BMW 3 Series E46

In 1998, the automobile market saw the appearance of the 4th generation “triplets”. E36 sedan replaced BMW E46 sedan on the assembly line. A year later, coupes with station wagons equipped with Steptronic transmission were produced, and in 2000 a convertible with M3 appeared. Hatchbacks with three doors completed the lineup of the fourth generation cars (2001).

Production of medium class cars was established not only in Germany, but also in South Africa, China, Indonesia, Egypt, Russia. Sales were successful. In total, almost 3 million 267 thousand cars were sold, and the most record-breaking year was 2002, when consumers bought 561 thousand BMWs.

Appearance

The exterior of the 4th generation cars is characteristic of the manufacturer’s philosophy. The front headlights are narrow and consist of 2 “eyepieces”. On their sides there are turn signals. Divided trapezoids with rounded corners make up the radiator grille. On the bumper there is an air intake, on the edges – fog lights. At the stern you can see a small spoiler, a protruding bumper, large headlights.

The most popular body among car owners is the sedan (46/4). If you need a family car, opt for a station wagon (46/3). Five-door touring looks attractive and has an advantage in the volume of the trunk (1345 liters). If you want, you can choose the M-package and extend the body from the Pandem brand, but even without it it looks good.

For young people, the two-door BMW E46/2 coupe is a good choice. This body is also popular among the female gender. In addition, the BMW 3 series E46 coupe can serve as a second car.

Convertibles are less popular in the Russian Federation. It is a good option for summer evening strolls without a roof and a vacation for two outside the city. The cabrio uses a one-piece removable roof. Note that the Hard Top can be purchased separately.

Another youth version of BMW, a compact “snapper”, a hatchback with 3 doors. The only car of this generation, practically, not subjected to restyling. A good option for transportation in a big city and it will not require a lot of space in the parking lot.

We will also mention two “charged” versions of the 4th generation M3 cars. These are coupe/cabriolet cars, respectively E46 2 S/CS.

Dimensions of the cars are as follows: length 3370-4471, width 1739-1740, height 1415-1434, ground clearance 130, wheelbase 2725 mm.

Interior

Despite the excellent finish, owners’ reviews testify to the modest equipment of cars in the “base”. This is especially true of the cars of the 1st batch. But then everything normalized. However, it will not be possible to fully control all systems.

The interior is typical for the concern: all the best for the driver. The center console has been turned towards the driver to facilitate control of air conditioner and audio system. Laconic instrument panel, where everything is clearly shown. The switch of automatic box is conveniently located. Comfortable front seats are heated. It is possible to change the position of seats, though manually. They can be replaced by sport seats or recaro seats.

However, the BMW E46 has a cramped interior. The rear sofa is on a small separation from the 1st row. Perhaps, only small children will comfortably fit there. The transported cargoes should not be heavy, otherwise the bottom of the BMW (small clearance) may come into contact with the road surface. The smallest trunk is in the convertible, only 300 liters, and the largest is in the station wagon, 435-1345.

Compared to the E36 interior, here it is more rigid, which indicates increased safety. The upholstery depends on the equipment of the car. It can be fully leather, fabric or combined: fabric with leather or with alcantara. Note that fabric upholstery is well preserved for a long time.

Electronics and security

A little above we said that the equipment of the BMW interior was modest. This also applies to electronics. But then, taking into account the wishes of buyers, the number of gadgets increased. There were heated/electrically driven mirrors, multi steering wheel with buttons for controlling the car without leaving the road. For navigation and multimedia systems Germans equipped the center console with a seven-inch monitor, optional cruise/climate control system. All this became available as standard equipment.

In the “base” black BMW 3 Series IV E46 320i is equipped with 2 active safety systems, traction control and anti-lock brakes. Option – systems that control the brakes and directional stability. Their presence makes it possible to keep the BMW from skidding at sharp turns of the steering wheel.

Passive safety features include main/side/front airbags. Head protection is an option. These are tubular type ITS airbags. Pyrotechnic tensioners and deformation zones can be optionally purchased. In the trunk of the BMW 3 Series IV E46 coupe 318i is a battery pack equipped with a pyropatron. If there is a collision, it will trigger instantly by disconnecting one terminal. This system extremely reduces the probability of the Bavarian catching fire.

In 2001, the E46 sedan was crash tested. The EuroNCAP test showed good interior protection. The car was awarded four stars out of five possible points.

Engine

Let’s move on to the review of the technical characteristics of the BMW E46. The manufacturer from Bavaria offers buyers many modifications of the car and many engine options. Gasoline/diesel motors can be equipped with 4/6 cylinders with a volume in the range of 1.8-3 liters. But even a seemingly identical unit can have different characteristics. Everything depends on the modification of the car.

To improve the smoothness of the BMW E46 318i, the 4-cylinder engines, rated at 102-343 hp, were equipped with balancer shafts and a chain-driven timing mechanism.

Installations with 6 cylinders are considered more balanced. They also contribute to the smooth running of the vehicle. However, their gas distribution system Vanos/Double Vanos, the reliability of which has long been beyond doubt. Diesel motors equipped with such a system and with a capacity of 115-204 “horses” are installed on similar modifications, in particular, on the BMW 320d E46.

