I BOUGHT A CHEAP E46 M3! (AND IT'S ROTTEN)

[@AutoalexCars]

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[@limewhitefox8492]

Ur lucky cuz my bro got a 3.0 l inline six (diesel) With a manual rwd 6speed gearbox and a small hamman bodykitt package (also european version so )

[@marcokanthak8801]

Alex: you don't need to disconnect the battery! You just need to lock the car from the driver door with the key in the door handle! On the E39 it's the same way to lock it without the shit alarm! Also the headlights are very easy to remove (without removing the bumper) and to open! There are just clips! So you don't need any tools!

[@limewhitefox8492]

But dayumn i wouldnt like to be in your situation with that alarm also marco is right ngl

[@limewhitefox8492]

Hmm but how did u desided to buy a bmw m3 e46 also wheres the wagon at? I didnt see itfor a looong time o_o

[@sleek86]

alex have you ever driven a toyota 86/subura brz etc? i think you would really enjoy a slightly modified one a lot. not super expensive if you get an early model

[@mgcharoudin]

You know where the M3s belong. No matter their state. See you soon!

[@aidarsays]

Not this time Misha, I think Alex is done with oil leaks 😂 He’ll be rather visiting you with a car he can afford to break 😢😊❤

[@ThaDutchDK1989]

In the garage being fixed

[@ChubbySenpaii17]

Junkyard

[@racerman1223]

IN THE BIN!

[@mathewwillatt5974]

I think we need to appreciate what a great job Rory did with the on track shots

[@BeardedFrog]

Agreed! The filming quality keeps getting better and better on this channel. Practically top gear/grand touring level quality. Nice work Rory!

[@mbwahaha]

Shut up and tell us how awesome the car is.

[@jama211]

I'm always so worried about him getting run over in an accident though haha

[@jama211]

@@mbwahaha alright mate settle down

[@benthomas1585]

Came to leave this exact comment. Rory smashed the filming on this video. Well done!

[@Wulf573]

If i was you i would take the engine,bumbers and some other parts and i would make E46 M3 touring.

[@barrykelly9071]

2nd that

[@AutoalexCars]

@@barrykelly9071 no comment...

[@anusername8350]

3rd that. Def would be unique.

[@franzkashmir5542]

4th that !

[@liamstowell8967]

5th that

[@AJM_media]

Rory’s camerawork on this is one is phenomenal. Feeling like Top gear!

[@Pouckie90]

And Alex is KZbin's Jeremy Clarkson: the passion, the driving on track, it's so entertaining!

[@mistreku]

I'm very curious how much power this still has, after all this time and miles. Maybe a dyno test, Alex?

[@martincassels7995]

Yep mine made 350 at 130k miles but that means nothing. It’s dyno dependent

[@lollypop9580]

​@@martincassels7995 And maintenance dependent.

[@martindimitrov5904]

I love your taste Alex till now I haven't seen a car no matter in what condition that isn't a classic or a car that everyone dreamed of owning ! Keep going mate and I just wanna mention that I'm an massive Volvo fan and will be amazing if you get some more Volvo classics

[@Valentinnegulescu]

Volvo 850 t5r, yellow flying brick…

[@EnglishTMTB]

Or an S60R would make a great vid too TBF

[@СтефанИванов-у5ч]

виждам беемвист и лайквам

[@JP_A3]

his taste is old shitbox bmws lol

[@DH420]

Alex, are we ever going to see you fix up any of your rotters? Or are you just going to keep buying one after the other, with little to no progress videos on any of the previous cars? I do enjoy your content mostly & would love to finally see you fix some of your fleet up 👍

[@jamesg1769]

Oooo Zing girl, you gunna take that @autoalex

[@neilg3364]

Nail on the head. Still waiting for the E36 rebuild

[@aidarsays]

Hell nah. Not waiting for any of those except Fabricio’s paint. Would love to see M3 completely restored though

[@jyzic]

can't you make your touring an m3 outta this? seems the perfect candidate given how scruffy it is etc & sure you'd still get fair few quid for leftover bits & the coupe shell as someone would rebuild that im sure & think a series on the build would get a decent amount of viewing traction, i'd certainly be excited for that.

