200,000 Mile 2001 BMW E46 325ci Convertible Ownership Introduction

2001 BMW 325Ci Ownership Update #1
• 200,000 Mile 2001 BMW ...
2001 BMW 325CI Ownership Update #2
• 200,000 Mile 2001 BMW ...
So this is it. I'm very excited. This is the newest addition to the fleet. It's a 2001 BMW E46 325ci Convertible. I had a really good friend I've had for 30 years now, who lost his older brother. And this was his older brother's car. And it's a manual shift vehicle, and it's got a lot of miles on it. I'm going to walk around and have everyone see this car and then the maybe describe the miles to you after that. But it's got a lot of miles, it doesn't have a lot of market value as a result, and he really didn't know what to do with it. He doesn't even drive a manual so he really was just trying to figure out what to do with it.
His older brother though was quite the car person. And he called him OCD in terms of how well he took care of the car. And when you hear how many miles this car has on it versus what it looks like, and drives like, you're going to probably agree, I agree, that he was -- his older brother was OCD. But he was a great guy, and his name was Sammy, and he was a great guy. If you want to try to picture Sammy, fittingly his name is Sammy and if you think of Sammy Hagar, he grew up in the '80s like a lot of us did, and he kinda looked like Sammy, and he was a big rock and roll guy. He had a lot of musical interests. This. was his car, he was also an automotive enthusiast, and he wanted a car that was fun to drive. And he didn't have to get a Porsche or a an exotic car. This got it done for him. Although his other car was a 1994 Lotus Esprit, so he actually did have another, more exotic car.
Anyways, I inherited this vehicle and it's really interesting because to me this is when BMW was at it's height. This is when the BMW brand was the best it ever got. I know I sound like an old guy saying that. Just like every old guy, these car could go uphill in bare feet, in snow, both ways to school, and drive well. But this is was a great car. And I remember it very fondly because I was working at Edmunds.com at the time and we had a long-term 325 sedan with the exact same drivetrain, including the woodgrain shifter that this thing has. So when I drive this car there's all these weird memory stirrings I have every time I shift it, and hear it, and feel that straight six that's so smooth. To have a convertible version of that car, twenty-plus years later, that's in this kind of shape, and have it kind of fall in my lap, is very exciting for me.
Experienced a lot of things already in just the, really, two months that I've had it. I got it the Saturday after Thanksgiving of 2021. And, again, that broad, smooth torque band from that 2.5-liter engine is fabulous. The shifter action is very good. The car is so analogue, which you can't get in modern cars. Just to have hydraulic-assisted steering. I love how well they've EPS work in today's world, but it's still doesn't work as well as a full mechanical, hydraulic-assisted system like this one has, and cars of this era had. So I drive this vehicle and I just feel like, "Oh yeah, this is what cars used to be like." And some would argue this is the height in terms of, as many modern conveniences as you can get without too much antiseptic technology that starts to dumb it down. Too much simulator-like feeling that you have in cars, like say a Tesla, where there's nothing analogue about the car. It's completely a digital experience. It's like having a video game.
So anyways, this car's been fabulous and I'm going to start doing some upgrades to it. I've already picked up an M-Sport steering wheel for it. One of the few areas that shows any signs of wear are the cupholders and the center armrest storage pocket that are kind of deteriorating. But I've already gotten new ones of those and I'm going to have those installed in another video. And the oil level sensor light is lying to me. Every time I start it the yellow light comes on with the little oil can saying I'm low on oil. And after about the 5th time it did that and I was fine I went online and, sure enough, the oil level sensor unit goes out a lot. So I've already got the parts ordered off Amazon and I'm going to replace that.
And something else else that's really fabulous about these cars besides the way they look the styling has aged really well, and besides the way they drive, and they drive fabulously, is that there's a huge fan base for all these reasons I've already discussed. And so it's easy to find anything that you need to find out about these cars. You go on to Google or you go into KZbin and you do a search, and there will be an answer to whatever question you've got on these cars. So I'm really looking forward to keeping the car running well and doing the work myself. Which, Sammy, the original owner, did a lot of his own work, he did a lot of mechanical work himself. But he was also somewhat OCD about the condition of the car.

[@avaxis]

Sammy took great care of the car and drove it a lot. May he rest in peace. Please continue to take good care of it and put more miles on it.

[@sanjivchatterji4121]

Good to know there are others with 200K+ miles on a 325 Cic E46. I love it. 205K miles. I have replaced my non-Harmon Karden stereo with a Sony GS820BT receiver, Kicker front speakers and JBL Basspro hub subwoofer. Wind deflector by Love the Drive makes driving with the top down so much nicer. Cruising around is pure joy!

[@KarlBrauerCars]

It’s pretty bizarre when you drive a brand new sports or exotic car, then get into one of these and realize they have better steering feel and superior overall driver engagement…

[@pocketcharleywithgosiger]

Great car! My 2002 330Cic has 285k miles and is still a thrill to drive

[@startingtech3900]

check out my first video, 300$ e46 sport package coupe, 335k miles

[@user-cr1wx1ct8x]

Love it , I was lucky to find this 06 Bmw 325ci W/82k miles only it’s immaculate interior and exterior… nothing wrong with it I’m glad to see they can go up to 207k..

