E46 325

[soc]

Looking for an E46 325 as a second car for myself - have a strong preference for a convertible as never had one before & time is ticking on! And, never say never but I plan for this car to be driven into the ground.

Planning to enquire on three cars I see listed on carzone - 1 private sale & 2 dealer sales - all are comparably priced & mileage.

Wondering if anyone knows much about the dealers:
First Choice Autos in Dub Laoghaire:
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/bmw/3-series/used-2005-bmw-3-series-325-ci-con-dublin-fpa-154614275369133140

Hi-Line motors in Santry:
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/bmw/3-series/used-2005-bmw-3-series-proper-dublin-fpa-133014221041846650

Private sale one is this one:
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/bmw/3-series/used-2005-bmw-3-series-325-ci-con-kildare-fpa-201515232435803

Obviously, given the mileage I'll be checking for major service work to be complete & should I decide on one of the above I'd look to have that car checked (AA, RAC, etc).
Is there anything specific to the E46 325 I should be aware of? Would the manual be a better option over auto? Note, I have never drive van E46 325 before.

Any opinion on the asking prices?

All/any feedback is very welcome.

[Andy]

Around that mileage I would be checking the cooling system and possibly the PCV valve and associated pipe work. The first car for sale by First Choice looks a nice car. They are reliable and their family have been in the motor trade for some years. Nick who is selling the car is a decent guy and generally sells decent cars.

The manual car does have a great reg though.

Auto is nice on a six cylinder and convertible but I guess it comes down to personal choice really.

[dergside]

All 3 of these have been on the market for a while. The first and the last are the two that catch my eye most from the descriptions and what's shown in the photo's. Personally I'd prefer the manual and the price of the private one isn't outrageous.

I don't think there are any specific 325 issues to look for so its the usual M54 stuff such as cooling system, cam and crank sensors, ABS/TC sensors, etc. As per Andy's comment, any issues with the cooling (other than preventative maintenance), especially any mention of the head gasket, either now or in the history, then walk away.

Convertible specific stuff to look for should be obvious and focus on the hood, electric motors, etc. for same and the rubber seals, etc. If there are any issues with these make sure to get a significant wedge of flexibility on the price as these are expensive replacements or repairs if needed. A hood that leaks or doesn't seal properly will soon turn a nice car in to a mushroom farm. Heated seats are a very desirable option on a convertible and see if there is a wind deflector in the car, makes a big difference to comfort on the move. The deflectors aren't too pricey but its nice if its there.

My sister had a '05 330Ci conv for 8 years and loved it (chopped it against a 420d last year). Just referring back to the comment above about the private sale car, to put in context, when the main dealer retailed her p/ex 330 it was up for around 12k and sold very quickly.

My first convertible was a 45k miles e30 320i that I bought back in 2001 and kept for a couple of years. It probably provided more smiles per mile than any other car I've had.

[soc]

Thanks for the replies - this helps a lot. I've settled on the 325 as I really want a 6 cyl but would prefer not to pay the €1400 odd on road tax - and I think 190bhp is enough for the kind of driving I'll be doing (mostly a 4km round trip to/from work). Family car will remain the e90 and will see most of the driving.

Also I know it's only €400 in the difference but it's as much the principle as the cost (& if I stretch there next thing I'll be trying to justify the €400 extra for an M3 ).

My heart likes the private sale - love the color combination and have a preference for manual over automatic for pure driver involvement. But I figured there might be more peace of mind with a dealer - seeing the good feedback above on First Choice this is added to other good feedback I've had elsewhere so that's a help.

The plan now is to look at the private sale and the First Choice car & see where we go from there.

Thanks again for the feedback.

[soc]

All 3 of these have been on the market for a while.

Yea, I noticed this also - have been watching them for a couple of months now - hoping that if they are solid purchases there will be wriggle room on the price

My first convertible was a 45k miles e30 320i that I bought back in 2001 and kept for a couple of years. It probably provided more smiles per mile than any other car I've had.

Thanks for this - it's further reinforcing in my mind that if the car is to be a keeper I need to go with my heart.

[soc]

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/bmw/3-series/used-2005-bmw-3-series-325-ci-con-kildare-fpa-201515232435803

So I had a look at this today - seems like a good honest car with a lot of nice bits. But I there would be a bit of tidying up required for me to have it where I'd want (drivers seat bolster is well worn, a few marks on body, wheels badly curbed). Also never had any work done on cooling system so I think it would be prudent to overhaul at this point. Given that & the fact there is an offer on it I couldn't justify the ask. Unfortunate but back to the drawing board.

One big positive though - first time driving an e46 and they are a very, very nice car. Much better drivers car that the E90! It did feel a tab unresponsive particularly compare to the diesel but as a drive it was superb & you'd hardly realise it was a cab with the roof up.

So the search moves on - if anyone knows of a good e46 325 or 330 coupe or cab (must be msport) please shoot me a message :)

[dergside]

Reply posted over on the other channel.....