A Deeper Dive into BMW E46 M3 Ownership 

To be fair you can't do much on an e46 without dipping into the after market. BMW just doesn't support these old cars and the NOS parts are running out.

love the e46 m3 content

Truly one of the greatest road cars ever made. And perhaps the last true M car. The dream.

Other work done on this E46 referenced before PSI finished the build with the manual swap: B6 shocks with OE springs (*chef's kiss*) OE CSL sway bars front and rear Full Powerflex Bushings front/rear Turner Camber/caster kit Eibach rear adjustable camber arms Dr. VANOS full overhaul VAC Performance rod bearings + ARP bolts CSF Aluminum Rad + silicone hoses top and bottom Front and rear subframes dropped and fully reinforced/welded Stoptech Street Sport brake kit and steel lines front and rear Other maintenance included replacing almost every serviceable item including diff overhaul, drive shaft overhaul, clutch/flywheel, power steering, starter, alternator, etc, and hose, clamp, and bolt from front to rear. PSI did an awesome job on the swap, and it drives 100% now; I can't imagine a better driver-spec E46 M3. Alexis at PSI was amazing; she kept me up to date from start to finish, worked with me at every step, and even advised on shipping the car to/from PSI. And a shout-out to Active Autowerke @TheActiveAutowerke: the tune on this car feels factory stable but makes great power; dyno proven 330 wheel for a 21-year-old car is proof.

Mine currently has 172k on the dash, and I'd trust it to take me across the country and back. Daily drove it for 3.5 years and absolutely loved every mile.

Please make more videos about the m3 e46 this channel has the best ones I’ve seen so far 👌👌

I truly don’t understand the hate for smg. I have one and love it. Is it different yes, is it bad no.

Good video. I love shifting for myself in my ‘04 M3 cabriolet. Also recently had the Vanos rebuilt.

Excellent guide to E46 M3 ownership. Thank you!

Great video! Great information

Some great info! Thanks! 👍

well it looks like a found my new beemer shop😆 love seeing a shop thats really passionate and knowledgable about what they do

What are your thoughts on these cars VS the Z4M Coupe? There's so little information on them from knowledgeable people such as you out there. I'd love to know how you would compare them in terms of handling, modding, ownership, anything you can think of. There's so few comparison videos out there too... might make a killer video if you found the right one.

Taking mine out winter hibernation tomorrow. Got my first m3 e46 in August 2022, 70k miles on it, got the rod bearings changed at the dealer for free, recall was never done. Doing vanos, valve adjustment and subframe next month. I’ll finally be able to drive it and not worry.

Thanks for the detailed background information.

I had a Stahlgrau E46 M3 for 6 years. Ran fine but: Bremi ignition coils went (later recalled), had the engine bottom end done as a recall, and at the end, both door seals fell down/apart ($$$). Otherwise, solid as a rock.

I have an smg car with a new pump, and its pretty cool, honestly.

How many hours are required to do "the big 3?" Let's presume at a qualified/experienced shop. No idea what to expect on how long they might have my car and price will be correlated to hours needed. Very informative video, and disappointed to hear that ragtops need the support added, but glad to know. Thanks in advance.

I miss mine. Hated the exhaust note

I’m on your website wanting to order the black grills are they open? It says m performance for the e70 x5m

I much prefer the Karbonius box to the Turner one. I just installed a Turner and it’s not near the level of my Karb box but it does get the job done and looks decent.

I’m considering keeping the SMG besides the pump what is something to service or upgrade??

What do you recommend for manual transmission fluid. My getrag can be a little tough to shift. Tried OEM BMW fluid and it did not help. Used Amsoil MTF and it helped significantly.

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Great info. Have you seen any Convertibles with subframe issues ? Do these have stronger Subframes/chassis mounting points? I have a 2002 Convertible with hardtop. No track use and no hard driving.

Low mileage 05 in my area. What do I need to budget for the top 3

Neeed more e46 m3 content

Thank you for these videos. Can you include your average price for the maintenance/repair in the videos?

This is fantastic. Would love your thoughts on the longevity of the S54, particularly in cars that are occasionally taken to the track. With the engine becoming more rare and more expensive, is it still viable to keep the S54? If not, what swap recommendations would you have?

I wonder if owner is selling smg steering wheel, i wanna buy it and put it in e39 automatic

Save the manuals! 😤

I love

Do you think the subframe reinforcement is critical on a convertible stock daily driver that occasionally gets some fun weekend canyon driving? Ive heard convertibles are stronger.

Do you guys do payment plans on repairs? I want to bring my car to your shop to get checked out

hey man ive got a e46 m3 and i was wondering how much it would be to have you guys work on my car.

How much is the big 3

What is the general cost to reinforce the sub and to replace rod bearings ?

Im in the market for one, would you rather get a 100k example w/o the big 3 done or a $160-170k one w/ the big 3 done

What state are you in ?

How long are rod bearings good for after change

I’ve owned my my 2004 e46 m3 for 9yrs, last year at 120k miles done my rod bearings with standard OEM items and they were hardly worn and had 50k left at rough guess left in them. Waste of money for me personally for the 2/3k miles and yearly oil changes that I do.

Legit only watched because e46

i’ve had a 2006 e46 m3 for 6 years now and I would never get rid of it. I got it as an smg and although it is a lot of fun, after going through 2 smg pumps it just wasn’t worth it. Manual swapping this car was the best decision i could have ever made for this car. the thing im running into now is the cams are going bad so im probably going to put the schrick aftermarket cams because genuine bmw cams are way too expensive. with proper maintenance, which is all mentioned in this video, this car is heaven on earth