Great post. I've owned several e46's (along with the current M) and several e90's.

The e46 clutch (at least the 330i's that I was used to), were springy, long travel with high engagement. The e90 had better clutches. The shifters are smoother & more precise as well (again for the non-M).

Also, you are spot on in terms of solidity. The e9X is a much more solid car, what you are feeling is not only due to the lesser miles.

Negatives for the e9x:
- Interior design. Worse cupholders, flat Buick dash (before Buicks were Opels)
- Exterior. Not as bad as the interior, but not as classic/faultless as the e46
- Runflats and no room for a donut
- M became v8 (an awesome one but dropped hwy range dramatically)

I never noticed any negative of the E46 clutch other than the absurdly long travel. But I immediately installed a clutch stop in both the E46 and E91 so that's a non-issue.

I do agree the shifter is better in the E9x.

The rest I can't really compare because it's a 330i coupe vs a 325xi wagon.

The lack of a spare tire pisses me off to no end. There's always a spare tire back there clogging up the space. Ridiculous.

True, its not like the e46 clutch was cheap, it wasnt. Really the two most major differences are 1. body solidity (huge, I always feel the e46 tweak on angles/driveways 2. N52/N54 instead of m52/m54 engines. Less NVH.

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I remember going from a ZHP 330i to the 335i back in the day. The extra power from the twin turbo engine was AMAZING, and yeah, the 335 felt more solid.

In every other respect the 330 was more fun to drive. I miss the ZHP. I don't miss the 335 at all.

Personally, I vastly preferred the clutch and shifter feel of the e8x and e9x cars to the e46 manuals. I find the steering more lively on my e46. The e9x x drive suspension had a huge flaw with the way it handles impacts like potholes

Were early E46 clutches shitty or something? Or do I just not know what a shitty clutch feels like... and I need to educate myself ASAP so I can start hating my car?

Not sure, I had an '00 328 and an '01 325. I also spent some time in a later ZHP prior to buying my m5. I agree with equ's comment about them feeling springy. The pedal load would change quite a lot as it traveled. I find the e8x and e9x clutches much more linear. I also felt like the engagement point would move in the e46, and/or that the engagement point was right where you'd overcome the springy load point making it hard to modulate.

If I were you, I wouldn't go around looking for things not to like on your 330... after all the work JV did, hopefully you can just hop in and enjoy it for a while. I love our e46 wagon, x suspension, auto tranny and all. It is the car we talk most about keeping forever.

Oh yeah, I was just kidding. I won't be getting rid of the car any time soon.

Anyone who doesn't like their E46 clutch should try a clutch stop and adjust it nice and high. I'm pretty sure everything I've seen described goes away.

You know what else fixes the crummy e46 clutch/shifter - SMG. :p

A crummier clutch/shifter? :lol: