E46 325i's Touring...On the hunt!

[das boots]

I am in the market for a E46 Touring. It seems that there are not much to view on Tourings with the E46Fs. I am targeting most on as much info I can get on 325i's. Or am I looking on the wrong place? Is there a specific site just for Tourings? Any leads would be appreciated. Thanks.

[johnrando]

I don't want to burst your bubble, but as you have seen, those seem hard to find. The people that own them don't sell them. Hope you find one!

[das boots]

No worries. I take my time and homework for my hunt.....every information helps. Along that line, why are they so hard to find????? Are they also difficult for maintenance? Engines are different from our 3.0s.

[johnrando]

Not sure why they are. I generally think it's because there aren't many good touring type cars out there now so people hold on to their current ones. (Or new ones cost too much). That was just such a clean, classic model. As far as maint, I don't know. Can't imagine it would be that much more difficult but that's just a guess.

[BCS_ZHP]

Das boots,
As a former touring owner, my 2 cents. ZSPs with 5 spds, aredefinitely rare packages. Mine was a rare under 60K mile , one owner, with Dinan upgrades. I offered it for sale at $13.5Kanddtheyineresed parties drove it up a grand, expect to pay a fair amount for the right fcar.

I offered to buy it back a month after I sold it, and the currrent owner basically told me to pound sand.
bad decision on my part, I learned

Bruce

[static667]

No worries. I take my time and homework for my hunt.....every information helps. Along that line, why are they so hard to find????? Are they also difficult for maintenance? Engines are different from our 3.0s.

From what I have noticed, there isn't much difference between the 2.5 and 3.0, externally. Good luck with your search.

[zj96sc]

My mom has a touring. Great car, part of the reason I came back to BMWs. I'd fawn all over a zhp touring like a schoolboy. Wish BMW had loosened up the options/platforms combos a little.

[das boots]

Das boots,
As a former touring owner, my 2 cents. ZSPs with 5 spds, aredefinitely rare packages. Mine was a rare under 60K mile , one owner, with Dinan upgrades. I offered it for sale at $13.5Kanddtheyineresed parties drove it up a grand, expect to pay a fair amount for the right fcar.

I offered to buy it back a month after I sold it, and the currrent owner basically told me to pound sand.
bad decision on my part, I learned

Bruce

I will be so lucky if I do find a 5 spd here in SoCali......and in mint low miles condition.

[BCS_ZHP]

Das Boots,
The 2.5L has 50 less HP than a ZHP, so they address the acceleration via diff ratio. A sport pkg manual touring has something like a 3.46 diff ratio and that equates to almost 4K rpm at 80 mph. You'll yearn for a 6th gear if it's your highway cruiser, around town though it's plenty peppy. The best fuel economy I could get was 26-27 mpg on an all highway leg. My typical mixed commute was in the 22-24 range, if you're being real sporty it can fall below 20.

[otisdog]

I went to the BMWNA website to do aa quick search for you, but they don't even havea search option for Tourings...rare indeed!

[zj96sc]

well, they're not distinguished by model code so almost no search mechanism without a "body style" search feature will have them specified.

[das boots]

That was what I was searching for...evidently, E46 is a very big umbrella. I don't even know what type of engine it uses. But when I Google E46 Touring, lots of great looking photos. Including the one and only ZHP Touring made by BMW.

[Hermes]

Lawrence, 2 questions...

Has the old car sold?

What happened with the one at Boris' dealer, gone already I'm assuming?

[bimmeryota]

Das Boots,
The 2.5L has 50 less HP than a ZHP, so they address the acceleration via diff ratio. A sport pkg manual touring has something like a 3.46 diff ratio and that equates to almost 4K rpm at 80 mph. You'll yearn for a 6th gear if it's your highway cruiser, around town though it's plenty peppy. The best fuel economy I could get was 26-27 mpg on an all highway leg. My typical mixed commute was in the 22-24 range, if you're being real sporty it can fall below 20.

Good info! I never knew that...I always wondered why there wasn't a bigger difference in MPG between the 3.0 and 2.5... I will be in the market for one of these one day myself, but probably an xi...(rally car project maybe?)

[das boots]

I have an offer of my daughter's car. We shall see where this leads.....lots of lookers....no serious buyers. Just putting out feelers. I still got the ZHP. My DD.

[MrMaico]

Can't help with the search but this is a cool project Touring this guy is building up....

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=867528

http://www.pazouti.com/cars/w1.jpg

[das boots]

Unfortunately if I was to get a Touring, it will not go to that extent. The Touring will be my daughter's to haul around the grandkids. It will be used as what it is suppose to do....haul kids and kids stuffs. On a side note, one of my grandkids is a Special Needs child.

[Meric]

http://www.albertasportandimport.ca/used/BMW/2003-BMW-3+Series-55caf33b404638d500c85a338e8c1cd8.htm

[Ryans323i]

I know a guy locally that's selling his wife DD 325 Touring. He's a Porsche mechanic and I would feel comfortable buying a vehicle from him.

Here's the for sale ad. LINK (http://www.wncrides.com/showthread.php?12944-2001-E46-325i-touring-%28wagon%29)

I realize it's on the wrong side of the Country. I'd look at it for you and help anyway I can.

[otisdog]

well, they're not distinguished by model code so almost no search mechanism without a "body style" search feature will have them specified.

Actually they are distinguished by model code - they list the 5 series "T"'s, but not the 3's.

[das boots]

I know a guy locally that's selling his wife DD 325 Touring. He's a Porsche mechanic and I would feel comfortable buying a vehicle from him.

Here's the for sale ad. LINK (http://www.wncrides.com/showthread.php?12944-2001-E46-325i-touring-%28wagon%29)

I realize it's on the wrong side of the Country. I'd look at it for you and help anyway I can.

Like the add says....Nice DD & Kids hauler. Thanks.