Hello everyone, today I purchased my new to me 2002 pre lci 330xi. I bought it as a car to work on, everything works on it just have a couple cosmetic upgrades in mind. Recommendations are welcome so far I’ve got LED Bulbs, regular bmw logo for front, new side markers, halos, MTec front bumper, spacers for rear wheels, short shifter, and just some paint correction on rough edges. Bought for $3200 CAD 5 speed manual; and 216k kms. Excited to begin the journey! Also have a 2005 Acura TL as the reliable daily haha.

Has anyone had luck selling on BaT? I tried to list my 5-speed 2002 330ci convertible with 92k miles but they rejected it. Would you think that $7k is too much/too little for it?

Any other recommended places?

Just above the tray there is a plastic thing hanging out. What is it for/what does it do?

2001 Pre facelift UK spec 330ci

2000 E46 with the m43b19

My issue is that after a certain amount of driving the car just wont start after being driven (it never does this on cold starts) and whenever i am trying to start the car it takes roughly 5 to 6 tries and starts but very very hard i have to give it some gas otherwise the rpms drop. For example i drive 500km with no start issues then it will does this and i either have to try to start 5 times or more or let it cool down completely then start it and again no issues for 500km then again the same problem. No power loss no sluggish acceleration nothing.

Scanned it multiple times with inpa and recived no codes.

I have changed the crankshaft position sensor also spark plugs ignition wires.

I need some advice on what to do because im out of ideas :/

Thinking of changing the camshaft sensor aswell but dont know if it will make a difference

What do you guys think?

Currently running a set of maxpeeding rods coilovers that came with my e46 when I bought it, not confirmed on the model but pretty sure they are T6’s, they ride like absolutely dog shit and I’m so sick of it. I found a set of used bilstein b14’s on marketplace for $400. Should I spend the money and buy them? Really like my current ride height and would prefer to keep it.

Time to store my 330Xi with 93.000 miles for the winter.

I was driving to Switzerland and it started raining; turned on the old wipers and they acted accordingly. It wasn't raining hard so I put them on the intermittent/rain detection mode. After a while I noticed it wasn't wiping anymore, so I pulled down on the lever to to it manually. No reaction.

Moving the lever up or down to different stances, there was no longer any reaction from the windshield wipers. I was started to get worried because I still had like 5 hours of driving to do and the rain was getting worse. Notably, the sprayers ALSO stopped working.

After about 5-10 minutes all this functionality suddenly came back online, and have been totally fine since.

Should I worry about this and do some preventive maintenance? Where could the problem likely be located? I was thinking it must be an electrical problem because

- both wipers stopped working at the same time

- the sprayers also stopped working

As ever, any words of wisdom would be very much appreciated!

Hi, I have a 2003 e46 325ti (compact). It is my daily driver so I don't want to weld the diff. I am thinking of buying an aftermarket helical diff (https://www.kamracing.co.uk/blackline-helical-lsd-bmw-3-series-e46-hlf024.html). Does anyone have any information if it is good for sliding occasionally?

So I've been seeing these Style 46 16' wheels online and i dont know like i really dont know what to think about them. I dont think i've ever seen them irl on someones car, but they lowkey look clean and period correct, but also they look like they belong on some shit car and i dont know if i should get them?

I got some rep wheels at the moment on my car and they're black, but I've been thinking of painting them silver and they would actually look good, but idk if i should just get new OEM ones like these in the picture?

Car that i have is a 1999 316i sedan dark blue pretty clean no rust and im thinking of bringing the car back to its factory glory so its as clean as it can be. I dont want anything flashy or non OEM on it since its a 1.9l 105hp car.

Here’s a quick look behind the scenes at a BMW Business CD (CD43) Bluetooth integration and volume control replacement.

Bluetooth is fully integrated into the radio while retaining all the original functions, including the CD-changer and AM radio, as well as the OEM appearance.

A DIY kit for anyone with good soldering experience will be available later this year, with an installation service and fully refurbished radios to follow next year.

I am upgrading from a 2.93 to a 3.38 diff on my E46.

In the video, I'm holding the input flange stationary and turning one of the output flanges. From what I've read, the opposite output flange should rotate smoothly in the opposite direction.

Except it is not smooth.

It feels a bit notchy, with resistance building up and then releasing at regular intervals, almost like I can feel the gear teeth meshing.

Everything else rotates buttery smooth, including the input flange.

The diff has no oil as was emptied for shipping.

Is this normal for a dry diff, or could there be an issue with the spider gears?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Hey everyone my beloved 330i dumped coolant everywhere, but didn't really overheat (trip wasn't long enough for anything serious to happen) I got it towed to a mechanic. Today they've done some initial diagnosis and have noted a failed TK test and picked up hydrocarbons in the coolant mix. Also that the system just isn't taking the coolant "through" when adding more.

They've suggested further inspection to see if anything has happened to the head gasket or cylinder heads. This has made my heart sink.

Is it possible that we have a failed water pump? This was removed along with the clutch fan in a recent DIY, along with a potentially unbled coolant re-add.

