I'm pretty sure the cracks are from abusing the car, my friend had to scrap the shell on my old E46 estate from the cracks in it, but I wasn't really surprised with the amount of clutch dumps and learning to drift I did in the poor thing. Driving fast doesn't crack the shell.

Nah, they all need reinforcement. Especially m3's. Vince bar is reasonably serious undertaking, but seems to be the end all be all without taking any interior space or causing rust.

That's all great, except you generally can't see the cracks without dropping the subframe, at which point you might as well just reinforce it. BTW- I have a 120,000 mile E46 M3 that I've put 80,000 miles on and haven't reinforced yet with no visible cracks, I just realize it's optimal to address pro-actively.

No offense dude but that’s incomplete to the point of being a load of shit. There was a technical campaign from bmw in 2008ish to fill a cavity in the subframe with expanding foam resin to essentially create a sandwich structure reinforcement for the subframe attach points. Obviously this should’ve been done on the car and can be checked by removing the trunk liner and looking for the injection hole. Additionally, you can’t just inspect the subframe mounting points at each oil change. The subframe bushings cover any cracks to the point they’re only visible once propagated a few inches to be visible beyond the subframe bushings. I’ve had numerous M cars from this era over the past 18 years and unfortunately my e46 m3 was the worst. The car was absolutely beautiful in LSB with 6mt and comp wheels but was let down by a myriad of issues that were common on the e46. The e92M despite looking worse and being heavier is the car the e46 always wanted to be.

@@deancostello14 no necessarily unfortunately. The cracks are simply fatigue. Fatigue is accelerated with hard use but in the end without reinforcement all e46 subframes will fail.

OH baby

I also have an EAG E46 M3 and although it had more miles (70k) it was delivered incredibly minty fresh. You absolutely can’t go wrong with EAG.

I really appreciate this video AND the fact that EAG is out there helping to fulfill these automotive dreams :)

Something happens in 2004 as well. I've owned 4 E46s and the 2004s are just.. tighter. Nothing stated on the BMW end but something definitely changed

@@cwx8 I know they changed the suspension for sure on all 2005 from 2004, but I’m sure there were other changes along the years as well as I know, for example, that they added a strut tower bar mid way through 2002 I believe. Such great cars, I love the way BMW used to sweat the details to make the best drivers cars unlike their product nowadays

@@jameswillard1 yeah there are definitely manufacturing changes in 04. They are just screwed together better if that makes sense. Couldn't tell ya exactly what it is.

Same here. Ive owned both. I sold the ZCP as the premium was such a waste of money. Really, the only good thing about it was the rack , which still didnt feel as good as a junk yard Z3 rack for 100.00.

Wow

How much did you pay for it? I got my 2004 m3 for about 12k back in 2015

@@m3izzy6 $14k with 93k mostly highway miles. Single owner, good friend of mine, came with all service records. I knew the car hadn't been abused

@@nickg3235 dope! Sit on it for a few years and they will be worth a pretty penny . I got mine with 82k miles one of my uncles lost his job and I took over payments back then I got lucky

@@m3izzy6 what do these typically sell for, and how much do you think Matt's car ran? I'm very interested in picking one up. I recently bought an Acura TL, which is another car I've always admired. Definitely not disappointed.

@@pitbull82 I sold my e46 m3 for 32k last year. Had 88k miles. Prices are going up. Get one while you can.

I spent a weekend at the BMW performance center west. Drove the entire M line up in anger. The M2 was by far my favorite

@@doctorbashir3497 I have a 370z, as I’m into two seat sport cars, but am very much considering the m2 when I unload the Z. I live in Ohio, and having two cars is kind of a pain in the ass

@@Jxc0122 if you can handle higher maintenance then do it for sure! There’s a reason the M2 is as loved as it is

40 isn’t old, I’m 71 and bought a 981 Spyder for my 70th. Still skiing and mountain biking but slowly…

@@XanielMarino I likely wouldn’t do it without an extended warranty...otherwise I would continue juggling two rides. I don’t want a sport sedan, but the m2 is so well regarded that I’m considering it!

The engine noise in the cabin is awesome but the exhaust note has always been horrible IMHO.

Its the typical issue exploded by the internet as people who have the issue will shout out about it, but all those who are fine aren't going to be..

how do you land such a job? @Aaron dornbush

It's the cars getting pounded that broke.

Its mostly the people who pounded the shit out of theirs and never took care of them who mainly have the issue.

@@jdabusiness5337 go talk to a service manager about open positions. Ask how to get qualified for the position. My route was UTI - BMW STEP and it was a great pathway for me. Expensive tuition, debatably worth it. You get out what you put in.

Yup. I lost mine a few years back, and replaced it with w204 c63. And the E46 is still by far the best car I've owned. I am thinking of shopping for another e46

try a new comp xdrive

Go for it brother!

Owned a Z4MC for almost 12 yrs. I know I will come to regret selling it.

Z4M Coupe is a better car than the E46 M3. I owned both for a while. Sold the M3 and bought the second Z4 M coupe (now I have a higher mile modified car and a low mile bone stock car). Z4 M Coupe is Much stiffer, CSL steering rack, with a better shifter.

