btmaldon

Welcome along Gavan

Welcome along Phil. Hope you enjoy the car.

Hi Abdul. My bit about working hard should have been followed by a LOL. It can be quiet at times on hear but seems to go in fits and starts. I suppose half term didn't help. I am a member of numerous forums and the others are mostly busy because of the issues people are having with their cars. Running costs should be similar to a Merc depending on if it is Petrol or Deisel. Good luck with your search.

Hi Andy. I think the car looks cool and definitely unique.

Welcome to the club Mark. Hope you enjoy your new purchase.

For Xenons to be fitted legally and to allow the car to pass an MOT it should also have headlight washers and an auto levelling system. To be honest you may do better fitting more powerful bulbs.

Hi Abdul. It can be a bit quiet in the week as most Beemer owners work all hours to pay for their expensive lifestyles. I seem to spend half my life commuting to and from the City. As far as the car goes. All BMW's may cost a little more than your Fords in Servicing and parts but their reliability means you find your hand in your pocket far less often. If the car is going to be your daily driver an SE model is ideal. An M Sport may be great fun but to live with on a daily basis the harsh suspension can get on your nerves, especially if you do a lot of miles. Most cars have those silly pump and gunge repair systems now rather than a spare. Mine has the run flats on it and to be honest I think I would prefer the gunge. The tyres are a lot cheaper and the ride is better. If your looking for a 2.0 litre diesel the later ones are fine. It was the earlier N47 engines that had an issue with some timing chains going. Like with any car, check it has full history and a close inspection of the bodywork, wheels and interior will show you if the car has been looked after or not. If you are not 100% happy, walk away.

Welcome along Inda. Love the car.

Is this the sort thing your after. These are plug and play: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7-Car-DVD-Player-GPS-SAT-NAV-E-RDS-Bluetooth-Stereo-Radio-for-BMW-E46-3-Series-/360714615097?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item53fc443939

Welcome along Martin

Hope you get it sorted. I can understand your misgivings after that experience.

Welcome Simon. I too am loving the look of your car and the colour.

Welcome along Michael

Do not start the car or turn on the ignition as this will activate the fuel pump. Call the RAC or AA or similar immediately. They deal with this a lot and will need to drain the tank. Putting petrol in your diesel car will damage your fuel pump if not dealt with immediately. In diesel cars, the main fuel pump uses the diesel fuel flowing through it for lubrication. However, when you put petrol fuel in, the mix of petrol in diesel acts as a solvent, reducing lubrication and quickly causing damage to the pump as the metal parts come into contact and rub together. Other parts of the fuel system which might not be compatible with petrol, can also be damaged. Switching on your car’s ignition will circulate this mix of petrol in diesel through your fuel system, causing further contamination to other components.. Ultimately, if left for too long this could mean that the entire fuel system requires costly repairs, or replacing completely!

Welcome along Jonny. I understand the Alfa thing having had one myself. One of the best drivers cars I have ever owned, however I was always paranoid about the timing belt issues and unhealthy oil consumption.

Eurocarparts are good for spares or you could try these: http://www.directcarparts.co.uk/wl.aspx?40000059〈=eng

Welcome along Charlotte

Welcome along Dena.

Welcome Janey. Car looks great

Welcome along Dan. The cars looking good

Looks like you can only get the US version of the Haynes manual: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-3-Series-E46-Inc-Z4-1999-2006-New-Haynes-Shop-Manual-/251907897295?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3aa6e177cf#ht_1130wt_1275

Welcome Stewart. Try Europarts as well.

Welcome to the forum Brian. I didn't know about the Olympics thing so Googled it: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2012/jul/15/wheels-bmw-320d-review-olympics

Sounds like a common problem and unfortunately no easy fix. The location of the motor that draws the hood back is very well sealed. Unfortunately this means that water cant drain and as a result fills the motor and burns it out. From what I have read it means the hood has to come off to replace it.

Welcome back Andy