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Admittedly, this was a very spontaneous decision .. but it's been an idea that's been festering for awhile.
My 2007 Honda Fit has been nothing but good to me - I've really only done plugs and oil changes and it hasn't skipped a beat while giving me a consistent 35-36mpg. At the end of the day, I'm getting tired of driving a manual transmission car for 10 hours / 300+ miles a week, especially in CA traffic.
My criteria was - I wanted something more comfortable, automatic, and a Wagon... which ... lead to some Craigslist searching
Found a very clean 2003 E46 325i Touring in my own neighborhood ... I walk my dogs on the same route 5x a week and I've always commented to my wife on how clean it was. That night, I just so happen to check Craigslist for E46 Wagons ... low and behold, there it is .. same car with no For Sale signs on it
I talk with the owner and the car actually carries a pretty interesting story.
It was actually sent to a Co-Part auction last year which was deemed a total loss due to mechanical issues. A former BMW technician bought the car at auction, threw in a similar mileage motor and did pretty much an entire fluid / cooling system overhaul before throwing it back together.
I can verify by CarFax and actually found some old CoPart listing photos ... his story lined up. Got the car for a price I couldn't refuse - color combination / trim levels are pretty desirable and the car drives great - I'm not kidding when I say this but, everything works .
Some interior work needs to be done, but the car doesn't leak and is mechanically sound - I'll definitely be enjoying dat wagon life
2003 E46 325i Touring
Premium Package - Ancient navigation, parking sensors, heated seats, automatic lights .. basics.
Alpine White
153,000 miles
- 2" Binder full of receipts since new
- 2 keys
- Window sticker ($64k MSRP)
- Not a single fault on the dash, everything works
- 148k miles (thought it was 155k but I suppose less is better).
Purchased for a whopping 7 grand.
Driving impressions?
I feel spoiled.
This car is SO nice .. it may be 9 years old but it doesn't feel it at all - tight as a drum, quiet, very easy to get over 90mph.
The 3.0T in this car doesn't sound like it has aged a bit .. drivetrain is quiet on a cold start and the ZF8 transmission shifts silky smooth.
I'll give more impressions as I drive it more but, I'm looking forward to having a super comfy / practical daily again.
Bro...
I love a wagon...
and then it has saddle interior...
and it's been put together by a brand specific mechanic
and wife is on board
yeah, I'm diggin it.
and fuck me, that thing is stanced perfectly...can you get it over the driveway hump?
also, drive side hood where it meets bumper...is it raised up a little in that corner?
maybe just the rubber height adjuster...
passenger seat have some discoloration? can probably just dye it.
I love new projects!
It's not a pick-up! It's a wagon!
Yeah dude...for a while I was a little regretful about having gone DSG on the Audi...
but lately, I've been so happy cruising and enjoying not having to shift in a lot of situations.
Dammit man, I was already contemplating getting another E46 soon...this might push me over the top as soon as I can convince my accountant to approve the PO. Love the wagon, love the E46. Is that thing on stock suspension? I sure hope not because something is very wrong. I miss my E46 so much, for better or worse it's the car that really got me into wrenching. That said, if you have any questions on it or need some advice, hit me up. I've been around the block two or three times with E46 related stuff.
No worries on going auto. It's less engaging but it's also less effort to just get in and go.
Very nice, looks quite clean.
I've been considering the longroof life, just haven't had the time to do some looking. Wife would hate it (even though she drives the minivan/wagon hybrid Flex), but her words "it's your car, you have to drive it every day".
I need to step into the wagon world, tried to sweet talk the wife into an AWD CTS wagon but that was a bust..
Do et!
I'm hoping to spend little when the Fit sells .. it won't exactly be a straight trade but the positives will surely outweigh the little money spent.
My wife gave me the go ahead to find something more comfortable ... but I don't think she expected me to find another German car that's almost 2 decades old
Originally Posted by rockstar143
and fuck me, that thing is stanced perfectly...can you get it over the driveway hump?
also, drive side hood where it meets bumper...is it raised up a little in that corner?
maybe just the rubber height adjuster...
passenger seat have some discoloration? can probably just dye it.
I love new projects!
Haven't tried yet
The current wheel setup is pretty aggressive .. no spacers. I get slight rubbing in the front under some dips on the freeway but overall it's pretty manageable.
I can tell you right now ... I'm scoping Craigslist for some cheap take offs just in case.
I noticed the same and I'll take a look at the hood
Originally Posted by SamDoe1
Dammit man, I was already contemplating getting another E46 soon...this might push me over the top as soon as I can convince my accountant to approve the PO. Love the wagon, love the E46. Is that thing on stock suspension? I sure hope not because something is very wrong. I miss my E46 so much, for better or worse it's the car that really got me into wrenching. That said, if you have any questions on it or need some advice, hit me up. I've been around the block two or three times with E46 related stuff.
No worries on going auto. It's less engaging but it's also less effort to just get in and go.
I may take you up on that. I feel confident I can put 15-20k miles/year on this car with little trouble .. and if it does come up, nothing can be as bad as the S4. Another plus .. E46s are probably some of the most part abundant platforms ever.
