[tlow98]

The convertibles don’t exhibit the issue. They have a beefed up rear axle carrier panel.

Another reason this was such a great buy!

[AWSB328iM]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Bit of an update...

So the E46 Cabrio requires some serious tire air pressures. 39F and 46R. The PO was running 32F and 36R. The car was sloppy and imprecise. In the PO's defense, he drove the car in suburban Virginia, so I doubt one could tell. The high pressures tell you it may center-run the tires and have premature tire wear, which is maybe why he dropped pressures almost 10 PSI low. So this morning I decided to set the tires to factory pressures. Made a huge difference in the handling and steering. I'm really happy with this car. I have parts on order to refresh the mirrors and baseline the fluids and filters.

Moon/star-filled top-down motoring home tonight was quite enjoyable, I must say.

Car Gods... Indeed

Are you sure that's not the 100mph+ pressures?

[fastboatster]

Originally Posted by tlow98

The convertibles don’t exhibit the issue. They have a beefed up rear axle carrier panel.

Another reason this was such a great buy!

Is this anecdotal experience or there's a source somewhere which shows the differences between the convertible and sedan floorpans. Basically, the major turn off about e46 for me is a subframe mount cracking issue, otherwise I'd start "hoarding" these since they're so cheap and fun (with manual)

[ny325]

Looks great OP. A BMW classic.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by AWSB328iM

Are you sure that's not the 100mph+ pressures?

That's what is on the door jamb tire pressure placard. It seems way high to me too; but the car weighs 3616 according to the title. Made a huge difference in the ride and handling; it feels like a 3-series (with the roof cut off...).

I spent most of the day getting it sorted. There was a Sirius patch antenna stuck on the trunk lid; I removed it. There is a Sirius receiver unit in the trunk, not sure if it is BMW OE or not, but it doesn't show up in the radio head unit. Replaced the outside mirror glass, filled up the tool kit with BMW OE tools (yeah, OCD...), replaced the oil drain door that was missing. Installed a new rear tag mount and added the front tag bracket. Ordered new floor mats and BMW AUX input jack kit. Got a decent set of Bosch wipers on it. Will baseline the juices next weekend, or maybe tomorrow.

It reminds me a lot of my old E30.

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by fastboatster

Is this anecdotal experience or there's a source somewhere which shows the differences between the convertible and sedan floorpans. Basically, the major turn off about e46 for me is a subframe mount cracking issue, otherwise I'd start "hoarding" these since they're so cheap and fun (with manual)

Not anecdotal. Do some searching with part #’s. The convertibles have 250+ extra pounds over the rear. Lots of extra reinforcing all over those cars. I owned the M3 couple and had to do the repair. Wasn’t fun :-/

[wdb]

Good get! I have an E93 and totally love having the top down. Its down every chance I get.

Those tire pressures are high but might be required to keep the TPMS from going wonky. My '07 threw a fit when one of the rears went down to 'only' 32PSI! Door jamb says 39. Makes for a bit of a harsh ride. I seriously need to get the run-flats off the thing, but they were nearly new when I picked up the car and I'm a cheapskate.

[fastboatster]

Originally Posted by tlow98

Not anecdotal. Do some searching with part #’s. The convertibles have 250+ extra pounds over the rear. Lots of extra reinforcing all over those cars. I owned the M3 couple and had to do the repair. Wasn’t fun :-/

Very useful info, thanks! I will not be too afraid to look at convertibles now, kind of want some 330i convertible with a stick, should be a lot of fun

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by wdb

Good get! I have an E93 and totally love having the top down. Its down every chance I get.

Those tire pressures are high but might be required to keep the TPMS from going wonky. My '07 threw a fit when one of the rears went down to 'only' 32PSI! Door jamb says 39. Makes for a bit of a harsh ride. I seriously need to get the run-flats off the thing, but they were nearly new when I picked up the car and I'm a cheapskate.

My 2005 E46 has a lot of similarity to my 2006 E90. A lot of which I didn't know the E46 offered, such as the board computer function, as Adaptive Xenon headlights, rain sensing wipers, and DSC-based tire pressure monitor (i.e. not TMPS sensors). All these attributes are my favorite things about my E90. My E46 has no navigation thank God. I do not understand why BMW switched to a steering wheel operated cruise control. I think BMW's stalk-operated cruise control is the best design I've found in a car.

I think the tire pressures are simply a fact of the E46 Cabrio is a heavy car.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by fastboatster

Very useful info, thanks! I will not be too afraid to look at convertibles now, kind of want some 330i convertible with a stick, should be a lot of fun

It's a cruiser more than a sports sedan. I live in a rural location with really great roads, so I've put the E46 though its paces the last few days. It handles and rides well, but you can feel its weight. Combine that with some chassis flex and it's just a few tenths off the precision a sport-packaged 3-Series will give you. But nonetheless, its a great car to drive. As with any convertible, its a great car when the top is down.

[Efthreeoh]

So that was fun...

Tuesday last week... Go to move the E46 under the car port... DEAD as a door nail. Ordered up a new starter from Tischer (I did notice it was weak when cranking the engine). It arrived Friday as planned.

What a bitch to replace. Seriously, it took the better part of 5 hours; and I still have to button up some things this morning. Even bled a bit over it; when you bleed replacing a part, that is my definition it is a total PIA.

