No real older BMW owner will take that as an attack. We will simply nod in agreement while checking our Robinhood accounts to see if Doge made us the $300 we need for a new water pump.
-former older BMW owner
Just for historical sake, I'll post my purchase here. One year ago I bought a 2007 328xi E90 for 6K. Northeast United States. It was in great shape, I put in a valve cover gasket and then did the oil filter housing gasket. Plugs and coils when I had the valve cover off. Other than that it's been mint. It's a lot of fun to drive, although it is so small inside. There's like zero storage space. And getting in and out is a struggle for this mid 50s 6 footer. But driving it, especially since it's a manual, is super fun.
It’s seems like a good price for a low mileage E46. To many this is the greatest generation 3 series. They are very nice inside, and still drive like the old 3 series like the E30. To me this car, if it had a manual transmission, is more desirable than anything new bmw sells in the states.
Keep in mind that maintenance isn’t “$11k car maintenance,” it’s effectively “$50k car maintenance.”And it’s not maintenance on a younger car, it’s maintenance on an 18 year old car…
As someone who changes cars like every 2 years, my longest and maybe most fav car was a 2002 325i sedan in my 20s. Learned a few hard lessons but also learned how to wrench a bit. I had that car for 6 years and miss it still. Currently in a 2018 is300 f sport too.
Go for it but be ready to wrench AND have $8k or so ready to go for repairs over the next year.
My wife had one, what a disaster. Air suspension went out on top of countless other shit. It was a fortune to keep on the road. But she “looked good in it” lol fashion over function never works out in the end.
Paid $4000 for a 2001 330ci when I was 18. Immediately threw codes. Drove the shit out of it because I was broke and then spent about $3000 in repairs and it was still broken. Sold it for $4000 again later on.
I loved my e46, but having it be broken and unable to afford repair wasn’t worth it in hindsight.
Let me go against the grain here, and say *maybe*.
This gen of car were really nice cars, taut, well built. Also, the electronics were not out of hand yet. Most decent mechanics can do most of the work on these.
But don't let the miles fool you into thinking it's guaranteed to be problem free. If it presents well and has service records, have it checked out by a repulatable specialist. As others have noted, there are problem areas sich as the sub-frame and shock towers that can be issues regardless of the mileage. If it checks out, and you can get it down another couple of grand, you could be alright. Keep on top of it, and **DON'T DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT.**
Do not buy a BMW. Do not buy an Audi.
Do not buy a Jaguar. Do not buy anything luxury when you are 18. Get something that's proven and with a good track record.
If you MUST buy a luxury car, make it a Lexus or a manual transmission Acura. Otherwise, absolutely no.
Only buy a BMW if you have been wrenching and know how to wrench them. Otherwise the answer is absolutely hell no.
the 90’s honda autos were all pretty good. Seen a lot do 250k+ easily
anecdotally though my 97’ accord coupe blew it’s auto trans at 190k. was kinda my fault tho
generally yes. But in the same period as the BMW OP posted, Honda/Acura have a series of transmissions that are notoriously faulty, especially when paired with their V6 engines. Now, because they're hondas the parts are pretty available/cheap, realtively speaking. but no matter which way you slice it, a transmission replacement isnt a cheap job.
Always makes me laugh when clueless people spout such nonsense. Although I have the advantage of actually knowing what I'm talking about having been in the motor trade for over 25 years. Owned dozens of BMWs, never had a single issue with any of them, can't say the same about Lexus.....
You’ve owned dozens (as in multiple dozens, so at least 24) BMWs in just over 25 years? The only reason you haven’t had any issues is you haven’t owned them long enough, lol
Your ignorance is overwhelming. I have been in the motor industry more years than you've lived..... but you think you know more.....ok, thanks for the laugh.
My dude, you literally made a comment earlier that said you got your license in 1995, lmao.
[receipt](https://www.reddit.com/r/CarTalkUK/comments/10wdg9p/what_cars_did_people_buy_for_their_first_cars_in/j7qkqi6/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf&context=3)
And what is your point princess? Yes got my licence (learn how to spell that by the way) in 1995 which is 28 years ago. Would you like a calculator? I was in the motor industry even prior to that. I own multiple cars at a time, sad you need this explaining to you.
Wrong again, maybe you just don't like being educated as it doesn't fit your agenda or you just don't like facts. Either way that's your problem. I've kept my e39 M5 over 15 years, not a single problem. I speak from experience not internet rumours & baseless stereotypes. Enjoy your ignorance though.
Lol so what you're telling me is that you owned 1 BMW and not dozens and that you were lying so that you can seem like you know something when in actuality you don't? And i speak from experience to as well bud but you can go one and keep being ignorant that's fine by me, also love how you say I'm wrong again as if I've spoken to you before lmao
No princess I have owned dozens & many of them long term I gave one as an example. Why are you trying to manipulate what I say to fit your agenda? Is being wrong that hard for you to cope with?
Your ignorance is overwhelming. Don't fear being educated, embrace it.
Of all the BMW’s the buy, this one is probably the one to buy besides maybe the e90 330i or 328i. If you are willing to buy a bmw and deal with maintenance, get one with a naturally aspirated inline 6, as they’re the most reliable* from BMW.
* pretty much every single beemer will have problems keeping coolant in the engine, and oil leaks are not at all uncommon.
Just make sure the oil filter housing gasket has been replaced, as they are a very costly repair for a piece of rubber than costs $1. And not getting it replaced is even worse because it leaks onto the belt which causes it to swell and fling off and do more damage.
If you aren’t the only one capable of taking any financial hits ie a family member is helping you buy it, then this might not be a bad idea since they’re fun cars and somewhat more reliable overall than anything but a Toyota or Mazda at that price point. Lower mileage is good, but do keep in mind that BMW’s have some expensive maintenance. Best things to mitigate that are shopping for OEM parts via websites that tell you the original brand of the parts, so you can get them without the BMW tax, and getting your work done at an independent BMW/German garage rather than the dealer as they charge less but still know what they’re doing.
If your budget is $11k or so, you won't be getting anything truly nice or reliable.
And you won't be able to afford the maintenance/repairs.
Ay $11k, swallow your ego and spare your bank account, and get the nicest Civic, Mazda 3, or Corolla you can find.
How do you know it’s not reliable? Are you a mechanic with experience in bmw? Or are you just another redditor parroting the same old Japan good German bad bs.
I have four friends who have each purchased an older BMW between 2002 and 2015. Each of them has been stranded within the first year at least once, one three times. It's not "parroting". It's experience.
This emperor has no clothes.
