2002 BMW E46 330Ci Convertible
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THE HIGHLIGHTS
• Fantastic service history
• Iconic and sought after colour
• 3.0L M54B30 engine creates an incredible soundtrack
• Well maintained bodywork
• 3.0L M54B30 engine creates an incredible soundtrack
• Well maintained bodywork
THE BACKGROUND
The E46 330i was THE car to buy if you were in the market for a 200+bhp, 6 cylinder rear wheel drive and didn’t want the extra price and running costs involved with buying an M3. These 330i’s made for outstanding daily drivers, with responsive handling thanks to the much improved aluminium body shell and reduced unsprung mass thanks to newly developed suspension components.
A true wolf in sheep's clothing thanks to that M54B30 engine producing 228bhp and 221lb/ft of torque, more than enough to keep you smiling on a daily basis!
A true wolf in sheep's clothing thanks to that M54B30 engine producing 228bhp and 221lb/ft of torque, more than enough to keep you smiling on a daily basis!
THE HISTORY
This lovely E46 has only had 3 owners in the space of the last 19 years, and only covered a small sum of 49,189 miles - not much at all for a car of this age! And it showcases that low mileage wonderfully throughout the bodywork and the interior, too.
MOT history is relatively clean with the most recent MOT on 03/06/21 showing no advisory notices and a clean pass! So it is evident that the vehicle has been cared for throughout its previous ownerships.
MOT history is relatively clean with the most recent MOT on 03/06/21 showing no advisory notices and a clean pass! So it is evident that the vehicle has been cared for throughout its previous ownerships.
A total of 9 service stamps are present in the cars service history booklet at a number of different garages, along with a good amount of invoices for servicing and MOT paperwork.
THE PAPERWORK
The vehicle comes with the original BMW booklets as well as a plethora of service invoices and receipts - mirrored by the service booklet inside the car.
THE INTERIOR
Classically BMW. Carbon cube inlays, lovely light beige sports leather interior, well kept with no real signs of excessive usage - only the “to be expected” creases in some areas. There does appear to be a repair on the driver side bolster on the back portion of the seat, what appears to be some leather paint used to bring back some life to the seat - a common repair in high wear areas such as this.
The front passenger side seat appears to be in good condition throughout with no signs of any similar repairs made, in fact it shows very little signs of use at all, the stitching is all intact and no unwanted cracks or stretching is apparent. The same can be said for the rear seats, too! Little signs of use with only very minimal leather stretching . This E46 is also fitted with rollover protection built into the rear headrests, which protrudes metal bars out from the headrest in the result of a crash to massively increase the vehicles safety.
The front passenger side seat appears to be in good condition throughout with no signs of any similar repairs made, in fact it shows very little signs of use at all, the stitching is all intact and no unwanted cracks or stretching is apparent. The same can be said for the rear seats, too! Little signs of use with only very minimal leather stretching . This E46 is also fitted with rollover protection built into the rear headrests, which protrudes metal bars out from the headrest in the result of a crash to massively increase the vehicles safety.
All of the interior door panels are in lovely condition, only the driver's side door panel appears to have some kind of crease along the leather portion of the panel, however it does appear to simply be cosmetic. All plastics and speaker grills are intact and the carbon cube inlays are still very well presented on all of the arm rests, as well as across the centre console.
The dashboard conforms to that classic BMW look, which some of their modern models still use today. The carbon cube inlays stretch from one side of the car to the other, with the control panel cascading down in the middle to meet the centre console.
The cube inlays also separate the two-tone dashboard with the beige plastics on the lower portion to tie in nicely with the remainder of the interior finish. A nice touch that really makes the cabin feel a little bit more spacious thanks to the reduction in dark materials.
The steering wheel of course shows some signs of age with the leather becoming shiny due to use, and a small scuff on the upper left of the steering wheel. All of the stitching is intact however, and there are no rups, the plastic portion appears to be in good shape and the control buttons and BMW badge are well presented!
The cube inlays also separate the two-tone dashboard with the beige plastics on the lower portion to tie in nicely with the remainder of the interior finish. A nice touch that really makes the cabin feel a little bit more spacious thanks to the reduction in dark materials.
The steering wheel of course shows some signs of age with the leather becoming shiny due to use, and a small scuff on the upper left of the steering wheel. All of the stitching is intact however, and there are no rups, the plastic portion appears to be in good shape and the control buttons and BMW badge are well presented!