I also bought a z4m coupe last year it’s great . Swapped the suspension to coil overs which made a massive difference. engine is a masterpiece.I live in Scotland just north of Edinburgh.we all need to enjoy these cars while we can . Best era of bmw.

@@ianwhyte5740 yes sir! I have KW3 on my modified car.

Imola red E46 M3 is and always will be such a good looking vehicle

you fool

Go back one year and you can add the be r32 on the list 😈 I know it’s the slowest of those 4 but it’s also more rare and has the best stock exhaust note

S2000 :)

997 GT3 RS was the highw watermark of cars, no point going past 2010

@@Avstract23 as a racing car, the r32 was the fastest of the list. literally won every race in group a when it came out

@@TheCorington im talking about the 2004 volkswagen r32

THIS! SMG is fun, it gets a bad rap because in stock form it is a bit clunky, and back then it was cool to dog on paddle shifters. The CSL tune fixing the downshifting is key to the system not feeling antiquated. In 2022 and with a CSL tune, the trans holds its own and is far less "unrefined" as everyone would have you believe. Clicking off a redline/flatfoot S6 1/2/3 on an onramp is still impressive and engaging.

@@goodnaruk and everyone always says “ooooh” the hydro unit is expensive to fix and I’m always like “my car originally was 60k in 2006, why are you buying cars you can’t afford?”

Yep, it shifts extremely fast when you have your foot down, very engaging

@@blanchbacker agreed! I’m taking it easy on mine right now cause the springs need replaced and right now I’m waiting on my carbon airbox, CSL air filter and carbon velocity stacks

It's amazing how well that era was built and how badly BMW have let it go now.

E39 M5s sound awesome

I swear the S2k, the e46m3 and the 997 GT3 are like spiritually linked, or brothers from different mothers. Sorta like three peak cars done in the same formula at different price points

trust me when i tell you, if you drove the’22 M3 Comp Xdrive, you’d want it over anything else!

But what about the front end of the G80 getting hit by the ugly stick?

Aside from steering input/feel and being a bit larger than previous models they're basically better in every way. That's coming from someone that currently owns an E36 M3, Single turbo E90 335i, Supercharged E92 M3 and 2021 M340i. I love my E36 more than anything but I can't pretend like my M340i doesn't do everything better.

@@rodgazinya It's all subjective. You will have people on both sides of the argument. The hard-core BMW enthusiasts will be on the side of "the past was better". Personally I'm on that side, but I can see the argument for "newer is better".

@@rodgazinya Nice stable.

Eco booms. They won't last long. a 15k M3 is a dream.

As did I. Matt and Jonny L. both influenced my purchase. 2018 Orange Spice with the leather Recaros. I couldn't be happier!

I also bought a Fiesta ST because of Matt's videos, loved it! Sold it and miss it often.

@@gorillafacegwen9247 mine is on 90k plus miles but I service it as scheduled unlike a lot of owners. On another note the E46 M3 is timeless and wish I snapped one up when they were £5-10k cars over here

I also bought a Fiesta ST in 2015 based on what Matt and other automotive journalists had to say about it. It now has about 55k miles and I still love it. I had Mountune install a Quaife limited slip diff, larger inter cooler, catback exhaust and tune.

From what i can recall, it wasn't so much model against model, but more used vs new. The only thing that's changed, is that E46 M3's have now suddenly become valuable enough, for people to take care of them.

Same just got mine in July for 14k

@@dmoneydmo hell yeah good find bud! My friend sold me hers because she found a clean running driving Phoenix yellow m3 for $5500!! Its got a bad SMG pump so 6th gear exits the chat sometimes. But it's a very solid car otherwise, she lucked out with that one

I believe it's not needed on 2005 models

@@Lucarocks92 All E46 models will need it no matter how they're driven. It happens to the 316i almost as much as any others.

Amen!

100% this.

That doesn’t really make sense. One seller can’t create a market out of thin air. They charge what they charge, but people are willing to pay. Markets are just as much about buyers as they are about sellers. Also why do we have to pretend that people are no longer enthusiast once they’ve made money?

@@tunesquadauto Bc most of them, most of the time, are buying these cars to add to a collection; taking them off the street to collect dust and return on investment. If you are an enthusiast, you believe these cars should be enjoyed, not hoarded in collections. Ultimately, it is in the best interest of the auto industry to have great cars become affordable for the next generation. That is how you build an enthusiast base, that is how you build brand loyalty. But now, everything is a collectible, and people are spending money like never before. EAG doesn't cater to enthusiasts, they cater to moneyed collectors. And, sorry, one seller can create a market out of thin air if they control enough of the supply. Look at the diamond industry. And, I am sorry to say, EAG controls enough of the market for CLEAN older BMWs that they CAN (and do) have influence on market pricing. They routinely set high water marks for sale prices, and that raises the price across the market.

@@randyforce8455 you get it. Couldn't agree more. it sucks for the real enthusiasts

E92 is the peak for the M3

Agreed. I’ve driven an E46m but the E90 was just a more appealing package overall.

