Akshon's AW E46 m3

[akshon]

Hello All,
This journal is for my 2004 AW SMG e46 m3.
This is my second e46 m3. My first one was a 2004 AW/IR, 6 speed which I ordered in late 2003.

This first car was modded with brembos, bbs lm, supersprint full exhaust, ess supercharger, VCSL, and Recaros. Sold the first e46 m3 in 2007 to explore other brands.
After selling the m3 I went on to own the following cars over the next 10 or so years; 997s, 997 GT3, 987 Cayman S, 957 turbo, 4.7L v8v Vantage, F430, 458, etc.

While I enjoyed these other cars as they came and go there was only 1 car that I truly missed. E46 m3.
So in late 2017 I purchased this 2004 m3 with 60K miles on it and a slicktop 2011 e90 m3 6spd to see which one I liked better. I chose smg on this since I purchased the e90 manual at the same time and wanted to give it a shot after hearing that it’s so terrible.

The theme of this car is oem+, refurbishment, and mods I have not tried last time around.

Mod list

Exterior

• Karbonius CSL Diffuser
• Lang Racing CF roof
• Euro bumper with shaved fog lights
• New OEM Amber Corners
• New OEM Lenses
• New OEM Amber Side markers
• New OEM 330 CI Grill
• New OEM emblems
• New OEM Tail lights
• New OEM glass F+R
• New OEM quarter window trim
• GT4 Front LIP
• GT4 High Mount Rear Wing
• GT4 Canards
• Carbon Brake ducts

Interior

• Sparco QRT-K
• Brey Kraus mounts
• Refurbished door panels
• Karbonius CF console
• OEM CSL Brake boot
• Karbonius CF 1x1 interior trim
• Renown Steering wheel
• Coby Smg boot and Ebrake
• Extended SMG paddles and lever
• Radio Delete (All wires and speakers)
• Euro headliner, grab handle delete
• New OEM Door Sills (inner and outer)
• New OEM Door gaskets ($$$$)
• New OEM Trunk gasket
• New Oem Deadpedal
• New OEM A B and C pillar
• P7 brake pedal
• Stern Performance seat delete

Suspension/Brakes/Wheel/Tires

• BBS RGR E39 Offset
• BBS RIA 18X9.5 and 18X10.5 Graphite (On Order)
• Re-71 255/35/18 and 275/35/18
• RE Strut Bar
• KW Clubsports
• RE Shock Mounts
• Hotchkis sway bars F+R
• New OEM FCAB, RTAB, Diff bushings
• New OEM Guibo
• 1.9L z3 steering rack
• New OEM Tie Rods

Performance/Drivetrain

• Eventuri Intake
• Bimmerworld silicone hose
• Solid design TI muffler
• Yonaka Mid Pipe
• 4.10 Gears
• CSL Software
• RE Transmission mounts
• New OEM Engine mounts
• RE Pulleys

Cooling

• CSF Radiator
• CSF Oil Cooler
• BMW Motorsports Thermostat
• Spal fan
• RE Vanos Line

Car as it sits now.

[akshon]

First pics after purchase



Decided to mod the exterior first. The car was in unbelievably clean condition. Repaint front and rear bumper and side skirts. Install Lang CF roof, Karbonius Diffuser, Karbonius Splitters, Euro Bumper with shaved fog light.

[akshon]

Then decided to do some fun mods. 4.10 Gears, z3 rack, Eventuri Intake, BBS Wheels









Needs a drop



Purchased coilovers. Rear shocks changed out.



Dropped



With its bro e90

[akshon]

Swapped out to clear and chrome with red bbs caps



So much cleaner. No angel eyes this time.



Red Caps

[akshon]

Interior was next. Replaced anything that had a mark on it. Lots of boring parts but they all add up to make the interior look brand new.



Refurbed door panels









New Seats and door gaskets. g7 brake pedal.


Decided to take out the radio harness as well.

[akshon]

Now it was time for an exhaust.


Dinan exhaust painted.



Dinan exhaust sounds awesome but was on the heavier side. Picked up a TI exhaust.



Installed. Weighs around 10 pounds.



But the exhaust was way too loud for me. Drone was too much. Sounded closer to my old ss race. So i took a chance and ordered Yanoka section 1 and problem solved.
Sounds much more restrained and most importantly does not drone.

[akshon]

Then someone made me a high offer on my 2011 slicktop e90 so I sold it and picked up an m2c.








The m2c is awesome and is probably faster than the m3 but guess which car I prefer?

[M3logik]

A clean example. Very well done!

[Sharocks]

I truly appreciate every time I think about selling my car I read and see owners who come back to this platform after getting into the cars that I want next.

Guess it stays lol.

Awesome build man. Thanks for not getting a Rosso Corsa Ferrari like everyone else too.

[heinzboehmer]

Cf roof as the first mod? Awesome. Car looks great!

[timmo]

Very nice! What seats did you end up going with?

[akshon]

Thank you for the compliments. Seats are sparco spx.

[akshon]

I truly appreciate every time I think about selling my car I read and see owners who come back to this platform after getting into the cars that I want next.

Guess it stays lol.

Awesome build man. Thanks for not getting a Rosso Corsa Ferrari like everyone else too.

Yes. Freshly maintained e46 m3 with a few mods are up there with anything.
I think rosso corsa ferrari color is over rated. Tried pozi, grigo and nero so far.

[Onefastsicilian]

VERY nice! what exhaust is that?

[akshon]

VERY nice! what exhaust is that?

Thank you. I like your car very much as well. Exhaust is Solid Design. It was a Japanese copy of the amuse exhaust.