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This is not a 2004 ///M. Pic shows the ABS module in the drug bin inside the engine compartment. In 2004 and later ///Ms the ABS module was relocated underneith the airbox. Also 2003.5 and later came with LED tails afaik...Quote:
Originally Posted by mbeckel
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Exactly..obviously been hit and repaired incorrectly.Quote:
Originally Posted by derbo
I'm more inclined to believe it's just mislabeled considering the abs module location.Quote:
Originally Posted by MiniD
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OtterEffect
Just ask for the VIN. It will tell you all. It's nice that 2000 set the year digit to 0 and its easy to tell 2000-2009 cars.
All that stuff doesn't matter... The single deal breaker is GRRRRRREEEEEEEEYYYY!!
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I'd agree, but... interior swap...Quote:
Originally Posted by az3579
I like the grey actually.
I would just buy black door cards, center console and use black floor mats.
Goin' HAM mobile
unheated power seats: http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=1037896
Not necessarily a deal breaker Botond....remember my ///M came with an all grey interior...;)Quote:
Originally Posted by az3579
Dario, this was my solution to the ugly grey interior my ///M came with. I ultimately got the interior (with some OEM CSL components) I wanted with my TiAg exterior color....if you know where to source the interior parts from... anything is possible! :thumbsupQuote:
Originally Posted by ELCID86
Swapping that interior is way too much work, IMO. Not only that, but it adds lots of additional expense.
Car I wanted just sold. :(
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http://i.imgur.com/Pkmt37Q.jpgQuote:
Originally Posted by Avetiso
I felt the same way. Hey, at least our team won at the soccer game.Quote:
Originally Posted by Newjack
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Found a SWEET Phoenix Yellow M3 locally for a great price. Two turn offs, though. Gray interior, and it's SMG. Seems like a fantastic deal, though. The gray interior part can be fixed easily; I'd just wait to source an Imola, Cloth, or Cinn interior and swap it in.
More worried about the SMG, but if it ever breaks I would use that as a spur to swap to a 6MT... I could just keep a few grand in the bank as a just in case fund.
What do you guys think? It's a 2004, 90k mile car. Has navi. Looks pretty darn clean. $16,000.
I can dig phoenix yellow and don't see interior color as a deal breaker. Its a used car, more important is chassis, engine and transmission to me.
No on Imola interior for that color...grey looks fitting for that color.
You should get a very thorough PPI and pay double what you are willing to pay for it. This is the single most important thing to have done when buying a used car.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Oli77
I'm checking it out tomorrow. Not a huge fan of PPI. I don't need to pay someone $200 to run through a checklist for me. But, I will take it to a shop I am familiar with so that I may get it on a lift and check out the subframe.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hornung418
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Personally not a fan of that color, Atacama is the only recent yellow I've liked from BMW
I know it's love or hate. Derek calls it bile yellow lol.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hermes
I love it, though.
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I call it baby puke yellow
As for interior, black is the only color I can see matching well with that paint
Haha. Nah baby puke is more brownish... Ask my nephew. :roflQuote:
Originally Posted by Hermes
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I like Phoenix yellow or Dakar yellow.
Have you driven the smg before? They are mildly problematic, but to be frank I just didn't enjoy the way they drove. Most people I know with them have had to replace the pump at least once. I would say that it's a little high for 90k miles. Especially since that probably means that it's immediately due for an inspection/valve adjustment then cooling system, FCABs, RTABs, and shocks aren't too far behind. Make sure you check the rear shock mounts too when you check the subframe.
Yeah, PY is a love it or hate it for sure. Not my cup of tea but they certainly are noticeable. The grey wouldn't be so bad if they just used black carpet and dashes with it...
Yep, all great points and also the reason I went 6mt.Quote:
Originally Posted by Torxuvin
Buddy who owned an SMG said he always felt like it was on the verge of breaking, wasn't smooth at all.
Goin' HAM mobile
The DCT and even new automatics are a full head and shoulders above the smg. Faster and smoother.Quote:
Originally Posted by UdubBadger
I have heard that the SMG was improved with the CSL programming though... my concern would still be when the SMG pump will need replacement...I would always worry about this issue if I had an ///M with SMG.
My friend has a 2004 ///M that came from the factory with SMG and he always had $5k in the bank just in case the SMG pump had failed. Eventually, he got tired of this and recently did an SMG to 6MT swap and is much happier knowing that this issue is past history....another reason if I pick up another ///M it won't be SMG...