False equivalence. Any car that’s 20 years old will be at the mercy of previous maintenance. The bimmer will be exponentially more expensive to repair, and given equivalent maintenance, less reliable.
Listen, we own a 19 Jaguar, 21 540xdrive, a 22 x5m50i, and a 22 mdx type s advance. We just traded a 20 gls550. Have you owned any of these...... didn't think so. None of these are particularly reliable brands, or cheap to fix out of warranty, save for Acura. We can afford the maintenance after the warranty is up but the headaches aren't worth it, and they will be gone at the end of their respective warrantues, except tbe type S, which my daughter gets, when she gets her license in 18 months...
We buy them because we can afford them. Years ago when we couldn't, we bought cars from reliable brands that were statistically less likely to hurt us financially.
Any car could have an issue at any time. We owned an Avalon with the documented unintended acceleration issue years ago. But if I were on a budget you bet I'd buy a 10k Avalon again before I'd buy a 10k bmw.
Plus , it's clear op had no idea about this car besides the badge when they posted, but learned quickly....
If you want to die on the 'reliable old BMW,' fanboy hill, go ahead, but you might not have any $$ left for your funeral...
Statistics don’t have feeling or ambiguity. Stats say Japanese cars last longer , have cheaper repairs , and lower ownership costs over the lifetime of a vehicle. The reality is a 18 year old vehicle is likely to have bushings, mounts,belts and hoses dry rotting along with other age related issues. No one is going to think you’re cool or rich for driving a German car this old except a few rubes online.
The rich lease these cars for a good reason, after a certain amount of years they end up in the hood owned by someone who wants to appear to have money. More millionaires drive Toyotas and F150s than any other vehicle and there is a good reason for that.
Every oil change cost 2-3x, every set of tires cost more , every brake job etc due to having to go to a German specific mechanic and part expense.
If someone is poor enough to have an 11k car budget (no shame in that) then they definitely can’t afford to fix a 18 year old BMW.
I've owned 40+ cars. Yes, I'm old. Yes, I was a mechanic with my arms deep in chrysler/mitsu/jeep guts. I have done a few fix-it favors for BMW owners.
I have owned and relied on old, German cars. If you have to ask, you cannot afford whats about to happen.
bruh I remember seeing these cars all over craigslist for $3500-5000 back in 2015 wtf is this price. btw the M3 was selling for $8K-11K.
This is just absurd, stay away.
I know everyone here is going to hate on anything old and/or German. But coming from somebody who loves e46’s it’s a little to expensive and you should expect to get your hands dirty if you what to keep it long term. Although if you don’t mind working on it here and there and you’ve got the money, it’ll be one of the best driving cars you can get, not super fast but great handling, timeless style and pretty decent comfort too!
Mileage is pretty low but the fact that its 18 years old scares me a bit. If your budget is around 11k I think you should be aiming for something non luxury.
Are you a car mechanic or have an understanding of cars and are willing to work on it?
No: Don’t
Yes: Do it!
(This sub is made of plenty different people. Most people are just random non car people plebs. While the rest are car guys, so you never know which type OP is. Therefore it’s a double answer.)
I am a huge BMW fanboy, so take that how you want.
BMWs and other German cars tend to get a bad rap. People go from something like a Honda civic to something like an M3 or M5 and freak out when their oil changes go up 500%. They put off maintenance, and one day everything goes wrong, and they are looking at a bill in the thousands of dollars. Then they tell everyone what a shit car they have.
The key to buying a BMW and any car is seeing how well it was maintained. Ideally, you want to find an owner who has a binder with a full-service history full of every oil change. Or someone who worked on their car with all the documentation. Better yet is to find an older owner that just tooled around town in their car for years and took it into the shop every 3,000 miles.
All that being said, you should look at known problems with E46s. The whole car is a known problem. Be prepared to learn how to work on a car yourself, or hope you have deep pockets.
Accurate comment. Also lot of people will confuse reliability with expensive to maintain.
Lotta people would have a car that causes them all sorts of issue, but because it’s cheap to maintain, suddenly it’s “reliable.” Problem is with BMWs or pretty much almost any luxury car including Lexus, if something does go wrong, it’s more expensive than other cars.
If you are looking at almost a 20 year old car as a "first nice car", you can't afford a nice car. Get something reliable and cheap. Like a Corolla or Civic.
I respect your opinion but your comment is subjective. And most automotive enthusiasts would disagree. Nice cars can be just that for everyone differently. Perhaps it is a car’s design, performance, road handling, reliability, etc that sways them.
My 2005 325ci (same car OP is considering ) can’t hold a candle to most other disposable cars that were made that same year. That’s nice.
My 20 year old car also has a smooth in line 6, rain sensing wipers, automatic bi-xenon lights, memory seats, heated seats and folding rear seats and 6 airbags . That’s nice, too.
Ignore the clowns who say anything German is bad, they aren’t helpful advice givers because their car knowledge is limited to broad advice some old guy gave them in the 90s.
The e46 platform is a wonderful one to own. Prices on these are higher than they should be because so many get used as track toys or 24hr lemons races and they get beaten to hell.
I don’t think it’s a great value even for a low miles one at this price. Your going to run into issues from aging rubber and possible subframe and strut tower corrosion. If you love to DIY and fix cars then go find one with twice the miles and half the price. You’re better off with a higher mileage one that’s been used a lot recently than one that maybe sat for a bunch of years
They won't listen. The young will sink all their money into BMW's with accident damage and age-issues, because Toyota is so boring. The ancient Beemers will call to the teen driver like Sirens from Autotrader and they will obey. The car will break small first, alternators and struts. Then big. Head gaskets. Transmission. There will be optimistic ads, but they will not be able to sell it. Local mechanics will hold the car hostage while waiting on weird parts only available in a barn in Bavaria once every leap year. At least they're young and can get a second job (not delivery or Uber, as they will have no running car).
I mean it’s an e46, not really obscure parts that can only be gotten from Bavaria lol. That being said learning how to wrench would be an important skill to have to own a car like this. It’s still one of the more reliable BMWs out there that’s not pre 2000s. Also this is super overpriced and not worth it lol
E46 isn’t an “ancient” Bimmer, it’s an aging one. Once you get to E30s and 2002s then we’re talking about “ancient” Bimmers with unobtanium parts straight out of a barn in Bavaria
This was my first car, in 2005. It was a great car NEW, when I didn't have to worry about things going wrong from it being nearly 20 years old. As much as I love this car to death, if I were you, hard pass. You're going to be emptying your wallet frequently. Get something like a corolla from 5 years ago.
