E46 owners unite over broken window regulators😂😂

old models of bmw are lovely

literally died when he said "if the window regulator wasn't broken" lol mine just broke and it is terrible

Mate, you guys are so spoiled by big engines in North America. Many people in EU drives 316i. Lol. 325 is the upper class at that period.

5,000 dollar car vs 20,000 dollar car? Ill take the 325.

Honestly man, this is an amazing review and comparison. I NEVER subscribe to someone based off of a random video I decided to watch because of a generic search, until now. Keep it up dude

bmw because it has 6 cylinder engine for the long run. m54 is one of the best bmw engines. 325i and 330i e46.

I think the key line here is "If you are ready maintain one of these cars, then get one because they are fantastic". Only buy an older BMW if you are capable of doing basic / intermediate repairs and maintenance yourself. 'cause there is a fuckton of it. Gasket here, bushing there, oh the power steering pump fell out, and so on. And if all that happens at a shop/dealership, it will get really expensive, really soon. But on the other hand, if you do the small stuff meticulously, it generally keeps the big stuff from happening.

Lmaoo, That window regulator joke. laughed my ass off, three of mines just suddenly went bad. one of the e46's flawed things. But I still love my 325 lol

I love my E46 320i and it feels soo gooooood to drive it but everybody says ''new cars are better, fuck your hoopty''... I mean wtf!!!!

I watched a few videos on E46s cause I just got an 04 330i ZHP, and YT throws me ALL of Thomas' old E46 content. Legend.

The M50/52/54 engines are beasts when supercharged or turbocharged. A lot of tuning potential. My e46 330ci makes 390hp with the ASA supercharger from the older Alpina B7/B8 on stock engine. KW V2, H&R Anti rollbar Kit, PU bearings, Federal RS-R tires and it drives fucking great.

got my 325i 03 with a slight damage on the front passenger side for a 1000 bucks. put 2 new headlight for 140, fixed the damages for 500 bucks, got 17inches wheels for 130 bucks. the car is a blast to drive. i love it. i have two good friends who are Mechanic. i change the brakes and did the fluids myself, plan on doing more preventive maintenance as I don't really know what the previous owner did. but so far, it's a huge satisfaction for the money

2 years later, and this video was a huge help in deciding between a 4yr old BRZ or 10yr old 128i... The way you explained their driving-dynamic differences in such detail was terrific, and I like how you skipped on all the climatecontrol-satnav-autowiper-bull*** :)

really good comparison/review, thanks for sharing!

Great video about a topic many people would find interesting, keep up the good work!

You made good videos from the start, no wonder your channel exploded Well spoken and intelligent person presenting your thoughts very clear and understandable

I have the exact same BMW 325i model and It is fantastic.

Wrong, E46s are not that bad to fix. Won't cost you $1000 every time it breaks down. And after owning an E46 myself, I can tell you, working on the car is super easy. Engineered with the tech in mind, and that's a rare thing. For about $600 I've done my front lower control arms with bushings, intake cam sensor, exhaust cam sensor, crank sensor, alternator, all the lights, led headlight conversion. The clutch kit from Bavarian Autosports can be picked up for $499. That includes the flywheel (single mass, but same mass and diameter), new crank bolts for flywheel, pressure plate, clutch (not auto-adjusting), and throw out bearing. And for an extra $119 you can get the pivot pin, pilot bearing, exhaust gaskets, tranny gaskets, rear main seal, and rear main carrier gasket. You get a lot of bang for your buck with the e46 platform, considering it is more than 10 years old now. Try getting all of that for the same price for your BRZ/FR-S...glwt TL;DR = BMW e46 is cheaper to fix/maintain than any BRZ/FR-S and I love my e46 to death! Look at the comments here and see how all the e46 owners love their cars. Its for a damn good reason; peace!

