The Blue Phoenix - E46 325i

[Jake]

I think the cooling system paranoia is a bit much, it's not an E36. Just drive it and keep an eye out for leaks. :dunno: And yes, low chance of subframe issues unless you start tracking it.

Agreed - I know I said it's easy to replace the cooling system, but I also don't think you need to be clamoring to do it ASAP either.

For all the shit E36's get about reliability, my 328i was purchased back in what, July? and has been daily driven since. It was maintained by the previous owners to various levels of care (i.e. not neglected) and you know what I've truly done for maintenance since purchase? One oil change, front brakes, and an ABS sensor. And now it's starting to leak coolant from a $25 hose that will take me an hour to replace.

The rest of what I've done has been upgrades, but it could be rolling around on old shocks and stock 15" wheels and be just as solid. I'm not preemptively doing a damn thing on that convertible, just addressing whatever as it comes up. And it's been cheap.

What I'm getting at is that everything requires occasional maintenance and in that regard, I don't think an E46 is some wildcard of horror and expense. Change the oil every so often, keep an eye out for leaky things, replace brake pads when the dash light comes on, and otherwise just drive the damn thing. Chan owned it for years and didn't neglect it, all you have to do is keep it up. Worry about the upgrades and preventative shit later. It's a BMW Civic, not a Maserati.