E46 Prices

[dr_gn]

All, the jacking points went on my E46 330i saloon (2002). I spent £2K on having the sill ends replaced, the stiffeners, some other minor paint bits as well as all the plastic parts re-painted.

I had the wheels done a couple of years ago, it drives well, is mechanically sound, interior is almost like new, and looks mint. It’s my daily driver, and even though I know 2K is a significant percentage of its value, (maybe even all of it!) my attitude is that it’s still cheaper than £12k to replace it with a Golf (or something), and..better the devil you know.

Question is, how much are they worth these days? I’d have thought on a good day I’d be able to get what I paid for it in 2012 (£3300).

For the next big bill- at what point do you say ‘enough is enough’? With my current attitude to getting a different car (repairs are cheaper than a replacement) I guess that could be a very long time, but at some point surely fuel economy vs. maintenance cost must go in favour of a different car? Then again will E46s ever gain in value?

Thoughts?

This is it after a quick polish last year:

[Maxus]

At this age, condition, mileage and variant are factors in price. For something OK they look to start at c£2,000. There is a saloon on AT at the moment for £11,500 (ridiculous).

A difficult one to pitch. Yours is a nice colour. If it is a manual in good condition I reckon it could be up to £5k. Autos more around the £3,500.

E46s have gone up in value over recent years as per most cars. I think good manual 330i Sports in particular should hold and continue to increase value slowly over the longer term just as E21s, E30s and E36s have before them.

[dr_gn]

Maxus said:

At this age, condition, mileage and variant are factors in price. For something OK they look to start at c£2,000. There is a saloon on AT at the moment for £11,500 (ridiculous).

A difficult one to pitch. Yours is a nice colour. If it is a manual in good condition I reckon it could be up to £5k. Autos more around the £3,500.

E46s have gone up in value over recent years as per most cars. I think good manual 330i Sports in particular should hold and continue to increase value slowly over the longer term just as E21s, E30s and E36s have before them.

Thanks, yes it’s a 330i Sport, manual. Overall condition I’d say 8/10 in terms of cosmetic/mechanical condition.

Sounds like it’s worth maintaining for a while yet and see how it goes. I’d be very happy with 5k because, apart from routine maintenance and general wear and tear replacements, it would have cost me very little in big bills (ie the bodywork last week) plus purchase price. It doesn’t really owe me anything after 10 years, despite lacking the ultimate reliability of maybe a Toyota.

[Mr Tidy]

dr_gn said:

Thanks, yes it’s a 330i Sport, manual. Overall condition I’d say 8/10 in terms of cosmetic/mechanical condition.

A manual 330i Sport had to be very desirable, especially in Imola Red. Possibly even more so if it's a facelift with the 6 speed box!

Good to see you giving it some major TLC to keep using it.

[g3org3y]

Mr Tidy said:

dr_gn said:

Thanks, yes it’s a 330i Sport, manual. Overall condition I’d say 8/10 in terms of cosmetic/mechanical condition.

A manual 330i Sport had to be very desirable, especially in Imola Red. Possibly even more so if it's a facelift with the 6 speed box!

Good to see you giving it some major TLC to keep using it.

^Wot he said.

[Touring442]

I'n not a massive fan of the E46, mainly because they can be such a pain in the arse to work on with a litany of faults the previous E36 didn't have. Everyone else knows this as well which is why they aren't as desirable as an E36 328i Sport for example.

Like E39's, there are so few good ones left now and a manual 330i is heading towards being a unicorn. It's probably worth hanging onto it for now, bearing in mind that companies like Footman James will insure it as a classic with agreed value - I would make this a priority. £5000 is not unreasonable - find another one.

To sell it and replace it you'd be looking at an E90 330i, a better car really but not without its faults.

Edited by Touring442 on Tuesday 29th November 09:30

[Krikkit]

Touring442 said:

To sell it and replace it you'd be looking at an E90 330i, a better car really but not without its faults.

I'd strongly disagree with this - the E46 certainly has its issues, but it's at least easily maintained and mostly mechanical issues at that. The electronic ones it has are simple.