[@kiemet94]

Imola Red E46 M3 > chopped up E46 330d estate

[@Emily1963eh]

Was going to say just this

[@justanomadicguy]

Amateurs in these comments

[@jyzic]

@@kiemet94 ended up doing it anyways😆🤷🏻‍♂️

[@jacoblines5690]

Back at it again with another gem, impeccable car taste alex 👍😍

[@scottstevenson8849]

Production has stepped up on this one. Love it. Also love a rusty arched e46. Think I'm due another after I sort my e38 out 😄

[@fev31]

Would love to see a series restoring this car to its former glory, maybe with some cheeky mods, like oem plus. Maybe just new wheels and tyres, coilovers and a little rear lip. The before and after would look amazing, cool car!

[@SteffenSaethre]

I would love to see a collab with someone like M539 restorations on this car. A restoration series would be mega

[@aidarsays]

Not gonna happen guys, Alex is a fast flow guy, not gonna tinker around with restorations. He has only done Phil as far as I remember

[@stivantodorov7941]

Happy days for you Alex! I'm really happy about you getting your dreams come true, I wish you many miles in your new M3 and of course maybe a few more with Phill as I think he feels a little forgotten. Keep adding new classics to your collection, you are definitely living every man's dream

[@veedubzz88]

love you buddy!!, I just want to say I ALWAYS skip the in video ads, but for some weird reason I like watching your ads.... do you Alex, that's what I love!!!! keep on keepin on!!

[@topg2820]

Alex has like the perfect collection, mix of every type of car that he didn't have to spend an arm and a leg for

[@andriusGNR]

Alex is piling up best car collection ever, honda s2000 and this m3 are my absolute favourites 😍

[@kratos9223]

Love it. Please save the car, don't bleep it up. Give it the love it deserves, and please don't use it for a donor touring build.

[@JTTL1]

Amazing car! One thing I would recommend is the BMW performance gear knob. Makes the shift feels just that much closer to make a difference.

[@markwhadcock6357]

I can only imagine the feeling of owning the e46 m3 i recently had to get rid of my 320ci e46 and it broke my heart 🥺 most definitely the best generation! Love it mate cant wait to see what you do with it buzzing for you and us sharing this quality content

[@chriswatson7488]

Alex is very quickly becoming the British Hoovies Garage!

[@jonathanfarrell1620]

Everything you intro’d with, re: the hoonigan specs, sun strip etc - completely right. These cars are a dream of mine too, but as they rolled out of the factory. And the 18” rims… 😗👌🏻

[@B0lognese]

Awesome cars, Ive owned one for over 10 years. Done loads of track days nurburgring and trips to Le Mans. Had a full engine rebuild, rust repair and respray from silver to alpine white in that time. Highly recommend a csl rep airbox and upgrading the standard brakes that are made of chocolate 😁

[@DennisH22A]

I picked up an smg e46 last year. It feels very special. I don't drive it daily it's a weekend car but every time I get in and drive I get why people spend money on these to keep them running

[@karrenmann]

Having owned an E46 330i Touring for 9 years and a 5 different E46 M3 (I imported them to Germany before Brexit) I‘m kind of proud you made the decision to get one of these Alex ! One of mine actually had 235k miles :D Just make sure the rod bearings have been replaced and why don’t you just spend the money on a big carbon Airbox, you‘ll absolutely love it ! Greetings from Germany mate, hope to see you on the Nordschleife soon !

[@KlaximumSkroeft]

I got real close to buying a 944 a couple of years ago when I was 23 but I thought I couldn't afford the parts and work, storage and taxes on it. Now, a couple of years on, I can't even afford a rolling shell... So I must keep watching these videos to live vicariously though Alex. It's not a total loss though, Vicarious is one of my fav TOOL songs, along with the rest of em.

[@mateuszcebula273]

Finally, this channel starts to evolve from the continuation of Car Throttle to something even better!

[@GECKOZFTW]

Worse. Literally no variety in content. Almost every car featured is German

[@justanomadicguy]

So...lets look at that...Range rover...Fiat....volvo.....the camper van....Mazda mx5 ( phil).....really?

