Why the E46 BMW M3 is NOT worth the HYPE!
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- čas přidán 12. 10. 2021
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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 😂😂
Or Two
I need a yacht, I'm actually thinking about buying some tools and moving closeby
He is still at just three yachts?
Edit: He was buying one every episode..
At least ninja buys stuff from hoovie. When's his next Ferrari purchase?
Commodore Wizard please
"It's terribly unreliable."
"Well it isn't if you maintain it."
Ouch.
It's unreliable even if u baby it
Imagine that. Maintenance makes stuff last longer. :D
M539 Restoration would agreed on maintance part
@@altergreenhorn Sreten is a legend!
This is the difference between an American and an European.
Johnny is Albanian, we know how to maintain this cars here in Europe... And we know that BMWs are super reliable, because we do maintenance!
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
You, wouldn't have bought it if you thought otherwise. :D
Any E46 after 2003 the subframe cracking was taken care of
e46 m3 is a great car no doubt but the e30 and e36 m3 were much better balanced cars over all than the e46 !!
Do the E46 have rod bearing issues too like the e92?
@@hassanrashid5816 YES
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
Hey can u help me with my m3 lol I love your channel
I’ve followed your channel for your Pro Tips and my 2006 M3 is totally reliable. I even did the SMG to 6Speed swap on it.
I love your channel and you have helped me so much over the years. You do great work. I did an S54 swap into my 323 sedan. It is so awesome. I couldn't have done it without you. Thanks man.
Prices for the coupe are “hyped up” but convertibles are still dirt cheap
@@TomCogan dirt cheap no. Verts are hovering in $18,000 - $20,000 range. For fair mileage.
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.
It's funny, I had the previous generation's 1995, the "worst" M3 of all time. Go figure, I never had a single problem, maintenance was a breeze and I had a ton of enjoyment for a couple of years with it. Even got 30 miles to the gallon if I really nursed it on road trips! Even the bad years can still be good cars 🤞
You got any people who rebuild these here in the west coast ?
@@ivanmartinez632 my BMW INDY mechanic had my E46 M3 transmission rebuilt by a certified //M transmission tech in Orange County, but this was 8 years ago. I don’t talk to him anymore.
I got it rebuilt for $400. Worked flawlessly. Let’s just say he owed me some favors…
This is the same clown that junked an Alpina B7 because it needed engine work. He is not a car guy but a CZcams opportunist out for an easy buck.
Agreed. I have a 2005 M3 and bought it with 20,000 miles. Has 230,000 now and little to no maintenance. Heard 2001 was the E46 to stay away from.
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.
Hoovie is a sad little cretin, he doesn't have a clue about most things and spouts crap to generate views
Oh could simply ask any E46 owner and get the same exact shitty feedback, horribly reliable, expensive to fix, and nothing more than a cool sounding money pit lol. Wow how extraordinary
I didn’t see it in the video but the noise he was referring to that goes with the engine rpm just a fan?
@@ryanm4319 sure lets ask an E46 M3 owner. I happen to have owned one for 6 years now. The only thing that you mentioned that is true is it being expensive to fix. I have close to 200k miles and other than the "big 3" that need to be done, its been dead reliable. You sound like someone whos never owned one and is just hating for no reason.
@@travis4161 also an e46 owner, there extremely reliable vehicle's. none of mine have ever failed to start or have ever left me stranded.
Hoovie: "E46 M3's arents worth the hype"
Car Ninja: "They are though..."
Opinions are facts, yo. :D
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.
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.
I agree that oil changes will definitely keep the engine and turbo etc in good shape, however it won't affect the water pump, clutch and starter motor.
servicing your car doenst help with other poor quality things breaking down. i had my e39 window actuators fail. coolant hoses break. sunroof motor fail. even the cupholders were poor quality and broke into 2 pieces. i had over 20+ issues that were just due to poor engineering and quality. not to mention it left me stranded 3 times. garbage vehicles.
@@prezVZ only the 540i was garbage. E39's with the straight six are absolutely bulletproof outside of the plastic cooling issues. But you only deal with that once every 10 or so years, and if you have ever picked up a wrench in your life, you can do the full service yourself, in about 5 hours, for well under a grand.... so yeah, you just dont know how to do maintenance properly, or you had a v8.
@@prezVZ but I will agree about the cupholders. Absolutely ass. ALL my window regulators have lasted almost 200k miles, without issue though.
@@prezVZ you're right, no amount of maintenance makes up for poor quality or workmanship. Unless you want to replace things proactively. And when you're talking about BMW engine cooling systems, that can get expensive.