I currently own both. A 2015 FR-S RS1 with 20k miles that I bought about 3 years ago for $17k, and a 2002 325i that I bought for $1.5k about a year ago as a project car. I’ve dumped maybe $3k in the FR-S for fun mods (mainly a catless UEL header, flex fuel kit and a tune). I’ve spent over 6k in the e46 in a years time. Most of this was maintenance (all done myself), and maybe 2k in fun stuff (coilovers and poly bushings, higher gear ratio rear end that I welded, catless headers, chassis mounted short shifter, etc). I agree with everything he said. Both cars handle amazing on curvy roads, but the FR-S is the hands down winner in that department. The FR-S feels much more connected to the road. The center of gravity in the FR-S feels like it’s at butt-level, whereas the the e46 feels more mid-waist level. The FR-S feels incredibly predictable. The welded rear end of my e46 makes it much more predictable than stock, but still not quite on the level of the FR-S, although it’s close. When I had an open diff in my e46, it wasn’t very predictable, but it was forgiving. With an open diff, you’d really have to try and spin the car out, otherwise you’d just lose traction in one wheel, and therefore lose speed. I can only really comment on the handling of my e46 with coilovers (BC Racing BR series, with the dampers set at about the middle position), as the OEM shocks were completely shot. But with the coilovers, the e46 does seem to give more feedback to the surface of the road vs the FR-S (my FR-S came factory with TRD springs). I honestly think the culprit here is the electric power steering in the FR-S vs the hydraulic power steering in the e46. In stock form, the FR-S felt MUCH more visceral compared to my e46 in stock form. But after removing some sound deadening, adding coilovers, catless headers, chassis mounted shifter, and poly bushings everywhere but the engine mounts, my e46 feels just as “raw” as my FR-S, aside from a very different engine note. The engine note of the e46 sounds amazing but very “refined”. My e46 has a fully stock exhaust except for the catless headers. The FR-S has a much “rougher” sound but in an amazing way. The FR-S is also stock exhaust (TRD quad tip exhaust) with catless headers and catless downpipe. My FR-S is WAY louder than my e46, but I’ve seen stock sounding FR-S/86/BRZ on the street and they’re pretty quiet, at least in comparison to mine. One thing that the FR-S lacks is that punchy “push you back in your seat” acceleration. I honestly don’t know what it is because it doesn’t make sense on paper. With the mods I have on both cars, the FR-S should have about 50HP more, with torque being about the same. I’ve tested both, and the FR-S has the faster 0-60mph and 1/4 mile times. If you’re watching the speedometer, the FR-S reaches triple digit speeds faster. But the e46 just “feels” faster, even before the rear end swap (I swapped from a 3.15 gear to a 3.46 gear). It really just comes down to what you’re looking for in a car. The e46 is very practical, especially the sedan/wagon version. The FR-S could absolutely be daily driven, but it’s not going to be comfortable or practical. With the e46 you can 100% expect to have some problems along the way. If you’re prepared for these problems and can stay on top of maintenance, the M54 engine will go 300k miles. It helps to be mechanically/electrically savvy, and able to do your own maintenance. The FR-S isn’t nearly as needy as the e46 in terms of maintenance, but don’t expect the FA-20 to do 300k miles. I wouldn’t expect it to do 200k miles unless you baby it.

Life is so complicated. I just need a brand new/headache-free/simple/low tech/reliable BRZ to balance my life.

Great honest review. From a BMW 325i 2003 driver.

Just found this channel, love it! I bought a e46 330I for $4500 in February, it's a super fun, clean car with only 65,000 miles. Best part about it is the sub frame is perfect lol, being 16 years old I wouldn't be able to fix it due to making minimum wage and spending almost all my money on the car and gas. Great video and keep it up!

Thanks- Good review/comparison and I'm a big fan of both cars. One key risk element with the E46 which you neglected to mention is that as with the E36 & E39, BMW really screwed up with the paint/rustproofing. Those who live in countries with real winters should be aware that these cars are really prone to rust and attempting to fix that can be much more costly than any mechanical maintenance, especially as the engine and drivetrain of these cars are relatively strong (and lovely!).