THE EXTERIOR
Finished in Topaz Blue Metallic, and excellently looked after - it really shines through on the exterior of this E46. The front bumper is seemingly scuff free and we’re told the bonnet itself is free of chips, which is outstanding for a car of this age.
The bi-xenon headlights still function as they should although the lenses are becoming slightly cloudy - however this can be very easily fixed and doesn’t affect the output of the light at all. The iconic chrome kidney grills still glisten in the sun with their chrome finish and all of the fins are in place with no damage. A very honest car!
The bi-xenon headlights still function as they should although the lenses are becoming slightly cloudy - however this can be very easily fixed and doesn’t affect the output of the light at all. The iconic chrome kidney grills still glisten in the sun with their chrome finish and all of the fins are in place with no damage. A very honest car!
Onto the wheels, they’re very well kept. The passenger side front alloy has a tiny kerb mark, hardly noticeable unless you’re looking for it. The passenger side rear wheel appears free of any blemishes and the same can be said about the driver's side alloys!
Their lovely silver finish is still glossy and well maintained. All wheel arches appear free of rust or paint bubbling, this is echoed across the rest of the body panels too, none of them appear tired or show signs of damage.
Their lovely silver finish is still glossy and well maintained. All wheel arches appear free of rust or paint bubbling, this is echoed across the rest of the body panels too, none of them appear tired or show signs of damage.
The rear bumper is in very nice condition with no scuffs or scratches apparent. The rear lights are all still functional and the lenses appear clear and free from cracks or damages, the tailgate is also free from any damage and very well kept.
The retractable roof is still fully operational, opening and closing with the press of a button in the cockpit, the driver can enjoy the top down on those sunny days with ease. The fabric appears to be free of any damage, no tears throughout the material and the stitching is all in place, and there is no water ingress to the cabin when the roof is fully closed.
THE MECHANICS
The M54B30 is somewhat iconic, being the S54B32’s little brother (the M3’s powerplant), it generates a fantastic naturally aspirated 228bhp and 221lb/ft of torque, while also creating that beautiful and incredibly well known 6-cylinder soundtrack that performance BMW’s were known for back in the early 2000s.
This power output made for an excellent and very drivable daily car, and would have the advantage over most others on the road at the time! Connected to a sports automatic gearbox, it makes driving this 330Ci an absolute pleasure, especially if you end up stuck in traffic - no heavy clutch to worry about!
This power output made for an excellent and very drivable daily car, and would have the advantage over most others on the road at the time! Connected to a sports automatic gearbox, it makes driving this 330Ci an absolute pleasure, especially if you end up stuck in traffic - no heavy clutch to worry about!
Over the years this vehicle has had whatever work it has required as can be seen by the list of service receipts and invoices which accompany the car - we’re told there’s no outstanding issues and as it sits, it’s a turn-key car, just hop in and drive and enjoy that wonderful symphony of the 6-cylinder growling to the command of your right foot!
THE APPEAL
As we all know, the E46 is quickly becoming one of the more recognisable BMW body shapes, and the E46 M3 is becoming a modern classic - as can be seen from the massive price hike in recent years! An M3 is out of reach for a lot of people, especially well maintained examples.
So why not get the next best thing, a 330Ci, which gives you plenty of grunt and performance and will keep you grinning from ear to ear every time you jump in it. Especially such a lovely example such as this one! They’re becoming more and more difficult to source - so don’t miss out on this one!
Notice to bidders
So why not get the next best thing, a 330Ci, which gives you plenty of grunt and performance and will keep you grinning from ear to ear every time you jump in it. Especially such a lovely example such as this one! They’re becoming more and more difficult to source - so don’t miss out on this one!
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the sellers discretion.
Vehicle specification
- Year 2002
- Make BMW
- Model 3 Series Cabriolet
- Colour Blue
- Odometer 49,189 Miles
- Engine size 2979
Auction Details
- Seller Type Trade
- Location Hampshire
- Country United Kingdom
24
bids
- da•••• £10,250 11/11/21
- Pa•••• £10,000 11/11/21
- da•••• £9,900 11/11/21
- Pa•••• £9,800 11/11/21
- da•••• £9,700 11/11/21
- Pa•••• £9,600 11/11/21
- Pa•••• £9,500 11/11/21
- da•••• £9,400 11/11/21
- da•••• £9,300 11/11/21
- da•••• £9,200 11/11/21
The Gallery
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| Bid Amount | Increment |
|---|---|
| £0 to £9,999 | £100.00 |
| £10,000 to £49,999 | £250.00 |
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