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  #21  
Old 10-30-2019, 09:22 AM
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Originally Posted by amancuso View Post
Wow. Sad story but glad the Mrs. is ok and you got a nice little M. Hope you enjoy!

The M2 is a fantastic little ride, although a little bumpy. We took ours on a road trip from New Jersey to Chicago and enjoyed every minute behind the wheel. Looks like yours doesn't have the executive package, which affords the LED active headlights, automatic high beams, forward collision warning, lane assist, HK stereo, and wireless charging. Mine is a 2018, so I've got the M Modified N55B30T0 vs. the detuned version of S55 in the competition. 2 great cars that BMW got right!
Sweet! Great to know a fellow X'er has an M2 as well! Talk ab opposite ends of the automotive spectrum!

I found the sticker last night. I don't think it has any option but the paint and a sunroof- which I wanted bc it is fairly unique to find. My bet is we'll never see a track (I know, I know) so the sunroof is a welcome and somewhat rare option from what I understand, even if it's bc most folks in the market don't want it. I'm not most people.

The article I read yesterday compared the competition vs the non. The author liked the N55 more than the M-division's S55. Lots of the nerds I've talked to think the S55 is more desirable bc it's a 'real' M motor. I could care less. I like what I have and haven't driven what I don't have.

The author also said the suspension was softer across the 2- or could be adjusted to be softer in the later one, maybe? The author liked the steering feedback in the earlier cars as it reminded him of his E36 M3. This one being softer is just fine with my lil wifey. The steering and ride is definitely softer and even a little higher than her lowered E46 with Eibach sways.

It rained this morning, but if you think that I could get away with keeping the little blue one in the garage on the 1st day I could take *my* little one to school, well.. The car is back where it belongs and dirty from the rain. But that's OK. My daughter waited to have her breakfast until she left the car. It was even her idea! Good girl.

Anyway, thanks everyone for working with me through all of this. Seeing your spouse rolled in to an ambulance and on a gurney was a lot to deal with even if she could have walked. Her bruises are still there but healing and the infection from a cut on her foot is clearing. We're both not sure if this car is THE one, but we'll give it a shot. Thanks for coming along!
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  #22  
Old 11-17-2019, 07:11 PM
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The last update here left us looking for a great 1st car for my daughter who turns 16 in June. While we were looking around for what would become the M2, I made a virtual visit to the same dealer I'd bought the X5 from nearly 8 years ago. I like to sort by year, so when I saw a 2003 for sale, I thought it odd that a dealer wouldn't just throw something like that to auction.

And there it was: The nearly perfect 1st car with a ZILLION miles on it. Clean. REALLY clean from the pics, and 1st car kinda cheap. I put it out of my head and searched for the wife's upgrade first. We know how THAT part of our story worked out. We found the M2 and I thought for sure the really nice E46 would be snatched up.

But it wasn't gone. Then, the online price started dropping. What was I supposed to do? I called last week and made the trip late last week. I give the collective thee.. my daughter's 1st car. She turns 16 in June. The car turns 17 around the same time!


Here's good news for those folks with an older Bimmer: Insurance offered us nearly $2000 more for the 2002 330 than we paid for this 2003. This offered plenty of leeway for our next purchase. We never thought we'd actually get another E46, but once this one showed up, it just felt right. I even took the all weather floor mats and trunk mat from the E46 hoping to donate them to a needy owner on one of the boards. Who could have expected that needy owner would become me!

The thing about being the 3rd owner on a car with nearly 200k miles is that you just cant expect perfection. Especially not for roughly 7% of the retail price. Alas, we do not have perfection! But we have pretty close. Mechanically, the thing feels like our old one on delivery at the Performance Center way back in 2002.

But alas, 170k mile paint is 170k mile paint! I am not even sure I'll get it shot by my buddy at the shop. Statistically, the odds are not in favor of our 16yr old making it out of her 1st year without any number of mishaps. Though she is under a bit of pressure. Neither her mother nor I wrecked out 1st cars. She has quite the streak to keep up!

But the thing was at least clean when we showed up. Made it difficult to see the cuts in the paint through the high gloss they'd sprayed on, but those things can be worked out well enough. All 4 wheels look like the original and very tired paint. Not a bit of curb rash on all 4! Even the new M2 has a spot on one wheel in less than 2200 miles. This, along with a service report that indicated annual oil changes every March with only a few incremental miles over the last 7 or 8 years. This really gave me a complete picture of how it was cared for. It's always an old guy or gal who drove the used car we're looking at, isn't it? But this one seems well cared for. The interior defies it's age and miles.
When we said goodbye to the blue one, we lifted the roundels and a chip of steel blue paint. She said at that time that she wanted to affix the scarred hood roundel to the BMW she'll get one day. Well, it's a fine thing that we lifted the Roundel from the wrecked one. Even with the smudges, it will work out better than the current one which is very very tired.
On the way home, we crossed a little milestone- One of my favorite speedo pic puns!

But it runs just like you'd expect a well maintained BMW 6cyl to run. As peppy as it ever was. In fact, I dare say it runs a little better than the wife's old one! The interior is definitely in better shape. I don't have pics of it.

