2
    MauiM3Mania's Avatar
    MauiM3Mania is offline Observer/Master Skeptic Moderator
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    Not sure what luck you will have with finding a euro specialist, preferably a BMW specialist, in your area. But if you have any hesitancy about the car/your knowledge level of the car, I'd get a PPI.

    Edit: I just noticed that where you work is a 'german shop'. Does your shop know BMWs, M cars in particular?

    re: whats's high for a S54. I think it comes down to maintenance history. Does the current owner have any past records? Then the other thing of course, how it was driven. It probably should be on it's second set of rod bearings, regardless if there was an issue from day one.

    Looks like he's dropped the price from $11k to $9700.
    04M3 TiAg 69k slick-top 3 pedal
    99M3 Cosmos 61k S50B32 euro 6Spd

    88M3 AW 43k miles Project FS


    WTB: 3.5" Eurosport/Conforti CAI

  3. #3
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    Yeah the shop works with M cars, I was planning on a PPI but I'm more or less wondering if they are as "reliable" as the S50-52's because some of those cars are past 200K miles. I know its a performance car and always going to need some working/ tweeking to keep it running well.

  4. #4
    MauiM3Mania's Avatar
    MauiM3Mania is offline Observer/Master Skeptic Moderator
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    Some like to say that the E46 M3 is less reliable than the E36 M, which is probably true. The engine is not a warmed over M54, so it calls for more maintenance and service. VANOS is an issue on both generations.

    Check this old thread regarding higher mileage. It needs to be bumped for some updates.
    04M3 TiAg 69k slick-top 3 pedal
    99M3 Cosmos 61k S50B32 euro 6Spd

    88M3 AW 43k miles Project FS


    WTB: 3.5" Eurosport/Conforti CAI

  5. #5
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    Thanks for the link, I'll read up!

  6. #6
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    2002 CSM M3, 1997 m3
    My car has 217k on it. I’ve replaced the motor, then the starter, water pump, sunroof motor, power steering pump, tps sensors, rear diff seals, and subframe bushings. In my eyes, these cars have to be thoroughly gone through every 100k, if that was done then you’ll be good for a while.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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