Power units should not be checked until 120 thousand kilometers of mileage. Then they should be periodically checked and cleaned.

BMW 320i E46 with 170 hp and other cars of this series can be equipped with a 5-range “manual” or a similar “automatic” plus a 4-speed automatic transmission. The manufacturer claims that the “automatic” is more reliable and does not need maintenance (no need to change the oil).

The cars are offered not only with rear-wheel drive, but also with all-wheel drive. Although even here the main torque is supplied to the rear chassis. All wheels are equipped with ventilated brakes. ABS is equipped with a plastic housing made of plastic, which will lead to the breakdown of the sensor of the BMW E46 over time. This also applies to the anti-skid/stabilization systems.

The maximum speed of the car is 220 km/h. Acceleration to a hundred takes approximately 9.9 seconds. Fuel consumption is within 9 liters.

The optimal automatic transmission is considered to be a five-speed ZF 5HP19/24 of European assembly. Moreover, the first variant was usually put on the assembly line, and the second, more strong, as a result of tuning. Automatic transmissions are reliable and they can be fixed. Yes and the choice of contract engines BMW E46 decent.

But the trouble is that BMW E46 engines were supplied on all modifications and in combination with the automatic GM5L40E. And it is more capricious element than ZF.

Difference between restyling and prerestyling

In the fall of 2001, a facelift took place. The sedan and station wagon received a facelift. The restyling also affected the four-cylinder units. They were equipped with valvetronic system, which has variable phase gas distribution. New types of coloring appeared. On the photo of the BMW E46 you can see the differences of the exterior of the car prerest and after it. In the spring of 2003, the cabriolet with a coupe underwent changes. Side fenders, optics and taillights were slightly changed. The body of the Compact was also reconstructed. An additional slot was added to the trunk lid, the bumpers were updated, the side sills became curved, and clear glass was applied to the taillights.

However, the restyling of the BMW 3 Series IV E 46 made small changes to the car body. On the technical part, it should be noted the elimination of problems that took place on the first E46 cars. German engineers updated suspension units, refined power units. All improved motors had the prefix TU in the name. One of them, diesel M57TU, is listed among the best motors of the concern, as well as gasoline engine M54, installed on BMW E46 325i/325xi with a volume of 2.5 and power of 192 “horses”.

On the cars of the basic modification, BMW E46 316i/318i, were installed engines M43 and N42 1.8. The first model has a volume of 1.9 power of 105 “horses”. In the second car these indicators are 2.0 and 143 hp.

Production of the BMW E46 2.0 diesel and gasoline ended between 2004 and 2006. They were replaced by the next generation cars, the E90.

Assembly

It was mentioned above that the car can be assembled in different countries. If you need to determine the place of production of the E46, you need to find out the VIN of the car. It is located under the hood on the cup on the right side. The VIN of Kaliningrad BMWs is without a protective film and begins with “X”.

Domestic-built cars have a “bad roads” package that includes:

• Increased ground clearance;
• Reinforced stabilizers;
• Stiffer shock absorbers;
• Improved starting of the powertrain in frosty weather;
• Low sensitivity to the quality of the fuel used.

Low sensitivity to the quality of the fuel used.

Problems

From serious problems of the salon is noted poor quality assembly of the doors in front. In heavy rains, water penetrates into the cabin.

EGR faults have been a frequent occurrence. Here are frequent symptoms of EGR breakdown or malfunction:

• Increased fuel consumption;
• Nitrous oxide levels have increased in the exhaust;
• The motor has lost power;
• There’s black smoke coming out of the tailpipe;
• The acceleration speed is jerky;
• There is oscillation at idle speed;
• The “Check Engine” icon lights up on the instrument panel.

EML glow. This electronic system reports an error in throttle control (you should go to a service station for diagnostics).

And at the end I would like to answer the question, is the BMW E46 expensive to maintain? Yes, a used German car will require serious expenses. Even used spare parts are not cheap. Monthly expenses will amount to $100-150. Find experienced craftsmen is not a problem. It’s just that when they find out that the owner of a BMW is in front of them, the cost of services increases.

Generations and configurations

Convertible 4th generation – restyled 03.2003 – 02.2007

Coupe 4th generation – restyled 03.2003 – 07.2006

Station wagon 4th generation – restyled 09.2001 – 08.2005

Sedan 4th generation – restyled 09.2001 – 02.2005

Coupe 4th generation 03.1998 – 02.2003

Station wagon 4 generation 03.1998 – 08.2001

Sedan 4th generation 03.1998 – 08.2001

Coupe 4th generation – restyled 03.2003 – 06.2006

Convertible 4th generation – restyled 03.2003 – 02.2006

Station wagon 4th generation – restyled 09.2001 – 08.2005

Sedan 4th generation – restyled 09.2001 – 11.2005

Hatchback 4th generation – restyled 09.2001 – 12.2004

Convertible 4th generation 03.2000 – 02.2003

Station wagon 4th generation 10.1999 – 08.2001

Coupe 4th generation 04.1999 – 02.2003

Sedan 4th generation 03.1998 – 08.2001