Silver Grey 2006 E46 M3

[mcmurray]

Great buy that. Best colour, but I'm biased.

Unfortunately due to the miles, and the easy life it’s had, driving it daily/winter would be a no from me too. Used mine for 2 winters and finally caught myself on last winter. Can't use half the power on a cold winter morning and going out in the evening to wash salt and crap off it when it's freezing, gets old quickly. Not worth the hassle.

Get some BMW centre caps and badges on those wheels asap. Look odd without them.

Good luck with it.

 

[Snoopcousins]

Great buy that. Best colour, but I'm biased.

Unfortunately due to the miles, and the easy life it’s had, driving it daily/winter would be a no from me too. Used mine for 2 winters and finally caught myself on last winter. Can't use half the power on a cold winter morning and going out in the evening to wash salt and crap off it when it's freezing, gets old quickly. Not worth the hassle.

Get some BMW centre caps and badges on those wheels asap. Look odd without them.

Good luck with it.

Wheels only got today, badges and caps alresdy ordered

At worst this winter will be the only one it might have to see until I move house. It will be cleaned all the time etc and get a good underside clean too in new year...

The lady I got it from has not enjoyed the car,
her husband tragically died in 2008 and was him who out the guts of the miles on it.
She hardly went near the car for 2 years after that and then used Bavarian to come and service /MOT car for her and show her how to drive it.
It’s stayed garaged obviously but she forced herself to drive it every now again - more in memory of her husband she said and did not need the money by selling it.
She said she’s trying to make a break from grieving even after all these years and needs it gone - v sad, but a gift for myself too at the same time,

She knows I wanted /needed to use it for about 5k a year but would be garaged more when moving house next year ..
It’s been a garage queen by a ‘victim’ of circumstances but it’s now a gem..
Someone else will always have a cleaner, more prestine example- but this is honestly head and shoulders above any car I’ve ever owned and kinda feel it’s too good lol..

Plan is to move house in new year - with proper garage obviously and then I’ll go back to having a second car.
One winter followed by a good clean/ seal

 

[Burt2000]

I’d buy a daily for a grand and keep it off The road on a laid up policy for very little money.

Plenty of respectable daily’s at £1k. If it’s never seen salt or even rain before I wouldn’t start now.

 

[da.murf]

£350 quid crapper for winter

guarantee a winter will do more than £350 damage long term to the m3.

 

[Todd]

Amazing! That's the perfect E46.

 

[Lee]

Amazing. Sounds like a really emotional experience. What's meant for you shouldn't pass you, and this didn't.

I can understand everyone telling you to keep it under wraps for most of the time and I'd probably agree - but at the end of the day, you know how things work, and if you want to daily it, you daily it. I'm sure the previous owners time with it would have been wasted if he didn't drive it.

 

[Snoopcousins]

As I don’t have a garage until after this winter my plan now is to sort a cheap runabout before this winter and get a proper car-cover for the M3.
I already have a CTEK trickle charger so can look after the battery....
Question would be - would it be better to run the M3 the odd time in Winter when weather had been good for a few days or let it sit for like what 4/5 months (Oct-Feb)?

 

[Burt2000]

If you are going with a cover be sure it’s the right one, they can cause more harm than good. My scoob is off the road over winter and I just keep it on the driveway, clean and polished regularly and remove the battery, I take it a spin around the estate every few weeks to stop things binding up and I’ve never had an issue doing that for 3 years. I’m finally getting a car port and gates built next month though.

If the weather is good then it would be a good thing to get it out for driving.

 

[Snoopcousins]

If you are going with a cover be sure it’s the right one, they can cause more harm than good. My scoob is off the road over winter and I just keep it on the driveway, clean and polished regularly and remove the battery, I take it a spin around the estate every few weeks to stop things binding up and I’ve never had an issue doing that for 3 years. I’m finally getting a car port and gates built next month though.

If the weather is good then it would be a good thing to get it out for driving.

Yea will do a bit of digging on best covers , but the driveway is an option anyway...

Regards to salt- is that still a problem using the car days or weeks after it’s been on the road even if the weather has improved?

I have floated the idea of a second car before Winter and it’s been approved - so will source one after summer...

Without a cover I’d then have to worry about the seals and plastic scuttles etc?
It’s really noticeable how new all the seals around doors/ windscreen/ sunroof look..

 

[Snoopcousins]

PS...any meets being planned for the near future?!

 

[PDK]

A cover is mentioned in this thread by @mcmurray
E46 M3
I also think @Big Pimp has his E46 under a cover too.
Definitely agree with the winter hack to keep this in top condition. I’m a bit jealous

 

[Modmedia]

Such a find! Love it! Hard to find one like that, especially over here in NI.

Shame it's not the manual but even so the condition and miles etc more than make up for it!

 

[Snoopcousins]

Such a find! Love it! Hard to find one like that, especially over here in NI.