The E90 and its ilk are much more electronic, with the same mechanical foibles as the E46, but the added layer of a lot more computerised components.

[JakeT]

Krikkit said:

I'd strongly disagree with this - the E46 certainly has its issues, but it's at least easily maintained and mostly mechanical issues at that. The electronic ones it has are simple.

The E90 and its ilk are much more electronic, with the same mechanical foibles as the E46, but the added layer of a lot more computerised components.

We could argue until the cows come home about this, but everyone will stick to their opinion. I ran multiple E46s and now have an E90 (well, E91). My main takeaways are:

• E90 resists rust better than the E46
• E90 subframe issues don’t exist
• E90 suspension components are longer lasting than E46
• N52 has more reliable VANOS, PCV and cooling system
• M54 doesn’t suffer from cam bearing ledge wear
• E46 doesn’t have CBS to get in the way, and stop working properly after 186,000 miles

I’ve left out subjective feel things, and styling as they’re not important here.Bar the crap interior, I think the E36 is my favourite. The E90 feels like a 5 series to me.

A good 330i with a manual gearbox will be worth good money. Especially a factory sport model. Pre facelift models with the sport kit are one of my favourite looking BMWs ever.

[dr_gn]

Thanks all.

I’d not considered the insurance thing. I’ve got 2 classic cars on policies with one company - I might ask about putting the E46 on as a daily driver (if that’s even possible).

BTW mine is just a 5 speed unfortunately.

[VeeReihenmotor6]

It gets tricky to rationalise the bills as cars get older. The E46 is, to many, is one of the last great 3 series designs and is a modern classic where the volume of good ones left will increase the price on the market.

I've got a couple of old VWs (Corrado and mk2 16v) and passed the point of it being cheaper to sell and move on a long time ago. Like the OP I also look at it from the angle that it would cost me a lot more to get into somehting else and who is to say it won't need all the work I've already done putting me back not only at square 1 but having to pay out again for problems. Or I could be leasing a very interesting daily at great cost and nothing to show for it is another one.

I've probably spent 2.5 times the value on maintaining it, renovating it and upgrading subtly too on my Corrado so would be foolish to sell it however I also need to get some more bodywork done next year to rectify some crap work done for me last year. This work has made me think shall I get rid but I've done so much to the car that I'd never find another like it and it would cost me more than the work i need to get done next year to get back to where I am today.

I guess my conclusion is if you plan to keep the car then the odd big bill that crops up isn't really an issue as it's value to you is greater than what the market may percieve it be at the point in time you have to do the work. If you're planning on getting out of the car then keep costs to a minimum - don't be like a fella I knew in the Corrado circles - he spent £50k on one and £25k on another one and sold both of them after 36mths and 12mths of owernship for £15k and £10k becuase he wanted to try something else; that is most definitely not the way to do things.

[Court_S]

JakeT said:

Krikkit said:

I'd strongly disagree with this - the E46 certainly has its issues, but it's at least easily maintained and mostly mechanical issues at that. The electronic ones it has are simple.

The E90 and its ilk are much more electronic, with the same mechanical foibles as the E46, but the added layer of a lot more computerised components.

We could argue until the cows come home about this, but everyone will stick to their opinion. I ran multiple E46s and now have an E90 (well, E91). My main takeaways are:

• E90 resists rust better than the E46
• E90 subframe issues don’t exist
• E90 suspension components are longer lasting than E46
• N52 has more reliable VANOS, PCV and cooling system
• M54 doesn’t suffer from cam bearing ledge wear
• E46 doesn’t have CBS to get in the way, and stop working properly after 186,000 miles

I’ve left out subjective feel things, and styling as they’re not important here.Bar the crap interior, I think the E36 is my favourite. The E90 feels like a 5 series to me.

A good 330i with a manual gearbox will be worth good money. Especially a factory sport model. Pre facelift models with the sport kit are one of my favourite looking BMWs ever.

I’d agree with that.

My E46 325ti felt way more solid than my E90 330i, but the latter was a much more reliable and cheaper car to run. Bother were roughly the same age / mileage when I bought them.

