Planning on buying my 1st Bimmer, but only a 2nd hand car.

[gh0str1d3r]

Hi,


Need your help on this, choosing between the 2, E46 316i manual transmission or 1999 E46 318i automatic transmission?


Who has the better engine of the two, in terms of reliability, parts availability and most importantly fuel economy?


The 316i has the N40 engine 1.6liter and the 318i has the M43 engine 1.8liter.

Is the N40 less reliable than the M43?

[Dr.Kamiya]

N40 is pretty solid. It's a really simple design with no VANOS so it's less picky with oil. DOHC head and newer design means it's just as strong as the M43B18.

OTOH M43 was already old even when the E46 came out (M4x engine dates back to the late '80s and saw use in the E30). SOHC head means it's not really any faster than the N40 316i. The "good" E46 318i is the one with the N42 or N46.

[jut703]

Too old. F30 320d or 328i if you still want the gravitas of a BMW that looks like a modern luxury car.

Or if you wanna go hard on the old school route then might as well get an E39.


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[viper888]

E39 is a looker, I would love to have one but I wouldnt have the time for it.

Consider where you live, in Metro Manila there are a number of BMW shops (European Motors, Europlus, Bimmer Monkeys, Sportline, and etc).

The smaller engine with a manual will be presumably easier to maintain and parts for basic things are plentiful. The only item I had to wait for in mine was a side mirror glass piece. The rest of the things like alternators and etc are fine. Come to think of it not much has been changed in 60k kms.

I would check if it leaks oil since that is a syndrome of some BMWs.

[gh0str1d3r]

So is the 316i with 1.6liter N40 engine, ok for daily use? I wont have any issues with it?


By the way I live here in Marikina, Any good and trusted shop for BMW near my area? Also any well known shops for spare parts and after markets near me also? Because the bimmer I'm eyeing to buy has an issue, speedometer and the small meter below the tachometer, the economy gauge is not working also. What could be the issue, is it cheap fix?

[travajante]

So is the 316i with 1.6liter N40 engine, ok for daily use? I wont have any issues with it?


By the way I live here in Marikina, Any good and trusted shop for BMW near my area? Also any well known shops for spare parts and after markets near me also? Because the bimmer I'm eyeing to buy has an issue, speedometer and the small meter below the tachometer, the economy gauge is not working also. What could be the issue, is it cheap fix?

Don't move in w/ someone you're infatuated w/ just yet.
Old bimmers? You gotta commit. Be very ready. Good luck![emoji1696]
Oh...realOEM, FCPEuro, ecsTuning, Pelican will be your new best friends.[emoji4]


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[viper888]

I wouldnt buy a car with a broken speedometer
because that means the odometer isnt accurate anymore

[Egan101]

Lexus IS na lang. Hehehe


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[dr. d]

Lexus IS na lang. Hehehe


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agree with this.

sino ba nagsabi dito, "bimmers are money pits!"

personal thoughts lang po.
i am sure, others' thoughts may differ.

[thearsenal1205]

Lexus IS na lang. Hehehe


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+1 on the Lexus IS. The IS350 not just better looking and modern than the E46, it's also throws the 4 cylinder E46s out in the water with it's 3.5L V6 engine. Plus it has easy to find parts. since it shares the engine with Toyota models like Alphard.

[travajante]

Some restomod inspiration...Reimagined by Redux.[emoji4]
https://youtu.be/xgFt5tJUkNg

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[babkalakal]

kung e46 at the age of the car mag expect ka na may mga maintenance items ka malamang sa sigurado. with small displacement bnw's check that the oil has been changed often. even if condition based service started with the e90 prone sa sludge if kulang sa oil change. tingnan mo ilalim ng oil cap. check also plastic parts lalo na sa radiator at its age dapat napalitan na for your peace of mind.

yung gauge cluster mo kun pundi ang pixels alam ko pwede ka mag surplus. sa ibang bansa na re repair nila yan di ko alam kung mayroon sa atin. if broken ang odometer you can double check that with a obd scanner. mileage on the dash are taken from the wheels mayroon seperate mileage counter din sa body control module taken from the transmission. they will not match 100% pero they should be close.

ayaw mo ng straight-6 na bmw? after all forte nila yun noon dun sila sumikat?