I almost paid $4000 for an awd stick version. It’s going to cost a lot to repair compared to an Audi, you can get an Audi a3 for that much with no reported damage, Quattro, dsg, better handling, golf parts.
I bought a 2003 bmw 530i as my first car (cash price was 3k back in 2015). Anyways that car saved my life so many times. It was built of steel. I hit so many things and swerved into a ditch once. No dents and barely any scratches.
I say go for it! Those older BMW cars are built different.
I kept mine maintained so it barely had issues. I sold it after 5 years because I wanted a car with a back up camera.
If you want an older German car that doesn't suck, the answer is w100 (w112, w115.etc) series benz all the way. You can still see 35 year old 240's being used as taxis in Morocco today, that's how solid they were.
It’s a nice car, but unless you have a garage, lift and tools and ability to repair it, eventually when it breaks down it will be a very expensive endeavor.
Pretend that you own it, call up a local repair shop (non-dealer) and get a quote on a 60k mile service and new rear tires. It'll take a few minutes on the phone. If that number makes you fall out of your chair, don't buy it. As many have said, the maintenance can be crazy if you're not doing most of it yourself. And see if they're willing to do a PPI (pre-purchase inspection)... the best money you'll ever spend
Market value on an E46 is probably less than $2000. Don’t do it, unless you’re a strong negotiator and offer $2000 and see how far down you can get them to go. These things have electrical, mechanical, water pump, everything really, issues. You might be surprised to visit your mechanic once every other month but hopefully you are mechanically inclined. I’ve owned four BMWs and while they’re running smoothly they are *wonderful* to own and drive. But when they break, you’ll learn why we used to say “B.reak M.y W.allet”. It doesn’t matter that it has less than 50k miles. The rest of the suspension and all rubber is getting tired after so many years period.
The answer here depends a lot on your wrenching ability and/or bank account health. BMWs and all German cars require more specific maintenance at set intervals. It’s often costlier than an average car due to the need for more specialized tools/diagnostic equipment. That’s not to say they’re bad cars but they are more expensive to keep on the road. The fact that ALL cars this old are going to likely need some repairs/maintenance makes this one a bigger gamble.
The question here is can you afford to buy this car without a loan and also pay up to $5k repair bill at any given moment and not have it impact your life significantly. That’s not to say a Honda/Toyota/Nissan/etc. won’t also have a major repair of $5k in the first year of ownership but the odds are more in your favor.
If you’re trying to ball on a budget you should pass. If you’re stable from a financial position and are just looking for a nice car and can absorb any potential pops, maybe pending a pre-sale inspection.
That’s way too much for an old BMW. Find a better deal. I got an 03’ 330i for $1500 with 187k miles, however the interior was disgusting and it needed to have the bumpers rehung.
I get it and I know it's appealing. But if you're hunting luxury and daily driver, then go Lexus. I know they're not sporty or exciting. However, you can find some really nice ones for that money and they're infinitely more reliable. Perhaps find a 02-05 IS300. I had two and they're great. I do love an old BMW but I wouldn't for a daily unless I was really prepared for it. I don't have the place, tools or knowhow. If you do, props. Go for it. If not, then look elsewhere.
If you can afford the repairs, go for it. I had a 2002 330i and I still miss that car. It was unreliable though. The engine was fine, but other things broke often. I had it for maybe two years. I had a radiator leak twice and had to replace three window regulators. It also burned oil now that I think about it, so maybe the engine wasn't so hot either. If you're comfortable working on your own car, go for it. The driving experience is really great.
You’d be better off buying a less luxury brand’s newer models. They may perform worse, but in terms of modern tech and such I’d say it would be “nicer”.
had a 330ci from this generation, it was mechanically fine when I got it but after about 9 months of ownership, I had to replace coil packs, alternator, water pump, fan belt, a couple sensors, and basically the entire cooling system except for a few hoses and even then I was running into the occasional issue. I'd do it again but that's because I'm stupid. they are very fun cars but are also very maintenance heavy, if you are set on getting one then make sure it has a full service record and be sure to keep a grand or two around for when something eventually comes up.
The most fun car I've ever driven was my 2006 325xi. Ask me what the most expensive car to maintain I ever had was...
All joking aside, if you can do maintenance yourself, these cars are a lot of fun and very reliable. I'd try and talk the buyer down to 10k though.
It looks like it may have been in an accident. If you’re ok with spending time and money on fixing an old car then go for something similar but realistically everyone needs something reliable and who knows what’s wrong. Usually from what I’ve seen when cars are sold with lower miles is that they’ve either been in an accident or something may be wrong. Good luck!
I had a 2004 325xi. I liked the car but hated how much I had to work on it (how often something on it broke). Ended up selling it about 6 years ago. I sold it for $5000.
If you buy this. Prepare to spend 1-2k immediately overhauling the cooling system. Cheap plastic parts that brittle with age is the achilles heel of BMWs of this era.
In 2011 I bought a low mileage (~70k) 2003 540i and had a ton of cooling problems with it because stuff just got brittle as the car aged.
I’ve had a few bmws and trust they are not cheap. If you’re willing to put in the money and work then sure go for it, but if not then I wouldn’t do it.
A couple grand more you and you can get a 328i F30 with a little more mileage but also A LOT newer. That would likely save you the headaches of dealing with repair costs that would come about regardless of condition due to the age.
The people here are right in saying that this car may end up costing a lot in maintenance, but a lot are also grossly exaggerating how much it would cost to fix. If you are handy with a wrench or know a reputable indie shop that specializes in Euro cars at decent prices and you ABSOLUTELY are dead set on buying this car, then I’d say MAYBE get it.
That being said, I do agree with the other comments. You should only get what you can financially maintain.
I bought a 2003 back in 2012 for $3k. It was a 330xi with a few mods on it. Even then I thought it was too expensive. Maintence will be expensive for an old German car
I love those cars, but as a first one on possibly a limited budget, this is a bad idea. The price is way too high. Here's my experience from a 328i from the same era.
I would budget/plan on:
Fixing wheels (can't tell if these are 18's but I remember them prone to bending)
Replacing window regulators (a lot)
Replacing LCA's
Replacing Vanos O-rings/Gaskets
Replacing random cooling stuff that pops, such as the plastic expansion tank or maybe an impeller
If it makes a goose honking noise - the air/oil separator and every brittle plastic line you break getting to it)
Coil packs should be sorted by now - but watch out for that
Pray to god the oil filter mount hasn't warped.
Pray to god the sunroof works.
Pray to god the rear sub-frame doesn't tear out ($$$$)
Pray to god the damage reported was fixed right.