Shame it's not the manual but even so the condition and miles etc more than make up for it!

Yea I’d have liked a manual even just as a change from having SMG before, I also wanted red leather too,
But when seeing this car and it’s history etc I wouldn’t have cared if it was kiwi leather lol
And the SMG feels like new which is good

 

[mayweather]

What a find.

If you have to drive it through winter, start buying new wings, trim etc you’ll need it for the resto in the future.....and the price of these parts are only going one way.

 

[Snoopcousins]

A cover is mentioned in this thread by @mcmurray
E46 M3
I also think @Big Pimp has his E46 under a cover too.
Definitely agree with the winter hack to keep this in top condition. I’m a bit jealous

Will need to read up on a good cover ..
Cheers

 

[Burt2000]

Yea will do a bit of digging on best covers , but the driveway is an option anyway...

Regards to salt- is that still a problem using the car days or weeks after it’s been on the road even if the weather has improved?

I have floated the idea of a second car before Winter and it’s been approved - so will source one after summer...

Without a cover I’d then have to worry about the seals and plastic scuttles etc?
It’s really noticeable how new all the seals around doors/ windscreen/ sunroof look..

its hard to know really but once it gets up into all the nooks and crannies you’ll never get it away again it’s the muck and grease and salt all mixed together so I just like to avoid it altogether as saves having to clean it down too.

I know I’m a bit particular about it but even a sniff of salt on a 21 year old impreza with no factory sealant and it will just turn to ***** and they aren’t making any new ones lol.

The rubbers and plastic could always be protected with stuff like @Big Pimp trim products. One winter on a dry driveway won’t really do any harm I wouldn’t think.

these look a good job as a temporary measure and not too expensive. I had considered one but it’s very windy where I live and decided to go with a more permanent option

Clarke CIG81020 Garage / Workshop - Green (6.1 x 3.0 x 2.4m) - Machine Mart - Machine Mart

www.machinemart.co.uk

 

[Snoopcousins]

its hard to know really but once it gets up into all the nooks and crannies you’ll never get it away again it’s the muck and grease and salt all mixed together so I just like to avoid it altogether as saves having to clean it down too.

I know I’m a bit particular about it but even a sniff of salt on a 21 year old impreza with no factory sealant and it will just turn to ***** and they aren’t making any new ones lol.

The rubbers and plastic could always be protected with stuff like @Big Pimp trim products. One winter on a dry driveway won’t really do any harm I wouldn’t think.

these look a good job as a temporary measure and not too expensive. I had considered one but it’s very windy where I live and decided to go with a more permanent option

Clarke CIG81020 Garage / Workshop - Green (6.1 x 3.0 x 2.4m) - Machine Mart - Machine Mart

www.machinemart.co.uk

Yea you’re definateky right,
I’ll get a look at that one ..
It’s easy to see this has never been out in bad weather from the trims and seals ...I’d love to be able to keep that up.
Just really this winter to get thru ...and I’ll start looking for a cheap runabout soon

 

[Snoopcousins]

It’s hard to show in photos how clean it is..I’ve never owned something like it..esp as 15 yr old.

 

[redanni]

Very nice indeed.

Get under there and get that exhaust shined up

 

[Big Pimp]

Yep, I have a waterproof and breathable cover for my M3.

dome a couple of winters now.

I linked it in the other thread about car covers in here

 

[TSPORT]

Lovely car and what a find. Love SMG, When you really get to understand the system it is really good, Adaption refresh works wonders too

 

[Snoopcousins]

Lovely car and what a find. Love SMG, When you really get to understand the system it is really good, Adaption refresh works wonders too

Thanks, yea I’m one of the few who love it too!
Gonna maybe try the CSL SMG software map for it too this time

 

[bora-gav]

You'd be safer giving it back, these lads have you terrified now lol
Jokes aside that is a thing of beauty

 

[Snoopcousins]

You'd be safer giving it back, these lads have you terrified now lol
Jokes aside that is a thing of beauty

Hahaha yea I’ve kinda given myself a headache now by getting one as clean
Back to having 2 cars ...but will be worth it to keep this away from salt etc

 

[Snoopcousins]

Ordered 4 x Michelin PS4S tyres from Kerrs in Carrick, decent price and there’s a £100 cash-back offer too,
Got correct CSL tyre sizes of 235/35/19 and 265/30/19,
The Conti ContactSport 6 tyres on it now (225/40/19, 255/35/19) can go back on the OEMs when I get them refurbed.

Bought new cupholder/tray from BMW to replace the centre phone cradle - best .most useful mod!

New Centres and M badges put on the new CSL reps...

Inspection 2 service booked in with Colm Hyland in 2 weeks and a newly bought Eibach Pro Kit being fitted at same time...
Already have the 12mm spacers all-round fitted.

Want to keep it as OEM+ as I can and will keep all original parts for future