Differences between e46 M3's

[MPowerA7X]

Im planning on buying an e46 M3 shortly. Which year e46 M3 did all the kinks get worked out or fixed? Which years are recommended and what are the differences between the different year productions? I read somewhere that the e46 M3 got a facelift, whats the whole deal with that?

[AlpinweissM3]

E46 M3 never got a face lift but the e46 3 series did.
Try this site it should answer most of your questions M 3 . M A D R U S S I A N . N E T

[91LTY]

Actually, the E46 M3 Did get a face lift. There were 3 things that were changed. In 2003 the rear lights were changed to LEDs and a middle seat head rest was installed. And the SAT NAV option went from a small screen to the Wide Screen. Other than that, they are the same.

[AlpinweissM3]

Originally Posted by 91LTY

Actually, the E46 M3 Did get a face lift. There were 3 things that were changed. In 2003 the rear lights were changed to LEDs and a middle seat head rest was installed. And the SAT NAV option went from a small screen to the Wide Screen. Other than that, they are the same.

How do any of those things constitute as a face lift? Those are simple model changes that are all listed on the site I posted. The E46 M3 didn't not get the exterior style change the E46 3 series received.

[TRB]

Sorry to have to disagree with both of you (when I only joined today) but here goes:
-There is no way that all the small changes made during the M3 E46's life added up to a facelift model. Maybe if they had all occurred simultaneously they would have.
-There was what I believe to be a facelift model of the E46 M3: the CS. Note I don't mean the CSL as that was a different model altogether, but the CS was enough of a change to be considered a facelift without being a different model.

[AlpinweissM3]

Ok I think we are starting to take the meaning of face lift a little bit out of context here

Pre-face lift


Post-Face lift


When people typically talk about the 3 series getting a face lift they are referring to the exterior styling changing as seen above. Not model changes such as options and packages. Again the M3 never received a "face lift" it did get new options and packages

[phenoyz]

if u wer 2 buy between 02-05 m3, what year would u recomend to buy?

[AlpinweissM3]

Originally Posted by phenoyz

if u wer 2 buy between 02-05 m3, what year would u recomend to buy?

The newer the better.

[M52TUB28]

Originally Posted by phenoyz

if u wer 2 buy between 02-05 m3, what year would u recomend to buy?

at least 03, so that you have the LED lights in the back which look nice, but as stated above, the newer the better

[phenoyz]

engine 0f e46 M3 are all the same?

[AlpinweissM3]

yep. All have the same engine

[SLIPPY]

me personally im kinda on a budget. no matter how much id love to have a 05 or 06 m3 il prolly have to settle for a 04 0r 03 with 50xxx miles which is fine for me. but rule of thumb for a car that has been totally re worked is to never buy the first year of that new body style.

[ryster218]

Like some of the guys mentioned, 03 and up should be good enough since there wasn't any drastic changes from 01 to 06 models except for minor little stuff like Alpin stated.

[Black_Bat]

The only "facelift" the E46 M3 recieved was the LED Taillights from 2004-2006.