The E46 BMW M3 Is an Analog, Old-School Future Classic

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E46 BMW M3 review! The BMW M3 is a cool high-performance coupe -- and a reminder of how BMWs used to be. Today I'm reviewing the E46 M3, and I'm going to show you all the quirks and features of this special BMW. I'm also going to drive the E46 BMW M3, and I'll show you what it's like behind the wheel of this M3.

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DOUGSCORE CHART:

[jweebs]

I guess all that Cars & Bids money is making Doug feel like he no longer has to squeeze himself into back seats.

[kgpngkc]

Doug, we really need the DougScore back where you go over each category. It truly provided us an insight of why you ranked it that number, and it just doesn't feel the same without it.

[ManuelFresh]

The E46 styling is timeless to me. It will always look good.

[ronan]

Folks if you are considering buying one of these then do your homework. I finally bought one in 2019, before the prices started climbing. It wasn't in the best condition but it was straight and the engine was good at 120k miles. After a ppi by bmw I decided to buy it. Since then I had to replace the clutch and flywheel, both drive shafts, regeneration of the diff, every single bushing and ball joint, reinforce the subframe mounts (it was cracked), relpaced all the rubber/plastic trim on the exterior, replaced the entire centre console plastics (worn out), interior A, B and C pillar trims, renovated the steering wheel trim, all ignition coils and plugs, all belts and pulleys, engine mounts and steering coupler. 2 weeks ago I began hearing the rattle which is the noise the head gasket makes when it fails between cylinders. It has failed between 3 and 4. Compression was down to 90psi in them. (should be 160psi). So now the car is with a specialist for a new head gasket and he also found the Vanos needed a refresh. While it's there and the engine is open I'm having the timing chain and guides replaced because they are worn and stretched. Once that is done he will do the rod bearings. Of course this isn't a cheap car to run/maintain but its worth every penny to me.

If you are going to buy one then get the best one you can or if like me you are willing to put in the work just get the best one you can for the money and go from there.

[christianabad]

Finally, Doug completed every generation of the M3 from the E30 up to the G80 (the latest generation).

[marionoskovic]

future classic is such a understatement this car is a legend to my generation

[edweesjaan]

I love the look of this car so much. Quite easily the best looking bmw of all time.

[Mawerik]

Oh that's a treat to the eyes. Late 90s-early 00s BMWs are so beautiful inside and out. Unmatched build quality, cool driving experience, unique L6 sound... And now they are very fast tablets, like all the rest

[neoWhite]

"Maybe a little less so in a BMW..." 5:26 This quote alone makes this Doug's best review. Lol.

[soloyoujo]

Most beautiful M3 ever. The car that made me a BMW fan. Completely perfect. And it reached it's peak form in the M3 CSL.

[amorfati]

When you pointed out the upper center vent, you were wondering why anyone would want it to blow out warm or cool air seperate from the other temperature settings. I use to have that feature on an older 320iS and this is why I loved it. In the winter, I would have the heat on, but did not like breathing in the warm air. I appreciated being able to breath cool air from the center vent, aimed at my face. That kept me from having to crack the window to get cool fresh air. Think about it...helps to stay awake too, on those long drives.

[luizarthurbrito]

It is so "refreshing" to see such a beautiful, subtle car with no hideous black rims. This is just design perfection.

[zachhansen]

I feel like this deserves at least an 8 on styling. Such a beautiful, timeless, classy car. I miss that stateliness that BMWs had in that era. My dad had the non-M, sedan version of this car, and I literally cried the day he sold it.

[ericmalapanes]

The temp control vents are one of my absolute favorite features. You can keep your body at a comfortable temp and have cool air on your face without getting cold all over.

[donkremer]

The red/blue dial is the stratified air dial as per owners manual. And it doesn't override cold when set to hot. Without hot coolant entering the core, the face vents can't blow hot. It's the other way around: you can override hot temp settings and have cool air coming from the face vents.

[wttefui]

9:59 The reason behind this vent override is to adjust to your outside air before coming out.
Picture this, you're driving in your AC for a couple of hours while it's +100°F outside, a couple of minutes before you reach your destination, you set this to blow hot, so when you come out of the car, you don't pass out due to a heat stroke. And you do that so you don't have to readjust your AC controls every time. (I mean that's how I used it)

[andrewsmith]

"You just can't get this anymore." Doug, this was on-point. I was drawn to these in college and bought one a few years after graduating: Imola Red, coupe, manual. It was my daily driver for a number of years. It had such an engaging, raspy engine sound. So distinctive that I still can recognize an S54 engine with my eyes closed. It didn't have pretense or rely on flashiness to assert itself. I had the pleasure of taking it to a number of autocross and DE days at local tracks. I think it loved being there. BMW owners would hang together and chat about anything from how to drive better to what sort of brake pads to run to running small businesses. I'd wave at other E46 M3s when driving past.

It was a car that I would do regular maintenance myself on: oil changes, brakes, transmission/diff oil. I learned a lot about mechanic work doing this. I even mustered the courage to swap the stock shock absorbers and springs for an Ohlins Road and Track coilover setup over an extended weekend. That brought the car to life on the track, even if it was a little stiff for bumpy city streets.

The back seats were surprisingly comfortable (if snug)! Regularly, we would load my wife in the passenger seat and two sisters in the back seats for an 1.5 hour drive back to the city from my parents', complete with laundry baskets and luggage in the trunk.


There were difficult moments too: I had sticker shock at a $4500 Vanos repair after a ticking noise started on my way to work one day. Or the DSC controller that failed and was $3100. I had wheel bearings regularly need replacement, probably due to the wider spacing in the set of track wheels. I paid $26.5k for it in 2013 and put $29k into it over <5 years of ownership (including $5k of upgraded parts). That felt excessive and mine was kind of a lemon.

I bought a 997 Carrera S and had both side-by-side for 6 months. I preferred the sound of the M3, but the handling, steering feel, and precision of the 911 was far superior. I ultimately sold the M3 to a coworker in a different state.

Thanks for bringing back the memories! I don't see myself buying a current generation BMW product, but would reconsider if they got back to their fundamentals like this car had in spades.

[r.de.andrade]

This car for me is just perfect, the design, the way the lines meet, the wheel size. What a piece of art.

[chicheng]

Personally speaking, e46 m3 was easily recognizable and vastly different from the normal 3 series at the time. Nothing subtle about it back in the day. Nearly every body panel is different. This includes the aggressive front bumper, hood bump, wider fenders flares with m gills, rear spoiler, sporty diffuser to fit quad tip exhausts. Even the mirrors are different. I owned one for about 6 years back in 2003. With a full titanium exhaust from Amuse, the sounds that came from this inline 6 was straight 🔥. Now I'm old and drive a silent tesla that will make the m3 seem like it's standing when going 0 to 100. Still had some great memories in this car.

[midgetsun]

The greatest feature to me, is the way the engine and exhaust work in tandem to hit that interstitial harmonic. Only occupants of the car get it; from the outside, it just sounds like any other tuner car. But sitting in it, my god, the sound is absolutely heavenly.

And the pull it has in second and third gears is amazing. The strength and evenness of the power delivery is unmatched and never beyond your abilities; you never feel like it's more than you can handle. Plus a chassis to accommodate that power. BMW M3: The Ultimate Confidence Machine.