E46 330i Manual - Scrap / Sell / Keep?

[dr_gn]

All, I've had my 2002 E46 330i Sport saloon (5 speed manual, Imola red) for 12 years, and taken it from 60,000 to 170,000 miles. In that time it's been completely reliable, and has taken us on many, many 6 hour drives on holiday, last year as far north as Shetland. I've done mostly my own maintenance (to be fair they do seem to need a fair bit!). It's been a great car and in many ways is one of the family.

However, in March this year, electrical gremlins began. An intermittent parasitic drain, and then electronic throttle problems got progressively worse. A couple of weeks ago, the throttle failed on a smart motorway, and it was only good luck that I was next to a junction and could get to safety. I've tried three different BMW specialists, multiple E46 forum threads, and many hours of fruitless diagnostics. I really believe that it will turn out to be a very simple issue, such as a loose connection, un-soldered joint or perhaps a cracked wire, but difficult to find unless someone has the time and means to drive the car until it fails, then diagnose it on the spot.

At that point (about 2 weeks ago) enough was enough and I have had to buy another car. I can't trust it any more, and diagnosing the problem by trial and error could take months, during which I can't do any long trips, and have had to hire cars for a couple of events already. I didn't have the time or inclination to deal with what to do with the BMW, I just wanted to be mobile again. So now it is SORNd and has no insurance.

So...what to do with it? Apart from the intermittent issues, it's a beautiful car. in the last few months it's had two new front tyres, the entire cooling system replaced with genuine BMW parts (a precaution in anticipation of the next 60,000 miles which will now not happen), a genuine BMW fuel pump, and a reconditioned alternator. It's had a recent boot floor crack check, which was clear. It's also got 10 months MOT. So all in all, a lot of very good quality new parts that have done less than 1000 miles.

My options apper to be:

Advertise it as a non-runner and sell it.

Scrap it.

Put it in my Mums garage and forget about it.

I have no idea what it's worth as it stands, or if it's worth keeping in the hope it might "be worth something" one day.

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[The Rotrex Kid]

Sell as a project on eBay IMO. Someone will want it, 330i in imola red is a nice car for someone.

Unless you really just want to keep it in the garage forever with.m a thought that you might one day want to fix it?!

[dr_gn]

The Rotrex Kid said:

Sell as a project on eBay IMO. Someone will want it, 330i in imola red is a nice car for someone.

Unless you really just want to keep it in the garage forever with.m a thought that you might one day want to fix it?!

Yep. Thought my son (17 next week) might one day want it, but then he'd have to start from scratch to try and diagnose the problem. Not really insurance friendly for a new driver either I guess.

[essayer]

If you really don’t want to fix it, agree with above, advertise as-is on eBay. The throttle issue won’t put off someone who has good E46 knowledge and if it’s cosmetically tidy a manual Imola Sport would be quite unusual.

[dr_gn]

Thanks both. Any idea of ball park figures for it as a project?

[Court_S]

How is it for rust? That will have a big impact on what it’s worth.

[bmwmike]

Court_S said:

How is it for rust? That will have a big impact on what it’s worth.

+1 that's the only thing that really matters

[dr_gn]

Few blisters on the NSF arch. Blister under the fuel flap. Nothing else I know of.

Front and rear sills (and jacking points) were professionally repaired about 2 years ago, along with some repairs to the lacquer on the plastic bits.

[d_a_n1979]

With watching the E46 market currently, as its potentially a car for my next project (330i / 330Ci etc) the values are all over the show - from absolute heaps in the £1-2k market to very well looked after, lowish mileage examples around the £6-8k region etc...

I'd say yours with it being an imola red 330i, but at 170k miles and with issues, adveristing maybe £2-3k making it very clear that it's a sort of working project, will get it sold...

And if it doesn't sell at that price within 2-3 weeks, then the price is probably a bit high, and needs dropping to closer to £2k

Car & Classic (free) and eBay as a 30 day classified (£20) are where I'd start personally. I'd avoid the likes of Facebook marketplace, as its simply full of illiterate knobbers that expect everything to be half of what you're asking as they can't afford more than that etc...

[dr_gn]

Thanks all. Yes, I had £3k minimum in mind, mainly bearing in mind all the very new genuine BMW stuff on it, some of which is hard to find / expensive. Also that it's obviously not a huge mechanical problem (not like crank wear or cylinder head problems). I'd have thought substituting ECUs or wiring, or of course diagnosing it as it happens would solve it relatively quickly. Forgot to say it had a brand new OEM throttle body in April too.

Anything under that and I'd just keep it I think.

I've already had some interest from a contact at one of the BMW indys I took it to, so I guess giving them a call will be the first step.

[Dave.]

Would it not be worth picking up a used engine loom and throttle body?

Seems a waste to part it out, but could be fixed with a parts car to pilfer.

[Mr Tidy]

An Imola Red 330i Sport must be quite a desirable model.

I've noticed prices for good E46s have climbed quite a bit in the last year or so. A silver 2001 330i with 88,500 miles is on A/T for £7,500 but if you decide to sell with issues I think you'll struggle to get good money for it.

Personally I'd probably persevere with getting it fixed, but I have a brilliant BMW Indy in Hook, Hampshire who worked at Sytner for 15 years before setting up his own business.

Good luck whatever you decide.

[dr_gn]

Thanks all. The problem with “getting it fixed” is…how?

Intermittent electrical problems are an absolute nightmare. Before the throttle issue became terminal, I had parasitic draw causing the battery to go flat overnight. First time, it happened on consecutive nights, other times weeks between drains.

