Alright so i'm just about to buy a new car. The only bimmer I will consider after driving them is the E46 330ci. I am on the fence between that and I G35 coupe (both manuals). Are there any major problems that occur with the E46 bimmers? I can get a G35 with 55k miles or a 330ci with about 80k miles. What should I look out for?

Thanks,
Elliott

 

Major problems to keep in eye out for is rear subframe damage. There are aftermarket fixes you can do to prevent it and never have to worry about it again. Fuel pump is another common problem. It is easy to change though. I did mine myself in about 10 minutes. Window regulators will go bad eventually. Sunfoof shade clips will break eventually. The only problem I had was the broken sunroof shade clips and fuel pump. My 02 330i was a great car. Gave me virtually no trouble aside from the fuel pump that I changed myself. Great fun car. I just needed a larger trunk as the trunk is very small and tight.

 

I would check out this site for the details, but I know there are window trim problems, subframe issues, and electronic gremlins in the E46. These guys love their cars, but they have their share of headaches.

80k is more mileage that I would want on a BMW.

But dont take my word for it.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/

As for the G35, my wife has an 05 G35x I thought I was going to be more impressed with it, but it just is not as nice as my GS is so many ways. It is tossable and fun for sure, but I am not in love with it. BTW the brakes on the G35 are a nightmare. We have 30k on the car and it already has gone through 2 SETS of ROTORS and pads... yes ROTORS not just pads. We bit*#ed and complained and got Infinity to replace the second set, but I am not impressed. At 120k my GS still has not had its rotors replaced.

Check out this site if you want to know more.

http://g35driver.com/forums/

Both very fun cars..
You cant go wrong driving either one, but I would stay away from a high mileage E46.

 

Anyone else has any opinions? Is 80k really too much?

 

You got 2 credible sounding opinions yet your reply shows clearly you'd rather get the Bimmer. So just do it. It sounds like you already know, why waste time with this opinion thread.
Just buy a warranty and map out your route's to the service dept.

 

I think it depends on how much of a DIYer you are. If youre going to have to get dealer service of a mechanic to do most of the work then yeah, I would stay away from higher mileage German cars. Why do you think so many people will not keep their Bimmers and MBZs out of warranty?

Unless you have every single piece of service history for the car and can see that it was meticulously well maintained, and not just taking someone's word for it, I'd not even bother.

As noted, subframe issues, fuel pump and window regulators seem to be common along with the electronics in general, though I believe this is a common "issue" with the German makes in general. I wanted and still want an E46 M3, but it's not easy to find the "right" one. I looked for nearly a year, and did research for much longer, before giving up and buying something else.

As for personal experiences...

My g/f had an '05 G Coupe which never really had any mechanical issues though the seat made a weird sound that they were never able to fix (not sure how common this is). The VQ35DE Rev-up models (05-06) supposedly have oil consumption issues though I never really paid attention to this nor noticed it on her car as I think back on it - I was not aware of this until she had already gotten rid of the car in later '07. Rotors and breaks never had to be replaced within this period; as it was mentioned above, the G uses soft pads AND rotors, which need to be replaced on conjunction with one another from what I have read. But what is probably also one of the reasons why it stops better than a GS...

My friend had a '01 330Ci and a '03 330Ci Convertible. The thought of keeping either past 40k miles was unfathomable. Both were replaced around 30-35k miles.

Hope that helps a bit...

 

Ummm I actually keep going back and forth between the cars. I'm making sure that if 80k is too much then I can completely knock out the car and go with the G35. If it's not a big deal for the mileage then I have to make the tough decision. In reality i'm hoping that 80k is too many miles so that I don't have to make a hard decision.

Sorry for wasting your time, but for me this is a big decision and I want to make the right choice.

 

scrap them both and buy a G37s......add Stillen exhaust and dual intake and move on with your life. You will never beat japo reliability and the VQ engine is one of the best motors produced (previous engine of the year winner).

 

I guess it all depends on what you are looking for in a car. If you want a drivers car and are willing to deal with repairs and maintenance, id go with the 330 no questions asked. If you need something reliable id say there are better choices than the g35.

IMO the g35 screams Nissan everywhere you look. The windows rattle when you play the radio, everything squeaks, and hard plastic covers everything you touch. Engine wise, the G35 has a lot of torque but it is no where as smooth as the bmws. Strait line performance is actually pretty similar (I ran a 14.7 in my 330i and a 14.5 in the G sedan), but in the turns the G loses its composure when pushed to the limits. Anyhow, good luck with your car hunt. And if you really like driving, keep your eyes out for a low mileage e36 m3. now thats a sick car.

 

Well, since you're really undecided let me add my 2 cents.
I had a G35 coupe and loved everything about it ecxept the uncomfortable seats. They are narrow and hard...built for sport driving which no one does freguently enough for them to be useful imo. If this is going to be a daily driver that could be an issue, especially if you're a bigger person. If you're on the slim side, it's much less an issue.
Otherwise I found the car to be a good handling, reliable, attractive and cool car. The advertised 280 hp seems to be a lie...I think it's faster. I won every challenge that I accepted. I didn't accept challenges against a Ferrari and modded NSX. I did blow away a Porsche but the driver probably didn't have my driving skill. In other words, it's fast enough for most people as is.

I've never driven an e46 but I am a regular member on 4 german car forums. I wouldn't own any german car without a warranty. Once they get higher milage it becomes a regular at the service dept....and those visits are usually more costly than japanese cars.

Even if you are close to my size I'd vote for the G35. It's a great car. Lastly, it's just my opinion but I think the G35 looks a lot better too. E46 looks nice but is really understated. That understated look does keep it from becoming dated though. It was already dated when it came out. The G35 is sporty and cool...more modern. It won't become dated for a long time. It has that timeless sport coupe look that I love.

I hope this helps.

 

+1.... my problems on my 330i started right at 50k, dumped it at 54K cuz I was living at Service Dept... 80K is WAY too much... my $.02

 

coupe coupe coupe. Reliable fun and fast. The car is a lady killa..... I'm married and had to say no to many gold diggers

 

Compare the problems listed by the guys with these issues below.. Tally the dealer costs as well to repair such items..

starter
ball joints
motor mounts
door actuators
condenser
low idle
cat converter
02 sensors
electrical gremlins

Guess which make & model the above mentioned relates to Elliot? You and I have/had the same vehicle..




The Lexus GS..


No car is trouble free. You must weigh in the positive & negatives of the car of your choice.. Be it cost to maintain, repair, insure, fun factor, fuel costs or whatever you seek in a vehicle.. The final decision is yours and only YOURS to make.. None of us will be paying for this car.

Good luck.

 

I have an E46 (323i) with 120k miles on it and it has been a fantastic car, actually way better than I had expected since I had an LS400 and had heard all the "BMW reliability issue" stories. We bought it at 60k (with no service history, but a very good "look over") and we have had really no issues to speak of. Get's great gas mileage too, and has even seen a handful of track days. I like the G35's as well, but I like the driving feel of the 3-series better. I'd say reliability is quite similar with the 2 cars in question overall. Don't think you can make a bad choice here, just buy the one that you like the best. BTW - I looked at approx. 30 or 40 E46's before I bought mine... so there certainly are bad one's out there!

 

I miss my e46. If i ever get over the offroad obsessed phase of my life Im gonna buy another 3 series...most likely a 335i