My "new" E46 (1999 328i)
 

My daughter got her driver's license last week, so I picked up this 99 328i 5 speed yesterday:

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Super-cheap Craigslist find. Lots of miles, and I think almost all of the common E46 problems are there (cooling system, window regulators, worn bushings). Cosmetically it's decent, and I wanted a car with a manual transmission to teach both the kids to drive on. Plus I figured if I was going to be in the garage constantly maintaining another car for one of my kids, it was going to be a car I liked this time.

Wish me luck. I'm really, really going to need it.

Good luck.... They are so simple to work on you should be up and rolling in no time...how maby miles?

Looks great.

Good car for them plus SRS / ABS / traction control, etc... AND a 5 speed!

Need help wrenching on it let me know.

:lol:

Much the same as the e36s I am working on. Agree pretty easy to work on, but I suppose they all are if you know what to do. Have fun.

Aren't 5 speeds rare? Salvage the drivetrain after the inevitable teen 'oops' moment.

Up on the lift and working my way through the car. After 1 hour, progress so far:

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"I think I can get one more run session out of these"
I'm 0 for 4 on pads and rotors. I knew the pads were shot, and I assumed the rotors were as well, but I was hoping I might get away without new rotors. Nope.


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These are not track tires, despite their complete lack of tread. They are 12 yr old Khumos, and one has a nail in it. I knew this as well, so again no surprise. On tires the score is 2 bad, 1 good, 1 iffy. I'll probably replace all 3 non-good and keep iffy as the new spare.


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Intake air boot after the MAF. Also knew about this. Pretty sure this is the cause of the weird throttle dependent wheezing and the CEL that's on (the codes jive with this problem). $15 for a new one. Go figure, I'm sure BMW will rape me elsewhere.


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Headlight full of moisture. Not sure why. Thinking of pouring desiccant in it to dry it out.

Oh - best thing I've discovered so far? M/T cars have an electric fan, not a mechanical fan. Yeah! No fucking with the stupid fan clutch to get it off.

Fun stuff! When will you be bringing it to the track? We can have a BMW day at the skip pad during a Porsche event. :)

Why is that? I found that I have it down to a science, but for an old mystery car I'd be sweating it.

Put the bent rim in the trunk for the spare.

Good score. I'd be interested in the same in a 2 dr, even with the typical bmw 'issues' they are hard to beat.