Ownership Verified: Mehr Freudige Fahrten! (E46 330d)

Adunaphel

Angrily shouting at Klauwds
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With the E36 thoroughly defeated by the brown curse, I needed a new daily driver. As always, my search started as broad as possible, but within a couple hours it had narrowed down to either an E46 or an E39 with a straight six diesel engine. Due to availability, this quickly turned into a 330d, and I found one at a used car dealership reasonably close to where I work, so I went over there for a testdrive. I was instantly in love, and after a short talk about money, I told them I would return later with my dad.
So, the next day, I drove my dad up there, we delved deeper into the car's state and its history, and talked money some more. The seller dropped to a very reasonable sum, and papers were signed. Because I wasn't counting on replacing the E36 just yet, funds had to be acquired. Some clusterfucks and ill communications later, money arrived in time for me to pick it up on saturday, knowing thomas would be at my place then to show off his new friend.
Giddy as a little schoolgirl, I rode in thomas's plaything to the dealership, where funds were exchanged, and I drove off in my new car. It's a 2003 330dA Touring with the Lifestyle Edition package, black exterior, black semi-leather interior with black trim pieces and a black headlining. The paint has seen better days, there's swirls, stonechips, and scratches all over the place. The car feels like it's been in the hand of caring owners for all of its life. Everything is still there, even the original light kit and most of the tools in the tool kit. Service booklet is stamped until a little after 200000km, and the gearbox has had the required services too.

So, how does it drive? Well, like you'd expect from a 204hp turbodiesel with a autobox. It's quick, it pulls like nothing else, with a buttery smooth gearbox ironing out all the jerkyness and other uncomfortable things. As MWF told me about his, it's relentless. It starts accelerating at a constant pace, and just won't stop pulling until way past legal speeds. I'm very glad it comes with a cruise control, because I can already see myself not noticing that I'm not doing 130, but 180. The sports seats are extremely comfortable, and despite the lack of colour, the interior is a very nice place to be, with ample space for passengers.
As soon as corners appear, it comes into its own, even though this is one lard-ass motherfucker at 1600kgs, you don't notice the weight until you start slowing down. The mahoosive brakes do an excellent job of slowing the car down though. Handling and steering response are nicer than in the E36, with a much heavier and better weighted steering, making it even more precise.

Enough talk, picture time:
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It's a gimmick, but I like it!
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What's that, sitting beside it?
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Oh look, it's a new friend it made!
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Much more space here than in the E36.
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And of course, a proof pic:
330dA-3259.jpg
 
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BMW!
E46!
touring!
Facelift!
In black!
With a straight six!

Well, after that it goes on with Diesel and automatic, but you can't have everything... :p

I changed the black interior trim strips for silver ones, it transforms the interior to a much nicer place. You already have the silver rings in the instrument cluster so you don't need to put in aftermarket ones, but silver trim strips are definitely an improvement over black ones.
 
:clap: Well done, Adu! It looks clean.

In the span of an hour, three new PYC threads, all BMWs!
 
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Wooden trim bits? You're driving a BMW, not a Merc or Jag... :no:
 
Gratz on the new car!
 
:clap: Well done, Adu! It looks clean.

In the span of an hour, three new PYC threads, all BMWs!

Yeah, I noticed yours too. Thomas and I kinda coordinated our posts since each contained the other's car :)

Wooden trim bits? You're driving a BMW, not a Merc or Jag... :no:

In this case, I think they suit the character of the car. Aluminium does not suit this car at all imho.

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Also, print out of options sheet:

Exterior colour Black Sapphire Metallic (475)
Interior trim Stoff/leder Scritto/schwarzgrau (V8TM)
Production date 31.05.2003
Factory Regensburg

Standard Equipment
S210A Dynamic stability control
S411A Window lifts,electric,front/rear
S473A Armrest front
S520A Fog lights
S548A Kilometer-calibrated speedometer
S550A On-board computer
S832A Battery in luggage compartment
S851A Language version German

Optional Equipment
S205A Automatic transmission
S249A Multifunction f steering wheel
S255A Sports leather steering wheel
S2CEA BMW light alloy wheel, spider spoke 137
S302A Alarm system
S386A Roof railing
S481A Sports seat
S502A Headlight cleaning system
S508A Park Distance Control (PDC)
S521A Rain sensor
S522A Xenon Light
S534A Automatic air conditioning
S644A Preparation f mobile phone w Bluetooth
S650A CD player
S661A Radio BMW Business (C43)
S692A Preparation, BMW 6-CD changer I-bus
S722A Lifestyle Edition
S785A White direction indicator lights
S863A Retailer Directory Europe
S877A Delete cross-pattern operation
S886A On-board vehicle literature Dutch
S896A Daytime driving light switch
S915A Delete clear coat
 
Excellent! I've driven one almost identical to this for a few hundred kilometers and loved every moment of it. The one I drove had 330 000km on it and the power smoke given was hilarious.

...I miss my E46 :(
 
I think this was left a bit in the shadow of the M5 but it does not mean it would not be a very nice car indeed!
I should get the opportunity to enjoy a BMW straight six diesel, I might even like it.
 
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I've enjoyed a couple different I6 diesel BMW's, including an E39 Alpina D10. My only thought afterwards has been "why did they even offer this car with any other engine besides this?"

It doesn't rev, it doesn't howl, it isn't sporty or any of that but it makes a god damn nice daily driver. It might run out of steam if you wind it out, but that's not a problem because if you did your purchase right, the engine is bolted to an automatic which changes gear before that happens and puts you back into the powerband.

And I like the way an I6 diesel sounds when it idles.
 
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It's the weird colour scheme that freaks me. Every time you operate one of these weird little black controls that's labelled in black on a black background a small black light lights up black to let you know you've done it! What is this? Some kind of galactic hyper-hearse?

Great buy. Hope it works for you and that you get to bring it on the mini Roadtrip.
 
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Great! And I like the general blackness.
 
Mmmm the E46 has aged gracefully. It still looks great, and next to F30 3-series it looks amazing. And pretty nice color combination too.
 
Yeah, especially the facelift has aged beautifully imho. The pre-facelift models look a bit dated, especially next to a facelifted one. But what colour combination are you talking about? It has none. :p
 
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S915A Delete clear coat

What? Why? How?


//edit

Ah, it's the wax cover layer they used for shipping, phew.
 
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