As of right now - It's currently on H&R springs. Subframe doesn't appear to have any cracks and a lot of the control arms / upper shock tower bushings have been replaced. Car drives straight as an arrow and it's tight - feels fantastic for a 17 year old car.
Originally Posted by 00TL-P3.2
Very nice, looks quite clean.
I've been considering the longroof life, just haven't had the time to do some looking. Wife would hate it (even though she drives the minivan/wagon hybrid Flex), but her words "it's your car, you have to drive it every day".
Yup - my wife did not like the Fit because the AC wasn't great, it was gutless, and it had 0 creature comforts ... plus, she didn't like the way it looked at all
She drove it around the block and gave me the approval, she's a fan of it so far
I'm hoping to spend little when the Fit sells .. it won't exactly be a straight trade but the positives will surely outweigh the little money spent.
My wife gave me the go ahead to find something more comfortable ... but I don't think she expected me to find another German car that's almost 2 decades old
She was like "why do we need 2 CTS', we already have the V"... of course I came back with "an AWD CTS wagon with a V front end would be sick"... that was the end of that convo . She's also set on the GLA AMG, guess it could be worse..
Yup - my wife did not like the Fit because the AC wasn't great, it was gutless, and it had 0 creature comforts ... plus, she didn't like the way it looked at all
She drove it around the block and gave me the approval, she's a fan of it so far
My wife would rather walk than drive a wagon or minivan, coincidentally, the Flex is a bit of both.
Originally Posted by teh CL
She was like "why do we need 2 CTS', we already have the V"... of course I came back with "an AWD CTS wagon with a V front end would be sick"... that was the end of that convo . She's also set on the GLA AMG, guess it could be worse..
I'm sure you'll throughly enjoy that thing.
I was not a fan of the GLA loaner I had. Felt considerably cheaper inside than the C, and the DCT seemed a bit jerky at parking lot/stop-go traffic speeds.
Originally Posted by rockstar143
mine wants a g wagon.
unfortunately I'm not that much of a g, waggin.
Mine wants a G-wagen as well, or a Telluride.
The Kia we could maybe swing, the G is a non-starter for a while.
I may take you up on that. I feel confident I can put 15-20k miles/year on this car with little trouble .. and if it does come up, nothing can be as bad as the S4. Another plus .. E46s are probably some of the most part abundant platforms ever.
As of right now - It's currently on H&R springs. Subframe doesn't appear to have any cracks and a lot of the control arms / upper shock tower bushings have been replaced. Car drives straight as an arrow and it's tight - feels fantastic for a 17 year old car.
E46 requires a ton of maintenance to keep it in good working order. Good news is that it's all fairly easy to do...especially for someone who can dismantle a B5 S4 in a matter of minutes.
Things to look at ASAP:
1.) The platform loves to eat rear suspension springs, especially the wagons, make sure you take a close look. They're often cracked at the bottom spring seat. The wagons got different springs than the coupe/sedan.
2.) The platform loves to eat suspension bushings and control arm ball joints, especially the fronts. If this is a RWD model, it's a piece of cake to do and will take you next to no time to get it done. If it's an AWD, clear a weekend. Don't ask how I know. Check them out to make sure they aren't leaking, loose, or both.
3.) The platform loves to eat cooling systems. Check ALL of the radiator hoses, water pump, etc for leaks, tears, weird noises, seepage, etc. If it hasn't been done already, replace the expansion (aka explosion) tank immediately. The plastic they used at the factor gets really brittle over time with heat cycling and, if not already done, you are on borrowed time for a rapid loss of coolant at some inopportune time. Since you have an auto, you have a clutch (engine) driven radiator fan and not an electric one, it's a PITA to remove and requires a special tool or some jerry rigging. Not sure if it's possible to do a swap to electric, I never had to deal with it since I had a manual.
4.) Valve cover and oil filter housing gaskets are notorious for leaking. Both are cheap and easy to fix, pretty easy to inspect too.
5.) Window regulators are also a pretty common issue but no need to deal with it until something actually goes wrong.
I'm sure I'm missing something but this is probably a good starting point. I didn't have an auto so I'm not familiar with any special things you have to do for them. I do remember people saying to not flush the trans fluid but to just drain and refill. Ditto for rear diff fluid.
Originally Posted by 00TL-P3.2
My wife would rather walk than drive a wagon or minivan, coincidentally, the Flex is a bit of both.
Buy a wagon for yourself and get her a bus pass.
There are two kinds of people in the world.
1.) Those who think wagons are the best cars on the planet
2.) People who are wrong.
Thankfully my wife fits into the first category and is in full support of AMG wagon. Sad part is she is not yet aware of the price.
Fuckin child's play...he literally used to tackle that list on his B5 weekly during his lunch break.
What else you got for him?
Springs are H&R Sport...they ain't cracked...
if it ain't leakin, you ain't peekin
There are two kinds of people in the world.
1.) Those who think wagons are the best cars on the planet
2.) People who are wrong.
Thankfully my wife fits into the first category and is in full support of AMG wagon. Sad part is she is not yet aware of the price.
My wife refuses to acknowledge that the Flex is classified as a wagon, albeit a huge one.