I'm obviously going to let the continue investigation but wondering and hoping here...

guys im trying to get my subframe in, all the other three bolts are hand tightened flush super easy, this other one is stuck on the left. any tips ? thanks

Hello again! I believe I want to put a GTR kit onto my car and keep the paint in beautiful carbon black metallic. I’m a little worried that the community will assume rice or say that I’ve ruined a timeless classic. To a lot of people my car looks absolutely beautiful. However I’m also pretty set on sending it off to be kitted up. Some actual opinions and thoughts would be great, thank you!

Supercharged 330i need a part # for belt , I contacted Vf and the belt they gave me is loose . I need the routing too

Running low on oil, gonna do an oil change asap anyway, engine is warmed up well. Please help😭

After trying different bulbs with no improvement and having terrible yellow lenses, I pulled my headlights apart and found the reflective coating had burned off the projector bowls. I rebuilt them using eBay lenses and a projector rebuild kit from Retrofitlab.

The job took all weekend. The Retrofitlab kit was mediocre quality and lacked grounding attachments. I reused the original solenoids and cutoff flaps because they were better quality. The eBay lenses fit reasonably well but needed some sanding and scratch much more easily than the originals. I removed the old butyl with a heat gun and resealed them with new butyl.

The new reflector bowls and clear lenses made a huge difference. I’d estimate around 80% more light, with a crisp, defined beam.

Total cost was about $450. If you have the time, it’s worth considering over spending $2,500+ on new assemblies.

Hey everyone!
Yesterday, I noticed a strange fluttering or knocking noise coming from my engine bay while the car was idling.
I’m having a hard time figuring out exactly where it’s coming from, but it seems to be somewhere around the air intake hose or intake manifold.
The car is a 2001 BMW E46 320Ci with the M54B22 engine.
The engine runs normally, there’s no noticeable loss of power, and no warning lights are on.
I’ve attached a video so you can hear the noise.
Does anyone recognize this sound or have an idea what might be causing it?
Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

Bought an e46 325ci 2005 plate around a month ago, instantly had overheating issues which were not previously mentioned (he was forthcoming about other issues). Got it diagnosed today, mechanic stated he’s taken plugs out and put a scope inside and found water running, settling with an head gasket issue. Any advice on what to do forward? Is it worth going ahead with the repair or better off trying legal routes to get my money back

Hey everyone!

I recently bought an INPA K+DCAN USB OBD2 cable with a switch, along with a 20-pin round adapter for my 1998 BMW E46 323i (M52TUB25).

Here are the two cables I purchased:

K+DCAN USB OBD2 cable (with switch): https://www.amazon.nl/OTKEFDI-Inpa-Ediabas-Expert-Rheingold/dp/B07K52N1TY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=QZ04874HUF07&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.3WzywYqDN3Innjufa_htfH03XH5LhJstOKFzvK03GSbERu8Qy6LFRv2Z3VbMecT3VqVqByBgboPtiLNcfFhE5rN7olk95VSUBkM_oaV0VVY.PmzHvG05zpiObmChZhE6SakWu7mDG8-b3XEsDpjdDRY&dib_tag=se&keywords=otkefdi+inpq&qid=1793116865&sprefix=otkefdi+inpq%2Caps%2C132&sr=8-1

OBD2 to BMW 20-pin adapter: https://www.amazon.nl/gp/aw/d/B07YQQ2M1M?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

I installed all the necessary software using Mike’s Easy BMW Tools, including INPA.
However, I’m having a strange issue when connecting everything.

Here’s what happens:
I connect the K+DCAN USB cable to my laptop, and Windows recognizes it.
I connect the cable to the 20-pin adapter under the hood of my BMW.
The red LED on the K+DCAN cable lights up for approximately 5–6 seconds.
During those few seconds, INPA actually seems to recognize the connection! Both the Battery and Ignition indicators turn black (filled circles) instead of remaining empty.
As soon as the red LED on the K+DCAN cable turns off, both black circles in INPA disappear and become empty again, as if the connection was lost.
The K+DCAN cable also starts getting extremely hot, to the point where it’s uncomfortable to hold.
The strange part is that this happens even BEFORE turning the ignition to position 2. The key isn’t even turned to the ignition-on position when this happens.
The switch on my K+DCAN cable is currently set to the left position. I haven’t tried switching it to the right because, from what I understand, the left position should be correct for my older E46.

So basically, INPA briefly shows both Battery and Ignition as detected, but after around 5–6 seconds, the red LED goes out, both indicators disappear, and the cable starts overheating.

My questions:
Could this simply be a defective K+DCAN cable?

Could the 20-pin adapter be wired incorrectly or incompatible with my 1998 E46?

Does the switch position matter for my particular model?

Has anyone experienced a K+DCAN cable overheating and the red LED turning off after a few seconds?

Why would INPA briefly detect both Battery and Ignition, even though the ignition isn’t switched on?

Is there anything I can safely check before ordering another cable?

I’ve disconnected everything for now because I’m worried about damaging my laptop or the car’s electronics.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Hey the car is a 2000 328i its happened 3 times and sounds like it’s coming from all around

Edit: I think it’s coming from the fans, it happens even if ac is off but definitely sounds like it’s something in there

Do they sell everything you need to install a hood as a kit, just without the hood? Talking hinges, windshield fluid hoses and nozzles, grills, emblems etc

Does anyone know the name of this spoiler thank you!