Can't wait to drive it again today.

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

So that was fun...

Tuesday last week... Go to move the E46 under the car port... DEAD as a door nail. Ordered up a new starter from Tischer (I did notice it was weak when cranking the engine). It arrived Friday as planned.

What a bitch to replace. Seriously, it took the better part of 5 hours; and I still have to button up some things this morning. Even bled a bit over it; when you bleed replacing a part, that is my definition it is a total PIA.

Can't wait to drive it again today.

So ironic given the starter related convos earlier this week!

[CTinline-six]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

So that was fun...

Tuesday last week... Go to move the E46 under the car port... DEAD as a door nail. Ordered up a new starter from Tischer (I did notice it was weak when cranking the engine). It arrived Friday as planned.

What a bitch to replace. Seriously, it took the better part of 5 hours; and I still have to button up some things this morning. Even bled a bit over it; when you bleed replacing a part, that is my definition it is a total PIA.

Can't wait to drive it again today.

Removing the intake manifold on an E46 or E36 seems like more of a pain than the N52 at least to me. Seems like stuff is harder to get to and there is more of it.

[CTinline-six]

Originally Posted by tlow98

Not anecdotal. Do some searching with part #’s. The convertibles have 250+ extra pounds over the rear. Lots of extra reinforcing all over those cars. I owned the M3 couple and had to do the repair. Wasn’t fun :-/

How involved was the repair? A close friend has an E46 330i ZHP that has no sign of cracking yet, but it's now a second car and he plans on keeping it a long time. I know they make various forms of re-reinforcements but those seem like preventative measures instead of repairs.

[Jesda]

The E46 subframe issue still affects verts but perhaps not as much.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by tlow98

So ironic given the starter related convos earlier this week!

Exactly.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by Jesda

The E46 subframe issue still affects verts but perhaps not as much.

My dad is a TV repairman. He has a great set of tools, I can fix it.

Seriously, I'm not that worried about it. I'm not BMW-OCD like most of you guys... no flame meant.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by CTinline-six

Removing the intake manifold on an E46 or E36 seems like more of a pain than the N52 at least to me. Seems like stuff is harder to get to and there is more of it.

The starter comes out the bottom like a normal car. But the bolts go through the bell housing and thread into the starter. It's nearly impossible to get to the upper mounting bolt via extensions over the transmission. The other way is to remove the E46 cowling. It's much like an old E30, but far more involved. Once opened up, you can see the bolt, but it is still a tight space, so you have to use a E12 torx on it. No one makes Torx crowfoots that I found, which is really the tool needed. I used a 3/8 12-point box end. But the torque is around 60 lbs. so I rigged up an extension and got the bolt broken loose, then it's inch it out a 1/4 of a turn. Took forever to figure it all out.

Starts like a charm now.

[Schmitz]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

My dad is a TV repairman. He has a great set of tools, I can fix it.

Seriously, I'm not that worried about it. I'm not BMW-OCD like most of you guys... no flame meant.

I think it's an 'ultimate set of tools'

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by Schmitz

I think it's an 'ultimate set of tools'

It's actually "awesome". Came to me as I was driving to work that I misquoted Jeffrey.

[Hoody007]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

My 2005 E46 has a lot of similarity to my 2006 E90. A lot of which I didn't know the E46 offered, such as the board computer function, as Adaptive Xenon headlights, rain sensing wipers, and DSC-based tire pressure monitor (i.e. not TMPS sensors). All these attributes are my favorite things about my E90. My E46 has no navigation thank God. I do not understand why BMW switched to a steering wheel operated cruise control. I think BMW's stalk-operated cruise control is the best design I've found in a car.

I think the tire pressures are simply a fact of the E46 Cabrio is a heavy car.

My family owned a 330Cic for many years from almost new to 200K, an ’05 like yours, and I owned a ’04 330Ci coupe for several years before it was rear ended and totaled. They’re great cars and were highly advanced for their day. Both of ours had the sat nav, which I really liked; it was a great system for its day.

You can retrofit a number of systems to this car without having to worry about coding them to they car - I retrofitted Bluetooth, using a TCU from an ’06 E53 X5 in both of them. It’s plug and play, just a matter of connecting the module to the wiring harness in the trunk and the bluetooth antenna in the rear of the center console - you also get voice activation if you use a TCU…

Our only major services on them were normal BMW stuff - cooling systems, suspension bushings. We did have the adaptive xenon light wiring harnesses degrade, so I’d check that ASAP. Both were Steptronics and shifted very nicely at 200K, we just followed GM’s recommendation regarding the trans fluid @ 100K (they’re GM 5 speeds, not the earlier ZF 5 speeds). I can imagine the rare ZF 6 speed in your car will be even less of a maintenance worry.



Great car, and even though I’m in an E90 335i, I still miss the simplicity of the E46.

[CTinline-six]

Originally Posted by Hoody007

Great car, and even though I’m in an E90 335i, I still miss the simplicity of the E46.

I've driven my friend's 2005 several times. Imola Red 330i ZHP 6 speed. Such a fun car with a classic look. I'd love to find a ZHP myself. It still has that "playful" size and feel to it that the newer ones just don't have.