E46 M3 Convertible: Imperfectly perfect? UK Road Review by Shooting Brake 

Hi everyone! This E46 M3 is back up for sale on Shooting Brake as of today, 07/03/2024! The auction ends on 17/03/2024 20:00GMT. You can find the car on shootingbrake.com - as usual, we have a full suite of stunning photos, a comprehensive writeup and an exciting auction format that allows you to get your dream car at a price which suits you. If you're in the market for a convertible, or an M3, you can't do much better...

It's sad. This is a beautiful car. But car reviewers and the Internet made everyone believe that the convertible is no good.

Loved driving this convertible M3... as a dyed in the wool M3 Coupe owner this made me realise that 99% of the time the Convertible is a much more appealing car for the road. The use case is more E24 M635CSI than E30 M3, which is no bad thing! This example is easily the tidiest E46 I've ever seen in person and whoever wins the auction will be a lucky lucky owner!

I recently purchased 2003 convertible M3 with over two hundred thousand miles on the chassis. the car is in great shape, purchased it in Duluth GA. and drove it over 400 miles home without a hiccup. Great for tearing up the interstate of just cruising with the top down around the countryside. So far I have had no issues with the car, we now own two E46's, My wife's 330ci and my M3.

I have owned two E46 M3 convertibles, the best looking one was Carbon Black over a Cinnamon interior...very rich looking. The cars are OUTSTANDING. Also, let me congratulate you on the video, I am a new subscriber and really enjoy your content. This was a beautiful job, well done.

E39 M5 at 11:58 great shot!

I drive an '06 e46 M3 Vert as a daily and I love it. Will never sell it.

Still got mine bought in 2014 masterpiece of design and engineering they smashed it.

You've made me want to buy a rag top m3, something I never thought I wanted.

Had my 2005 one 8 years now and no regrets. it's in a condition most would describe as near showroom but it's got 142k miles and gets used regularly. Buyers note that if used often, then the bills will be plentiful, so be prepared for stuff needing replacing if the last owner hasn't seen to things and the mileage is climbing from 80k.... 2005 and 6 models have the CSL manifold, so you will get a meatier sounds when leaning on the throttle, even even more of a CSL sound if combined with an Eventuri..

Ive owned mine for the past 13 years, silver gray with imola red leather , I even love smg gearbox, when I bought mine the manual coupe was the same price if not cheaper as I held out for the right one , Ive got the hard top and have even had a roof rack on that for my fishing gear and bikes , cracking cars …

Great review! I was a little hesitant before getting mine last year, but after a year's worth of ownership, I'm absolutely loving it and it's great to hear people giving the convertible some love! And Topaz Blue is fantastic (I'm biased as I had a 330ci in Topaz over 20 years ago).

Great video, it made my day! Nice video footage with downbeat calm music (none of that racey bump-bum-bump beats you hear more and more...) and a beautiful car. I am driving a E46 M3 in midnight blue and grey interior in the Colorado Rockies. Best car purchase ever made! I drove a lot of pricier and more excotic sports cars but no other car gives me that many "smiles per gallon"... just unbelievable! On a crisp early morning put the top down, head into the Canyons of Colorado and listen to the glorious S54 just sing out loud in joy, reverberate against the rocky walls and you're in car heaven and you wish you'd never run out of road ahead... EVERY car enthusiast should experience that once in their lifetime.

Loved this. Great review. That engine! ATB - Simon 😀👍

Love this. I have E93 M3 and love it top up or down around town. If you aren’t going to the track on weekends, and even if you do, there’s nothing wrong with the verts. They’re a joy to drive every single time!

Great review, nice to see someone champion the cause of the ragtop M3.

I owned one of these same spec blue and grey interior. Left hand drive tho. 6 spd. That was a great car. Really miss it sometimes. Something about blasting your music and cruising with the top down just hits the spot for me.

Brilliant review 👍🏼 Good to see the convertibles getting some appreciation

Great video. Made me miss my old E46 M3 convertible and buy this one. Couldn’t agree more about cruising with the roof down. I toured Europe with the roof down in mine (at autobahn speeds) without problem. Awesome summer car.

