2005 BMW M3 (E46) |

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2005 BMW M3 (E46)

This vehicle has now been sold - click ‘Register Similar’ below to get notified when we consign a similar vehicle.

Sold Price

£14,098

Mileage~78,844
TransmissionManual
Engine3.2L
LocationRomford

SOLD

2005 BMW M3 (E46)

I WANT ONE

Introduction

Dom Ginn

Professional Consigner

Arguably one of the most desirable M cars, naturally aspirated and combined with sporty styling, the E46 M3 certainly stands out.

The M3 is a high-performance variant of the 3 Series developed by BMW's in-house Motorsport division. The original E30 3 Series was designed to meet the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft and Group A Touring rules, allowing BMW to compete in these races. Since the E30, BMW's M Division has consistently released a new 'M' variant with each new model of the 3 Series. The E46 generation features a naturally aspirated S54 straight-six engine, with an acceleration time 0-60 MPH of ~5.1 seconds and a limited top speed of ~155 MPH. The car remained in production for six years, from 2000 to 2006.

This lovely example has been in the ownership of the vendor for ~9 years, and has covered just under 79,000 miles. The car comes in a desirable spec of "Titansilber Metallic" over black leather, and the all important 6 speed manual gearbox. It also comes with electric heated front seats, automatic headlights, cruise control and Harman Kardon sound. With a fresh MOT just actioned, and various maintenance actioned by independent specialists as needed, it's a worth a look if you're in the market for one of these.

This listing was written from information supplied by Dom after meeting Richard the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

What a car! I'll be sad to see it go after ~9 years, but it's time to let someone else enjoy it as much as I have.

Richard has owned the car for just over ~9 years and has absolutely loved it. He tells us it's a dream to drive especially with the roof down, whether it's a relaxing drive or with sport mode on.

For a few reasons, including lack of use, a growing family, and ordering a new car, Richard has reluctantly decided to bring the car to auction with us, as space is limited. In his ownership he has kept on top of maintenance as needed with a local specialist, like the work to the throttle bodies and differential service etc. He hopes to find a like-minded enthusiast, someone who will look after and enjoy the car as much as he has. Richard will be happy to answer any questions you may have in the comments below.

Richard

Vehicle Owner

Richard saved £2,520* when they
sold their BMW with us.

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EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

A keen-eyed enthusiast can easily spot an M3 with its flared wheel arches, sporty grilles, and quad exhaust pipes.

Wheels and Tyres

Fitted with the distinctive factory 67M alloys, these wheels with their low profile tyres look great on the M3. The wheels appear in great condition with some light signs of wear around the centre cap on the front offside alloy, and some very small curb marks on the rear alloys.

The tyres look great too, the wheels are all wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4 dated 2022, these appear to have a good amount of tread remaining and no visible cracking or signs of age on the sidewalls. Please take a look at the photos and videos for a closer look at the wheels and tires.

Bodywork

The bodywork of this E46 M3 looks in great condition, with all the panel gaps around the car appearing to align very well. During our visit, we didn't spot any obvious dings or dents around the bodywork. This generation are known to suffer corrosion between the panels, but we didn't observe any on this clean example, just a bit of minor bubbling on the wing mirror mounts.

We've provided more detailed observations through our high-resolution images and videos. Please take the time to look through all the media files for a detailed view of what’s on offer and to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

Finished in "Titansilber Metallic", the paint is applied with even coverage and colour across each panel. While we did notice the occasional very small and minor stone chip at the front of the car, you'll have to get really close to notice these. The finish and colour are a great match across the car, just a small mark to the boot was noted as pictured.

The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these hi-resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

The glass on this M3 example looks great and is in line with the mileage. During our visit, we didn't notice any chips, cracks, or discolouration. The window seals also look good and align with the overall condition of the car, the side windows have been tinted.

The bumpers, chrome front grills, door handles, and window surrounds are all in great condition as well. You can see in the exterior photos that the convertible top is in great condition with no tears or rips, and could be further improved with the appropriate deep cleaning products.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

Ergonomic to provide the best driving experience, while featuring luxurious full leather and electric features for a first class journey.

Seats and Carpets

Quality black leather seats are fitted in this example with matching carpets and door cards. The seats appear to be in good condition and in line with the age and mileage of the car. We did notice some expected wear the the drivers bolster in the usual spot in these M-Sport sport seats. The seats are electric as pictured, and heated.

