love the e46 m3 content

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.

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.

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

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

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!

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.

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

@ap4691

Ай бұрын

Is it more fun carving up the mountain roads in the SMG ? Yes definitely The main reason the CSL version is SMG only

@floyddasilva2719

Ай бұрын

Exactly

Some great info! Thanks! 👍

Great video! Great information

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

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.

@karread3589

Жыл бұрын

Is that a recall that was offered for all E46s?

@ghayes857

Жыл бұрын

@@karread3589 I believe just before 03 and up to 100k miles but not 100% sure.

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 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.

@PrecisionSportIndustries

Жыл бұрын

We just did Karbonius and it is very nice, each have their pros and cons.

@y2ksierra

Жыл бұрын

@@PrecisionSportIndustries I noticed you had the strut tower brace on the video car. Mine was way too close to the box so I had to leave it off for now. I just did brand new engine mounts, so that may have made it even closer? Still odd though that it didn’t clear.

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.

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

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

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.

@PrecisionSportIndustries

Жыл бұрын

Yes we have. It’s every e46 chassis, none of them are better or stronger than another. Taking care of the car helps but only so much.

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

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

@PrecisionSportIndustries

Жыл бұрын

This is a very hard range to give. Depending on different combinations of maintenance and what the car needs changes the overall cost. We do have straight pricing for manual swaps and such. However, even this changes completely depending on the needs of that vehicle specifically.

I miss mine. Hated the exhaust note

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?

@y2ksierra

Жыл бұрын

Haven’t heard much negatives about them as long as you stay on top. I have one with 150k miles in my touring and another with 179k miles. Both feel as strong as the lower mileage ones I’ve been around.

@willdavis5105

11 ай бұрын

207k on mine runs like the 30k mile one I’ve driven.

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

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

Neeed more e46 m3 content

How much is the big 3

I love

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

@PrecisionSportIndustries

Жыл бұрын

Yes we do shoot us an email! Sales@precision-sport.com

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.

@PrecisionSportIndustries

Жыл бұрын

Yes it’s needed, they are not stronger.

@sc2youtube744

Жыл бұрын

@Precision Sport Industries at what mileage would you say it's critical to do the reinforcement? It seems like the consensus on rod bearings is around 80-100k miles so was wondering if theres something similar for the subframe. Also, are there other jobs that can easily be done at the same time as the subframe reinforcement?

What state are you in ?

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

@PrecisionSportIndustries

9 ай бұрын

Shoot us an email! Sales@precision-sport.com

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

@PrecisionSportIndustries

4 ай бұрын

Please email us, sales@precision-sport.com

Save the manuals! 😤

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

@y2ksierra

Жыл бұрын

The 100k mile one will need everything. Past 125k or so and you’ll find a lot of things have already been done. I just bought one with 179k miles but it wasn’t maintained that well, so it needs everything. I’ve since sorted it out and it’s a great car.

@jayvalenciia

Жыл бұрын

@@y2ksierra just subscribed! thanks!

How long are rod bearings good for after change

@oversteer6771

Жыл бұрын

I hear if it’s a track car then 50k but if it’s a weekend car then 100k plus

@JAMA1998

Жыл бұрын

For BE bearings they'll last the lifetime of the engine, for OEM bearings it's a guessing game.

@oversteer6771

Жыл бұрын

@@JAMA1998 not true , all bearings wear will wear out on this thing, the application is what accelerates it

@JAMA1998

Жыл бұрын

@@oversteer6771 On a normal car engine, rod bearings don't wear in any considerable manner because they're properly sized. BMW put bearings with too little clearance in these cars which is what causes the wear issue. BE bearings have more clearance than stock therefore fixing the issue permanently. I've seen people pull them out after 40-50k miles looking basically brand new, something you'll never see with OEM bearings.

@oversteer6771

Жыл бұрын

@@JAMA1998 hmm interesting, I went with acl, hopefully they do well

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.

@PrecisionSportIndustries

Жыл бұрын

Sounds like you have a great condition car. Most E46 M3 have a checkered past and we have no idea how they were treated.

@rabmc

Жыл бұрын

@@PrecisionSportIndustries Thanks, what annoys me is you see for sale ads and “boot floor inspected” no cracking. When anyone who knows anything about these cars knows they all crack to some extent and a subframe removal will only tell how bad. Learned today my oil temp/level sensor has failed and I’ve only did an oil change 4 weeks ago. I’ve seen videos of people using the vacuum method to stop the oil from draining out.

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

@edouble0325

2 ай бұрын

You ruined the car by swapping out the SMG for one of the world’s worst manual transmissions. Good luck clowning yourself with that rubber band attached to a stick, thinking you’re a badass

Legit only watched because e46