Sometimes, the best things in life hide in plain sight. One of the greatest cars I’ve had this decade isn’t flashy, it isn’t fast, and quite frankly, it isn’t that special—or is it? At first glance, the 2003 Titanium silver over grey leather 330Xi automatic sedan isn’t remarkable by enthusiast standards, but it doesn’t take long to appreciate how remarkable it is. With 241,122 miles on the odometer, it is one of those examples that proves, with proper maintenance, an E46 can last a very long time. This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the end of regular E46 production, and despite being driven an average of 10,483 miles per year, this 330Xi sedan serves as a reminder of just how special the E46 is.
The TiAg 2003 BMW 330Xi automatic isn’t that special.
Or it is?
Few cars center in the Venn diagram of analog experience, complexity, maintenance, and price better than the E46. It was the last generation 3 Series to be devoid of iDrive, turbos, electric power steering, and a host of other technological advancements that improved the 3 Series, but also sacrificed the purity of the driving experience in the process. The E46 market diverged some time ago, with M3s, ZHPs, Sport Wagons, and low-mileage cars appreciating, while the majority of the general population succumbed to age, wear, and neglect.
What makes the E46 special lies in its subtlety.
I love the little red light that illuminates the center console.
This 330Xi proudly wears its 241,122 miles.
It came to my mechanic friend from the original owner, who was alarmed by a transmission light that appeared on the dashboard. She had always properly maintained it, but fearing the dreaded automatic transmission failure, she offered it to him for a few hundred dollars. He cleared the fault, and it has yet to come back. In that time, he kept up on routine maintenance, fixing oil leaks from the valve cover, oil stand gasket, and oil pan gasket. It also needed front CV axles, brakes, tires, and typical crankcase ventilation bits. The body and paint were in exceptional condition for the mileage. Eventually, he came to work for me and traded it in on a manual E90 328Xi M Sport we had. For the next two years, we used it as the shop loaner, where it racked up another 10,000 miles, requiring only basic maintenance. It did suffer a tire retread to the left fog light and lower valance, but other than that, it still shows its age remarkably well. Mechanically, it has slight vibration in the differential at speed, the tire pressure light is permanently illuminated, and recently, the brake master cylinder has developed a faint whistle. I’ll fix the latter at some point.
For its age and mileage, it is in exceptional condition.
The only exterior blemish is a cracked foglight from a retread tire.
Inside, cracked wood trim and scuffed center console storage covers are typical E46 maladies.
Somehow, it doesn’t burn a drop of oil.
When I closed the shop, I shipped it to Maryland so I’d have a vehicle there for monthly visits to my aging mother’s care facility. Over the past year, it has sat for weeks at a time with no parasitic draw, it doesn’t burn a drop of oil, and it’s already saved me thousands on rental car fees. But there is something beyond practicality to this E46. It’s wonderfully cathartic to be able to take care of my mother, but there is an emotional toll of watching someone you love succumb to their age. The E46 has served its mission incredibly well—lunchtime visits to the local diner are her favorite—but it also brings a smile to my face every time I drive it. For me, it offers a wonderful reprieve to offset the burden of the visits—a taste of an era of greatness for BMW that was so good, it didn’t need to be in a car that was flash, fast, or fancy. Sometimes the best things truly do hide in plain sight.—Alex McCulloch
The best thing about this E46 is that even when times are hard, it makes me smile!
