s54 Swapped Touring on BaT

[puma1824]

BMW E46 Convertible 10,500
BMW E46 Coupe (W/folding seats) 12,500
BMW E46 Sedan (w/folding seats) 13,000
BMW E46 Sedan (W/o folding seats) 18,000
BMW E46 Wagon (w/folding seats) 14,000

The M3 is stiffer than the non M coupe, but it's from the bolt on bits you get when you do the conversion-- thrust plate, V brace, etc.

I'm sure the wagon CoG is higher, but I don't think it's necessarily significantly rear heavier-- my M3 converted wagon is only ~100 lbs heavier than stock e46 M3 coupe. Take out the clip in cargo cover, spare tire, and jack (that the M3 doesn't have), and that difference is pretty close to zero. It's not really a lot more material, it's the same material raised (as in, it's not like the coupe is a void there-- there's a trunk lid). The extra car pretty much comes down to the rear side windows.

Nice. Where did you find those numbers? Would be interesting to know the weight of a fully converted Touring to M3 spec. For mine, I will be keeping the rails (another polarizing option) but removing the sunroof. Removing the rails would slightly help higher CoG and weight but I personally want to keep as I see them as another benefit/feature specific to the Touring. Oh yeah good point on the jack, I'll remove that as that won't be needed without a spare. I opted for manual seats so that should remove a little more weight.

[Obioban]

Well..to be fair those statements are kind of a bit misleading. It’s just 1 cm longer, however the wagon is taller. Coupes have a more raked streamline windshield but of most importance the wagon has a higher and longer roofline all the way to the back hatch. Which makes for undesired weight at top and at ends.
As for “M3 coupe” chassis, the E46 wagon has significantly less torsional rigidity..close to 5,000 Nm/deg (between non-M Coupes it’s nowhere near that).

BMW E46 Convertible 10,500
BMW E46 Coupe (W/folding seats) 12,500
BMW E46 Sedan (w/folding seats) 13,000
BMW E46 Sedan (W/o folding seats) 18,000
BMW E46 Wagon (w/folding seats) 14,000

The M3 is stiffer than the non M coupe, but it's from the bolt on bits you get when you do the conversion-- thrust plate, V brace, etc.

I'm sure the wagon CoG is higher, but I don't think it's necessarily significantly rear heavier-- my M3 converted wagon is only ~100 lbs heavier than stock e46 M3 coupe. Take out the clip in cargo cover, spare tire, and jack (that the M3 doesn't have), and that difference is pretty close to zero. It's not really a lot more material, it's the same material raised (as in, it's not like the coupe is a void there-- there's a trunk lid). The extra car pretty much comes down to the rear side windows.

[WestBankM4]

This is a great thread, learning lots. I do agree it's a polarizing look, I've never been into wagons personally but to each their own. The E46 chassis is super versatile, too bad they didn't make sedan's. That red one is a lovely build, phew.

[old///MFanatic]

The wagon is smaller— the M3 is longer and wider.
The e46 wagon chassis also has significantly greater torsional rigidity than the e46 coupe chassis.

Well..to be fair those statements are kind of a bit misleading. It’s just 1 cm longer, however the wagon is taller. Coupes have a more raked streamline windshield but of most importance the wagon has a higher and longer roofline all the way to the back hatch. Which makes for undesired weight at top and at ends.
As for “M3 coupe” chassis, the E46 wagon has significantly less torsional rigidity..close to 5,000 Nm/deg (between non-M Coupes it’s nowhere near that).

[maw1124]

Fortunately you can have your pick of the litter. Unfortunately my tastes always end up being the most expensive and never by intention.

Trust me, I understand. It’s not for kids. But I consider it fortunate.

Get that Sonderklasse life going, and enjoy it.

maw

[jet_dogg]

Ha! They made the only one I care about. I would have been happy for them to make less…😉

maw

Fortunately you can have your pick of the litter. Unfortunately my tastes always end up being the most expensive and never by intention.

[sapote]

I would think that making money isnt what drives wagon swaps, its the love of the wagon.

But it is for sale within a year.

[Thoglan]

... I still might force one on my daughter when she turns 16. I love the idea of a 2.0L inline 6 with manual trans.

I think it's fairly straight forward to drop a 2.5 M54 in them as well since there are factory 325ti's. That + an LSD would be a really cool little thing

[maw1124]

You're right, they definitely should have made the most smg verts.

Ha! They made the only one I care about. I would have been happy for them to make less…😉

maw

[Obioban]

I've actually thought several times about buying a beater compact as a daily. Get wheels/suspension/exhaust, alcantara/laser cloth m-sport interior. I think they are sort of cool in an ugly duckling kind of way.

... I still might force one on my daughter when she turns 16. I love the idea of a 2.0L inline 6 with manual trans.

[Thoglan]

I've actually thought several times about buying a beater compact as a daily. Get wheels/suspension/exhaust, alcantara/laser cloth m-sport interior. I think they are sort of cool in an ugly duckling kind of way.

[jet_dogg]

Smallest to largest:
compact
sedan/wagon
coupe/vert

So you should like the compact most/ followed by the sedan/wagon, with the coupe and vert last

I said smaller not smallest. There is only one real m3 but feel free to keep volleying.

Or their projection of the market… which in this case I’m saying they probably got wrong. The same way they got the E36M market wrong, thinking people wouldn’t pay in the US for the Euro drivetrain. No need to defend them though. Carmakers get this shtuff wrong all the time, like “lifetime fluids”. It happens. And so people are out here making their own E46M wagons.

maw

You're right, they definitely should have made the most smg verts.

[repoman89]

Imagine if all E46 variants were cursed with those headlights

[puma1824]

Yeah, I personally don't like the lights but this one I could kinda live with.

[Obioban]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

That compact picture is very generous to the compact, by hiding it's lights in artificial shadows 🤣