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.
Wish I’d kept my E36 M3. Was a fun car
I agree with everything you said.
I'm personally an e36 M3 fan and own one as a daily driver. It's the most balanced power vs chassis matching I've ever come across. I'm OK with the flack they get, because it keeps them less expensive and the secret of those in the know of just how incredible the e36 is.
@@johnpearson492 e36 is the goat
Do not forget the car's influence in NFS Most Wanted and Carbon
Brilliant synopsis of being a 90s car nut!
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.
Well I'm selling my nom M E46 convertible 5 speed for 6500 if you're interested...
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.
Just a note of caution, I bought my 2005 at 126k and it ran great. I recently did rod bearings as a preventative measure (it really isn't all that expensive) and most of the bearings were showing copper. The peace of mind is worth more than the cost of the job IMO.
Hoovie isn't used to having cars with few problems, so he is suspect of every car he buys. When he gets one that needs just normal work he doesn't know how to react.
i have an 03 SMG with over 300 000 km (Canadian driven) = 186 411 miles
Do all the maintenance needed and the car will run forever
Btw its been my daily and winter driven
@@jaredbuttles1753 Agreed, just had them done on my 2004 @ 180k without prior service records, and when I saw the condition they were in it's a wonder they hadn't spun yet. VANOS lockdown is a must as well, learned that one the hard way and it was a pricey ordeal with the head off, new valves, etc. Subframe is next on the list once I have the cash, and then I'll be ready to take this car to the grave with me. I've learned to do pretty much all the other routine maintenance items along the way, starting from zero tools / zero experience to just having completed a clutch / flywheel job. Call it Stockholm syndrome if you want, but I love this car and will never give it up.
8:40 valve adjustments aren’t an issue. That’s a mandatory thing when you don’t have hydraulic lifters.
You can't mention anything common sense here, Tyler is just trying to stir up sh*t for attention.
I'd love to see him having to deal with an S14 or an S38! I loved my E34 M5, but that valve adjustment was always something I dreaded having to schedule.
I like how car ninja shut him down and told him that they’re reliable, he’s acting like a boomer and crap talking recent bmws which are great and talking down on these which are also great, I don’t get it but looking at the likes I guess he knows his fan base.
@@entrapperneur it's all about entertainment and he's making money out of it which is obvious. If you watch anything car related on TV, that's complete ton of bullsh*t most of the time. And as everyone think BMW's are money pits it's easy to tell them that this one is also bad and everyone gonna believe
event ninth and eigth generation honda civics with the 1.8 liter engine have to do that
Don't overlook the cracked subframe issues either. Almost bought one just like this, thank God for prepurchase inspections.
Mine currently parked up with a subframe crack gonna fix it this winter tho
I was going to say, he mentioned two of the 3 big ticket items with this car, but I heard nothing about the rear subframe. I'm assuming Johnny looked it over and it passed his inspection.
I had one PPI'd and the tech said it was cracked so bad he didn't even recommend driving it until the issue was fixed. Will never forget the look on the owner's face..
It’s not exactly difficult to have repaired plus it’s well known
Well you can just swap out the old one if the car is otherwise good.
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.
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!
It took 2 years but I finally got one myself lol
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.
Thank you for saying my mind its an awesome car just do the big 3 and your good one and done and all the problems he listed a couple of them plague the 7 and 5 series so its a bmw universal thing of that era
I love Tyler also but this is a regular with him and BMW's. Some cars can handle bad maintainance, but not BMW's. You treat them good, they will be there for you. Don't care about them, they will leave you stranded.
Agreed. But it tells you a lot about how a car's made when even a well-maintained and solid example requires repairs that shouldn't be normal. Changing rod bearings shouldn't be a maintenance item. Plastic water pumps that become brittle and explode at 80K miles-whose idea was that? Toyota, Honda, and others have developed highly reliable variable valve timing systems-why can't BMW (or Ford for that matter?). How come a car with 70K miles is leaking transmission fluid so badly that it destroys the transmission? For cars that cost as much as they do and the vaunted reputation of German precision, these cars should hold up a lot better than they do. They probably just take the Land Rover philosophy-build high-performing vehicles of marginal quality because people will lease it as a status symbol and trade it in after 3 years. Let the next sucker deal with the problems.
That's why unsub him few months back...he's not worth the hype...😂😂
$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.
I was going to do a manual swap but ended up doing a CSL SMG tune and relocated it. Works awesome the rev matches are impressive and it is awesome on the track!
