Why the E46 BMW M3 is NOT worth the HYPE!

[joealex]

Since Tyler helped the Car Wizard to buy 3 Yachts, now he wants to help the Car Ninja to buy one with all these broken BMW's 😂😂

[ingresswizard]

Owned one of these brand new as a manual in 2003. It absolutely does live up to the hype, was best car I ever owned. You got the absolute worst year of production of that car. The 2001 year had tons of issues that were fixed by the 2003 year.

I recommend taking your transmission out and sending it off to get rebuilt. There is no reason to source a new one when yours is still working and can be rebuilt like new. Put a new clutch in it also obviously.

[ShopLifeTV]

I agree that the prices are way too hyped up for the E46 M3 currently, but it honestly is a great car when it is well taken care of. As far as your trans issue is concerned, just buy a SMG transmission and swap over the bellhousing and shifter parts. SMG trans can be found for under $1000! Good luck with the car regardless, if you want to get rid of it, let me know lol

[blackjesus]

I own an e46 M3 and an e92 M3 both 6 speed manual with under 60k miles on each. Definitely worth the hype. I didn’t think so until I bought the e46 first and I know about the big 3 vanos rod bearings and subframe I got mine with all 3 taken care of already and my e92 with the rod bearings and throttle actuators done as well. Amazing cars. Plan to keep them a long time. Congrats Tyler on the e46 m3

[JakDexx]

Hoovie: "E46 M3's arents worth the hype"
Car Ninja: "They are though..."

[DigitalDissident]

I find the mechanics opinion more valuable than Hoovies and I bet he was reassuring to hear for the E46 fans. These cars certainly do still look great.

[AeroGuy]

I agree with the Ninja, how you service your car has a lot to with how reliable it will be over time. In 07 I bought a new Saab 9-3 Aero wagon with a 6spd. It was my daily driver for 11 years and I was the only driver. The oil, Mobil 1 synthetic, was changed every 5000-7500 miles.
It has 177k miles on it now and aside from brakes and the AC condenser everything else is original. Turbo, water pump, clutch, starter, etc. It's never stranded me and the only time it's failed to start it was in my garage. Part of the ignition switch failed and it was draining the battery.

[Happymali]

"It's terribly unreliable."
"Well it isn't if you maintain it."

Ouch.

[camilom]

I have a 04 E46 M3 6spd with almost 220k imola on imola. High miles and all, this car is amazing. Gorgeous to look at, thrilling to drive and the good sound (eisenmann race exhaust). One thing I’ll add is that it gets a lot more compliments than it did a few years back, it’s an appreciated car for sure.

[hotchkess]

I've owned my '05 M3 and daily driven it for the last year and a half now, and originally bought it with no service records. It currently just passed 150k miles, and to my knowledge has never had the rod bearings or vanos serviced. Yet at 150k miles she still runs and pulls like an absolute champ with no fault codes or issues what so ever. I've tracked it, thrashed it around, and driven it the way it was meant to be driven. I always do oil changes every 5k miles, and always use quality oils/fluids. These cars really are more reliable than many people think, and it seems like Hoovie is just looking for a reason to get more attention by ragging on the car, even after Ninja told him otherwise. But it really does come down to how well you maintain the car.

[FishFind]

8:40 valve adjustments aren’t an issue. That’s a mandatory thing when you don’t have hydraulic lifters.

[sambone]

I remember the early 2000's well and the E46 M3 was so damn special. There are certain cars from that era that left their mark on us and I can't quite explain why. More than just the styling, 6spd, and high revving inline six. It was their mystique at the time; the thrill of seeing one in the wild, reading the latest Road & Track review and trying to imagine yourself in the driver's seat, waiting for the day when you could finally afford one.. I don't know... car culture was so much different and more exciting back then, and the E46 M3 was a holy grail car for many people.

Also, never discount a well maintained E36 M3. Drive a nice one and you'll get it.

[rossfield]

I like you Hoovie but I wholly disagree on this one. On the right day, with the right road and the right weather the E46 is sublime. I never get the whole maintenance issues thing people go on about? The valve shims, part of a major service every third service (no big deal), the SMG pump now has a relatively inexpensive fix and isn’t the horror story it once was. The rod bearings plagued the pre 03 cars and were a warranty job through BMW in many cases. Every car has certain things and people are all difference. Personally a ‘modern’ Corvette leaves me entirely cold in every sense, build, looks, general substandard quality materials etc. I think on drivability and smile value alone the E46 has it in the bag, not to mention how it looks. A transmission overhaul on a 20 year old performance car doesn’t seem unreasonable.

[Royalflushness]

I thought the same thing when I first bought my E46 M3 because I was scared to rag on it while it wasnt sorted. Once I got it sorted and was able to rag on it the driving experience is something you just cant compare to anything else. The novelty, the feel, the quality, the pureness. Give it time to become part of you and it will get under your skin.

[garrisong]

I think the e46 Bmw’s are some of the best purist driving machines you can buy, even the non M models. Todays sports sedans and coups feel so disconnected from the driver. I will never not have at least one e46.

[justinbeamon]

I love Hoovie but it's kinda painful to see him try and talk down the Ninja when he really knows nothing, valve adjustments are just what you do with these types of lifters, it's not a problem. Just stirring up shit to make it seem like the worst beater M3 when it's actually well taken care of and a solid car.

[k-peezy]

$20 says the Car Ninja winds up with this car in the very near future. Also love how Hoovie says "that's like $3, 000!" and Ninja just shakes his head in the background.

[gpzjeffrey]

Don't overlook the cracked subframe issues either. Almost bought one just like this, thank God for prepurchase inspections.

[Chewiestmonkey]

I'm glad Hoovie made this video, hopefully a lot of people listen and pass on getting on one.
that way prices stay reasonable and I can find a good one to get again!

[IPvpeople]

Wow, I am viewing this with a headset on my ears, what a great spatial stereo sound in this informative video!