[@GECKOZFTW]

@@justanomadicguy You aren’t very good at reading are you? Most videos feature German cars. Look at the channels videos and this is correct.

[@laplays6916]

@@GECKOZFTW It's because most japanese cars are boring and there aren't as many of them in the UK market.

[@GECKOZFTW]

@@laplays6916 Most Japanese cars are boring? How exactly? German cars are much more boring simply for the reason they’re so common. And even if they’re modified, they all have the same parts on them, making them even more similar to each other no matter the trim level and engine you may own. Japan’s cars on the other hand are more interesting because there’s a bigger variety. Be it inline 3, inline 4, inline 6, V6, V8 or even V12s. Most German cars now, have inline 3 and 4 turbos and that’s it. Not to mention that VW, Audi, Seat, Skoda and Cupra all use the same parts and engines, making them even more uniform and similar.

[@ZijkantLeutn]

Congrats on the purchase! I salute you back, with a E46 M3 6MT in "Stahl Grau" color. Unfortunately mine has been in my garage for 8 of the 10 years of ownership without it's guts for a full restauration. Seeing this, I should really pick up the pieces and put it back together. Meet and greet at a Lydden Hill drift-day in the summer of 2023? :D Greetings from Belgium!

[@Davewagon]

Similar story here, need to finish restoration!!

[@Leechy-df8pg]

Vanos & sub frame check are the first things I'd be checking

[@qers]

I'd love to see a decent E46 M3 Touring build. And since you're not that much of a fan of the Coupe, and this isn't in the best condition. Consider getting an E46 shell, transferring everything over, painting that Imola Red, and you'd have interesting content and your actual dream car.

[@Irithrill]

Good to see Rory got his camera job back!

[@connorbrown6764]

Well done to Rory on the shots for this vid, really great work!

[@jasonk7072]

I’d like a E91 M3 Touring so I’m interested to see how your inevitable engine swap build works out.

[@ianfrost3529]

Looks great. From a distance. My mate just brought an 04 e46 330ci manual £750 but has 250000miles run mint just went through the mot no advisory’s. What a bargain And I just brought a 2006 CLK 320cdi when my wife ask me to buy something practical I paid £950with 12 months mot and FSH Loving the channel and the advice to buy a sensible car

[@IanRossDavies]

That exhaust has to go, Alex! The raspy-ness of the stock E46 exhaust is part of what makes it so special. Well, IMO anyway 😊

[@ernestnoway]

No, Milltec is better...

[@morgantaylor9271]

I thought it sounded a bit raspy too, mind due I’m use to my 2.5 v6 jag which is so bassy but at the same time has that perfect note, yet again I put a proper exhaust on, not an eBay special, the old ajv6 is an incredible sounding engine with the right pipes attached!

[@cjscarchannel6529]

picked up a E63 Coupe "Sport", 635D, Remapped it immediately and it Fly's. and for nearly half the price of your M3. heavier, Yes only a fraction, but straight Line performance will be almost impossible to call it between the 2. 340hp and 700 tqs go find one, you will love it too!

[@maatu_boe]

Why not swap the S54 in place of the M54 in your violet touring Alex? ;)

[@rkan2]

Is it even possible in the UK because of emissions?

[@Sedonapass]

single most over used track in the UK lol, amzing car alex!

[@ikt32]

The car looks absolutely amazing on track. Hope you're going to restore the rusty bits (and that pesky sensor)!

[@123rixta]

I have a 320d that makes around 220hp. And as a fun daily with good mpg it's great. I love the whole platform of the e36 and e46. And I've driven so many cars and always find myself happy in my e46 (when it works properly) currently having issues with front brakes as I did a 330 brake swap but with used callipers. Made the mistake of letting parts sit too long. So this weekend got some oem calipers il be doing pistons and seals in.

[@Iusniqa]

What is the mpg?