That car is sooo beautiful!

I’ve got two in my collection, both SMG , one in silver grey & the other in Phoenix yellow, both cars are immaculate inside & out & both have done less than 40K.👌

Really enjoyed this video- gave me a new perspective on the vert and i definitely could see myself owning one, It would be the perfect london car

My friend has one he loves it soo much he said he would get rid of his c63 before even thinking about getting rid of the m3

Very happy to see some love for the E46 M3 convertible. I've had mine for four or five years and love it to bits. It's never going to be as dynamically excellent as the coupe but really who cares for most day to day driving. :-)

Couldn't agree more with this review! Having had 2x E46 M3 cabrio's both estoril blue, one manual one SMG (latest) I can assure you all this car puts a MASSIVE smile on your face every single time. If you do buy one with an SMG simply make sure you get the CSL uprated software installed and change the gearknob (storm motorwerks look best IMO). Maybe consider a refurbed SMG pump and a karbonius CSLesque intake FTW. Matching hard top for the winter looks amazing too and is really unique and not often shown in reviews? This example will make someone smile on sunday mornings...

Love the shot with the E39 M5 going the other way… Thinking about selling my F80 for one of these. Had a new 330i ZHP two decades ago and feel the the E46 wears the high water mark.

The thing is that the convertible drives almost the same as a coupe. The whole torsional rigidity thing is bollocks as an e46 Cabrio is still STIFFER than the e36 COUPE. And those e36s make amazing track cars. The Cabrios have a hatred for some reason, I think they are brilliant. I’ve taken mine to the Nürburgring a few times and easily stuck with some 911s, plus roof down and thrashing some backroads is an experience that you really can’t get in a coupe.

Really awesome video, makes me wana buy one

Is that's the prettiest car in the world

sick car, great reviewer !!

Great review 🔥🔥

A very good review indeed, usually I watch so called car reviewers on YT and they have very little or superficial knowledge. You clearly know this car, I used to own a Schwartz black example albeit SMG, and in a strange way I’m looking back at them as a fun daily. I have a lovely Porsche 996 C4S as a weekend car and had money for a fun daily car, and have tried several more modern cars, thinking fastest is most fun but it absolutely is not the case. I have a tuned Golf 7 R that does 0-60 in 3.8 seconds verified, but it, like many modern cars is just sooo boring. I’m looking at getting rid of the Golf R and getting back into an E46 M3 cab as my work daily, albeit I’m after a manual so I can fit a nice short shift and a lightened flywheel, I’ll change the rear diff ratio for a bit more urgency and that will do me just fine. I did experience quite a bit of scuttle shake in my old e46 M3 cab, but that was on 19’s, I think my next one will have to be on 18’s as they look quite nice with some spacers. Thank you for the review really enjoyed that, and also thank you for actually revving the car out properly, there are so many reviewers that just bang on and on and on but barely give the car any throttle it’s just waffle (Jayemm I’m looking at you) but your review was well balanced between hearing how the car goes and revs and providing great info, cheers to a proper car enthusiast and not one of the bandwagon types with bugger all knowledge.

Excellent video

I’d love it if you could do a review of an e39 m5

Started looking for E46's recently in the U.S. hopefully I can find a nice example. Was also looking for S2000's too but I think this video sold me.

Looks a very stately beast at low revs … and then you have lots of beans when you cain it .

About 5% of those that slag off Verts are track heroes. The rest are full of shit.

Ive got the metallic grey with Imola red interior full scorpion system sounds the nutz ..be nice to have another 100 brake in it though

The prices are also amazing only $15,000 for a normal 6-speed example near me. Up to $20k if you go for something extremely fancy

if you are not going to track the car this is the cheaper and better option

would you sell it

I see it hasn't got heated seats. That's a bit crazy for a convertible!

I'm gettin one 🤣✊️

for sale??

Standard exhaust but the tips look bigger, are they the euro tips? They look similar to the ones I have on mine