E46 as an alternative to the Mini Cooper S
You never forget your first love. That’s why we, together with unknown Dutch people, look back on their first car. This week we pay tribute to the BMW 320Ci coupé, the E46 that conquered the heart of Esmee Reimer.
Starting in a BMW 320 Ci coupé, isn’t that a dream start to your car career?
Esmee: “After getting my driver’s license, I was actually aiming for a Mini Cooper S, but after some research, I considered it too expensive and unreliable. Then I shifted my search to a BMW E46, but my parents didn’t quite agree with that. My father even started setting rules if I were to go for such a BMW. The car couldn’t have too many kilometers on the clock, had to be well-maintained, and the six-in-line was out of the question. That would be too much power for a young driver.”
Yet you came home with an E46 with a six-in-line?
“With the rules in mind, I went looking for a suitable E46. I was also warming up to the E36, but it was impossible to find an unmolested or non-abused example within budget. The E90 was not an option. I don’t like those. Somewhere near Cologne I found this E46 320Ci, finished in the beautiful Estoril Blue, with the right options and in excellent condition, but with that forbidden six-in-line. When my father stood next to the car, he thankfully got over it. The BMW looked great and came from the second owner. This had to be it. I had taken my father with me to help negotiate the price, but in the end, he threw me to the wolves and I had to haggle myself. The BMW was allowed to come along for €3,500, a few hundred euros less than the asking price. Meanwhile, prices have risen sharply for a nice E46, if you can even find one.”
What makes this version so special?
“It meets exactly my wishes. I wanted a pre-facelift, because it’s more beautiful in this specific ‘Estoril Blue’ color and sports seats. The fact that it has cruise control is a nice bonus. The six-in-line speaks for itself, of course. The car is actually quite specially composed. The first owner went fanatically through the option list with sports seats including memory function, but left out the seat heating. Just like the navigation system, which was often ticked at that time. Apparently, he had quite a bit of money to spend, but not that much money!”
Has it proven to be a bit reliable?
“This generation 3-series is known to be reliable, but it’s getting older, so things do break sometimes. The first year I drove without any problems, but in the years after that I got broken wishbones, a defective thermostat, a cracked expansion tank and a burst coolant hose, which left me stranded on the side of the road. I was on my way to Düsseldorf when that hose snapped and the BMW had to be taken home on the trailer. At that moment I realized that being able to tinker myself would come in handy and then I retrained as a car mechanic. Meanwhile, I do all the maintenance myself.”
What are you still planning to do with the car?
“It will never leave, this is a keeper. Meanwhile, I dare to say that my BMW is in very good condition. In addition, it is almost completely free of rust, even at the wheel arches. Those are the notorious places in this generation. The small surface rust under the hood has now been removed. On my wish list are a different muffler and new rims, but with that I am walking on thin ice. Such an E46 quickly looks ‘questionable’. When I had just bought the car, I wanted to hang other bumpers and a rear spoiler on it. Fortunately, I have come back on that and have kept it original and unmolested. That’s how it is at its best.”
First car BMW 320Ci coupé (150 hp) from 1999
Bought for €3,500 with 160,000 kilometers on the clock
Dream car BMW E46 M3 or Alfa Romeo Brera