Always a pleasure to watch your vids and hear your insights on different cars. I became a lover of all things BMW after buying a modified 2011 335i. In short it’s basically full bolt ons maxed out stock turbo. Behind the wheel driving, if you don’t look behind you, you would swear you’re driving a high end sports car. It really is crazy how well they can make a 4 door “sedan” drive. I call it a 4 door supra lol. **edit to mention reliability** on a side note, the catch is that you will be replacing almost every cooling component and basically anything rubber or plastic past 75k miles. I researched this car and engine extensively and I do all my own work and inspections. People who aren’t willing to do that may not find it worth it. But once you experience one, it’s hard not to.

Love the blacked out wheels on your e46, makes the car look really nice. IMO probably the cheapest, best looking mod you can do to one of these is to paint the wheels black, and for good measure, paint the kidney grills black too.

Really great review! I subbed yesterday and your vids are amazing :) Keep going

that "feeling in the back" is sooo true. BRZ is not my cup of tea overall (cause of power) but that handling is saucy

E46 for life bud. And I'll still smash with my 325i.

Hi there. First I want to say you did a very good review. Myself I own a 325 i MT E90 (2006) since 4 years and I have had the following parts replaced for a total cost of 3000 CAD ; Waterpump, starter, battery and a coolant cover. I test drove the Subaru BRZ and what I can say is that it is not a car I would drive every day. First off, the ride is not comfortable enough and the quality of the materials inside felt a lot cheaper than the german one. Also, it does not feel as solid or as smooth as the E90. On the reliability score I tend to think that the BRZ will score higher. Cheers !

2004 face lift sapphire black 330ci msport six speed manual over here and love it,, is my second car now but i cant get enough of the drive in it

Perfect comparison, super helpful

I have a 320i first BMW I've owned and instantly fell in love

And I'm James...... where tf is James lol. I thought you guys were glued together all the time. Love the video, you guys have surely come along way in 7 years, love it

E46 owner☝️ and love every minute of the drive

He isn't lying when he says save money in order to fix repairs and maintenance, there fun to drive but a headache when something goes wrong . Thanks for the review I'm currently in the process of getting and frs

I'm getting a BMW tomorrow

Sliiiiiiiiightly older but Had an E30, loved to drive it and work on it but sadly it would consume so much time in the driveway for repairs. Eventually sold it and found myself a BRZ and is an absolute joy to drive. Would love to have the time to restore/ maintain an E30 again for it to be a reliable DD

My bone stock E46 325i hits 60 in 6.9 seconds consistently :-)

I just subscribed. I just purchased my first bmw. 330 ci with zhp. love it. your videos help out a lot. I am also from gta. if you ever want to use it in a video or comparison feel free to contact me. high km but everything been replaced. cheers look forward to more vids.

Oh man. Thomas, james, im gonna love going through your oldest videos

Thanks for the vid, I believe what you're saying. Im currently on the fence whether I would sell my E90 for the BRZ or just having both.

I agree with everything he said. I just purchased a 2003 BMW E46 325Ci about a month ago and it's absolutely an amazing car. It's Black on Black, Manual Transmission and it has the Sports Pkg. It has 140 000 Miles ( about 225k Km's ) which some people might consider high but it drives and handles like brand new. I bought it for 1400$ which is a bit under the market price ( got a good deal ) but from what I saw on the internet, they seem to be going for around 3-5k. Honestly, if you are looking for one, go for it, u won't regret it. Even if it may cost u a bit of money, keep in mind that u are buying a 3-5k car and not a 20k car so, at the end of the day, u are still having a decent car for pretty cheap.

Cool video man.

Would be sick if they decided to make more content on the BRZ

I paid 4k for a 01 325ci with 125k miles last year. Mint. I love it, put over 15k miles on her and the maintenance was allot cheaper and reliable than my 01 Dodge by far.

