BMW 325ti Compact (E46) | PH Fleet

Ignorance is bliss, or so they say. And there I was having a merry time in the Compact, enjoying every mile, be it brightening up the nursery car park (a very usable three-door, it turns out) or cruising along to a car meet. It always started, it always sounded great, it always drove keenly and it always brought a smile to my face seeing an old red BMW parked up. And if a like-minded enthusiast wanted to talk about it, then even better. I’m not sure anyone has been proud of owning a 3 Series Compact, at least not since they were new – but certainly the decision to swap a boring newer car for something older and more interesting felt vindicated. As if it was ever in doubt, right?

But eventually, inevitably, it had to go on a ramp. There’s never been any rust mentioned in the MOT history, for whatever that guaranteed. Nevertheless, at 21 years and 150,000 miles old, the Compact couldn’t be perfect, could it? Well… no, it wasn’t. Rust has claimed more than enough interesting old cars, and I really didn’t want to be the Compact to be next. Luckily, there was only a little bit of surface corrosion on the rear chassis legs, which was treated, plus some missing wheelarch liners up front, so they were replaced. The rust radar can hopefully rest for a couple of months, at least. 

Shame about the brakes then, really. The ad for the Compact said all four discs and pairs of pads were replaced last year, and there’s an invoice to prove it, but there was a carrier bolt missing from the rear axle. Which certainly looked a bit iffy. Replacing those didn’t solve the brake judder, either, as it turns out there’s a warped disc up front. So they’ll need sorting also. Which is a tad frustrating, but there we are – joy of old cars, right? 

Hopefully with the fronts sorted soonish, that’ll be the Compact really rocking and rolling – because I’d rather not have bills for £954 (inspection, discs, pads, the carrier bolt, the wheel arch liners, the rust treatment, the labour, the VAT) on a regular basis. But let’s see. Cars don’t get any cheaper to run as they age, and I have to remember that the BMW cost me very little in terms of cars generally and specifically manual, straight-six 3 Series that really don’t have much rust as it turns out. I’ve just given back a test car with ten times the purchase price of UGB in options, so it sort of feels alright. I think. Tyres up next…

In better news, K&N sent a new air filter out; there was a sticker on the airbox already, so presumably it had one in the past. And while not everyone says they’re a great idea (the 325ti appreciation thread really does contain everything you need to know about these funny little cars), it’s all good for the moment. A little more straight six rasp, no issues to report. Apart from probably using a little more fuel. Again, though, old engine, five-speed, short ratios and an appetite for revs – hardly a recipe for parsimony. For what I paid and what I expected, I’m still very happy. A local pub held a BMW night recently and it reminded me exactly why I bought something like this, with a great assortment of cars and people to talk to. That wasn’t going to happen with a Mazda 3. 

With money spent on less than fun stuff, it’s been only too easy to think about what might come next from the actual fun list. Some spacers might be good to get the wheels a bit further out in the arch, the ride height having dropped on the Bilsteins. I think the speakers have seen (and heard) better days, so if it’s still possible to get 6x9s for a parcel shelf like it’s 2003 then that would be good. It’s such a boon having CarPlay that I’m keen to make the most of it. There’s a temptation to replace the squeaking, sagging driver’s seat with something sportier, too, though on the other hand it would seem a shame to spoil what’s a pretty well preserved interior. Any advice on seat repair is really welcome – what do you do? Where do you go? Every time I get used to the squeak I drive something fresher and it’s irritating after!

The 325 will pass through 152,000 miles this week, and it’s certainly been kept busy. Late night airport runs are more agreeable than you might think, the car reasonably hushed despite the high revs at motorway speeds and the soft (perhaps dim) dashboard lights easy on the eye. It’s made newer cars seem even more annoying in that regard. Sometimes I take it for a run at lunchtime just to remind myself how to change gear, and it’s always entertaining. I like to think that the 325ti walked so that the M135is and M140is of this world could run, but that might be overdoing it a tad. 

There are no grand plans imminent, though I am hoping to take the Compact to N24 next year with a few mates. It’s probably my favourite race, and the thought of taking an old BMW to the Nordschleife, watching GT3 cars and drinking beer with my friends sounds tremendous. Even with just the five gears…

Car: 2003 BMW 325ti Compact
Run by: Matt Bird
On fleet since: July 2024
Bought for: £2,999
Mileage: 151,910
Last month at a glance: Credit cards are for classic cars

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Fortune favours the brave, doesn’t it?