Which brand csl tune did you use if you don’t mind me asking, I’m in the market for a good csl tune but none have caught my eye yet. I been fairly satisfied as I learned to rev match without any tune.
Just wanna say I love your videos man, always good to watch while I'm on my break lol
That car won alot of races back in the day thats why it's legendary.
Not really. The E30 won races.
Besides that,it was in NFS MOST WANTED.Thats what it famous in more young generstions of adults.)
it's the last "pretty" m3 though it's plagued with the subframe issue but it just looks good,sounds good and is in the middle of the era where it's not too digital.
@@pequod1 E9X is nice but personally the gaps and the iDrive is frustrating
@@Indskret No idrive is the answer. Even 5 year old screen interfaces in cars start to seem dated.
cant forget about the rod bearings issue
Oh I don't know. The E92 and F30 coupes were pretty nice. To each their own. I won't touch one myself. No i-drive bmws for me.
@@Indskret You can get an E9X M3 without iDrive.
I love these Euro cars, since i’ve been a professional mechanic for 40+ years, they have helped my family tremendously. It does seem like many of their owners are always broke though. 6 out of 10 usually can’t repair all the issues we find and we have a half dozen abandoned out in the yard at any given time. A lot for a shop that doesn’t specialize in these types of cars.
I guess as a mechanic, you love them because they're always in your shop?
Thanks for the content hoovie. I know your working hard to deliver and your certainly not disappointing. Especially with all the crazyness of the last 2 years, the world needs great content to consume to keep themselves sane. Your like an unsung hero. And certainly inspirational
I think the majority of the hype is that its the last of the analog “driver’s car” era. I owned one identical to this one and then right after owned an e90 M3 that i bought for only $6k running and driving! To me, i had way more fun out of the E90 and honestly it felt just as intuitive as the E46 M3. Glad you’re getting all of these together, can’t wait to see them all lined up!
holy shit you gotta e90 for under $10k? thats insane. e92 is by far my favorite m3
@@SicSemperBeats yeah man heres the story on it. Was a local trade in and the dealer had no idea what it was worth. Listed it for $10k and i offered $6 k lol czcams.com/video/AONFgTGFxtA/video.html
Yeah, E9x 6MT might well be the ultimate naturally aspirated M3, although I might prefer the DCT. I certainly prefer the DCT on the turbo engines N54/55.
I owned 2 E46 (M but not M3)s. Most of us Croats see the M3 as the 2nd coming of jesus.
Exactly, I test drove both an E46 and an E90 when I was looking for a car, and I found the E90 just as engaging and better to live with. The E46 is an awesome chassis, but I wish it didn't take away from how good the E36 and E90 are too.
"Title Text Here" I laughed out loud on that! Nice subtle dig on Ninja's new channel...
Just looking around the house garage with the current cars in it and it's amazing how far you have come since I started watching you when you first started. Then I remember you have many more and the incredible house as well. Bad smart 😉decisions have worked out very well!
I love when someone ll maintain an old car, so a car history survive as much is possible!! That's something that i love with this channel, older cars reborn again..
When he says reliable and you say it's not, I think you mean compared to most cars, he means compared to cars that are equally capable/fun.
Nail on the head. Not sure where he got the idea that these suffer from rod bearings so bad either. Maybe from when people took 10k miles per oil change like BMW used to suggest (which is wrong).
Nearly any car from 2000 and up isn't actually unreliable if you keep up with maintenance (at least mechanically)
@@tati-anaroseee4316 I also believe this to be true, this and the maintenance intervals getting too infrequent, I drive a jaguar diesel, service interval says oil every 2 years or 36.000km, I am not doing that, I do oil every year, car is rock solid, and it's supposedly a drama queen for reliability.
@@tati-anaroseee4316 a 20 year old car you buy used is gonna have problems. BMWs are gonna be more expensive to fix than say a toyota. Also cars like this probably have been raced for 20 years by the previous owners....
@@glennv3176 yup I drive a Benz c class with a V6 and it's not had a single issue other than a dead battery due to living in the desert. I do oil every 6-8 months depending on how much I drive but I drive a lot. Still drives brand new at 270k miles
I think the thing to remember about how well cars age mechanically is maintenance. If you are a business man or soccer mom type of luxury car owner you tend to just fix things when they break. But if you are a enthusiast car owner you get services done regularly and in turn the parts last longer.
yeah but on these recent cars its not just limited to maintenance now, low quality plastic parts of the 00s, the car is programmed to die regardless of maintenance
Man this makes me miss my 2002 M3. Mine was Leguna Seca Blue and with the 6 speed transmission. I sold it in 2006 and I have regretted it almost every day since.