Sadly, for me, if I end up with a wagon in the driveway, it'll likely not be a performance model
The C has illuminated the running costs of a 'normal' German car, an AMG or similar Not sure I want to know at this time.
Fuckin child's play...he literally used to tackle that list on his B5 weekly during his lunch break.
What else you got for him?
Springs are H&R Sport...they ain't cracked...
if it ain't leakin, you ain't peekin
BMW installs leak hiders from the factory in the form of the underbody panels. You need to take those off to see what the real deal is.
If they're not cracked then cool but just take a peek and see. My rears were cracked for sure but I didn't keep it long enough after that to see if the Eibachs lasted longer.
Originally Posted by 00TL-P3.2
My wife refuses to acknowledge that the Flex is classified as a wagon, albeit a huge one.
Sadly, for me, if I end up with a wagon in the driveway, it'll likely not be a performance model
The C has illuminated the running costs of a 'normal' German car, an AMG or similar Not sure I want to know at this time.
Buy an Audi Allroad and tell her it's an SUV because of the body cladding.
I get the running costs but I have no kids at this point so YOLO.
E46 requires a ton of maintenance to keep it in good working order. Good news is that it's all fairly easy to do...especially for someone who can dismantle a B5 S4 in a matter of minutes.
Things to look at ASAP:
1.) The platform loves to eat rear suspension springs, especially the wagons, make sure you take a close look. They're often cracked at the bottom spring seat. The wagons got different springs than the coupe/sedan.
2.) The platform loves to eat suspension bushings and control arm ball joints, especially the fronts. If this is a RWD model, it's a piece of cake to do and will take you next to no time to get it done. If it's an AWD, clear a weekend. Don't ask how I know. Check them out to make sure they aren't leaking, loose, or both.
3.) The platform loves to eat cooling systems. Check ALL of the radiator hoses, water pump, etc for leaks, tears, weird noises, seepage, etc. If it hasn't been done already, replace the expansion (aka explosion) tank immediately. The plastic they used at the factor gets really brittle over time with heat cycling and, if not already done, you are on borrowed time for a rapid loss of coolant at some inopportune time. Since you have an auto, you have a clutch (engine) driven radiator fan and not an electric one, it's a PITA to remove and requires a special tool or some jerry rigging. Not sure if it's possible to do a swap to electric, I never had to deal with it since I had a manual.
4.) Valve cover and oil filter housing gaskets are notorious for leaking. Both are cheap and easy to fix, pretty easy to inspect too.
5.) Window regulators are also a pretty common issue but no need to deal with it until something actually goes wrong.
I'm sure I'm missing something but this is probably a good starting point. I didn't have an auto so I'm not familiar with any special things you have to do for them. I do remember people saying to not flush the trans fluid but to just drain and refill. Ditto for rear diff fluid.
Very much appreciate you writing this out.
Springs have been upgraded, so I don't anticipate on them cracking any time soon. I have a good idea on how it sounds because literally the same exact thing happened in my S4.
Cooling system has been overhauled - I checked pretty much any hose I could find with the hood popped and it looked pretty new, although I'm not so sure about the expansion tank.
Suspension feels SOLID - no pops, clicks, bangs, nothing ... I'm actually surprised at it's ride quality considering it's lowered, but I will keep that in mind.
Also, transmission fluid looks very fresh and it shifts buttery smooth.
Congrats! That looks like a wicked daily. Bonus points for a pop-out rear window!
It's my favorite feature by far ... no need to lift the hatch up to load up groceries / anything else.
Originally Posted by Yumcha
One of the best looking wagons out there. So, you now have an Audi and a BMW...which is more fun for you?
It's hard to say .. they're completely different animals. Depends on my mood ... which lately, has been cruising. BMW is a GREAT car to run errands in and run around. S4 is good for when ... well, you want to beat up on an unexpected 5.0 or newer M3
I know you were splitting your time between two cars but in my experience when one of their only biggest attributes is gas mileage...you don't truly enjoy driving it (aka the volvo).
Sooo with that said...now you are getting a taste of why I fuckin love having more than one car. You drive one and it's great for one thing...then you miss the other...then you row through
the gears and get up on it and show people you have a tiny peen all over town with some races and you park and you think man, I'd love to go for a stress free comfy cruise now.
I've driven the car about 250 miles since purchase and I'm definitely a big fan.
With very conservative driving between 70-75mph, I can average right around 29-30mpg on the freeway with various hills / grades.
Mixed in with some city / elevation changes, car managed 26.5mpg this weekend. I don't think it's out of the question that I can get over 400 miles to a tank ... thing has pretty impressive range for what it is.
The only things I'd like to do to the car is:
- Roof racks cuz wagon
- New wheel setup - Since the car is pretty low, the tires rub a tad bit on larger dips and it gets annoying as you start piling people in the car. Ideally, something much less aggressive so I can at least get it into the garage when it inevitably needs service.
.
.
I was not a fan of the GLA loaner I had. Felt considerably cheaper inside than the C, and the DCT seemed a bit jerky at parking lot/stop-go traffic speeds.
Not sure I want to know at this time.