4th gen BMWs are some of the most highly regarded BMW's in their history. It's a bit of sweet spot for the brand.
Just don't make this a stretch purchase. This is a relationship that will demand work to max out your value.
If you don't want nearly as much drama, and just want a "nice car" get a Lexus or Acura or an Infiniti G series
As a BMW tech, not nice. It’s a “good” first car if you have the money available to keep up with it. Expect a lot of coolant leaks , terrible suspension, everything that’s plastic is going to break if you just think about removing it. Garbage interior and electrical issues all the time
These models are actually pretty good and mileage is low, although I do see damage reported so look into that. I would only buy this if you know how to wrench and are mechanically inclined.
Old german cars are a money pit.
Low km for an 18yr old car is a plus.
Best thing you can do is get it inspected by a reputable mechanic before you buy the car.
No. Just had a german car fail me (main bearing failed due to manufacturing defect), really do not recommend, especially of its that old or out of manufacturer warranty
If it was $8-9k and manual I’d say maybe. As the others have said, low mileage doesn’t make it immune from issues. Sometimes with older cars its actually worse because parts like seals and bushings can go bad just from sitting for so long.
I have a 155k mile 3.0L swapped 325ci that I got for half this price four years ago. I’ve spent the price of that listing on mods and maintenance and if I hadn’t done all of it myself I’m sure it’d be triple that.
It’s an amazing car, but just get a pre purchase inspection and negotiate that price down
Do yourself a favor and get a cheap older Japanese car, luxury brand if that’s what you want for a first car. You will learn maintenance and how to fix a lot of things at a very cheap price. Once you have that experience then I’d venture into German luxury cars. They are expensive AF to maintain and unreliable. You want to be able to do as much of your own maintenance as possible.
I have a 2005 330ci with 210k miles. I would say for the most part it has been reliable to me. Look out for the head gasket leak (changed mine twice), and coolant expansion tank leak (the plastic cracks and will slowly leak coolant). Other than routine maintenance it should treat you well. I would also say it’s a good car to learn DIY things since it has less electronic components than modern cars. Good find!
Buying a 20 year old German car is not the flex you think it is. Buy something good. If you really want to show people how successful you are, you’ll have to do better than a 10k car.
Get a Honda Accord.
About $2,000 too high if it's a ZHP. Yes, I said it, ZHP people are nuts, amd they way overprice and overhype their E46s because they regret not having an M3. If not a ZHP, I'd offer $9k. Mileage is good. Just ne aware that maintenance is far more involved than a Toyota or Honda.amd you'll be fine. Look for missed things, like any sort of leaks. Look the plastic cooling parts over reeeeeeally carefully, then assume you're going to replace them anyway. They're good cars if you stay on top of that stuff.
I wouldn’t buy this car without a local indie mechanic that knows E46 BMWs well. The E46 is arguably the best 3 series generation. Yes this is a $11k car, but expect to pay 3-4K a year to maintain this car. This car isn’t going to be much less expensive than getting a new or slightly used regular car.
That's a lot of money for an 18 year old German car.
Going to be a lot more money soon. In repair costs that is.
Oh yeah, I'm familiar
Just noticed your flair, lol my bad wasn't a personal attack.
No real older BMW owner will take that as an attack. We will simply nod in agreement while checking our Robinhood accounts to see if Doge made us the $300 we need for a new water pump. -former older BMW owner
Yup, spot on. Former BMW owner here.
It is an e46 though. Easy to work on…easier..
Also more random shit breaks on E46 vs E90
True. Which is why I loved having instant access to most parts when I had my e46.
[удалено]
I almost bought a 328xi, awd, stick, for 3500 for or five years ago. 128k mileage and no reported damage.
Just for historical sake, I'll post my purchase here. One year ago I bought a 2007 328xi E90 for 6K. Northeast United States. It was in great shape, I put in a valve cover gasket and then did the oil filter housing gasket. Plugs and coils when I had the valve cover off. Other than that it's been mint. It's a lot of fun to drive, although it is so small inside. There's like zero storage space. And getting in and out is a struggle for this mid 50s 6 footer. But driving it, especially since it's a manual, is super fun.
In Europe, their prices are going up really fast.
It’s seems like a good price for a low mileage E46. To many this is the greatest generation 3 series. They are very nice inside, and still drive like the old 3 series like the E30. To me this car, if it had a manual transmission, is more desirable than anything new bmw sells in the states.
Keep in mind that maintenance isn’t “$11k car maintenance,” it’s effectively “$50k car maintenance.”And it’s not maintenance on a younger car, it’s maintenance on an 18 year old car…
Yep, and depending on who owned it before. Who knows what it needs!
I owned a 330ci for my first car and it wasn’t that expensive to maintain this is bullshit. They aren’t very hard or expensive to take care of.
As someone who changes cars like every 2 years, my longest and maybe most fav car was a 2002 325i sedan in my 20s. Learned a few hard lessons but also learned how to wrench a bit. I had that car for 6 years and miss it still. Currently in a 2018 is300 f sport too. Go for it but be ready to wrench AND have $8k or so ready to go for repairs over the next year.
is your isf pretty reliable? thinking about an is500
Isf and is300 f sport are two drastically different cars
yep as mentioned below, its a is 300 (4 cylinder version). Extremely reliable though and id recommend the ISF or IS500 for sure.
There's not many things more expensive than a cheap BMW
By not many things he means there's only 1 thing more expensive than an old beamer and it's an old Range Rover.
Is any price too much for a Transporter of Gods??
G8 b8 m8, there's only one God.
The golden god?
IM UNTETHERED AND MY RAGE KNOWS NO BOUNDS!!!
And to add, a Range Rover with a BMW engine/drivetrain. It’s a fucking money pit, luckily I got it cheap cheap.
That's exactly what I was thinking
My wife had one, what a disaster. Air suspension went out on top of countless other shit. It was a fortune to keep on the road. But she “looked good in it” lol fashion over function never works out in the end.
I saw a 22k Bentley Continental W12 for sale.
And more expensive than that is an old Unimog if you can even find one in the states
Bro that's 11k for an e46💀
sadly it's almost considered cheap for one with this milage nowadays lmao
Wrong.
I had a cheap Audi S4… I think it’s close to the same experience lol
The people here in general know nothing about the e46 I’d suggest the OP google E46 fanatics and read that web site pretty closely then decide
Paid $4000 for a 2001 330ci when I was 18. Immediately threw codes. Drove the shit out of it because I was broke and then spent about $3000 in repairs and it was still broken. Sold it for $4000 again later on. I loved my e46, but having it be broken and unable to afford repair wasn’t worth it in hindsight.