The E46 is a very pretty cat to my eyes but finding one without crusty arches is getting hard these days. The OP’s car in red is definitely worth keeping in good fettle because it’s a rare thing and will only get rarer.

[dr_gn]

Ok thanks all.

So if I call my Classic insurance company, and they ask for a value, is it a case of looking at sold items on EBay?

[VeeReihenmotor6]

dr_gn said:

Ok thanks all.

So if I call my Classic insurance company, and they ask for a value, is it a case of looking at sold items on EBay?

I am with Lancaster and needed to take various pictures and write some things about what I had done to the car. As for value it's a replacement value so could include costs of renovation for example.

An alternative is to get the car valued by a classic valuation 3rd party and submit to the insurer offering an agreed value.

The insurer will either agree or disagree and knock you down so don't go too low - my corrado is at £15k value for insurance and my mk2 has a £12k value. I have a mk3 16v as well and that is at £6k.

[Mr Tidy]

dr_gn said:

Thanks all.

I’d not considered the insurance thing. I’ve got 2 classic cars on policies with one company - I might ask about putting the E46 on as a daily driver (if that’s even possible).

BTW mine is just a 5 speed unfortunately.

5 Speed isn't bad though. My Imola Red 325ti Sport was also a 5 speed, but I still miss it.

It was more fun to drive than my current E90 330i.

[V8covin]

Saloons don't tend to make the same money as coupes do they ?

[dr_gn]

Mr Tidy said:

dr_gn said:

Thanks all.

I’d not considered the insurance thing. I’ve got 2 classic cars on policies with one company - I might ask about putting the E46 on as a daily driver (if that’s even possible).

BTW mine is just a 5 speed unfortunately.

5 Speed isn't bad though. My Imola Red 325ti Sport was also a 5 speed, but I still miss it.

It was more fun to drive than my current E90 330i.

Have to say the lack of refinement of the gearshift was a huge disappointment after having had two Honda Preludes previous to the BMW.

[RECr]

JakeT said:

...Bar the crap interior, I think the E36 is my favourite. The E90 feels like a 5 series to me...

To me the interior of the E36 feels ergonomically better than the E90 (shorter reach and better sightlines to the radio snd climate control. Downside being the clock is out of sight.) No soft touch plastics to go gooey and look tatty either

Edit to say that regarding maintainability the E36 felt like it could be fixed with a hammer compared to the E90. Still we are spoilt today with having ~15 year old cars where rust is unlikely to lead to an MOT fail before a mechanical/electrical fault writes the car off

Edited by RECr on Tuesday 29th November 21:10

[g3org3y]

RECr said:

To me the interior of the E36 feels ergonomically better than the E90 (shorter reach and better sightlines to the radio snd climate control. Downside being the clock is out of sight.) No soft touch plastics to go gooey and look tatty either

Edit to say that regarding maintainability the E36 felt like it could be fixed with a hammer compared to the E90. Still we are spoilt today with having ~15 year old cars where rust is unlikely to lead to an MOT fail before a mechanical/electrical fault writes the car off

E36 FTW.

E90X is much more niggly IME.

[SixPotBelly]

V8covin said:

Saloons don't tend to make the same money as coupes do they ?

Like for like, no. But a good saloon should fetch more than a bad coupe.

(Or, i think, a manual 330i more than an auto 330ci. Or a petrol saloon more than a diesel coupe. etc)

[Zener]

dr_gn said:

Mr Tidy said:

dr_gn said:

Thanks all.

I’d not considered the insurance thing. I’ve got 2 classic cars on policies with one company - I might ask about putting the E46 on as a daily driver (if that’s even possible).

BTW mine is just a 5 speed unfortunately.

5 Speed isn't bad though. My Imola Red 325ti Sport was also a 5 speed, but I still miss it.

It was more fun to drive than my current E90 330i.

Have to say the lack of refinement of the gearshift was a huge disappointment after having had two Honda Preludes previous to the BMW.

Can be sorted lots of OE options to improve this inc short throw linkages that transform the shift been using a rose jointed alloy short shift kit for 5 years plus no regrets , but yes agree stock is like stirring st even with sound linkages

Edited by Zener on Tuesday 29th November 21:40