[@123rixta]

@@Iusniqa 60mpg motorway. Between 25-30mpg on the city depending on congestion. Atm getting average speed of 11mpg and getting 25

[@Pixelsandwich]

I think it's only natural now for any car you get to be rotten

[@fatkev1983]

It is one of the best looking M cars in my opinion. But I still prefer an E39 M5 all round and is the only M car I've owned... so I am a bit biased. As for estates - E90 335d is where its at for me. Mostly due to the engine and I've had better luck with the E90 platform rather than the E36 or E46 when it comes to high mileage cars. A nice old E39 530d SE auto Touring is a close second for BMW estates for me. Practical, comfortable cruiser, and an ok amount of ooomph once remapped.

[@sammuslu2992]

So no one is going to mention how good a driver this guy is?? Wow, I'm shocked, excellent skills 👍🏼🙏🏼💪🏼

[@xtian_stw]

You're so lucky you can get cars like that so cheap! The cheapest listed manual E46 M3 here in Aus is $43,000 (£24,500) with 200,000kms on it

[@Just_RJ]

now if you were to find out that the rear subframe of this is made of dust, and Barney's engine somehow goes kaput, you might have yourself a video series and a dream car That aside, this car has probably remained one of my favourite cars of all time so I'm glad to see one here finally. I personally like the angel eye lights and black grille with the Imola red, but my dream E46 would probably be a dark blue one with the CSL rims and yellow callipers. Gonna be interesting to see how this car turns out.

[@interceptor-ss8kb]

So it's £9k for a high mileage, rusting , multiple shades of red chaved up 19 year old M3 that's probably been thrashed most of its life. Love this channel 😂

[@invictushakil]

At this point it's hard to keep track of how many cars you got. Nice video nonetheless.

[@majdalhasania3612]

You need to take this to the nurburgiring and love your video’s keep up the good word

[@Lot76CARS]

You’ve got previous with rusty M3 haven’t you Alex?? To be with all that rust it could be a lightweight CSL alternative 😂

[@rg6982]

7:04 YESS ALEX! SPEAKING FACTS HERE😂 Who has a shower in the morning? All about having one before u sleep

[@speedyblacksheriff]

Faaaacts! Nothing better than jumping in bed squeaky clean

[@BotheredNowUKAUDITS]

Its like you upload everytime I sit down for my dinner I must say your timing on KZbin may slightly be better than your mx5 🤣😂😉 keep it up Alex, car throttle just isn't the same without you sorry Ethan 😘

[@saskwotch19764]

Mine had a similar alarm issue. Started locking it with the key rather than the blipper and the alarm no longer goes off when parked as the interior sensor is off. No alarm beats unhooking the battery when it goes off - every time!

[@jamest5149]

“Theres as lot of rust” Redish Motorsport will be rubbing their hands and laughing at the same time 😂 This should be interesting and ‘fun’ 👍

[@danmoney9932]

I thought of them too. Fingers crossed it isn't cracked in the rear as well as rusty!

[@tomstoddart-scott173]

I was about to suggest a collaboration with Redish Motorsport too. Their video of this week was an eye opener!

[@jdkap201]

8:08 Have to disagree on that. Although considerably slower I'd still say based on looks and sound the E30 M3 is the one and only. Call me insane, but even with the modified exhaust the E46's six banger sounds so... underwhelming. On the other hand the E30's four banger with a modified exhaust has such an iconic sound you'd be able to recognise it from miles away with your eyes closed. Just search for the "BMW E30 M3 - Pure Sound - Timo Grätsch" video and listen for yourself :)

[@SEGASaturnLad]

This is getting dull mate, I’d focus on the stuff you have, everything is half baked with this channel and just comes over as missing direction

[@jackkilmister9321]

I'm amazed the subframe mounts haven't failed, especially with that mileage. Shows how much performance related cars have developed over 20 years too. Most modern hot hatches have similar or more power and modern performance saloons are all pretty much pushing 500+bhp. Which would have nearly been supercar power when the E46 was released. Has it peaked? Love the noise of a straight 6 n/a though.

[@BondTheOGYT]

Imola red is the perfect choice 🌶️

[@DanniV8]

You should do a collab with Redish Motorsport. They are the experts in old rusty BMW's,,,, and they are making an E46 M3 Touring right now

[@DanniV8]

Pleasantly surprised to see you actual are doing a collab with Redish, on your latest video :)

[@andreasstrauss5194]

Can i just say how amazed i am by the exhaust? normally e46 m3s with exhaust sound like they are broken or something but with this it sounds extremly good!