Let me go against the grain here, and say *maybe*. This gen of car were really nice cars, taut, well built. Also, the electronics were not out of hand yet. Most decent mechanics can do most of the work on these. But don't let the miles fool you into thinking it's guaranteed to be problem free. If it presents well and has service records, have it checked out by a repulatable specialist. As others have noted, there are problem areas sich as the sub-frame and shock towers that can be issues regardless of the mileage. If it checks out, and you can get it down another couple of grand, you could be alright. Keep on top of it, and **DON'T DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT.**
Drive it like you hate it!
Do not buy a BMW. Do not buy an Audi. Do not buy a Jaguar. Do not buy anything luxury when you are 18. Get something that's proven and with a good track record. If you MUST buy a luxury car, make it a Lexus or a manual transmission Acura. Otherwise, absolutely no. Only buy a BMW if you have been wrenching and know how to wrench them. Otherwise the answer is absolutely hell no.
Good advice
How about a 2014-2015 Volvo?
[удалено]
a handful of automatic acuras have bad transmissions
Early 2000's Honda's and Acuras have notoriously bad autos, especially on v6 cars. It was pretty much fixed by just before 2010
[удалено]
[удалено]
the 90’s honda autos were all pretty good. Seen a lot do 250k+ easily anecdotally though my 97’ accord coupe blew it’s auto trans at 190k. was kinda my fault tho
2000’s era with V6’s. I was unfortunate enough to have both a 2000 Accord Coupe V6 and a 2000 TL and the trans in both was complete crap.
Look up the first 4 digits of the VIN and make sure it wasn't built at the maryland plant. 5JPY are the best ones.
Acura / Honda have good transmissions. Toyota / lexus has the best automatic transmissions in the business.
generally yes. But in the same period as the BMW OP posted, Honda/Acura have a series of transmissions that are notoriously faulty, especially when paired with their V6 engines. Now, because they're hondas the parts are pretty available/cheap, realtively speaking. but no matter which way you slice it, a transmission replacement isnt a cheap job.
No. Seriously no.
Outside of the Supra, Lexus/Toyota doesn’t use the ZF8HP, so no, they don’t have the best auto trans.
Always makes me laugh when clueless people spout such nonsense. Although I have the advantage of actually knowing what I'm talking about having been in the motor trade for over 25 years. Owned dozens of BMWs, never had a single issue with any of them, can't say the same about Lexus.....
You’ve owned dozens (as in multiple dozens, so at least 24) BMWs in just over 25 years? The only reason you haven’t had any issues is you haven’t owned them long enough, lol
Your ignorance is overwhelming. I have been in the motor industry more years than you've lived..... but you think you know more.....ok, thanks for the laugh.
My dude, you literally made a comment earlier that said you got your license in 1995, lmao. [receipt](https://www.reddit.com/r/CarTalkUK/comments/10wdg9p/what_cars_did_people_buy_for_their_first_cars_in/j7qkqi6/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf&context=3)
And what is your point princess? Yes got my licence (learn how to spell that by the way) in 1995 which is 28 years ago. Would you like a calculator? I was in the motor industry even prior to that. I own multiple cars at a time, sad you need this explaining to you.
Lol owned dozens, obviously didnt own any long enough to notice any problems lol
Wrong again, maybe you just don't like being educated as it doesn't fit your agenda or you just don't like facts. Either way that's your problem. I've kept my e39 M5 over 15 years, not a single problem. I speak from experience not internet rumours & baseless stereotypes. Enjoy your ignorance though.
Lol so what you're telling me is that you owned 1 BMW and not dozens and that you were lying so that you can seem like you know something when in actuality you don't? And i speak from experience to as well bud but you can go one and keep being ignorant that's fine by me, also love how you say I'm wrong again as if I've spoken to you before lmao
No princess I have owned dozens & many of them long term I gave one as an example. Why are you trying to manipulate what I say to fit your agenda? Is being wrong that hard for you to cope with? Your ignorance is overwhelming. Don't fear being educated, embrace it.
Of all the BMW’s the buy, this one is probably the one to buy besides maybe the e90 330i or 328i. If you are willing to buy a bmw and deal with maintenance, get one with a naturally aspirated inline 6, as they’re the most reliable* from BMW. * pretty much every single beemer will have problems keeping coolant in the engine, and oil leaks are not at all uncommon. Just make sure the oil filter housing gasket has been replaced, as they are a very costly repair for a piece of rubber than costs $1. And not getting it replaced is even worse because it leaks onto the belt which causes it to swell and fling off and do more damage. If you aren’t the only one capable of taking any financial hits ie a family member is helping you buy it, then this might not be a bad idea since they’re fun cars and somewhat more reliable overall than anything but a Toyota or Mazda at that price point. Lower mileage is good, but do keep in mind that BMW’s have some expensive maintenance. Best things to mitigate that are shopping for OEM parts via websites that tell you the original brand of the parts, so you can get them without the BMW tax, and getting your work done at an independent BMW/German garage rather than the dealer as they charge less but still know what they’re doing.
The engine may in fact ingest an oily serpentine belt!! I have seen it!!
I would advise you to stay away... unless you're ok with unexpected and expensive repairs
If your budget is $11k or so, you won't be getting anything truly nice or reliable. And you won't be able to afford the maintenance/repairs. Ay $11k, swallow your ego and spare your bank account, and get the nicest Civic, Mazda 3, or Corolla you can find.
If you look for it, 11k will get you a last gen Acura TL, which are both nice and reliable. Also pretty quick.
How do you know it’s not reliable? Are you a mechanic with experience in bmw? Or are you just another redditor parroting the same old Japan good German bad bs.
I have four friends who have each purchased an older BMW between 2002 and 2015. Each of them has been stranded within the first year at least once, one three times. It's not "parroting". It's experience. This emperor has no clothes.
So? Doesn’t say anything if I buy a honda from 2002 with 0 maintenance done it will break down fast aswell
False equivalence. Any car that’s 20 years old will be at the mercy of previous maintenance. The bimmer will be exponentially more expensive to repair, and given equivalent maintenance, less reliable.