The thing maintained nearly 28MPG for the ride home at over 70MPH. It ran quiet, rock solid, and not a hint of vibration anywhere at any speed. I did clear triple digits a time or two and the thing just ran right up there.

The tank was filled when I bought it, so I didn't get the 1st meal until nearly 400 miles from the same dealer I'd bought my X5 from nearly 8 years ago.
Our final bit of fun arrives at the expense of my hotel. Room 328? Hell no! I want room 330! :p
But alas, it was never meant to be...
I may even get a pic of my lil girl with a random orbital polisher! Let's see how it all plays out. I need to show off the interior at least once I dust it off.

It looks like it'll be a perfect 1st car for our needs. My daughter has driven it a couple times and she's doing well. As a new driver, she definitely prefers it to driving the much larger E53's. She doesn't care that the rear shelf has faded to purple and she doesn't care about the tired paint on the bumper and hood. At least not for now.

I think we all sort of took a breath of relief that we have a car in which her own choices make her destiny. Of course the car belongs to her parents and she knows this. She just gets the privilege of driving it. For that honor, she has the responsibility of maintaining it, cleaning it, and not wrapping it around a tree. Let's see how that goes for awhile!
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Last edited by PropellerHead; 11-17-2019 at 09:07 PM.
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  #23  
Old 11-17-2019, 09:33 PM
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Father of the year!
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  #24  
Old 11-17-2019, 10:22 PM
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Father of the year!
I want *my* E46 to look like *your* E46! I'm dreaming of clears and all sorts of things, but I have yet to let my trusted indy have a peek. When that verdict is in, I will know what happens when.
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  #25  
Old 11-18-2019, 04:08 AM
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Sorry to hear about the wreck but the replacement is one sweet looking ride.
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  #26  
Old 12-05-2019, 08:53 PM
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if anything is true about these cars is how sturdy and protective they are in case of an accident. I hope you guys had the same perception.
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  #27  
Old 12-06-2019, 08:59 PM
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I want a ZHP now Prop. I hope you are happy...

I know your daughter will be, they are excellent cars. Nice choice, nice example.
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  #28  
Old 03-18-2020, 10:40 PM
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Originally Posted by PropellerHead View Post
I want *my* E46 to look like *your* E46! I'm dreaming of clears and all sorts of things, but I have yet to let my trusted indy have a peek. When that verdict is in, I will know what happens when.
And so it was, after all, a romance built for speed rather than endurance. Walk with me, if you wish, along a journey much shorter than any BMW I've ever loved as much as this one...

TLDR:
  • Wife was hit and totalled the blue '02 E46 after 18 years together.
  • We found the *perfect* replacement for what would become my daughter's car: a 2003 E46 in silver.
  • Just 3 months later, my wife was hit AGAIN, totalling the silver E46. (Yes, of course she is OK- but also pissed)
But, if life is about the journey, then so is this thread!

Fast forward to Presidents Day a little over 3 months after we bought the silver one. With wet streets, my wife was hit AGAIN. She's fine, of course, and when you see the pic, you'll see why. It was just a fender bender. But E46's are what they are. Add on 173k miles, and insurance just won't see the real story on how great these things are. But, in case you're wondering, their number is ~$4200.
So you can bet that I was ALL IN to fix it. I'd even spied ZHP bumpers and cool, clear lenses. It was gonna be the best looking 17 yr old car on the lot. (given her run arounds, probably the only one that old) As we talked over the options, my daughter made clear:
"Daddy, I'll drive ANYTHING and be happy to drive it. BUT, if we can get what we paid for it, can we at least LOOK for my dream car?" (more on that later)
I thought that was just sweet enough of a lie that I would take it as the right thing to say. We agreed then that we'd see what we could find. ANY hiccup would end the search and we'd just fix the silver one. I wanted hiccups.

See? I'd FIXED this car! I mean, sorta. Nothing was wrong mechanically except of course the sunroof- like in most of 'em. The rear deck that had faded purple? Well, let's not miss a chance to make THAT look cool... :bigpimp:
And then the falling fabric on the A pillars. This was also bad on my wife's car. If I'd known how easy it was to fix this, I'd have repaired the blue one years ago.
But alas. From the offer to sell the silver one to my neighbor's uncle, to the insurance settlement being basically even, and yes, finding her dream car, everything could not have gone better. We came out even on the silver E46 and she'll be pulled, painted and driven.

I will miss it. But, we have another journey to tell about. And I'll link that thread here when the time is right. The TLDR for THAT one?
  • Baby girl has a dream car just like her daddy did.
  • Daddy's are powerless when two things they adore seem destined for one another. (this one anyway)
  • If the Universe agrees, the journey will be both epic and trouble free. And so it was.
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Last edited by PropellerHead; 03-18-2020 at 10:46 PM.
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  #29  
Old 03-19-2020, 04:00 AM
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Prop, I have a suggestion...

Buy this and have zero worries about anyone hitting the wife on the road and it makes talking to potential son-in-law types much more fun!!!

I may know of a cargo ship to get it stateside also

https://www.milweb.net/webvert/a4133/96711

Sent from my SM-A730F using Tapatalk
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  #30  
Old 03-19-2020, 06:23 AM
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Sad to hear PH. Glad the Mrs is OK though.
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