LSB?? Oh man,... the dream.
BRUH LSB?! I HAVE ALPINE WHITE WITH IMOLA RED SAME HERE IM SO SAD FOR YOU BRUH
what would you recommend on how to learn how to take care of these things?
@@oni5909 plz keep it. amazing car
@@giudasilva3651 i got her at 165k it’s at 169k now rather just sell her
Bought mine brand new 18 years ago and never getting rid of it.
It is worth the hype.
I was in college when those came out and I still think those are the most gorgeous M3's that have ever been made!
I like the looks of the next gen (E90) with the V8, too.
I agree. Even the top line 2 door coupe was absolutely gorgeous and you still see plenty around.
I had a 2004 SMG car. Bought it at 117K and sold it at 133K two years later because I'd just had a baby. Despite it being an SMG car I loved every minute driving it. And it was very reliable. Drove it 60+ miles a day for months. Much more reliable than the E90 335i N54 I had afterward. I'd buy another one in a hot minute if I could.
Everyone that I talk to that sold one totally regret it
The noise is probably an input bearing, clutch out noise points to that as well as the leak from the same place, strange that Ninja didn't call that out right away.
Wow, I am viewing this with a headset on my ears, what a great spatial stereo sound in this informative video!
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.
I’ve got to agree with you I’ve driven every m3 and it’s still my favorite it’s why I own one lmao. I’ve never had issues besides subframe which was expected and I’m fixing. My e46 m3 has let me down fewer times than my e39 528 or my e28 528 in fact it’s never let me down once.
I agree about the E46. Disagree about the Vette. I like both. But for a daily family wagon, there is no better car than a 2003-2006 E46 330i/d for under 15k.
Mines on 70k , cost £2k 5 years ago and touch wood, just servicing and tyres. So comfy, quick enough, 28mpg++ And it just drives... it's just so perfect.
I nearly got an e46 in February. £11k he wanted (SMG, 74K, Subframe points done) . I asked for a month to get some extra cash and he auctioned it... for £16000 😭😭😭
Totally agree. When these came out they were the coolest car to have the C5 wasn’t even close IMO. Back then the SMG was even cool. Lol
You neglected to mention the horrific subframe issues on these cars. You sound like the classic BMW excuse maker/apologist. I've had 5 of them over the years, most were trouble free, except for a warped head on my '77 530i. They were trouble free because I drove them gently (mostly) and sparingly and sold them before major issues cropped up.
I used to love the brand and was very loyal, but too much bad publicity from the Bangle era cars, forward, has put me off BMW. They shit the bed with their idiotic maintenance schedules, trying to save a few bucks, and they've tarnished their reputation permanently. And now the styling direction of their M cars is laughable. Yikes on the buck-toothed beaver look.
I drive a Mercedes and a Honda now. I prefer the Honda for daily driving/errand running, and not a cent has been spent on maintenance, other than fluid changes, for the past 14 yrs.
@@realMaverickBuckley 11k for that was a bargain 😂
I was dreaming about buying a BMW when Hoovie announced assembling the dream team.. and around that time someone pulled out in front of me and totaled my car so I had to speed up my search! I found an 02 540i for $700 that allegedly needed an engine…I drove three hours to get it and didn’t ask too many questions…when I got it home I found that someone put timing components on it so I checked the timing and found it out of spec! Just got it fired up last night and I’m only $100 in parts on a $700 540i!! I’m pretty stoked!!
wut!??! Thats awesome! Good for you dude! thats the dream!
Start your own channel.
@@chrispy3866 I think I’m camera shy… 😞 but I’ve been thinking about it…also I don’t have a camera or computer to edit…
Nice man!
@@joshuamartin6841 But surely you have several thousand spare dollars that you had budgeted for the engine repairs? 🤔
I love to watch people who really know what they're talking about. Epic! A High Performance car that has high performance car runing costs! Shocka!!!
Yeah - 20 year old car needs maintenance. Oh the horrors. Funny how Hoovie shits on them but continues to buy them and is going full Pokemon at that.
Any high performance car has issues, actually almost any car these days. The E46 M3 is by far the best looking M car.
The values will continue to skyrocket as they did with the E30 a decade ago. The E46 will surpass it because it's an infintely better car.
It is good looking, but M F80/82 and F92 is looking sharper.