[travajante]

kung e46 at the age of the car mag expect ka na may mga maintenance items ka malamang sa sigurado. with small displacement bnw's check that the oil has been changed often. even if condition based service started with the e90 prone sa sludge if kulang sa oil change. tingnan mo ilalim ng oil cap. check also plastic parts lalo na sa radiator at its age dapat napalitan na for your peace of mind.

yung gauge cluster mo kun pundi ang pixels alam ko pwede ka mag surplus. sa ibang bansa na re repair nila yan di ko alam kung mayroon sa atin. if broken ang odometer you can double check that with a obd scanner. mileage on the dash are taken from the wheels mayroon seperate mileage counter din sa body control module taken from the transmission. they will not match 100% pero they should be close.

ayaw mo ng straight-6 na bmw? after all forte nila yun noon dun sila sumikat?

Not just these. Generally, never expect euros to age as well as nippons. Issues you've never heard of will happen & the common ones, sooner. Headliners will sag. Fuel pumps, pressure regulators, thermostats, rubber components, gaskets/seals seem engineered to last just beyond warranty. Electronics & diagnostics are mostly proprietary, designed for dealership dependence. And, they're more complex to work on. To access everything under the engine bay, most have to be put on service mode where the front bumper & frame gotta be off. They're DIYable....but not as simple as nippons of the same age.

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[papi smith]

Is Volvo still considered as Euro?

[Egan101]

Is Volvo still considered as Euro?

Of course, despite its owners are now Chinese (Geely).

Rover and Jaguar are both Euro brands but now owned by Tata (Indian).


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[travajante]

Of course, despite its owners are now Chinese (Geely).

Rover and Jaguar are both Euro brands but now owned by Tata (Indian).


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But MG just can't be anymore[emoji2957]

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[carterkamryn]

Hi,


Need your help on this, choosing between the 2, E46 316i manual transmission or 1999 E46 318i automatic transmission?


Who has the better engine of the two, in terms of reliability, parts availability and most importantly fuel economy?


The 316i has the N40 engine 1.6liter and the 318i has the M43 engine 1.8liter.

Is the N40 less reliable than the M43?

"Between the two, the E46 318i with the M43 engine is generally more reliable and has better parts availability. The 316i's N40 engine is known for being less durable and more maintenance-intensive. Fuel economy differences are minimal, but the M43's proven reliability makes it a safer choice overall."

[waihoong]

BMW 318i G20 problem

Hey all, kinda stuck and dunno what to do. Got myself a new G20 in Aug 2024 and it's making this howling sound when the car is slowing down or even stopped. Look at the videos.
Proton Drive
Proton Drive

What was done:
Went in 3 times to dealer. Took out the brakes and wheels - no issue found.
Suspected AC expansion valve - replaced the valve, top-up refrigerant

None of those help. Anyone experienced this? Heard of this?
The dealership has no idea what's wrong ....

[xninjax]

BMW 318i G20 problem

Hey all, kinda stuck and dunno what to do. Got myself a new G20 in Aug 2024 and it's making this howling sound when the car is slowing down or even stopped. Look at the videos.
Proton Drive
Proton Drive

What was done:
Went in 3 times to dealer. Took out the brakes and wheels - no issue found.
Suspected AC expansion valve - replaced the valve, top-up refrigerant

None of those help. Anyone experienced this? Heard of this?
The dealership has no idea what's wrong ....

Do you hear the noise only when the AC is ON?

[waihoong]

Do you hear the noise only when the AC is ON?

AC is always ON, so I gotta test that. The frustrating thing is, it's not easy to reproduce. It's happening at random.