[@DJonathanHayes76]

I found a 2001 BMW 325 Ci today, $4000, 186,000 miles, drive a bit rough but its nice, silver with red leather seats.

[@KarlBrauerCars]

Such great cars. I’m up to 215,000 on mine. Still going strong.

[@randallsavage13]

Rip Sammy you had great taste in cars and music brother 🤘🏼

[@JaydenGonzalez-rs7le]

He did

[@JaydenGonzalez-rs7le]

He die

[@sasukeuchihaanbucapt]

I love my 2004 e46 convertible, That's not a storage compartment that's under the hood, that's where the battery would have gone, it still has the connectors too so you don't have to pop open your trunk just to jump start a car or jump start your car, you can actually jump start your car with the connectors thats under the hood even though your batteries in the trunk, neat feature, mine too has all the packages and was shipped straight from the capital of Russia and sent to the US... mine is as clean as this one with better interior and a premium gray interior too thats not worn down like this one is, best car I ever owned and ill never getting rid of it, alot of people underestimate this car, she at one time was the fastest Sport production car and at 1 time the only car to give Super cars like Porsche a run for its money and smoke it...... this comment is for the hipsters, other than this car being in need for speed and the m3 version, the e46 is underrated and been proven to also have the best inline 6 motors ever manufactured in the world, thats saying something about this beauty, the N54 motor is just as good as the M3 S54, especially when you compare it to other inline 6s and the mods for the N54 are just as good as the ones for the S54..... thanks for sharing this....

[@antonialeitz9179]

Sammy sounds like a way cool guy. RIP Sammy.

[@KarlBrauerCars]

Thank you. Great guy that knew how to appreciate and take care of a great car.

[@christianfrey7956]

i got a 2004 325ci, great car

[@stepawa]

I have a 320ci model, 113000 miles. 3rd owner from 2006 . love my car. I have the hard top and wind deflector as well..

[@mezziemezole4314]

I have the same one (2003) with 160k miles! my alternator just went out I have to fix it this week I love my car so much

[@WebbRacingdotcom]

What a neat project, Karl. Look forward to viewing the transformation.

[@RetroCarsForever]

Nice review! Good to meet ya in the twisty roads today and check this car out in person.

[@brandoncook8300]

That’s the best year for this car. And it’s mint love it

[@davidcousins3938]

Amazing condition

[@narwanyy9288]

Love it ❤️ Mine has oil sensor broken too 😅

[@anniewilkes6011]

I just got mine . '01 325cic auto with 55k miles. Just had to fix the rear side window regulator and change the seat adjustment motor. Other than that, car is nice

[@KarlBrauerCars]

Low miles! Long life ahead of that one.

[@anniewilkes6011]

I really hope so! 🙏🙏 Long life to your beauty as well🫶

[@chrislim7976]

These are analog, honest cars. Incredibly balanced and linear. The oil light goes off so most people just leave it. 🙂

[@VicYo-en3wm]

Beautiful car if i had it id look for a low mileage engine and drop it in but only at the end of the current engines life !!!

[@KarlBrauerCars]

Agreed. This body/chassis has another 20 years in it, easy. Of course, right now the engine appears capable of lasting that long too. I’m only putting about 3,000-5,000 miles a year on the car, so who knows how long it could go… 👍🏻

[@macapati]

Very cool ride! Just got my hands on a 330ci 6 speed and love it. It has the same crumbling armrest plastic insert issue and was looking to replace it. Be great if you could post links to where you got those parts. Cheers

[@KarlBrauerCars]

I found the new center console insert pieces on eBay. If you search eBay for “E46 parts” you can find a lot of cool stuff.

[@s3vR3x]

steel grey metallic representin! i have the same car in 330 form

[@antuen]

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@MichaelHarley]

Cool car!

[@eastsideofthetracks8311]

Be careful with your cooling temp I can see the needle is slightly past the middle ... it should never go past the middle

[@startingtech3900]

just picked up stauhgrua metallic grey w dakota black leather sport seats bought to flip it

[@eastsideofthetracks8311]

That’s the only bad thing about wood trim they always crack I actually just buy my wrapped mine so it could look like the ZHP black trim

[@rikardokwiatkowski7998]

Hello i have same car and same millage 206k and the car is better then same 100k car

[@nightowl4206]

Do they leak during rain?

[@KarlBrauerCars]

Mine is fully waterproof, with original top for 21 years and counting. BUT -- there strings that hold the inner liner's flaps are fraying and the driver's side string has broken a couple times. I've been able to patch the string pretty easily so far.

[@sasukeuchihaanbucapt]

I've had my car for many years and my top has not yet leaked once, That's one thing I can say BMW actually takes care of their convertible parts and sunroofs unlike many other manufacturers

[@startingtech3900]

yo sell me your old sport steering wheel

[@sasukeuchihaanbucapt]

Why when you can find those steering wheels all over the internet for dirt cheap, even the M3 ones with the shifter paddles and they can be hooked up and work too on a ordinary E46