@@FVBmovies completely missed the point.
@@jjcvk i mean it’s just subjective
I agree with you. Although I don't reckon they'll surpass the values of the E30. Especially considering there are only 18000 E30 M3s in existence, compared to 85,000 E46s. I don't think the E46 is special enough to be worth more than the OG.
Hoovie is spiraling right out of control infront of us with his beamer purchases. And we love it
Every Damm second of it
Great content, they are always broken. .
We are all just enabling an addict
@@Moncru hoovie would do this without us...
He’ll sell them all for more than he bought them. Practically 0 risk especially augmented with ad revenue and very good prices from the Ninja and Wizard.
I’ve driven mine for 6+ years every day maintenance doesn’t faze me anymore. Once I retire this thing any other car I own is gonna be a breeze maintenance wise.
BMW forums become a life saver for DIY maintenance.
It’s all pretty sensible stuff for mine, like plastic that’s disintegrated after 20 years😂🤷♂️
The big killer with BMW's is that people don't take care of them... I've heard the N/A I6 is the most reliable BMW engine.
I have a DIY channel on my Z4C si
@@MartinJones123
It is the most reliable.
There were just a couple things (vanos &rod bearings) that needed to be built with higher grade materials.
Other than that, it’s the Nokia Engine of BMW’s
I owned one of these for 10 years. 2003.5 SMG. Traded it in with 180k mi on it. The only major issue with it was a Vanos replacement but no smg problems short of a salmon relay. It was one of the most reliable cars Ive ever owned.
I'm convinced at this point that he's intentionally pronouncing Euroasian Bob as "Urination Bob"
You know you have too many You Tubers in Kansas when one is filming the other 😆
Hoovie said the e46 he bought has a huge problem like he would suprised us😂😂
I mean, it could have been the crank or the rear subframe mounts, so there is some element of suspense there...
I’ve had 2 e46 m3 smg’s. Drove them both for a year with no issues and sold. Love the cars.
Hey Tyler. Thanks for working so hard. I appreciate it man.
I've heard great things about this generation M3. As long as you maintain them well, they do last a long time.
Rod bearings and Vanos rebuild, then the engine is good forever pretty much 🤙
Well, normally, as long as you mantain every car well, it lasts longer
They do. Easy 180k ++ miles.
That's exactly it. You can buy BMW and "take care of it", or Mercedes and only change the oil
@@mro4ts457 Haha! is that all? That's a lie
I agree with the Ninja, how you service your car has a lot to with how reliable it will be over time.
Unless you purchased a BMW with the N63 engine, a total turd of a motor. Not their only trash can, but took them three revisions to stop the recalls.
Yes, but reliability includes design flaws, amount of maintainance required and mean time before failure.
7:00 that's why the Pontiac G8 and Chevy SS were so special and underappreciated.
Tyler you need to give the E46 M3 time to become part of you. Get it sorted and drive it. That may be hard with all the cars you have. It is about how it makes you feel. I raced an E30 M3 for 12 years and it is hard to top that. But my E46 M3 (6speed) is very rewarding to drive as it is engaging unlike new cars, yet doesn't beat you up. I think the only down side of the E46's is how out of align the steering wheel, seat and pedals are. I am liking the collection because I like you think this era was BMW's peak.
What’s up with the steering wheel? Is it at an angle or something? I have an E46 M3 and a Legacy GT, can’t quite figure out how to describe it, but the seating position of the Legacy seems more “connected” while the E46 is a obviously a much more engaging car overall.
@@jakegianino5762 Hi Jake, take a close look at the center of the driver seat bottom and compare it to the center of the seat back. Don't let the pleats in the leather fool you measure with tape or something from the side bolsters. You will notice the centers are not in the same alignment. Then project a line from the center of the steering wheel and you will notice it also does not line up with the center line of the seat. This puts a small twist in your back when your driving. I also have a Subaru (Impreza STI) and no such problem there. It's a BMW thing. Many of their cars are like this. Cheers
@@garysgarage2118 thanks man I had no idea how to describe it I wonder if someone makes a kit for a fix
I’d recommend looking for an E39 530i sport package with the 5 speed. They’re becoming increasingly rare, and it’s a phenomenal machine. Quick enough, much lighter than the M5, better steering than the M5, and better reliability than the M5. With those cars, you just have to worry about the cooling system and oil leaks, otherwise they’re very solid. I’ve noticed the upward trend in price over the past few years as I almost bought one 4 years ago, and they’ve only gone up in price.
