325ti Compact advice

[Jimexpl]

Given that this sometimes feels like a Compact owners forum, I thought I’d ask you lot.

How about this?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264810625374

He’s selling it for a mate, who hasn’t used it for 3 years. Fresh mot with the usual brake pipe corrosion advisories. Says it occasionally has a rough idle, but sent me a video from yesterday and it was fine hot and cold.
Fairly good service history until it was laid up 3 years ago.

I need a car to stick 12 years NCB on so I don’t lose it, and something insurable that my sister can learn in, which this surprisingly is.

[integrale_evo]

I bet the occasional wobbly idle is either the maf on the way out or a split in one of the rubber hoses between the air box and inlet manifold.

E46s are probably the easiest cars in the world to run diagnostics on if you care to look any further into it yourself at any point.

[Beany]

What Harry said about the idle, other option might be the weirdy beardy inlet manifold extender thing, but that doesn't appear toooooo hard to get to even if it is that.

If it's clean underneath and otherwise seems generally alright (no DMF rattles etc) I'd say for that price that'd be a pretty decent buy.

[Jimexpl]

I bet the occasional wobbly idle is either the maf on the way out or a split in one of the rubber hoses between the air box and inlet manifold.

E46s are probably the easiest cars in the world to run diagnostics on if you care to look any further into it yourself at any point.

Thanks,
I’ve run 8 e36/46 over the years, so I’m not worried about working on it (or more likely getting it worked on, with two kids under 4).
Are the brake pipes easy to get to if they need doing?

I think I’ll buy it tonight. My wife was made redundant today, so I feel like spending some money!

[Sundayjumper]

Looks rather low at the back, check if the springs have snapped.

Otherwise looks good. Silver & black correctness.

[Jimexpl]

Looks rather low at the back, check if the springs have snapped.

Otherwise looks good. Silver & black correctness.

I thought that. Are they a simple swap like other e46/36? Is the suspension all e46 on these?

[Sundayjumper]

Yep. Should be dead easy to swap rear springs if they're needed.

Oh, and about the brake pipes, IIRC they're a PITA to do "properly", as in following the factory routing exactly, but there's ways around it. I wouldn't worry just yet. Give them a scrub with a wire brush and then either some paint or thick grease. I've had countless advisories for brake pipes over the years (not just on BMWs) yet I've never heard of them failing IRL.

[Jimexpl]

Yep. Should be dead easy to swap rear springs if they're needed.

Oh, and about the brake pipes, IIRC they're a PITA to do "properly", as in following the factory routing exactly, but there's ways around it. I wouldn't worry just yet. Give them a scrub with a wire brush and then either some paint or thick grease. I've had countless advisories for brake pipes over the years (not just on BMWs) yet I've never heard of them failing IRL.

On the mot history you can see that they’ve been greased already, which is what I’ve always done with my sheds.

[Beany]

I reckon that'd make quite a nice, pokey shed.

[integrale_evo]

Yeah, I’d just keep them greased up or if they’re looking a bit orange sand them back and hamerite or stone chip them to stop them getting bad.

It depends which ones they are, the rear ones usually go over the top of the fuel tank which is a pain if you want to follow the exact factory route, plus there’s not a lot of access around the engine bay to the abs unit if you were changing the whole thing.

Might just have been a fussy tester, a lot like to put something down on older cars just to show that they’re looking at them properly. Especially brake pipes which!

[Jobbo]

The E46 325ti is the nicest driving E46 I’ve ever tried. Lovely engine, lovely steering, lighter than any other body so makes the most of the 2.5.

From memory the Compact isn’t prone to the torn rear suspension mounting points that 330is and M3s occasionally suffer.

[Jimexpl]

I bought it! £1150 in the end.

No clunks or rattles, suspension still feels tight.
4x new Pirellis and FSH until 84,000 miles (but none for three years).
On 88k now, and the last owner spent £370 on it being mot’d and a new Maf in June.
The guy was selling it on behalf of her (small time trader). It drives really well but after 30 min the engine light came on and the Eml light and it lost power, plus occasional rough idle.
After lunch I got in it again and it was perfect for about 40 min, then the engine light and reduced power - I’ll read the codes on it, but I suppose it could be the idle control valve or an engine sensor.
Anyone else care to guess?

Other than a worn drivers seat, which I’ll sort, a slow drivers window and non-functioning rear wiper it’s great.
Even the a/c is ice cold!

The gearing feels shorter than a normal E46, and the ride on 16” alloys is just right for the car.

So much car for the money. £500 fully comp in central London including my 26 year old sister on a provisional is good value also.

[16vCento]

Coil packs breaking down when it gets hot?

Code reader shall reveal all here I imagine!

[Sundayjumper]

Maybe the crank sensor ?

[integrale_evo]

Get a laptop with inpa on it, it’ll tell you everything!

E46 window regulators are shite, worse than e36 ones.

Get in there and lube everything up as soon as you can otherwise they’ll snap the plastic pulleys.

If it does break, get a whole replacement mechanism. I tried and failed after a swear filled hour to fit a pulley and cable kit to ours.

[Sundayjumper]

I always found INPA a bit awkward to use. My default now is a Delphi clone. Covers all marques (pretty much) and is Bluetooth so it’s easy to move around with the laptop while you’re fiddling.

[Beany]

I always found INPA a bit awkward to use. My default now is a Delphi clone. Covers all marques (pretty much) and is Bluetooth so it’s easy to move around with the laptop while you’re fiddling.

Ooh, [mention]Sundayjumper[/mention] pray tell.....!

[Beany]

I bought it! £1150 in the end.

No clunks or rattles, suspension still feels tight.
4x new Pirellis and FSH until 84,000 miles (but none for three years).
On 88k now, and the last owner spent £370 on it being mot’d and a new Maf in June.
The guy was selling it on behalf of her (small time trader). It drives really well but after 30 min the engine light came on and the Eml light and it lost power, plus occasional rough idle.
After lunch I got in it again and it was perfect for about 40 min, then the engine light and reduced power - I’ll read the codes on it, but I suppose it could be the idle control valve or an engine sensor.
Anyone else care to guess?

Other than a worn drivers seat, which I’ll sort, a slow drivers window and non-functioning rear wiper it’s great.
Even the a/c is ice cold!

The gearing feels shorter than a normal E46, and the ride on 16” alloys is just right for the car.

So much car for the money. £500 fully comp in central London including my 26 year old sister on a provisional is good value also.

I'm kinda jealous honestly - that's the sort of shed I love tinkering with.

[Sundayjumper]

Ooh, @Sundayjumper pray tell.....!

I can’t vouch for this particular seller, but it’s one of these:



I’ve got a small old notebook loaded with Win7 and pretty much nothing else, and it works nicely. Google “Delphi clone” and you should find all the info you need.

[Beany]

Ooh, @Sundayjumper pray tell.....!

I can’t vouch for this particular seller, but it’s one of these:



I’ve got a small old notebook loaded with Win7 and pretty much nothing else, and it works nicely. Google “Delphi clone” and you should find all the info you need.

Lovely stuff, cheers darling