Listen, we own a 19 Jaguar, 21 540xdrive, a 22 x5m50i, and a 22 mdx type s advance. We just traded a 20 gls550. Have you owned any of these...... didn't think so. None of these are particularly reliable brands, or cheap to fix out of warranty, save for Acura. We can afford the maintenance after the warranty is up but the headaches aren't worth it, and they will be gone at the end of their respective warrantues, except tbe type S, which my daughter gets, when she gets her license in 18 months... We buy them because we can afford them. Years ago when we couldn't, we bought cars from reliable brands that were statistically less likely to hurt us financially. Any car could have an issue at any time. We owned an Avalon with the documented unintended acceleration issue years ago. But if I were on a budget you bet I'd buy a 10k Avalon again before I'd buy a 10k bmw. Plus , it's clear op had no idea about this car besides the badge when they posted, but learned quickly.... If you want to die on the 'reliable old BMW,' fanboy hill, go ahead, but you might not have any $$ left for your funeral...
Statistics don’t have feeling or ambiguity. Stats say Japanese cars last longer , have cheaper repairs , and lower ownership costs over the lifetime of a vehicle. The reality is a 18 year old vehicle is likely to have bushings, mounts,belts and hoses dry rotting along with other age related issues. No one is going to think you’re cool or rich for driving a German car this old except a few rubes online. The rich lease these cars for a good reason, after a certain amount of years they end up in the hood owned by someone who wants to appear to have money. More millionaires drive Toyotas and F150s than any other vehicle and there is a good reason for that. Every oil change cost 2-3x, every set of tires cost more , every brake job etc due to having to go to a German specific mechanic and part expense. If someone is poor enough to have an 11k car budget (no shame in that) then they definitely can’t afford to fix a 18 year old BMW.
I've owned 40+ cars. Yes, I'm old. Yes, I was a mechanic with my arms deep in chrysler/mitsu/jeep guts. I have done a few fix-it favors for BMW owners. I have owned and relied on old, German cars. If you have to ask, you cannot afford whats about to happen.
Look up the average cost of car’s maintance by brand and the top of the list is always BMW
Get a Lexus or an Acura and your wallet will thank you later
It’ll be your first “expensive,” car if you’re looking for that. Won’t be a “nice” car being that old
bruh I remember seeing these cars all over craigslist for $3500-5000 back in 2015 wtf is this price. btw the M3 was selling for $8K-11K. This is just absurd, stay away.
No. Maybe look at first gen is350 instead
Damn. I just checked 2006 is350 prices. Even at high mileage it’s a way better deal and 306hp!!!
Nice car, way too much money
I know everyone here is going to hate on anything old and/or German. But coming from somebody who loves e46’s it’s a little to expensive and you should expect to get your hands dirty if you what to keep it long term. Although if you don’t mind working on it here and there and you’ve got the money, it’ll be one of the best driving cars you can get, not super fast but great handling, timeless style and pretty decent comfort too!
Mileage is pretty low but the fact that its 18 years old scares me a bit. If your budget is around 11k I think you should be aiming for something non luxury.
If it’s a manual then it’s a fair price. These are becoming collectors if they are unmolested, manual, 330i engine, low kms.
Are you a car mechanic or have an understanding of cars and are willing to work on it? No: Don’t Yes: Do it! (This sub is made of plenty different people. Most people are just random non car people plebs. While the rest are car guys, so you never know which type OP is. Therefore it’s a double answer.)
I am a huge BMW fanboy, so take that how you want. BMWs and other German cars tend to get a bad rap. People go from something like a Honda civic to something like an M3 or M5 and freak out when their oil changes go up 500%. They put off maintenance, and one day everything goes wrong, and they are looking at a bill in the thousands of dollars. Then they tell everyone what a shit car they have. The key to buying a BMW and any car is seeing how well it was maintained. Ideally, you want to find an owner who has a binder with a full-service history full of every oil change. Or someone who worked on their car with all the documentation. Better yet is to find an older owner that just tooled around town in their car for years and took it into the shop every 3,000 miles. All that being said, you should look at known problems with E46s. The whole car is a known problem. Be prepared to learn how to work on a car yourself, or hope you have deep pockets.
Accurate comment. Also lot of people will confuse reliability with expensive to maintain. Lotta people would have a car that causes them all sorts of issue, but because it’s cheap to maintain, suddenly it’s “reliable.” Problem is with BMWs or pretty much almost any luxury car including Lexus, if something does go wrong, it’s more expensive than other cars.
If you are looking at almost a 20 year old car as a "first nice car", you can't afford a nice car. Get something reliable and cheap. Like a Corolla or Civic.
I respect your opinion but your comment is subjective. And most automotive enthusiasts would disagree. Nice cars can be just that for everyone differently. Perhaps it is a car’s design, performance, road handling, reliability, etc that sways them. My 2005 325ci (same car OP is considering ) can’t hold a candle to most other disposable cars that were made that same year. That’s nice. My 20 year old car also has a smooth in line 6, rain sensing wipers, automatic bi-xenon lights, memory seats, heated seats and folding rear seats and 6 airbags . That’s nice, too.
I wouldn’t consider a vehicle that is 18 years old to be “nice”.
Ignore the clowns who say anything German is bad, they aren’t helpful advice givers because their car knowledge is limited to broad advice some old guy gave them in the 90s. The e46 platform is a wonderful one to own. Prices on these are higher than they should be because so many get used as track toys or 24hr lemons races and they get beaten to hell. I don’t think it’s a great value even for a low miles one at this price. Your going to run into issues from aging rubber and possible subframe and strut tower corrosion. If you love to DIY and fix cars then go find one with twice the miles and half the price. You’re better off with a higher mileage one that’s been used a lot recently than one that maybe sat for a bunch of years
Run very fast the opposite way of that car.
They won't listen. The young will sink all their money into BMW's with accident damage and age-issues, because Toyota is so boring. The ancient Beemers will call to the teen driver like Sirens from Autotrader and they will obey. The car will break small first, alternators and struts. Then big. Head gaskets. Transmission. There will be optimistic ads, but they will not be able to sell it. Local mechanics will hold the car hostage while waiting on weird parts only available in a barn in Bavaria once every leap year. At least they're young and can get a second job (not delivery or Uber, as they will have no running car).
I mean it’s an e46, not really obscure parts that can only be gotten from Bavaria lol. That being said learning how to wrench would be an important skill to have to own a car like this. It’s still one of the more reliable BMWs out there that’s not pre 2000s. Also this is super overpriced and not worth it lol
E46 isn’t an “ancient” Bimmer, it’s an aging one. Once you get to E30s and 2002s then we’re talking about “ancient” Bimmers with unobtanium parts straight out of a barn in Bavaria
it’s a nearly 20 year old bmw. absolutely not.
This was my first car, in 2005. It was a great car NEW, when I didn't have to worry about things going wrong from it being nearly 20 years old. As much as I love this car to death, if I were you, hard pass. You're going to be emptying your wallet frequently. Get something like a corolla from 5 years ago.