Thanks James

Personally, I'd be entirely apt to side on the 86 chassis. Two big things sway me. Sticker price, and family. I need a decent sized rear seat for my kid and car seat, and something my wife can agree on. She dislikes getting in and out of my tc. Just recently, she blew my mind by expressing interest in a convertible. I immediately knew Honda S2000s and Miatas were out (as much as would love both, and my wife likes Hondas) for lack of a rear seat. So this has left me considering a Mustang, which to be honest, I had been already. Mustangs that interest me though, at a doable price point, I feel would be a hard sell past the wife. Interestingly, out of my interest in Supras and Skylines, I've been looking in on inline sixes. Lo and behold. The 3 series. Soon as wifey saw it, she was on board. Rwd, convertible, fun to drive, family manageable... those are some pretty big wins in my book. Hopefully, enough to offset the maintenance costs. Xp

I am a e46 330 owner who thinking of buying a toyota 86 recently This video give me the answer Thanks!

I’ve owned both the 325 and 330 e46, I would take the 330 any day if I had the option. The extra half liter makes a noticeable difference in power, and it would smoke the BRZ.

Great video I would also consider Mazda MX-5 and Lexus IS250

Bought a 2003 325i for 500$ off auction. 1000$ worth of basic maintenance (rack and pinion brakes etc) and it is amazing.

I have an 06 325i sports package... It's sooo fun to drive. And gets a lot more attention than a Subaru

After having owned several e36 and an e46, I bought an frs. The only reason being that living in Vermont requires that my driver's side window work unequivocally. Every single BMW I have owned has broken my heart when the glass eventually goes sliding into the door and I immediately know the next week of my life sucks.

very good review

The 325 is better. Every kid in the world wants a BRZ

I would pick a Subaru between the two reviewed cars, that 325 is just too worn out/tired. BUT, if I had to choose between my 325Ci and the Subaru, I would go with mine. Simply because its well maintained and I don't "run into problems" I just always check over my car car and do preventive maintenance if I come across a weak spot or a worn out part. If you think of it, it's really down to personal preference.

I'd stick with the BMW. I have the same one and I'm in love with it.

I absolutely love my 2013 Genesis Coupe and have had zero problems with over 140k miles.

I got my 330ci for 6k. It was a steal too

I bought my 2000 328i with 150,000 miles and with the sports package for $3600 and absolutely nothing wrong with it and unbelievably clean

Wait in Canada isn't the 320i the 'lowest model' for the e46? I had a 323i with ~170hp before I got the 330i 5-speed, so it definitely goes lower than a 325. In Europe it goes down to about 316 I think.

got my 2004 325ci for 6k with 100,000 miles. recently rebuilt the disa-valve and about to order the ccv to do that aswell. might replace the thermostat and water pump when it hits 110k.

I bought a 325Ci with hardtop and complete M-Package for €1500 ($1700) a month ago and spend €100 on a revision kit for the Vanoss. I cant think of a diffrent car as enjoyable for that little money... Cant wait for summertime driving with the top off!

Oh nice, another e46 video😋

just got an '05 330i and its pretty sick so far except for the fact the window regulator on the driver side is starting to fail tho lmao..

325i wasn't a close comparison in my opinion. Interesting video none the less

Wonderfully informative review, why the expendables background music na?

I read many of the comments. I learned to wrench on my old 1974 2002. I was going broke with the "gasket here bushing there" I am looking for a 325i as I type. Many friends swear by Subaru's and thats cool...BMW forever.

Also these cars most of the time will do a one wheel peal, but than again i dont know about the 325i but my e46 328i has a posi diff so it can be possible to do a 2 wheel peal at some points

Proud e46 enthusiast. Great vid !

what's the name of the music at beginning?

Tell me whats the difference between E46 and E36 ive never driven E46 so im realy courious about that but i think E36 would be somewhere between E46 and BRZ because it is realy comfortable but also driver focused and realy raw to drive or i am completely wrong and E46 is much better in every way

Weird, my E46 w/M54b25 has 194hp/tq. Did yours have the M52TUV? I know you swapped in the 3.0.