[@ThaDutchDK1989]

Cracked subframe for sure.

[@R8_Jake]

That’s a lot of car for the money! Can’t wait to see what you’re planning with that M3. I’ve got that S54 in a roadster. Like you -never selling Phil-, I couldn’t part with my Z4M.. it’s only done 39k miles which is a bit sacrilege I know. Always happy miles though 😎

[@justanomadicguy]

To be fair, half that car is rotting and with the body in that state, i bet the boot floor is cracked

[@maazmalikkapadia8373]

Great driving Alex and what an amazing team is Rory with all those sexy cinematics. You are an inspiration to us just graduated lot from Coventry University, MA Automotive Journalism.

[@bizling]

I don't have an E46 M3, but I was given a pre-LCI 2000 330i saloon with 100k on it, I really can't wait to enjoy the NA 6 cylinder-ness! Typical fuel pump failure but I now does move, just needs a some love like the red M3.

[@HandsUpforThePanther]

OGs remember when Alex had a M3 E36 and preferred it over the E46.

[@donstewart5059]

This is the best M3 generation ever! The engine is sooooo goood screaming at 8000 before a shift. The chassis is so poised. Had so much fun in mine. Enjoy, one of the greatest performance cars ever.

[@No.Handle31]

I miss my E86 with this engine. On mine, a previous owner had it super chipped it was rapped. I love that engine, one of the greatest!

[@isaaccan3155]

10 years ago, I almost bought a vert M-3 E46, for $15,000 and it was even a manual. My wife didn’t want to learn stick so I bought an auto 335i instead. Great car but I really liked my wife’s 330ix e46 sedan. Best every day car I ever drove.

[@GamingGecko-GG2013]

Love the little caption Hidden in the windscreen of the car as you say cracking at 12:42 took me a while to figure out what it said lol 😆 good video as always Alex!

[@paulmullan6893]

Genuinely surprised at that car! No other words just…..surprised

[@JackThomasCollins]

Next Episode: My 1 of 1 E46 Techno Violet Touring gets an S54 and M3 Styling

[@ollieb81]

Can't wait for more videos on this. I've had mine for five years and still love driving it just as much as when I first got it.

[@justin1000stra]

halo lights is a must on any 3 series, i also think any chrome or alluminium makes a car look worse. but thats just my opinion. i do like chrome or light metal rims tho, but most of the time i also prefer them black. its your car tho so make it your own masterpiece, enjoy the project!

[@HarryArthur-l1i]

The quality of these videos are fantastic mate, great work from you and team🎉

[@shirajhaque7688]

Great review Alex this was 🔥 fair play to Rory on the camera track shots and well done to taylor for finding the car

[@bas7218]

So, you’ve got a rusted out M3 coupe. You want a E46 M3 coupe. Buy a touring and build one. I mean, repainting this car and getting rid of all the rust is already going to cost you a fair few quid. I think that would be the ultimate project car series for your channel. Keep up the content Alex!

[@Jcswatchcorner]

I managed to find the cheapest Toyota Corolla tsport in the UK.. 550. Once cleaned up it hasn't missed a beat all it needed as new brakes, battery and a clean up. It hasn't missed a beat. Oh and it was on 76k. She's clean.

[@HaiFisch_TV]

Alex, your m3 is literally the exact same spec as my 2004 Canadian imola red on black, with the sunshade and everything. Mine has 117k kms but it’s your little brother!!!

[@markreyes4627]

Worth it! So happy for you bruv! Awesome quality video too. Can't wait to see what becomes of this car!

[@akar2755]

I used to have an old 325ci with the same seats. I've had several newer and expensive cars since then, but still miss those awesome seats!

[@endlessrage4062]

I’m totally with you on the idea of an M3 E46 Touring would’ve been epic, just a shame they never did em. Taken them till this year to release their first M3 Touring. Can’t lie though, I can’t get used to seeing an E46 M in red. It’s a visual oxymoron. 😊😊😉 Love the content, Amex, it’s always a giggle and great fun to watch. 🙌🏼

[@m4xww]

Watch this space, I expect..