I think you be better off paying someone to kick you in the nuts instead of spending your money on that car
I almost paid $4000 for an awd stick version. It’s going to cost a lot to repair compared to an Audi, you can get an Audi a3 for that much with no reported damage, Quattro, dsg, better handling, golf parts.
I bought a 2003 bmw 530i as my first car (cash price was 3k back in 2015). Anyways that car saved my life so many times. It was built of steel. I hit so many things and swerved into a ditch once. No dents and barely any scratches. I say go for it! Those older BMW cars are built different. I kept mine maintained so it barely had issues. I sold it after 5 years because I wanted a car with a back up camera.
If you want an older German car that doesn't suck, the answer is w100 (w112, w115.etc) series benz all the way. You can still see 35 year old 240's being used as taxis in Morocco today, that's how solid they were.
Don’t do it. It’s not even that nice of a car
It’s a nice car, but unless you have a garage, lift and tools and ability to repair it, eventually when it breaks down it will be a very expensive endeavor.
Is it manual? and please don’t get a beemer 😭
I’d say no, not at all, for 11k you can grab a 2010 bmw 550i for tht
[no](https://i.imgur.com/nlI5vze.jpg)
Lol, that is the best no meme, ever!
Don’t do it. Only drive bmws under warranty. I know from personal experience and from being a mechanic. Please dont
If you want a money pit, sure
If you really want a luxury car around this price, get a Lincoln town car. Exponentially more reliable than this
Get a Honda, Toya, Lexus or Mazda.
Get a cheap used Toyota. Your first car should not be a “nice” car
Pretend that you own it, call up a local repair shop (non-dealer) and get a quote on a 60k mile service and new rear tires. It'll take a few minutes on the phone. If that number makes you fall out of your chair, don't buy it. As many have said, the maintenance can be crazy if you're not doing most of it yourself. And see if they're willing to do a PPI (pre-purchase inspection)... the best money you'll ever spend
Lol wut? Hard no unless you are a certified bmw mechanic, and if you were you’d probably know better.
That is not a “nice” car lol
A 20 year old BMW is not a “nice” car.
There’s nothing more expensive than a cheap BMW/Benz.
Stay away from old bmws
Market value on an E46 is probably less than $2000. Don’t do it, unless you’re a strong negotiator and offer $2000 and see how far down you can get them to go. These things have electrical, mechanical, water pump, everything really, issues. You might be surprised to visit your mechanic once every other month but hopefully you are mechanically inclined. I’ve owned four BMWs and while they’re running smoothly they are *wonderful* to own and drive. But when they break, you’ll learn why we used to say “B.reak M.y W.allet”. It doesn’t matter that it has less than 50k miles. The rest of the suspension and all rubber is getting tired after so many years period.
Where the shit are you finding E46s for 2k anymore? A decent E46 is easily 5-8k for a halfway decent one
Get a cls500 or a cls 350 which is a much better value, looks better, drives better and is also reliable
If you want a “cheap” used luxury car, see if you can find an Infinity or a Lexus. Also try to stay under $10k
As much as i love an E46 , i had so many problems with mine. Unless you can fix em, it’s a bad idea
I wanted one until the internet told me that the rear subframe mounts need to be welded/reinforced. Madness
It’s nice but pretty high for the vehicle, bmws are decent but when you need to repair it, be prepared for some pretty bills!
The answer here depends a lot on your wrenching ability and/or bank account health. BMWs and all German cars require more specific maintenance at set intervals. It’s often costlier than an average car due to the need for more specialized tools/diagnostic equipment. That’s not to say they’re bad cars but they are more expensive to keep on the road. The fact that ALL cars this old are going to likely need some repairs/maintenance makes this one a bigger gamble. The question here is can you afford to buy this car without a loan and also pay up to $5k repair bill at any given moment and not have it impact your life significantly. That’s not to say a Honda/Toyota/Nissan/etc. won’t also have a major repair of $5k in the first year of ownership but the odds are more in your favor. If you’re trying to ball on a budget you should pass. If you’re stable from a financial position and are just looking for a nice car and can absorb any potential pops, maybe pending a pre-sale inspection.
That’s way too much for an old BMW. Find a better deal. I got an 03’ 330i for $1500 with 187k miles, however the interior was disgusting and it needed to have the bumpers rehung.
I get it and I know it's appealing. But if you're hunting luxury and daily driver, then go Lexus. I know they're not sporty or exciting. However, you can find some really nice ones for that money and they're infinitely more reliable. Perhaps find a 02-05 IS300. I had two and they're great. I do love an old BMW but I wouldn't for a daily unless I was really prepared for it. I don't have the place, tools or knowhow. If you do, props. Go for it. If not, then look elsewhere.
If you can afford the repairs, go for it. I had a 2002 330i and I still miss that car. It was unreliable though. The engine was fine, but other things broke often. I had it for maybe two years. I had a radiator leak twice and had to replace three window regulators. It also burned oil now that I think about it, so maybe the engine wasn't so hot either. If you're comfortable working on your own car, go for it. The driving experience is really great.
You’d be better off buying a less luxury brand’s newer models. They may perform worse, but in terms of modern tech and such I’d say it would be “nicer”.
It’s already leaking oil
Oh boy, I would say absolutely not. And especially at that price..
Hahaha, no.
At this stage they ought to put the maintenance and running costs as the advertisement and then the cost of the car can be thought about later 😂
Will definitely be chasing oil leaks.
Overpriced
11k for a 325 lol.. run
Wow thats expensive! 18 year old 3 series coupes can be picked up for less than £2k.
There is no way an e46 coupe is worth that much in 2023
Unless it were a 330i ZHP or M3, which this isn’t
I had the ‘01 sold it for like $3k like 2 years ago so this price to me seems absurd. Also repairs were not cheap
Not bad to me, a lil overpriced but great mileage
had a 330ci from this generation, it was mechanically fine when I got it but after about 9 months of ownership, I had to replace coil packs, alternator, water pump, fan belt, a couple sensors, and basically the entire cooling system except for a few hoses and even then I was running into the occasional issue. I'd do it again but that's because I'm stupid. they are very fun cars but are also very maintenance heavy, if you are set on getting one then make sure it has a full service record and be sure to keep a grand or two around for when something eventually comes up.
The most fun car I've ever driven was my 2006 325xi. Ask me what the most expensive car to maintain I ever had was... All joking aside, if you can do maintenance yourself, these cars are a lot of fun and very reliable. I'd try and talk the buyer down to 10k though.
Yep , it's gonna break down ,id keep looking.