Bought a e90 328i 6mt for 6k, came with PI & PE, just raced a scion and beat it, my gears seemed longer as the scion had to shift first.

I raced my friend in his '13 brz automatic with my 04' 325i 5 speed manual and im not sure if it was his shifting with the autobox or what but i beat him from a 30 roll, he pulled from the launch faster but i was hauling past around 70 and up lol

The answer is always Miata. 😁. Just kidding (though I do daily drive an ND.) nice comparison between these two cars. I don’t usually have the time for maintenance so I’d probably go with the BRZ, and I did almost buy one a few years ago. One other car I’d have recommended for this comparison would be the Nissan 370Z. I’m sure you can get an older one at a decent price, and have more power than both these cars.

That car the bmw my next and favorite car just beautiful n amazing

9:07 third button on the drivers side of the gear stick gator?! What's this? My 02 325ci sport doesn't have this but I want it, don't even know what it does but I want it

you can change the open dif with an lsd and in europe the 325 has 192 hp. so the control of the car can be just as good as the gt86`s. which would be the better to drive than?

well believe it or not I had one of the closest race against a brz and I only had a 323i e46. we were neck to neck from 60 all the way to around 115mph

I have a 2003 BMW 325i and a 2017 BRZ. You honestly can't compare the two. Each one has a different purpose than the other.

I sat on my phone and this video popped up.

Buying a 2004 BMW 325ci tomorrow :DDD

Always choose a new car over a used one, If you have the money! e46 owner here!

lol I bought an 01 325i recently for 500. has 230000 miles, some minor wear on paint, leathers a bit worn an had to replace 2 tires, water reservoir, fresh air intake hose an battery. things fun af to drive an people still offering me 1000 for it 😂 if nothing else it's a good play toy in terms of driving an learning the ends an outs of a bmw mechanically.

I own neither, but my soul gravitate towards the BMW anytime!

7 years younger Thomas ❤️‍🔥💥💥💥💥💥

Nothing quite like 90's-00's BMW's!

I facing the same dilemma in buying a manual rwd car. I already own an e39 525i auto which i do a lot of work on myself. So in my case i would go for the the less attention seeking car because i dont want to spend more time wrenching, just want to drive. But it wouldnt be the brz though, i would go for the gt86/frs instead. Just my preference.

I raced one of these 86 Toyota with my e46 323i modified full exhaust system stage 2 remap and 3.64 Lsd diff smashed this 86 4 car lengths

i got a ZHP for $6000. and i thought i was over paying for one. but when you said $5000 for your bmw i think i got a little lucky. totally not sure tho.

I bought my 2005 325i for $2,800 and it only has 127,000 miles on it. No issues just some simple wear and tear things

Huge BMW fan! I don't have an e46, my friend does I have an e60 5 series. Absolutely love it, but very expensive more so an extra $2,500+ a year to maintain roughly. But if you can afford it, man it's a blast and they are beautiful as hell! So worth it. Plus fast as hell! Will slam your ass in your seat lmao.

i drive a Toyota Auris Sr and i love it. it will beat any corsa unless its a vxr corsa. but i would go for a bmw over the brz or gt86 anyday.

Iv got a 325ci msport with lsd from factory I'm from uk tho didn't really understand that the 2.5 is lowest engine size because they made a 1.8 here. I also used to own a e36 328is and that was a beast and probably would be more comparable to the brz in my opinion

I daily my 2017 BRZ and love it! Bought new in 2017. 56k miles on the clock now.

Great comparison, especially you've got one car from Europe and one from Japan. What is the closest American car that compares to these two? I mean can you compare a mustang or camaro it them? Also the BRZ is the same as the Toyota 86/Scion FRS?

My first car was a 325i now I have 330xi love BMW

Thank you thank you thank you. Pronounced BR Zed!