I have an E39 M5 and a 523 and yes true about the steering
What's the catch with steering? How can it be better than M5 in that department?
That was my first car! I miss it every day
@@JedemPoKucama V8 E39's had steering box. I6 E39's had rack and pinion.
@@JedemPoKucama Rack and pinion in the I6 cars. Better road feedback and more precise. It’s immediately noticeable driving them back to back. The M5s have a steering box.
Hoovie: E46 M3 is NOT worth the hype!
Me: So I took that personally...
My 05 Mystic Blue Metallic 6MT is 100000000% worth the hype. :)
Agreed. 03 coupe steel gray 6mt here
well sorted E46 in some nice colour spec is always worth the hype, at least for me
Unpopular opinion but the c32 of the time was a more well rounded and more fun car
Typically m3 owner has to tell the world.
When I had mine I was proud but others just look at you funny ,I learnt this very fast .
Mystic Blue FTW!
From my point of view, the e46 M3 is and will be the best M3 ever made.
Its is the best m3 ever made
Most of these cars are now old with high milage so lots of deferred maintenance on many for sale. The long oil changes and "Lifetime" fluids also caused lots of wear on expensive parts. I do oil Analysis and in my M3 e46 more more than 4,000 miles before the oil meeds to be changed. That is half the recommended run. I had to do my rod bearings at 120k as the beginning of it's life it had long dealer oil changes. Now oil samples come back perfect.
As a BMW man who’s owned many BMW’s over the years including an E46 M3 for the past 10 years, look after the M3 and it’s fine. Yes there are things to look out for (the same as any car) and yes you can do preventative measures but all said and done they’re great and very reliable.
I also saw many comments reference E39’s I also own an E39 530i M Sport Touring and love the thing to death, another great car again with its pitfalls but sort one out look after it and they’re brilliant. I would much rather buy anything from dream team era or before than anything after!!!
Keep her hoovie, you’ll regret it otherwise and the prices are rising 😉👍🏻
E39 tourings are gorgeous. I current have a E91 328i that’ll at some point get a n54 since we didn’t get the 335 touring. But that n52 is bulletproof and I absolutely love it. Can’t wait to get my genuine Alpina body kit for it to make it look good since we didn’t get those cars either
You are going to own all the check engine lights!
He's rich and cars like this make him even more money so he doesnt care.
But average income people shouldnt buy old cars like this as a means of transportation.
You WILL be sorry.
@@alphatrion100 they are great to buy if you want mechanical experience 😆
@@UnWrecked they are cool for a second car...if you have money to burn.
$10 seal, $695. Hoovie keeps his mechanics very happy 😃
Car Ninja seems very happy and relaxed in this video that makes me happy to se. Have been a little bit worried about him before, when I saw him before are I always resembled myself when I work to much or have problems on my mind.
I had an 82 320i and when the throwout bearing went it progressed from whining to banshee scream.
Mine was 5spd, no power steering - so much fun but always working on it and even carried a spare distributor cap for humid days when the inside would green-up.
Currently over 1 year into e21 ownership
Literally bulletproof lol amazingly built car and IIRC its the last hand built bmw (no machines all human hands)
Hey Hoovie, thanks for eating at Mi Casa it was nice to meet you guys. The BMW looks sweet!
Tyler I been watching your channel for along time and you have good taste in cars.
Recently watched velocity garage and saw them filming Tyler bring in this bmw. Great to see Tylers video finally.
I like more the solid feel in the Euro E36 M3.
?? Ive had an e36, they are cheap af.
I’ve had a 2002 M3 (6MT, sunroof delete) for 9 years as a second car. I bought it with about 25k miles and have put only about 20k on it since. Mine has been almost totally reliable, and much more so than my 2006 E90 330i was. I am now selling the M3 to help fund a home remodel and should get at least as much as I paid in 2012 for the car - not a bad deal overall.
(I'm not Doug) Cars and Bids has free listings!
@@Aezetyr I may end up listing it there in a couple of weeks.
The sunroof delete cars are the way to go.
I did an S54 swap into my 323 sedan and use it as an every day driver. Best thing I ever did. It is such a fun car to drive with tons of power. I wish they had made a 4 door M3 in this era so I built one. It is very practical and I love this motor. I filmed the swap and how to do it and will be posting if I can find the time to edit it all together. Tyler is way too hard on this car. It's one of the best.