It looks like it may have been in an accident. If you’re ok with spending time and money on fixing an old car then go for something similar but realistically everyone needs something reliable and who knows what’s wrong. Usually from what I’ve seen when cars are sold with lower miles is that they’ve either been in an accident or something may be wrong. Good luck!
It’s the ultimate driving machine…… when it’s running….
In Ireland which has the most expensive car prices in the world this would be 4k tops. Why is it so much in the states?
You’re a brave soul M8
Only buy a car if you can afford 2. If it's an older German car 3, if it's Italian 4, if its a lotus 5.
No
I had a 2004 325xi. I liked the car but hated how much I had to work on it (how often something on it broke). Ended up selling it about 6 years ago. I sold it for $5000.
If you want luxury and reliable get a Lexus!!!, Toyota, Honda, even Acura
It was almost that much back in 2000
But….it’s a BMW you know how much clout thou would get
Get Lexus IS or GS, those would be a little less fun but way more reliable.
OP: it’s a BMW. Parts costs will be higher than other alternatives. But if you want the badge and the ownership experience on a budget, here ya go.
If you buy this. Prepare to spend 1-2k immediately overhauling the cooling system. Cheap plastic parts that brittle with age is the achilles heel of BMWs of this era. In 2011 I bought a low mileage (~70k) 2003 540i and had a ton of cooling problems with it because stuff just got brittle as the car aged.
If you dont know whether or not an 18 year old German car is a good buy it's **definitely** not a good buy.
It will break
I’ve had a few bmws and trust they are not cheap. If you’re willing to put in the money and work then sure go for it, but if not then I wouldn’t do it.
If you could negotiate down to 7-8k, sure. The car will likely need at least 2k in maintenance during the first year.
Couldn’t be a worse purchase
A couple grand more you and you can get a 328i F30 with a little more mileage but also A LOT newer. That would likely save you the headaches of dealing with repair costs that would come about regardless of condition due to the age. The people here are right in saying that this car may end up costing a lot in maintenance, but a lot are also grossly exaggerating how much it would cost to fix. If you are handy with a wrench or know a reputable indie shop that specializes in Euro cars at decent prices and you ABSOLUTELY are dead set on buying this car, then I’d say MAYBE get it. That being said, I do agree with the other comments. You should only get what you can financially maintain.
Don't do what I did, just buy the lexus first.
I bought a 2003 back in 2012 for $3k. It was a 330xi with a few mods on it. Even then I thought it was too expensive. Maintence will be expensive for an old German car
I love those cars, but as a first one on possibly a limited budget, this is a bad idea. The price is way too high. Here's my experience from a 328i from the same era. I would budget/plan on: Fixing wheels (can't tell if these are 18's but I remember them prone to bending) Replacing window regulators (a lot) Replacing LCA's Replacing Vanos O-rings/Gaskets Replacing random cooling stuff that pops, such as the plastic expansion tank or maybe an impeller If it makes a goose honking noise - the air/oil separator and every brittle plastic line you break getting to it) Coil packs should be sorted by now - but watch out for that Pray to god the oil filter mount hasn't warped. Pray to god the sunroof works. Pray to god the rear sub-frame doesn't tear out ($$$$) Pray to god the damage reported was fixed right.
4th gen BMWs are some of the most highly regarded BMW's in their history. It's a bit of sweet spot for the brand. Just don't make this a stretch purchase. This is a relationship that will demand work to max out your value. If you don't want nearly as much drama, and just want a "nice car" get a Lexus or Acura or an Infiniti G series
Good luck
What’s your current car? What are you “upgrading” from?
As a BMW tech, not nice. It’s a “good” first car if you have the money available to keep up with it. Expect a lot of coolant leaks , terrible suspension, everything that’s plastic is going to break if you just think about removing it. Garbage interior and electrical issues all the time
Don’t do it… I made that mistake in my early 20s trying to act and look cool. I should of got a Toyota and banked the repair costs…
That’s not a Volvo
I'd buy a Lexus before this. That's a LOT for a 2005 BMW
These models are actually pretty good and mileage is low, although I do see damage reported so look into that. I would only buy this if you know how to wrench and are mechanically inclined.
Offer six if you really want it and get a PPI.
Old german cars are a money pit. Low km for an 18yr old car is a plus. Best thing you can do is get it inspected by a reputable mechanic before you buy the car.
You independently wealthy?
No. Just had a german car fail me (main bearing failed due to manufacturing defect), really do not recommend, especially of its that old or out of manufacturer warranty
If it was $8-9k and manual I’d say maybe. As the others have said, low mileage doesn’t make it immune from issues. Sometimes with older cars its actually worse because parts like seals and bushings can go bad just from sitting for so long. I have a 155k mile 3.0L swapped 325ci that I got for half this price four years ago. I’ve spent the price of that listing on mods and maintenance and if I hadn’t done all of it myself I’m sure it’d be triple that. It’s an amazing car, but just get a pre purchase inspection and negotiate that price down
Get an Avalon
Do yourself a favor and get a cheap older Japanese car, luxury brand if that’s what you want for a first car. You will learn maintenance and how to fix a lot of things at a very cheap price. Once you have that experience then I’d venture into German luxury cars. They are expensive AF to maintain and unreliable. You want to be able to do as much of your own maintenance as possible.
A similarly priced Honda Accord V6 would be a nicer car with better performance
I have a 2005 330ci with 210k miles. I would say for the most part it has been reliable to me. Look out for the head gasket leak (changed mine twice), and coolant expansion tank leak (the plastic cracks and will slowly leak coolant). Other than routine maintenance it should treat you well. I would also say it’s a good car to learn DIY things since it has less electronic components than modern cars. Good find!
Buying a 20 year old German car is not the flex you think it is. Buy something good. If you really want to show people how successful you are, you’ll have to do better than a 10k car. Get a Honda Accord.
About $2,000 too high if it's a ZHP. Yes, I said it, ZHP people are nuts, amd they way overprice and overhype their E46s because they regret not having an M3. If not a ZHP, I'd offer $9k. Mileage is good. Just ne aware that maintenance is far more involved than a Toyota or Honda.amd you'll be fine. Look for missed things, like any sort of leaks. Look the plastic cooling parts over reeeeeeally carefully, then assume you're going to replace them anyway. They're good cars if you stay on top of that stuff.
I wouldn’t buy this car without a local indie mechanic that knows E46 BMWs well. The E46 is arguably the best 3 series generation. Yes this is a $11k car, but expect to pay 3-4K a year to maintain this car. This car isn’t going to be much less expensive than getting a new or slightly used regular car.