[@SteezyG]

its going in his voilet 330i touring

[@m4xww]

@@SteezyG That'd be a shame, should put it in a 318i

[@henlienr22]

congrats on the car Alex! E46 M3 and E39 M5 is hands down 100% the best M generation for general feel and looks. Facts!

[@atillakarapinar263]

Absolulty love an e46. My work mate/mentor has an e46 cls set up for the track, the feeling you get sitting in the passenger seat of that car is unreal

[@danhavard9205]

Chav motor.... perfect for your chav channel...

[@antinormieism3791]

Well this is my dream car as well(except in blue), you totally wouldn't be able to tell from my profile picture. Hats off to you man, I look forward to seeing it properly refurbished and used.

[@fastwriter]

Please change the rod bearings as quickly as possible and think about changing to a premium oil and shorten the oil change intervals to max 5000 km and you can give this engine a long life. But you have to change the rod bearings in any case. They are very prone to fail and destroy the engine.

[@mathertom]

You know you wanna put the running gear into a standard E46 estate... Plenty of build threads about on Pistonheads/M3Cutters/retro Rides/Bimmerworld/etc so it's not like it hasn't been done before.

[@crazyforcars]

With that money you could have finished at least three of your other ongoing projects...but as I agree with you that the E46 M3 is one of the best cars ever made I comprehend you did buy one finally. Congrats.

[@MikeyCh09]

Totally appreciate the love you have for that car, for me it's my Porsche Boxster. Please tell me you're gonna do a full restoration of that M3 on this channel. Would love to see it get the attention it deserves.

[@Hrvarcher]

Alex the next time you have a cheeky bit of fun hold down the traction control button for 10 seconds then it turns off tc, esc, and stability control 👍

[@DavidZLevett]

Love the editing style on the track part of the video. Well done 👏

[@IRaiIKyU]

Hey alex! Just checking if you know about the common issue from these generation m3s that the rear panels where the axle is bolted to tend to break? Check out redish motorsport, they got a bracing kit that gets welded on to strengthen the chassis. Also you should get stiffer subframe bushings, preferably out of Polyurethane. Makes the driving experience so much better and you don't have to worry about it anymore.

[@garagecedric]

I guess its time to weld the cracking boot floor and change rod bearings if its a keeper :)

[@Segafishy]

I've got a spare OEM rear diffuser if you want to swap out the ebay one, I'm over in Stevenage and Taylor may be able to vouch for me as I've met him a few times at HBOC meets, Titan with imola interior and sticker bombed on its backside if he remembers my car

[@theenglishtrucker1849]

Could you let Car Vertical know...WE GET IT! Nearly every video on youtube for the last 6 months has been sponsored by Car Vertical. Nice car Alex, hope you fix it right up.

[@SneakyRussiann]

I honestly love the content you and Rory do I’ve followed you over from your old channel but I also miss Taylor so much

[@alandmunk3h]

Alu-minum? Oh dear Alex. In all seriousness, presentation and production value is great on AutoAlex. Well done.

[@kaydesign]

Beautiful car! Congrats! (I had a E46 Touring with the Vanos straight six. Loved that car! )

[@crosbyworx7284]

I had an almost identical spec one years back to replace the previous TVR albeit 75k on the clock. I got rid of the M3 4 years ago and its still the one car I would own again, the main reason I havent is corrosion and the boot floors cracking. most definitely a future classic and nice ones are well worth keeping. I drove mine at Curborough too :)

[@werq_lol]

I'm not surprised Alex really likes the e46, if I never seen you before my first guess would be this car, the vibe Alex gives just screams "I LOVE E46" same with my uncle, he used to own an e36 for quite a while

[@gianlucavignali]

To answer your ending question, the M3's slightly more impractical sibling, a Z4M. It's the reason I own one instead of an M3, I didn't require the M3's practicality over a roadster and they can be had for under £15k. And the main thing is you still get to enjoy having an S54 👌. Do wish my Z4M was Imola red though haha

[@spudw136]

Next video I want to see this on one of the following tracks Silverstone, Castle Combe, Dinnington, Thruxton GO ON DO IT!!!!!!!!