Nah, Its pretty honest on Matt's part. As for the bandwagon part, thats the smartest part of his purchase. People will want to hate saying why not get one years ago? Why now? The answer is that they were always cheap and easy to find. Like no big deal. You just grab whatever color your want. But if youre like Matt and putting together a collection, these lower mile perfect cars are going to be gone really soon. So if youre were ever thinking you might want an E46 M3, you should bought one by now. Plus BMW changed. We all assumed we'd just keep getting better and better drivers cars - either way, the cars the E46 M3 are gone. And he's right, that if you dont drift missile it, his version will be likely be worth more than he paid, so why not get a nice one? As for the 7/10th/s... Yeah he's wrong about that, but maybe that takes a little bit of driving that car before youre mashing it into the pavement and jumping crests. Like one good day of anger in the mountains. And maybe adding the comp package traction control? But he was pretty smart to buy it given whats happening in the market. Like he was almost forced to buy it now, before its too late... which kinds of sucks. But Matt's right.

I think the biggest loss was going away from the goldilocks suspension which always had a bit of roll and the near complete loss of steering feel when they introduced EPS.

Id argue, it was the 80s. E24 M6, E26 M1, E28 M5, E30 M3, E32 750i.

I know people freak out about the looks of e60/e90 but they still have all the classic driving characteristics (even a bit better) and hydraulic steering that made BMW so great. E90 got fatter than e46 but e60 weighs about the same as e39 bc more aluminum

@@Orcawhale1 Hard to rule that one out too, those were extremely good cars, also btw the E23 7 is in that list of cars mentioned, E32 belongs to the E36, E34 era. Reason why I believe the late 90s and 2000s was the hit is because you have everything, the quickest suv, quickest sedan, everything was quick, luxurious and safety was better than previously. BMWs motorcycles were good, racing history was spot on with LeMans in 99, them entering F1, Mclaren F1 winning Lemans in 96. One thing for sure is 80s-2010 was BMWs time. They’re still cool today but it’s on a straight decline.

@@aidenp5768 Nah, E23 carrys to much of the 70s with it. E32 is mid 80s, so it's okay.

S54 better to put high km on

@@e46mc93 thats probably true, though i think as always it also comes down to good maintenance. i know of V8s that have run well over 200 000 and the only thing really ever done was change of rod bearings. as for the cars, i think i do love the look and size of the E46 M3 more but i like the V8 as an engine more.

@@th3orist Lots of N/A V8’s in the world. I almost bought an e60 M5 but decided with e46 M3 for style / size and the S54 is totally unique. I didn’t do the rod bearings on mine until about 220,000km no manufacturer recall.

@@e46mc93 very nice

I feel you , I have an e46 m3 , I’ve had f80 m3 also e92 m3 . they are all unique , for me I’m keeping my e46 sometimes less is more . The e92 felt abit bigger/dull at low speeds but some translate this to better daily drivability as it’s abit smoother. the e46 is abit less refined feeling and let’s more sound through the car. if I lived in the states with bigger roads/cheaper fuel I’d defo have the e92 m3. I don’t think any are ‘better’ just different you can’t lose either way. in the past I’ve owned dc2 type r , Mitsubishi vr4, sti’s, 911 turbo (borrowed) but turbo cars don’t interest me I was always chasing more power. the driving feel in the e46 is enough for me . it’s all relative . Hope that helps . 👍🏻 not sure what’s next for me as for road driving/fun factor I do love this car in the U.K. .

I'd get a mint restored E30 with an S54 swap from the E46 M3. Shorter wheelbase and much less weight equals more nimble handling plus I love the vintage boxy design. The E46 is still great though, it is just so heavy

Already classic IMO!

@@mrphil2159 you aren't wrong

But is it? Silver is the most bland color one can possibly own for this chassis… give me another LSB over a Ti any day.

Punching air for sure.

Nah - Zach's free to mod his car to his heart's content. As much as I love these, there are a dozen things you can do to make them better in any number of ways. Fitting up the suspension with poly bushings or replacing the right rubber bushings with ball joints can dramatically sharpen the handling. ZHP or Z4MC steering rack and an E34 coupler will sharpen the steering. Camber plates and some alignment changes will increase response and dial out understeer. Poly motor and trans mounts will increase NVH but sharpen shifter response and transform how the car responds to transitions. And there are many more where that came from. All things I've done to my E36 M3 that make it so much more fun to drive than a soft stock car. Zach's car may not be as nice, but it's probably both more fun and also the faster car.

Weight/length , higher seating position , more refined more sound deadening that’s about it really . some would call that ‘better quality’ also though . Also introduction of a way more capable ecu. (More electronics). It was defo an m car made for the states where fuel is cheaper and roads are bigger . The e46 m3 gtr with the v8 in racing also had some minor complaints about how fast it drank fuel but hey ‘this is is racing’ lol .

The seating position was the worst part. It handled great, sounded great, and felt like an m car. Same can’t be said when they added turbos.

Be_A_Good_Little_Sheep 🐑 I had the f80 with the turbos too I can’t say I didn’t think it was amazing.’the best’ can’t be the same thing forever I guess . like classic ferraris/Ford race cars some of us would say damn they are way to raw for us lol.

sound is addicting