How to buy a used e46 BMW Pt:1

[@AshtewanPhotoVideo]

Look how far they've come. So proud.

[@tsmgguy]

I bought my 2001 BMW 325i new. I've had none of the problems mentioned. I've kept up with maintenance, and the car is absolutely reliable to this day. It is low miles, 70K, and it's always been in a dry climate. I have replaced the belts and hoses.

[@dg7438]

wow nice. Mine's a 2000 w/ 118k miles. Def very low!

[@lancerichardson6666]

Step one, check sub frame, step two, replace the entire cooling system (change your belts, pulleys and hoses when you are in there). Step three, change your brakes. You can do all these things yourself and do them cheaply. Check your sunroofs as well.

[@jyrgenfist6021]

You dont have to ask all the questions, because the seller wont answer them honest. Looks like your door colors doesnt match the body

[@DickTrikle]

Passenger quarter panel was repainted...poorly.

[@Sroor90010]

Definitely he’ll not answer you cause seller always would like to cheat you and get rid of the he car

[@toddhewett1027]

03 325xi. Bought w 172k… needed carrier bearing. Also have heard stories about cooling so I replaced everything: electric fan conversion, new hoses, water pump, thermostat( its a housing all in one) radiator, coolant res, belt and tensioners and pulleys, lower psi radiator cap, brass bleeder screw. The fan delete/ conversion was the best one. Now to remove fan its 2 plugs on top, 1 t25 screw, one plastic pull tab and up and out it comes. I did my stuff all at once, for peace of mind.

[@alalal123421]

my notes from watching engine bay: 1)valve cover gasket seal cracks and leaks-make sure rubber is ok not spilling oil, below where the gasket is 2) oil filter housing gasket- 3) check oil cap for sludge 4) squeeze, pull, shake hoses see if brittle/cracked 5) look at oil from dipstick on a cloth, is it black does it smell burnt 6) check last oil service and if odomoter matches up 7) cooling system- has the cooling expansion tank/water pump/thermostat been replaced all will eventually go 8)power steering- look down and see if leaking start engine- 9)listen for clicking/whooshing/pulling off belts 10) feel around intake system (top right of engine bay) feel for vacuum leaks, drive around come back and listen for rough idle- could be bmw VANOS variable valve timing system, seals go ask if these have been done: 11) throttle body, idle control valve, deca valve? exterior: 12) look for rust 13) bounce car if too much shocks are done use little bits of rust/leaks to negotiate finally, look underneath does it look clean?

[@alalal123421]

subframe cracking/seperating, costs thousands- ask owner right away if it has had an issue and ask mechanic to check during inspection

[@T3KFTW]

"bring a flashlight" there should be one in the glovebox already 😂

[@neptunestudios2825]

Why do I watch this after I buy the damn thing

[@jazeblaze4350]

Same boat bro lol🤦🏽‍♂️

[@MiGotham]

found anything?

[@PrinceSingh-ho1in]

Give us an uodate

[@neptunestudios2825]

It’s been to be honest no major issues and the e46 engine is strong 😊

[@alalal123421]

@@neptunestudios2825 what trim and how many miles on it? anything you had to change and did you get it inspected before buying?

[@rmasco71]

Find one cheap. Worth the roll of the dice.. and just drive her till she explodes

[@faketoothtommy]

i like this philosophy.

[@fatmeow7007]

cheaper to buy a new one than fix it ;)

[@dboucher26]

They won’t explode, I’ve been trying to detonate mine for over a decade. They just go and go and go

[@dylankabrich7379]

@@dboucher26 no they don't

[@hikingbird42]

@@fatmeow7007 50k vs 11k and about 10k of repairs in 5 years maybe more. Not even worth buying new unless you wanna flex that you bought a recent model

[@CB-bl4ts]

I bought a 320ci Coupé. it had the cooling system done but one damper was dead and it had a few smaller problems. The only big problem is that I will have to refresh all bearings at the rear axle and maybe reinforce it. If u guys find one with the rear axle already done and maybe also things like the clutch or the coolant system it is probably a great purchase.

[@brbhave2p00p4]

You forgot to mention this, have your VIN, call your BMW dealer and give them your VIN so they can see if front driver and passenger airbags are changed or not because E46-E39 cars are affected by this. The airbag company TAKATA had factory fault/design with shoot metal pieces to the driver’s and passenger’s face in 200km/h when activated. Some reported them getting activated by itself.