Happened a few times while at work (I used to measure draw with a clamp meter), but on those occasions I didn’t usually have time to diagnose it. I’m pretty sure the issue was the re-conned alternator I fitted, but before I had chance to change it, the throttle issue became terminal. Perhaps the two are related? Maybe the alternator regulator is failing and putting AC into the system, causing throttle failure. Who knows without a proper diagnostic while it’s happening.

[Mr Tidy]

I would have thought a good code reader would find historical fault codes.

My Indy managed to track down a bulb failure on my E90 for a tail-light to the bootlid and a split wire in the part of the wiring loom that bends between the body and bootlid.

Last year the central locking stopped working leaving all doors unlocked apart from the driver's door. He tracked that down via a blown fuse to an open-circuit on the rear passenger side door lock.

[d_a_n1979]

dr_gn said:

Thanks all. The problem with “getting it fixed” is…how?

Intermittent electrical problems are an absolute nightmare. Before the throttle issue became terminal, I had parasitic draw causing the battery to go flat overnight. First time, it happened on consecutive nights, other times weeks between drains.

Happened a few times while at work (I used to measure draw with a clamp meter), but on those occasions I didn’t usually have time to diagnose it. I’m pretty sure the issue was the re-conned alternator I fitted, but before I had chance to change it, the throttle issue became terminal. Perhaps the two are related? Maybe the alternator regulator is failing and putting AC into the system, causing throttle failure. Who knows without a proper diagnostic while it’s happening.

Common drains are generally the FSU, HVAC control unit and the heater valve in the engine bay on this era of BMWs. It's the same for E39s

The alternator could be causing charging issues when running (ie not charging) but IIRC it won't drain the battery when the cars not being used...

It might be worth having a multimeter on the battery and watch the voltage drop (boot open but switch switched so the car thinks it's asleep, and drivers door open but switch switched for the same reason) and unplug the FSU and / or HVAC panel to see if they stop the draw. Although I think the FSU in thr E46 is harder to access than in the E39 from what I've read.

The heater valve should be in the passenger side suspension turret, that can just be unplugged

Worth a try maybe.

Did you mention starting issues too?

[dr_gn]

d_a_n1979 said:

dr_gn said:

Thanks all. The problem with “getting it fixed” is…how?

Intermittent electrical problems are an absolute nightmare. Before the throttle issue became terminal, I had parasitic draw causing the battery to go flat overnight. First time, it happened on consecutive nights, other times weeks between drains.

Happened a few times while at work (I used to measure draw with a clamp meter), but on those occasions I didn’t usually have time to diagnose it. I’m pretty sure the issue was the re-conned alternator I fitted, but before I had chance to change it, the throttle issue became terminal. Perhaps the two are related? Maybe the alternator regulator is failing and putting AC into the system, causing throttle failure. Who knows without a proper diagnostic while it’s happening.

Common drains are generally the FSU, HVAC control unit and the heater valve in the engine bay on this era of BMWs. It's the same for E39s

The alternator could be causing charging issues when running (ie not charging) but IIRC it won't drain the battery when the cars not being used...

It might be worth having a multimeter on the battery and watch the voltage drop (boot open but switch switched so the car thinks it's asleep, and drivers door open but switch switched for the same reason) and unplug the FSU and / or HVAC panel to see if they stop the draw. Although I think the FSU in thr E46 is harder to access than in the E39 from what I've read.

The heater valve should be in the passenger side suspension turret, that can just be unplugged

Worth a try maybe.

Did you mention starting issues too?

No starting issues, apart from at random times after I've got the engine warning lights (codes relating to the throttle or ECU). At which point it cranks but won't fire. Leave it a few minutes and/or reset the codes and/or swap the accelerator pedal for a spare one and it'll start up as normal, or not, depending on how it's feeling. Never had any cranking issue.

FSR was replaced. The last time it happened (at work) I managed to catch a 6 - 7 Amp draw with clamp meter, with the car asleep. I'd previously removed fuses with no luck. This time I disconnected the +ve alternator/starter terminal in the engine bay, and the draw immediately went to zero, and then about 30 mA when re-connected.

For me, that pretty much pointed to a faulty re-conditioned alternator, since the problems started a week after fitting it. At the time I thought I was buying brand new, but turned out it was "reconditioned". Apparently it's not an uncommon issue.

I think the throttle issue is unrelated, because it happened before I changed the alternator. The throttle body was replaced after being diagnosed as faulty by a BMW indy. I'd asked him to check alternator output while he had the car, as a precaution because it had done nearly 170,000 miles. He said it was "marginal", so I replaced it as a precaution. So much for preventative maintenance.

So I'm pretty sure the alternator is the cause of the draw, but the throttle issue remains, and seems probably unrelated.

[davettf2]

Personally, I'd stick with it and get it sorted.. You've invested it with sills and jacking points and it's a desirable model. To miss quote the Nursery rhyme 'Then fix it dear dr_gn, then fix it dear dr-gn'

Cheers and hope all goes well.
Dave

[dr_gn]

davettf2 said:

Personally, I'd stick with it and get it sorted.. You've invested it with sills and jacking points and it's a desirable model. To miss quote the Nursery rhyme 'Then fix it dear dr_gn, then fix it dear dr-gn'

Cheers and hope all goes well.
Dave

I agree, but without taxing and insuring it again, it’ll be tricky. Plus I’ll still be in the same boat as before in terms of diagnosing the problem.

I’m not up to speed with insurance, but as far as I know it would have to be on a separate policy. Doesn’t seem to be an option to add a car on mine.

[JJ55]

Take it to an auto spark

[dr_gn]

JJ55 said:

Take it to an auto spark

Did that back in April. Nothing he could do unless the fault showed up. He had it a week and it was fine whenever he tried it.