rumatt's E46

[rumatt]

I autocrossed mine in a bumpy parking lot (Nassau) for 3 years. How is mine fine?

Is it more torque related?

[blee]

Originally Posted by rumatt

I autocrossed mine in a bumpy parking lot (Nassau) for 3 years. How is mine fine?

Is it more torque related?

I suspect so. While apparently there are some non-M cars that have cracks, the vast majority seem to be in M3s, coupes more so than verts (which have stronger carrier panels).

While cracks clearly can develop in cars with the welded plates, I'm not sold on the preventive value of further reinforcement. But who knows...the cars are only getting older, and the reinforcement bar approach is so new.

[blee]

If you really want to geek out (and/or debate the claims), here's a thread by the inventor of one such solution that goes into considerable depth on the issues.

http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=555302

[Plaz]

I basically decided it was time to get rid of my E46 when I noticed the front strut towers had deformed pretty badly. My own fault though. PSS9s set stiffly, in combination with driving on a then horribly potholed 495 (feed to/from the Lincoln Tunnel) daily, with no regard for damage. I thought the car was tough enough to take it. It wasn't.

[rumatt]

Originally Posted by Plaz

I basically decided it was time to get rid of my E46 when I noticed the front strut towers had deformed pretty badly. My own fault though. PSS9s set stiffly, in combination with driving on a then horribly potholed 495 (feed to/from the Lincoln Tunnel) daily, with no regard for damage. I thought the car was tough enough to take it. It wasn't.

Mine were a bit bent at one point. I just pounded them flat and installed the reinforcement plates.

[rumatt]

Originally Posted by bren

It's an e46, of course they are.

[blee]

Originally Posted by rumatt

Meh. It's just a big piece of structural sheet metal that would cost $5000++ in parts and labor to replace. No big deal.

As far as weak spots go, this one is kind of a big deal but it's not the end of the world. If I wanted a car that didn't keep me up at night worried about shit like this, I would've bought an LS_ something.

[JST]

Wow, that subframe thread is really eye opening (and alarming).

[rumatt]

Originally Posted by JST

Wow, that subframe thread is really eye opening (and alarming).

I know. Thanks a lot guys.

[blee]

Originally Posted by JST

Wow, that subframe thread is really eye opening (and alarming).

Yeah, it's pretty scary. I'm fairly comfortable in saying that E46 M3s should have reinforcement plates welded in place as preventive maintenance. As for further measures, I'm curious to see what develops. I'm on the fence as to whether I bite the bullet and have a brace welded in proactively; as I mentioned earlier, I think rod bearings and VANOS come first.

The worst part is that BMW knew about this problem, at least to some extent, and came out with that epoxy/foam solution during the model run. I've read about a couple of owners who actually got BMWNA to defray the costs of replacing the entire carrier panel. But it looks like the cracks occur due to a fundamental design flaw, and not just an issue of manufacturing tolerances or abuse. It kind of reminds me of the whole kerfluffle over the Z8's shock towers, or whatever it was.