[@sleinpein3072]

scary asl

[@chukibeatz]

This really helped me out :D thanks !

[@LXRDUNKNXWN]

Have you got an e46 yet? I hope you do bro I'm a fellow producer and this is my dream car 😍👌

[@tamaratamara7600]

What in the world!! Stoked to see you here.

[@Adam-lt2ok]

Still love your shit bro

[@matthewsokyrka6791]

How do you not have more subs?! Great video man! You earned a sub and a like

[@3ManFunny]

when you look at gasoline e46 go on steep downhill and coast into a gear let's say 4th gear and on downhill hold it for 2-3 minutes without pressing the accelerator pedal after atleast 2 minutes coast in gear press the gas pedal and try to accelerate a little bit hard and if it smokes alot then it burn alot of oil

[@mrayy_]

Very informative video, been looking at e46's since I was really young and wow, even I learnt something! Thank you

[@Sroor90010]

But subframe issue you’ll notice definitely when you are changing gear from p to r or d there’s big bang my friend car was doing that and it need bushing even that car will not pass registration renewal if it has subframe issue definitely so don’t worry about that

[@Tilan123]

Fantastic video mate. Some stuff that can be added is: is the sump gasket leaking? (If it is, it means the PCV valve has been blocked). Is the aircon not that cold? (Could mean evaporators are gone). (In four cylinder variants like mine you want to check if the vacuum pump gasket is leaking). The other one that you missed out was front control arms. You can check by pressing your hands against the steering wheel to see if it has any play (or check the bushings with a torch. The dip stick o ring can leak and same with the coolant sensor. That's all I could come up with :)

[@ThrottleHouse]

+Tilan123 these are all great. I think I might add them to the description

[@Tilan123]

Glad I could help and give back to the community! :)

[@Tilan123]

Oh and I didn't mean steering wheel, I meat car wheel lol!

[@anthonyk]

Yes the yellow is ok on bottom of oil cap, my 2002 BMW X5 3.0 has this issue and it’s from the engine not running long enough in the morning usually running it for a small time then Turing it off but ccv is the cause if you see blue smoke on startup

[@gsxrfrank8787]

Damn I’m sort of scared now to buy one of these I’ve been looking at a couple of these latley granted I own a Audi A4 but geez

[@prodKossi]

Same, im buying one in a couple of days though, im sick of just windowshopping... Probably going to regret it real quick

[@jonathangonzalez3827]

Kossi how was it

[@evanpietrangelo3443]

Kossi we need to know man, how was it?

[@jonathangonzalez3827]

Evan Pietrangelo i got mine . I only needed to change the coolant tank (leaking), valve cover gasket (common failure so necessary), and lower hose for coolant system. Other than that it’s great , some what fast fun and easy to fix yourself . You will only break your bank if pay a mechanic but that’s for anything. Just do it yourself like a man lmao

[@_.skipp4x]

Jonathan Gonzalez I just bought one a couple of weeks ago. That coolant issue is real.

[@ChoPi-Eww]

Thanks, Thomas! Looking at going back to an older car from a 2016 340i that's fast and reliable but unsatisfying.

[@joshuarodriguez558]

Just wanted to say awesome video. I am about to buy my first BMW in a few weeks and I'm glad I am watching this before I buy.

[@ThrottleHouse]

Glad I could help! If you have any more questions feel free to ask. Don't forget to watch part two! Oh, and subscribe. ;)

[@lenswork4]

Nice vid. I’m looking at an ‘03 330Ci at the moment and did a lot more than this and still haven’t put my money down. Try checking out the suspension components for a start.

[@DIYTEA]

lenswork4 you habe to check the wishbones on the front axle. The go bad very quickly because of the huge weight of the engine.

[@calebstoykofit]

mate thankyou so much for your videos. you potentially saved me hundreds if not thousands of dollars. cheers

[@DIYTEA]

Sorry but most of the mentioned checks are general and not specific to the e46s models. Here are some typical points to check on an e46: - CCV Valve - oil consumption ( could be vaused also by a failed CCV valve) - Vanos system (leakages and weird noises) - wishbones - fuel pump and tank level transmitters (could be checked with the famous e46 secret menu). They are two - quick diagnose with the on board diagnose system ( gives a lot of Information about the car, and the faults if there is any) - the rear PDC sensors - the ASC break system ( most of the time the high pressure sensors are the problem and should be replaced). - the front airbags were changed on all the e46s (recall action). Check if the owner did it

[@mre7550]

Seems alarmist. I bought a low cost 330i over 6 years ago and have had no problems with it.

