2005 BMW M3 Convertible E46

This E46 M3 was built in June 2005 and first registered on 1 September by Wood BMW in Bournemouth. It has since moved around the country quite a bit, also having owners in London, Tyneside, Durham and Staffordshire. Its six keepers have covered just short of 69,000 miles.

This is a late model E46 M3, in good condition, with a strong history, high specification, sensible mileage and, most importantly, a 6-speed Getrag manual gearbox.

If you need more information, by all means read on, but just from that short summary, others may already have submitted a bid!

There are a couple of blemishes on the paintwork around the front bumper and some roughness around the driver’s door mirror arm, but otherwise the metallic Titan Silver paint finish is excellent. In terms of bodywork, we can’t find any knocks or dings to speak of either - this is a great looking car in a superb condition.

The power-folding fabric roof is in good condition too and operates largely as it should although in the final sequence it doesn’t seem to slide the square plastic covers alongside the rear seats back into place. This is apparently a common issue with the E46 convertibles and can be easily rectified.

The car sits on the optional 19-inch “Style 67” 10-spoke alloy wheels which appear in very good order and are fitted with matching Bridgestone Potenza tyres dated around 2017.

As you probably know by now we think that premium brand matching tyres are a pretty infallible indicator of mechanically sympathetic and discerning ownership. Given the regular servicing to this car, and its superb condition it’s probably bang on in this case too.

The interior of a convertible is as important as the exterior, and when you’ve got a good-looking but unremarkable silver on the outside, having red leather upholstery is always going to add a bit more interest. Combined with the black vinyl dash and trim, the look is quite eye catching.

The front seats look in good order - with perhaps some loose stitching at the top of the side bolsters - and have “M” embossed headrests and whilst there are a few dents in the leather elsewhere, there is no other wear or damage that we could see to the seating. There are some chips on the silver coating of some of the plastic trims, like on the passenger door handle, but generally the interior is in very good condition.

In the centre console, the infotainment system includes radio, CD, DVD and navigation connected to the upgrade-option Harman Kardon speakers and there’s also a Parrot Bluetooth module plumbed in. The nav screen has a few areas where the pixels have failed but they don’t really affect its operation unless you’re watching video.

Speaking of which, rear passengers have seat back DVD screens to watch. Whether they’d still hear the audio with the roof down is another matter. There’s a fistful of remote controls in the centre armrest for these and the DVD player.

So far as we’ve been able to test, all the electrics and interior equipment works as it should.

Under the bonnet, the engine bay looks very tidy and well maintained. The 3.2-litre straight-six sits a long way back in the compartment with about a third of it under the scuttle. The rest of what you see is either made of or covered in black plastic but all of it looks very clean. There are no signs of rust anywhere around the bonnet lid or the edges of the bay.

The undersides of the car appear largely corrosion free and undamaged. There is surface rust blooming across the suspension struts and some of the structures underneath but otherwise all looks intact and in good order.

Inside the boot, the original toolkit attached to the underside of the boot lid looks complete and in an all but unused condition. The carpets and linings are clean and undamaged and the plastic stowage bins either side don’t appear to be unduly scratched. Fitted in the side wall are the 6 CD changer and navigation DVD units.

The M3 has a current MOT valid until January 2022, which it passed with no advisories. The online record shows near annual testing since its first required inspection in 2008. The mileage in 2011 was recorded incorrectly (adding a 3 to the front and knocking the last digit off makes sense when compared to service invoices) and we have no doubt that the car’s current mileage of 68,600 miles is genuine.

The car comes with its original BMW book pack including Owner’s Handbook and Service Booklet, which includes the following logged servicing:

Aug 2005 - PDI - Wood BMW Bournemouth

Sep 2005 - 1,128 miles - Wood BMW Bournemouth

Aug 2006 - 9,963 - Wood BMW Bournemouth

Mar 2008 - 14,304 - unknown

Feb 2009 - 14,861 - Speedway Autocare London

Apr 2011 - 36,031 - Sytner BMW

Mar 2012 - 41,811 - Stratstone BMW

Jul 2013 - 45,203 - independent

Jun 2014 - 49,969 - Cooper BMW Durham

Mar 2015 - 55,546 - Cooper BMW Durham

Jan 2017 - 61,999 - JS Prestige Auto Tamworth

Also in the file are several expired MOT certificates and a number of invoices for other work done. Of note were ongoing issues with the brakes in 2010, again in 2012 and a new throttle potentiometer and differential oil change in 2017.

As you would expect from a well maintained M3, the car reportedly drives and handles really well. The E46 is considered by many to be the best-driving M3 but values have suffered previously on account of its styling. However, those neat, understated looks are ageing beautifully, maturing in a way that we in the office admire, and so deservedly the E46 is beginning to be recognized for the utter legend that it is.

This new-found popularity is having an effect on asking prices with modest year-on-year gains. The very best examples will, as ever, generate stratospheric numbers but we think this immaculate and very well-maintained manual M3 Convertible will fetch between £15,000 and £23,000.

We think anywhere in that range would still represent a great opportunity to get behind the wheel of one of the best BMW M-cars for a lot less than you thought possible. There’s practically nothing you’d need to do to this late-model E46 M3 - it’s an absolute belter.

Inspection is always encouraged, within Govt. guidelines of course, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.