3 pedals or bust
Yes CSL transmission programming decreases shift speed to almost .4 of a second...thats so much faster than a human can shift. If it breaks so what. It's still a manual transmission just with out a manual clutch pedal and shift selector. The parts total about $2,000 to do the swap, last I saw.
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Justin, it's just not that to complete the swap. You also have to reprogram the ECU - change personalities so to speak. There are software differences between SMG and 6MT so the ECU needs to know that it will now become an ECU for 6MT. If there are tuning s/w installed it only adds to the difficulty of making the changes as my friend is finding out right now...Quote:
Originally Posted by Hornung418
You just reprogram the DME with the correct part number and remove the transmission computer. Shouldn't be any more difficult than a non-M swap. Only issue I think would be trouble is the reservoir on the intake for the SMG pump.
Dario, you should contact Trevor about all the SMG stuff.
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The swap overall was pretty straight forward. Even leaving the SMG reservoir in place does not affect anything once the 6MT conversion is complete (SMG reservoir is not connected to anything). My friend did this only because he didn't want to wait to have his SMG pump fail so he got everything done and sold off the good working parts to help fund his transformation...Quote:
Originally Posted by Hornung418
I appreciate all the input, guys.
I haven't driven any SMGs yet, but I will ask the guy to either let me drive the car, or take me for a spirited drive in it. I hear that the majority of people who get used to it end up loving it. I also keep reading that driving it in auto mode is never smooth, and that auto is practically worthless.
As far as reliability, I hear that SMG is problematic, but I'm pretty sure it's overblown like crazy. I know there is a lot of anecdotal evidence saying it's bad, but any poll I find related to SMG is always 80%+ in favor of it (like this one http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=315343). 86% of polled people never had an issue with it.
As far as the swap, that IS the plan. I can do all of the work myself; that's not an issue. I can also update the DME and do all that crap myself. I'd go with Eurocharged for a tune, so getting retuned shouldn't be an issue when switching to MT. Just need to wait for it to break. The reason I'd risk it is because... I love the color. It's local. It's clean. It's inexpensive. PY really is pretty rare.
Also, if it does break, doing the swap can be done with nicer parts. I'd be able to go straight to my favorite SSK, clutch and flywheel combo, DSSR, etc...
I do plan on long-hauling with the car...but I've said that before. :shifty
And I do plan on haggling a bit on the car. $16k is the starting price, but I think it's a decent start point, is all. Any enthusiast would be asking $20k for it, unfortunately.
Mmm. Let me know how the test drive etc goes. I used to drool over a PY and LSB M3 at work. They've since left and I can no longer creep.
I've personally known 8+ smg owners over the m3/m5/m6 generations. Only one car hasn't had to get any smg work done. Clutch replacements, pump replacements, random hydraulic issues etc. Thankfully for many of the replacements were done under warranty. One of my buddies has had over 20k worth of work on SMG systems alone on his e60. The m3 doesn't seem to be as fragile or quite as expensive to fix. Generally at 100-120k miles they've spent about 2k on refreshing the pump and system after failure. The smg was cutting edge at the time. To be fair the upgraded software makes a BIG difference. It's just hard to be satisfied with how remarkable the DCT is. Frankly if you want to do aftermarket clutch parts, it shouldn't matter what it starts with. Same work is involved. Just keep an eye on your budget for planning purposes. :cheers
Dario, you seem to have a good head on your shoulders. If you like the car and it's clean, go for it. Clean e46 M3s are getting harder and harder to find.
Agreed with Vas - three pedals or bust. It's that extra pedal that makes the difference
I think you have to drive an SMG like it was a manual (let off the throttle, then shift) in order for the gear changes to be smooth.
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Yup. I've heard that a lot. People say it shifts very smoothly.Quote:
Originally Posted by az3579
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Just got back from test drive. Guy has had zero issues with the transmission over the last two years, and he drove it in auto mode for the most part. I do feel that the shifting is a little awkward, but I had the hang of it towards the end of the drive and it's definitely not bad. Just gotta get used to it. Didn't get much time with the car, but I did notice that the mirror leaked out (surprise, surprise). Paint looks very clean, few scuffs on the bumper and tiny things here and there, but overall, excellent. Newish rear tires, Hankook. Dove gray interior is a little worn but not bad, should clean up nice. Overall, I think I want to make a move on it. Gonna go hit up some credit unions right now.
Is the SMG fun? I catch myself thinking that it would be a blast to slap through the gears sometimes. I'd just be too reluctant to give up a 6spd to try one.
I was in S5 or S6 and the speed with which it shifted puts MT to shame. It's scary.Quote:
Originally Posted by QC_ZHP
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