[@Hazza4257]

Sounds like the N54 is the most reliable of the E46 engines tho

[@Sroor90010]

@@Hazza4257 m54 engine they never dies just change oil and they are like a bull 🐂

[@LukesGamePage]

Interesting things to know - but no need for all this really if you're paying a few hundred - worth a roll of the dice and some basic checks. It's a great car. I think if no one bought them because of the infamous subframe issue then there would be no second purchases today at all

[@gregplanchuelo]

Thank you so much, this video was so informative!

[@fabios6621]

You get a Lot of car for the money, so if you need to fix the subframe go on, its worth it.

[@khalidhasan5938]

*Powerful & Informative Video* Liked/Subscribed - indeed! Thanks mega-much.

[@bandashrex7189]

It would be cool to see, if you show where and how you can check the subframe issue. I can't imagine much just by telling.

[@-ezeg1834]

Look at Mat Armstrongs series on the e46. He explains it rlly nicely

[@ansonsliu]

great video... but after watching it... I want to sell the car, so much stuff to worry about.

[@papatorr3669]

Naw, if you really want to worry watch ShopLifeTV or the 50's Kid, or Nathan's BMW. They will SCARE you! More Beemers for me!

[@lazarmilojevic9547]

Brate moj hvala ti...

[@ahmedfocak5691]

Hahahahahahaha

[@josipsremic4506]

Hahahahahah

[@patti6996]

Awesome video!

[@unclepeanut15]

I replaced a cooling expansion tank where I practice someone brought it in and we saw that it exploded and ripped the belt and broke the tensioner and I checked that the part was changed 7 years ago

[@magik8566]

Good overview and advice THX!!!!

[@lexusboybryan8678]

i’m about to pick up a 2002 325Ci for $4,100 with 68,000 miles , looks like it’s in perfect condition, is it worth it ?

[@andremedina44]

Bryan Hidalgo little expensive but that’s good mileage’

[@mombinionfiniau8578]

I would pay a little extra for. good car. Of if you are planning to drive if for long time

[@NakaiSan.]

@@andremedina44 expensive?:S

[@alexanderjamesl4868]

Found one for 550, its running and 120k miles 🤔 what level of risk we talkin if theres visible bubbling on the arches?

[@daveh7302]

subframe failure has nothing to do with torque. I had it on my 316i. with 105bhp. and 0 torque. it's to do with badly designed subframe bushes. check out reddish motorsport in England. they are the experts on it.

[@larrytipton2868]

That was a good video.

[@danisantabarbara5931]

I had an 1988 325, I feel it had more torque than my actual 2004 325xi, specially at low rpm. Do you think the fuel pump might be gone, or could it be only because of the AWD and extra weight. Thanks for your time, great videos.

[@fatmeow7007]

Dani Santabárbara it’s most likely the all wheel drive

[@mujtabaalmodhafar1027]

That farme cracking issue only concerns cars equiped with 6 cil engine and not the 4 cil engines.

[@daveh7302]

not true. I had it on my 316i

[@Xccord]

Yo can anyone help me? I own a 325i e46 n my idle is surging(bouncing up n down) idk why anyone know what i can do to fix this? Any i out would greatly appreciated

[@charlesochieng7150]

What type of cleaner do you use to keep the engine shining like that?

[@Sroor90010]

Yep that interesting 🤨 may be he just did it before making the video

[@ianedmonds9191]

The sub frame thing is only on M3s

[@QuattroRMT]

No it's not...

[@daveh7302]

I had a 316i e46. had subframe failure

[@breakfree1967]

I think it’s a before-facelift problem

[@robertward2777]

Listen to the opening line e46 6 series 😜🤣

[@blarkdexture8899]

I did non of these checks..

[@IsitReallyrealreally]

and with any of this that's not, yet, a problem, it's gunna b. Buy a car and plan on fixing it or spend at least 10G's on a honda. Simple. REMINDER : a 'reliable' auto costs $30,000 +. and has a warranty from the factory. The rest is on borrowed time.

