OEM3's Unicorn

[OEM3]

The Story

Growing up, the E46 M3 was my dream car. I mean, when it came out it was competing (performance-wise) with Ferraris and Porsches! As an adult when I could finally afford one (early 2010's), I test drove a BEAUTIFUL 2006 with only 25k miles.
The great news: The car was even better than I imagined. Mechanical feeling, a truly visceral experience when prompted, yet quiet and refined when chillin'.
The devastating news: I didn't fit! It wasn't even close. Had to have a horrendously compromised driving position or do the ol' "head cock" so that my head/hair wouldn't contact the sunroof.

So I started researching the likelihood of finding one sans sunroof + manual seats. To my dismay, I found that BMW Canada never allowed customers to order them this spec 😢
Nonetheless I would still occasionally check the local classifieds, wondering if I would perhaps shrink with age and/or go bald.
Then one (wonderful) day in 2014, I saw a local kijiji ad for a 2003.5 with 54k miles. Alpine White. Cinnamon. Stock/unmodified. US car. WAIT A SEC, IS THERE NO GLASS ON THE ROOF?!
I immediately arranged a viewing. It indeed was a slicktop; manual seats as well. Adjusted the seat to a proper driving position. My hair just barely grazed the headliner. I can make this work! The rest is history.

Since purchasing, I have followed the "e46 M3 maintenance/lockdown thread" (previously on M3Forum.net), done some minor mods/upgrades (listed below), and loved every minute of ownership! It's great only driving it in the summer as it's like getting a new car every spring 🤩


Mods/Upgrades

APEX ARC-8 (18x8.5" ET38 / 18x9.5" ET22)

CDV delete
E60 "short" shift lever
Bavarian Autosport clutch stop

RECARO Pole Position N.G.
GROM-USB3
Euro tray

TTFS custom remote tune

Updated BMW VANOS cam bolts
Rogue Engineering CPV O-ring
Updated BMW diff mount bolts
Updated OEM Bosch ignition coils


Shut Up and Show Me Already!

[Cubieman]

Looking good!

[Obioban]

Nice car!

The tall person plight is real. My favorite part of the carbon roof is finally being able to have a correct seating position 🙄

[heinzboehmer]

Looks great. AW/cinnamon is an awesome combo.

And yeah, these cars are tighter than I expected them to be before driving one. I'm not really that tall (5'11") and I just baaarely fit in the car with a helmet on (seat as low as it will go and reclined further back than I like). Mine does have power seats and a sunroof though.

[keljos]

Love the color matched Recaro.

I can’t even imagine the pain for taller folks. I’m only 5’11” and with the stock seat I still need to have it lower down than I’d like to avoid the roof.

[OEM3]

Nice car!

The tall person plight is real. My favorite part of the carbon roof is finally being able to have a correct seating position 🙄

Right?! The "head cock" or "gangsta lean" are equally stoopid ways of driving.
What kind of seats do you have? They look tremendous 😍

[Sharocks]

Hopefully she's not seeing Canadian winters.

Love the color matched Recaro, I am biased however lol

[Obioban]

Right?! The "head cock" or "gangsta lean" are equally stoopid ways of driving.
What kind of seats do you have? They look tremendous 😍

Cobra Nogaros. I love them. Factory seat heater pads installed in them, too 🤣

https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/main-forum/e46-2001-2006/415-review-cobra-nogaro-seats-uniquely-street-friendly-fixed-back-bucket-seat

With the seats (mounted on factory BMW e46 sliders) and the slicktop, I (6'4) can fit an entire fist between my head and the headliner. I love it!

[Cbouts]

damn! that thing is legit!

[Kiser.mt]

Beautiful! What is the set up with your seat belt receptacle? I'm getting tired of mine digging into my hips when getting into the car.

[Slideways]

Congrats OP, excellent spec and color combo!

[OEM3]

Hopefully she's not seeing Canadian winters.

Love the color matched Recaro, I am biased however lol

No WAYEEE, she hibernates. The UN officially declared driving nice M3's during the winter a hate crime. I wouldn't wanna piss off the UN 😉

[OEM3]

Cobra Nogaros. I love them. Factory seat heater pads installed in them, too 🤣

https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/main-forum/e46-2001-2006/415-review-cobra-nogaro-seats-uniquely-street-friendly-fixed-back-bucket-seat

With the seats (mounted on factory BMW e46 sliders) and the slicktop, I (6'4) can fit an entire fist between my head and the headliner. I love it!

Hot damn that's a clean install! Doesn't look like you had to make any compromises at all. I've definitely been mocked, "two grand for a seat and it's not even heated?!" 😂

[OEM3]

Beautiful! What is the set up with your seat belt receptacle? I'm getting tired of mine digging into my hips when getting into the car.

I use a seat belt extender as the receptacle. Bolted the tongue of it to the seat belt bracket.

Seat belt extender (Adjustable 9"-26"):

https://www.seatbeltextenderpros.com/bmw-m-seat-belt-extender/

Seat belt bracket:

https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-338504-seatbelt-3-point-receptacle-macht-schnell/

It works great, I just lift up the buckle as I get into the seat. No need for a pretensioner as there's no slack at all (the buckle sits right on my hip).
The only issue is then dealing with the electrical repercussions of not using the factory receptacle assembly. Which is nauseating to say the least.

[timmo]

That's one slick looking setup! Though personally I don't believe bolting the tongue down is ideal, but if it works, it works. I used an E36 rear seat buckle, which has a lug meant for M10 which fits perfectly. Bonus points for having the BMW logo on the buckle itself haha.



And yeah I'm not even a tall guy (5'6") and with the stock power seat at its lowest height, it was just too high. My complaint is not so much the headroom, but the ergonomics in general - with my new seat I feel like I actually get into the car, not onto it.