IS A BUDGET BMW 3 SERIES E46 WORTH BUYING?

Should you buy a cheap BMW 3 Series E46? This is the first time I've driven an E46 BMW 3 Series, and featuring today is the 6 cylinder, 2.2 litre E46 3 series convertible, or 320ci. What is the 3 series like to drive and live with? Is it expensive to run?

[itsjoel]

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[CSmithyPx]

I got my e46 330ci convertible. It's hands down the best car I've ever owned, driven and worked on I can't see myself selling it anytime soon

[kenwheeler]

I’ve had a 2004 facelift 330 Vert for 10 years now. Searched high and low for a rare Imola Red car. It’s totally unmolested, has taken me all over France on numerous summer holidays and although I have had many other cars in time, I can’t ever see me selling it. It’s a total dream to drive and the straight 6 engines sounds amazing!

[jonathanholley]

I bought a 2002 E46 325 ci in January, same colour spec, only 3 owners from new and full service history. Really pleased so far, lovely exhaust sound and drives well over the narrow country roads where I live .

[MrMrish]

Very timely. I bought a lovely 325i manual touring just on Monday. Rare spec. Such a great looking car (still) and super smooth to drive. I'm delighted with it.

[howardgregory]

I had an O2 plate 318Ci for 14 years until recently. Other than regular servicing, mechanically, it only needed one coil pack. Few other bits and pieces which isn’t unreasonable for a 22 year old car. Still looked good and went well. Don’t dismiss the smaller engines if it’s just a good looking, well mannered, car that you’re after.

[TiptronicSS]

Hey Joel, the E46 is literally the car that broke me. I bought it for 6000 euro and it cost me +22k in 4 years in stuff breaking and me believing it'll be better than new! That car was awesome fun! But together with learning about nasty lying cheating mechanics, I learned about the dangers of sociapaths. What a sore topic for me! I don't think I ever recovered from the financial and emotional damage, but I still love that moneypit E46 😅😅😅
Be warned Matthew. It's a box full of tempting snakes! 😅

[ruk--]

I wouldn't totally reject this car because it does at least have 6 cylinders but the 330ci is such a nicer proposition in my opinion.

[Shyted]

A friend has the 328i and would let me use it while he was on holiday so it wasn’t just sat on the drive for a couple of weeks. Was such a treat when my car was a mk3 diesel golf. Happy days.

[kittyhawk]

I've had my 2004 330cd from new. Over spent on options and is still a great car.

[Philljag]

I had a 325ci coupe prefacelift for over two years and loved it still the best car I’ve owned.

[matthewavery]

Thanks again for reviewing my shed again Joel! It may not be a 330 but to be honest I’m more than happy with the performance and sound it gives! 170bhp is definitely enough to have some fun in, even with the weight of the convertible. And yes I agree it isn’t in the nicest condition cosmetically, seeing those scratches on the rear bumper made me cringe 😂.

Hopefully these things will be fixed at some point but I’m just going to say they add character!

[TiptronicSS]

The E46 is so costly it even broke your video! 😂😂😂 10:19, how ironic and perfect 😂

[MrFraz]

I've had so many BMW's and they've all been amazing and challenging cars. They always have little niggles but they're just so loveable and they are the ultimate driving machines.

[nickH-worth]

Had one . 325 Ci and sold it for a 3.0si Z4. E46’s are great cars, A period when BMW was at its best. The shut of the door when you close it, is amazing. Proper BMW’s Great vid

[andrewsweeney]

Ive got a 330 and 100% love the dials too

[carsandcustard]

330ci is the one you want for slightly more cash! Plenty of torque and suit an auto box down to the ground too. My old 330ci Cabrio was a much more enjoyable drop-top than the E30 325i I had alongside it. Far more usable too.

[Holdeenio]

I had this shape 320i saloon with that same 2.2L 6-cylinder when I was 20. It was a NUTS car then and seems to be going up in value now. All my friends had Corsas and Fiestas and I had that… my insurance was cheaper than all of theirs too - to their amazement!

[lucas]

Actually the previous 320i straight 6 was the 2 litre M52 which was 20 bhp down on power from the one you have (M54), but it actually traded it for a greater reliability and didn't burn as much oil as your does.

[MrLuc]

Lovely video mate, was hoping you'd make a video about one of these. I've been watching you since the z4 days, of which you heavily influenced me to buy😂. It was the 2nd best purchase in my life. You said in a video get the 3.0 over the 2.5 which I didn't do because the good condition 3.0s were out of my price range but even the 2.5 was an absolute joy to drive, especially since this was my first car.

Skip a year or 2 and my z4 started having serious oil and suspension issues. In comes the completely random E46 325ci individual converted to a 3Litre an old classmate of mine was selling. Engine and suspension were completely rebuilt, basically making it drive as if it were brand new with some modifications. On top of that, we came to a deal in which i traded in my z4 with dead suspension for the e46 with extra payment from my side ofc.

Never understood the hype behind the E46 since i was more of a z4 guy at the time but i wanted to upgrade to a car in which i could actually bring some friends with me so they wouldnt have to taxi me around because of my 2 seater. Best purchase of my life and now I fully understand the hype about this car. Its customized to drive like a race car for the road. I've got it for about 2 years now and still going strong💪. I don't think i'll ever sell it unless i absolutely have to and even then my dad in his 60s would probably want it. If you ever happen to be in the south of the netherlands on your way to the Nürburgring or something I'd happily let you review it. We even have plenty of beautiful roads here for a good video.