What to know when buying e46? Is it good for a first car? Is

Check around the rear shock mounts for damage & cracks, check for cracks around the subframe mounts, check the front strut towers for crowning, check the waterpump (see if there is any play in the fan, there shouldn't be any), get a new valve cover gasket and a new oil pan gasket, get a manual one. at least 2.5l, pref 3l or you will get bored.

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How's the reliability and how much of the maintenance is simple enough to do on my own if I don't know anything about mechanics but want to learn?

>>15465351
This. Also look out for the clutch too. I drove a few recently when looking for my e46, and a lot of the clutches had issues, because they have worn down quite a bit.

Also, my dad and I are taking my engine apart, and we found some rust in the engine bay, and some hoses that looked like they should be replaced.

>>15465672
Oil/air filter change is easy, the only hard part with the oil change is the plastic cover for the underside of the car. Engine maintenance is a bitch, because the engines are placed in a way that makes the exhaust side hard to get at, but those m54 engines sure do love to rev, and they are apparently very reliable. I bent some valves in mine :/

>>15465235
E39 is better and likely cheaper as well.

Electronics are shit on the E46. This model was the transition year between the more "traditional" electronics of the E36 and E39 to the newer tech of the E90 series.

>>15465942
I am currently looking at this e39
http://www.mobile.bg/pcgi/mobile.cgi?topmenu=1&act=4&adv=11468663204920850#
It is 2.4k euro but the thing that is bugging me is the Airmatic. Is it reliable?

anything rubber gets dried out and replaced. Had to deal with a leaky radiator tank a couple months ago. Otherwise just tires and brakes.

What's a good mileage to buy these or the E39 at? I want one but they're all at extremely high mileages.

how long do they usually last?

>>15465235
No. Shut up and buy a civic. You're going to crash it so it's better that there's one less civic than one less e46.

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>>15465351

>>15468806
you should be able to find a 3.0L E39 with a 5spd and 100k miles for ~$5k
that's technically the market value of a 3L E46 too, but 3 series always have boyracer tax added on
the engine itself will last around 300k miles but all of the tertiary shit will be broken by then
between 100k and 150k you're looking at
>fuel pump
>door lock actuators (all of them)
>window regulators (usually just the front ones
>maf sensor
>o2 sensor
>seat motor resulting in famous twisty seat
>blower motor
>wheel speed sensors
>if you're unlucky, ABS module
this is in addition to the problems that happen earlier and are universal to all vehicles
>vanos seals (not that big of a deal, most haven't been replaced because it's hardly noticeable)
>instrument cluster, radio, and climate control LCDs losing pixels (I think this one is specific to the E39)
and regular 10-15 year old car shit
>suspension stuff but mostly control arms
>all rubber hoses are going to be cracking at this point
these things cost about $1000-1500 to DIY altogether, and practically all of them are short, beginner-friendly jobs

>>15469145
oh, and if you buy an automatic, add a new transmission into the shit you'll need between 100k and 150k

stick to an e36 for a first car

Get 300cl cheaper by 3 times in both up front price and insurance. For an 18 year old insurance will probably be 8k so unless daddy is rich don't bother