The carpets, headlining, wind guard, and door cards present very well. For a detailed view of the cabin, please take a look at the extensive media.

Dashboard

The dashboard is covered in a black leather finish and presents four dials in front of the driver, with the all important "M" logos and information lights on the rev counter to let you know when you can really push the engine.

The dashboard in this M3 shows no signs of any major damage or scuffs, and with no warning lights displayed. The odometer showed a reading of ~78,834 miles during our visit.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

A leather wrapped BMW M-Power steering wheel is fitted. The original steering wheel is in great condition, aligning with the mileage of this car, and the M black leather gearstick looks good too. For a closer look, check out the image gallery to see the detail.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

Arguably one of the best sounding engines from the era, the naturally aspirated 3.2L S54 delivers breathtaking performance to the rear wheels.

Engine and Gearbox

The main star of the show, the S54, which delivers ~338BHP to the rear wheels and was praised for being one of the best naturally aspirated engines of its time.

Richard reports that the car starts from cold with no issues and drives well with its smooth manual six-speed gearbox powering the rear wheels. Take a look at the mechanical video to see the car starting from cold, driving around, and for a closer look underneath the M3 and the smart engine bay. Richard reports a new rocker cover gasket set and two drive belts fitted on 31.07.2023.

Suspension and Brakes

The M3's suspension and responsive brakes enable a great sense of connection with the car on both, road and track.

During our short drive in the car, it felt just as you'd expect for a sports car from this era, coming to a stop without a fuss too.

The Drive

Incredibly quick, and with the roof down you'll be able to properly enjoy the naturally aspirated 3.2L S54 soundtrack as you work your way up the rev range. The manual gearbox, rear wheel drive set-up and weight distribution of the chassis make this a real drivers car.

Electrics and Other

Richard reports that the electrics are in good working order, and the dashboard features its original BMW head unit. We did notice a few dead pixels in the BMW head unit - a common fault.

The electric windows operate smoothly along with the convertible soft top, please see a video of the convertible roof in action in the on the road video. The car is also fitted with AC and heated seats, cruise control, and Harmon Kardon sound.

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History and Paperwork

BMW's flagship model with the 3.2L S54 engine, and manual 6-speed gearbox, this M3 comes to market from ~9 year ownership, has seen maintenance as required and presents beautifully.

The car is coming out of ~9 years of ownership with Richard. The car is highly original, featuring the naturally aspirated 3.2L engine combined with the sought-after manual 6-speed gearbox. The car comes with a black convertible hood, 67M style wheels, heated seats, and air conditioning from the factory. Take a look at the history and paperwork media to see the previous MOT reports, servicing, and parts this BMW M3 has received over its life, the Vanos has been done too. The M3 comes with a current MOT valid until 11.08.2025.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History

Date	Type	Mileage
09.08.2024	MOT	78,844
11.08.2023	MOT	77,898
13.07.2023	Rocker Cover Gasket & Belts	77,866
16.12.2022	Diff Fluid & Throttle Body
16.08.2022	Inspection II / Micro-filter	77,297
06.08.2022	MOT	77,253
13.08.2021	Service	75,437
11.08.2021	MOT	75,423
10.08.2020	MOT	74,512
10.08.2019	MOT	72,882
11.08.2018	MOT	70,761
23.07.2018	Service	70,557
12.10.2017	Diff Oil	68,037
12.08.2017	MOT	66,704
12.08.2016	MOT	62,146
02.08.2016	Inspection I / Microfilter	61,902
30.07.2015	MOT	57,292
07.05.2015	Diff Oil	55,936
10.02.2015	Health Check	54,379
28.07.2014	MOT	53,882
15.06.2013	Service	50,689
02.08.2013	MOT	50,772
03.09.2012	MOT	49,884
02.09.2011	MOT	48,059
26.08.2010	MOT	42,975
17.04.2010	MOT	42,257
26.03.2010	Inspection II / Microfilter (MD)	42,168
15.05.2009	MOT	39,535
16.05.2008	MOT	35,242
19.09.2007	Service (MD)	35,179
10.11.2006	Service (MD)	24,470
08.03.2006	Service (MD)	12,950
23.06.2005	Service (MD)	1,071
13.05.2005	Pre-Delivery