How do I tell what the E# is for my 2006 325Ci?

[peredehuit]

I'm new and I apologize for my ignorance. My 17yr old daughter saved up her money and bought a 2006 325Ci. I know nothing about BMWs. A brief search has revealed that the E# or project number E93. Is that true? Is there any significance to the project number?

It needs a little work, but it is fun to drive.

[R Shaffner]

Congrats and good luck on the purchase. Yes, BMW creates new generations, or models, every 5 years or so.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_3_Series_(E90)

This Forum is a great resource. Look for answers here, and post questions whenever you can't find what you need.

[JDStrickland]

I'm new and I apologize for my ignorance. My 17yr old daughter saved up her money and bought a 2006 325Ci. I know nothing about BMWs. A brief search has revealed that the E# or project number E93. Is that true? Is there any significance to the project number?

It needs a little work, but it is fun to drive.

Yes, if she bought a convertible (fold-able hardtop) then she has an E93. Go to www.realoem.com and plug in the last 7 digits of the VIN, the page will come back with the Production Month and engine version. The 328 has two engines, the N51 and N52, the difference matters for some of the parts. You and your kid are not likely to be buying parts, but RealOEM will show you every part used to build your car, and the relative location of the parts. If you are buying parts, Kudos to you. The N51 is a Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEV), the N52 is a regular engine and produces more horsepower and is the more desirable of the two if you are not an environmentalist. (I am not judging the mindset, just identifying groups of customers that the two engines are targeted to.)

Ooo. I just noticed you said 325. That might change things. I was thinking that the E93 (all E9x cars) got the N51 or N52, but these are badged as a 328. Since you are asking, and I think it's good that you ask) then you can Google BMW N51, among the pages you find will be the various engine specifications for lots of different engines, and the chassis (the E codes) that they were used in. You will learn the production years, and the years that various changes were made. In the E9x series, there is the E90 (sedan), E91 (touring, or station wagon), E92 (coupe), and E93 (convertible). 2006 was a change-over year from the E46 cars to the E9x cars.

[JDStrickland]

Google BMW CHASSIS CODES, you might actually have the E46 if you have a 325iC. This car differs from the E93 in that the E46 has a soft top, the E39 has a hard top that can fold. You said the car is a 325iC, and that it's an '06, these points suggest you have the E46, which gives you the M54 engine. There's an M56 SULEV engine, but I do not think it went into the convertible models.

[peredehuit]

It is a soft top so my daughter has the E46. Thank you!!!

[shogun]

so I will move the thread to the E46 sub forum

[E39 Newbie]

I'm new and I apologize for my ignorance. My 17yr old daughter saved up her money and bought a 2006 325Ci. I know nothing about BMWs. A brief search has revealed that the E# or project number E93. Is that true? Is there any significance to the project number?

It needs a little work, but it is fun to drive.

Congrats to your daughter. Your next step can be a nice father/daughter project. Learn how to work on and maintain it. The E46 is easy to work on. And work on it you will, unless you're bucks up and don't mind paying a Euro shop to work on it. The car doesn't need that much, but what it does need is very important. If you don't have records, then plan a complete cooling system overhaul soon. The M54 is a great engine with an Achilles heel. That heel is the plastic cooling system. Your one burst pipe away from a complete engine meltdown. So, check the manufacture date on as many of the hoses, pipes, and radiator as you can see. Then plan on a new rad, hoses, thermostat, water pump, and under-the-intake pipes. These pipes are the most critical because everybody forgets about them (out of sight, out of mind) until they burst at the most inopportune time.

Oh, and invest in a decent scanner. INPA is cheapest, but has a clunky interface. A used SnapOn or Autel is great if you have some spare $$. There are others. Just don't cheap out and get a generic OBD-2 scanner. It will be useless.

[MarcoZandrini]

To add to what E39 Newbie has written, the installation of aftermarket cooling system parts is strictly verboten.

Find a reputable indie shop that specializes in bimmers at www.bimrs.org.

[R Shaffner]

In which case, this is the Wikipedia page for that model:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_3_Series_(E46)

FCP Euro gives a lifetime warranty on all parts as long as you own the car. So that's where many of us like to get BMW parts.