Depending on what you paid for this... with an affordable mechanic like the Car Ninja and a solid source for a replacement trans, this actually seems very worth the hype (esp. with the bottom end already done, the Vanos service done, and it being low miles). Plus you can refurb all the shifter bushings while you've got it apart. You've got an excellent recipe for a really fun car for a while and will prob get your money back after a year. Smartest channel on CZcams? This might be a start.
I loved my e46, but maintenance worries definitely kept me up at night.
If you wanted cheap maintenance you should have bought a Toyota or Honda.
@@Just_Pele If a car is going to be expensive to maintain and unreliable, it should not be expensive to purchase.
@@jcdawg8363 It's not unreliable. If you maintain them they're very reliable.
@@Just_Pele Or, learn how to do the maintenance myself, which is what I did.
@@paradox206 Then why did it keep you up at night?
Thank you car ninja!!! Change your oil on time and let it get to operating temp and you’ll be fine
I have a 2002. Imola, impulse cloth interior, 6mt, and slicktop. 160k miles. It’s amazing. I also had another e46 m3 with 150k on it a few years ago and it was equally awesome despite not being as rare of a spec as my current example. I have an e92 m3 6mt and a z4m roadster and of the 3, my favorite to drive bar none is the e46.
My first BMW was a 325ci of the same vintage. It had most of the M3 styling, including an aftermarket front clip and wheels. It was plenty sporty with a five speed stick and 184hp, but I always wanted more power. Eventually I bought a 2007 335i coupe, which was even better.
Rod bearing was preventative for sure. The vanos may have even been preventative as well
It's definitely a very well maintained car, I wonder how the gearbox failed. Went dry and wasn't noticed perhaps? Given how well it looks like it was maintained, that seems a bit strange that it wasn't noticed.
thank you for this video hoovie, now i need you to keep saying all old BMWs are trash so i can buy them for cheaper :)
Got a E85 Z4M Roadster which also has the S54 engine, which is just amazing.
Driving it in the Alps is probably one of the best (legal) things anyone can do.
Hey Tyler I got an old-school single cam Honda 16 valve got to be adjusted
As a 2001 E46 M3 owner, I can confirm…
Simply fantastic, despite what Hoovie said, definitely one of the best BMW’s of all time
Best BMW ever = E46 M3
Cheers in my E46 320i
@@pakdolan
E46 gang🤙
Cheers*
Hoovie just says it to be a contrarian. Even Wizard who'd whine about a free trip to Barbados says the E46s are great cars.
As with many cars, only people who haven't owned one or bought a sh1tbox and expected it to be a gem, moan about them.
I just missed a car identical to this for only £10,500 😭😭😭🤮😭😭😭🤮😞
Yep, what he said, the click bait is strong with Hoovie. I know that’s how he monetises his content, but it’s irritating nonetheless, especially when he spouts stuff that’s just plain wrong
Hoovie is celebrating BMWs that have been largely overlooked- that aren’t worth the hype- that are the best of BMW… which is not great… that he loves… I don’t,at all know why I love this guy🤔😂
I love my ‘06 GTO. It looks fantastic in Impulse Blue with the blue interior. Think a lot of it’s fantastic reliability and performance when watching your channel.
That clutch noise sounds similar to a throwout bearing issue I had on a Subaru once. Essentially, it would whine and rattle make noise when unloaded, and shut up when you actually put even the slightest load in.
Ended up changing the entire clutch stack, fork to flywheel, because if you're in that deep, why the hell not, but the problem was DEFINITELY the throwout bearing.
4:29: you’ve got a nail in your drivers side front tire. Stay safe dude.
Keep the videos coming.
4:26 is a pretty good shot. You're right!
haha niice. You're one f those guys who discovers hidden entrances & Pyramids in Satellite photos I take?
Its one of the best looking BMW ever
Hey Tyler, I hope you’ll be making posters/prints of the 01 dream team. It would be nice to have a poster with that solid lineup and I’m sure others would feel the same.
100%🤌
I’d buy it
The Johnny Smile at the end...... I already subbed to his new channel a while ago because Car Ninja.
Shame about the box on the M3 though, Cant it be serviced? Input shaft and lay shaft bearings and seals etc?
This is the one I've been waiting on! The E46 m3 is, by far, my favorite BMW ever made. I know, maybe I'm band wagony or something...or basic, idk..but i freakin love those cars, especially that mystic blue looking one (laguna seca blue, i think). I hope to own one some day, but, idk if i ever will.
I'm looking forward to the "hallelujah" moment when your dream team is assembled!
Absolutely gorgeous car, Hoovie!