[@SydeshowMO]

God dam paint don’t match bro! Picking one up today. Bringing a jack and OBD2 reader. It’s gonna be a drift car so as long as the engine and suspension is ok SOLD!

[@fouadd__]

did u get it?

[@patrickl3150]

Hey throttle house can the subframe issue happen on the automatic transmission e46 I have a 2003 bmw 325I sedan with auto transmission

[@peterp1552]

Theoretically it can happen to any e46. It’s just more common to hear about it on the ones up to 2002.

[@myvenusinuranus]

all BMW's leak oil......I have a 2002 BMW 325ci

[@mezo6453]

Ok review

[@skreech01]

what wheels you got?

[@mrnajee1]

What to look for when buying an e46... yeah, don't look to buying an e46 lol...

[@psychomk4870]

what are the other options?

[@joeysuarez1922]

I should have bought a damn Lexus!

[@LXRDUNKNXWN]

Did you get one? What was your experience like?

[@joeysuarez1922]

LXRD UNKNXWN i have one and I am currently changing the alternator on it now. Needed to get a new Bosch because an aftermarket one will not workout. Just getting in there for the repair I see that pulleys expansion tank are on the last legs. Also there are leaks everywhere. I will fix all that and sell it.

[@nkemonyegbula7097]

If buying a used car you can never find a perfect one. Just take it for an inspection and overlook minor things. If you want a perfect car jist go buy a new car 😂

[@brunoheggli2888]

You have to look for money!

[@karimsadouni1705]

best thing. if. bay. car. talk. car. to shop. for. inspection. butter

[@Pizdziakowiec]

Karim Sadouni English pls

[@venerated]

There's a typo in your title ;)

[@ThrottleHouse]

Nice catch! Would you believe that I'm actually a teacher? Fear for the next generation…

[@venerated]

Hahaha you look like a teacher!! in a good way :)

[@justinsayle1993]

how much does it cost to fix the sub frame?

[@ghettomist1575]

johalinay A LOT. It's mainly a pre 2002 issue though.

[@Rick-ho2ci]

So in other word's.... DON'T BUY A USED BMW ! 🤣

[@jimwong2823]

only if you have a fair knowledge of mechanical skills

[@samsaasen4922]

What about buying a new one, not used

[@podkriznikaljaz]

Where will you find a new E46? They are out of production for over 15 years

[@zacharyparis]

first thing to look for is a different car.

[@TheGREENLASE]

zachary paris very expensive maintenance

[@tobytoxd]

I'm going to buy exactly this one. Heaven for some, hell for others.

[@tobytoxd]

Yea... and i live in Germany. That makes things easy :D

[@itsumonihon]

they are good cars but if you don't know how to do your own maintenance you're gonna pay for it. BMW in Japan tried to charge my gf the equivalent of $1,200 to replace a cracked expansion tank - a $30 part we fixed ourselves in about an hour, + $10 in coolant replacement.

[@tobytoxd]

wow, thats crazy! maybe they do this standard with foreigners :#

[@gvs1173]

you're talking about a $2,000 car, really, that's what you're looking at

[@guesswot5311]

G VS only on the Us..in europe, 2000 dollars you coukd buy an almost falling a part car

[@gvs1173]

How does it go Vlad, in the EU it's welcome to socialism? The spot where you get to pay for your neighbor regardless of what he produces

[@guesswot5311]

G VS basically..but also don't forget, we have the biggest alliance in this world, wich is not bad tbh.. almost 30 countries trying to be friends

[@gvs1173]

True Vlad, but unfortunately in the next 100 years all roads will lead through Asia with 7 out of all transactions taking place being there. I am wondering what will happen now that the US President has removed the US from the Paris Accord, indicating the monies that were expected to prop up your governments will be non existant. Are you under the impression China, India or Russia will come to your aid? We'll see I guess

[@wifi588]

What do you mean? You can get a decent e46 for that money. Look for them in Germany or the Baltic states. These countries have the cheapest cars ;)

[@Xccord]

Yo can anyone help me? I own a 325i e46 n my idle is surging(bouncing up n down) idk why anyone know what i can do to fix this? Any i out would greatly appreciated

[@Xccord]

Yo can anyone help me? I own a 325i e46 n my idle is surging(bouncing up n down) idk why anyone know what i can do to fix this? Any i out would greatly appreciated