I added this to my “dream cars to reconsider” playlist 😂
I owned a 2003 E43 M3 from 2006 to 2016, with the SMG transmission, and I can tell you it absolutely lives up to the hype and more. During the entire time I had it, I swapped wheels, did oil changes and brake flushes at the dealer or at AAA Auto Repair, and changed 2 batteries. it was relatively problem-free for 10 years. The only unscheduled issues were a starter motor that went out, and a rearview mirror that exploded in the hot Phoenix summer sun and spilled electrochromic fluid on the interior, which was fixed by an auto repair shop. It is a fantastic car. You get a car with a backseat, and exhilarating performance on demand. My car was supposed to have the “engine of Damocles” but it was always well-behaved. I would definitely do it all over again.
Instead of a "new" used transmission for $3,000, why not get the Ninja to rebuild it? If it's just one or two bearings, a gasket set and 5 or 10 hours of extra labour, the bill would probably be well under $3,000.
If it was "run low" on fluid, there may be more than bad bearings. Like dogs and gears, too.
@@TucsonDude True, but the transmission has to come out anyway, so why not take a look?
@@Ijusthopeitsquick Sometimes, a teardown is just not worth the effort if there's sufficient metal in the oil.
420G isn't easily rebuildable
@@TucsonDude Well then they should at least take a look at the oil...
While shopping for one of these, I happened to drive an E90 M3 and bought it instead. I enjoyed driving the E90 a lot more, BUT an E46 would have been a lot more reliable in comparison. Yes, it's all about how you service the car. However, the E90 is A LOT more expensive to service. I bought a well maintained example and still spent $5k on maintenance within a year. Ninja is spot on with his assessment.
This is wrong on so many levels.. E9X has light years better build quality than any E46 and servicing both cars is quite literally identical. If you spent 5K on maintenance you got ripped off hard.
@@augustortiz I respectfully disagree. S65 requires more attention than s54. Parts are way more expensive as well. My e9x came with extensive records going back to day 1. I had to do a transmission flush (both filters, pan and side pan gaskets, mechatronics sleeve seal on a separate occasion, new tires, water pump and thermostat, I also chose to revert back to stock suspension setup). Now compare the prices of these items with the same parts/services on e46 M3.
I’m still loving my 02 M3 convertible👍 I’m the 2nd owner since 2008, 6 spd manual, 92K no leaks, no tranny issues, no frame issues, the VANOS is fine, it’s a sweet ride I dare not sell.
is always makes me happy to see the Huptie fleet
The e46 m3 has always been my dream car. I was lucky to be able to purchase one about a year ago unfortunately with the big 3 not done and my rear subframe absolutely destroyed. thousands of dollars later and i dont regret a single dollar spent on it.
Yes I just picked one up, no subframe issues but went straight for the rod bearings a day after buying it. I think I can hold on the vanos as they are not making any noise for now and my understanding is that the van also give you a warning sign
One of the best cars ever made.
I own 2 of them A 2001 Convertible manual and a 2003 convertible SMG. They are very much worth the hype. It will eat a rice car without trying. They have style and always get compliments. The M3 is very much a legend it is called a collectors car now. As long as you take care of the car it will run good
"Almost full size sedan, 6 speed manual, 400 horsepower V8, no one does that"
Except for the pontiac G8, and the Chevy SS?
also cts-v?
@@clk55amg208 its a little more compact than either of those two I think being on the camaro platform? but yeah, pretty sound call.
E90 m3?? I don’t understand his argument
Hoovies little white car in the background all like 😁
Input shaft seal and running on low fluid. Good luck to those synchros
I love the BMW geeks coming out of the woodwork to comment on this video 😁
I am daily driving a '99 323Ci (2.5L with the 5 speed) for 2,5 years now. I bought the thing dirt cheap because it had the exact same transmission issue, it was leaking fluid and that killed one of the bearings in the transmission which in return whined as yours whenever the clutch wasn't held in. I figured I'll drive the thing until the transmission dies then swap it with a known good one, I ended up daily driving the thing for two years putting in 30k km (~19k miles) until I finally swapped the gearbox and not because it was broken but because the wine drowe me slowly but surely to the edge of insanity and so I gave up. It is flawless since then (except the rust ofc). It is not the easiest nor the cheapest car to keep running but it is not bad at all, and it is very fun for sure also kind of reliable, never left me on the side of the road.
My buddy in the army had one of these bought it cash after his second deployment. About 150 miles before the warranty was up, the shifting mechanism went bad. It had the triptonic trans. It was an 8500 dollar part.