Full build thread updated as of 12/2/2013

Please be aware this is a VERY picture intensive build thread.

I will apologize for the half *** build thread. For those of you are just reading this for the first time then you did not miss anything. For those who might be re-reading this I have made a proper timeline of the build over a decade of ownership.

Full build thread XLS Document:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...EE&usp=sharing

Assistance XLS Document - FULL CSL parts listing for M3 to CSL Conversions:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...0E&usp=sharing


Where did it all start?

After 10 years for going around in circles, I have decided finally, how I wanted to build out my M3. This document is the journey I have taken with my beloved E46 M3 since I brought her home from the dealers in 2002. I hope you enjoy the thread as much as I have enjoyed owning the car.

*All of the car images are of my car and some of the parts images I had to pull from the internet as I did not take images of the parts or I lost them over the years.*

Purchase History and Day 1

I started looking in September 2002 at 330ci’s, as I wanted a sports car to have for weekend drives. I had never owned a BMW or even a sports car for that matter. My car ownership experience at the time I started looking at BMW’s had only been Ford Bronco’s, so I was definitely a fish out of water. After some research, I changed my mind and ordered a M3 as it had the SMG system. I asked the dealer to order a silver one and let me know when it arrived.

About two weeks later, the dealer called me and said they had a customer back out of an order and asked if I was interested. At first, I was hesitant because I wanted silver but they gave me a discount on the several of the ordered options. I agreed to to purchase this car as I was saving money and the color was not bad. I am glad they did, as now the Steel Gray Metallic is, is one of the rarer colors for the M3 now. October 15th 2002 I bought my M3 with 88 miles on the clock and the journey began.

Vehicle Specifications:
2002 BMW E46 M3
Build Date: XX/2002
SMG II
Steal Gray Metallic.
Black Nappa Leather
Premium Package
Bi-Xenon Headlights
CD Player
19inch wheels
Harmon Kardon Sound
BMW Car Cover
BMW M3 Floor Mats

 

The next morning I could not wait to walk out to the garage to see if the car was actually there or was it one hell of a realistic dream. Thankfully when I walked into the garage, there she was, sitting all clean and pretty.

Now take this as coincidence but here are some interesting things I realized after I bought the car. I bought the car on October 15 2002. My favorite month is October, 15 is my lucky number, I was 22 at the time, the car vin ends in 15, and the stock horse power matches the last digits of an item we all need to drive. They say when things are meant to be they will just happen.

Based on what I have seen when I bought this car, it was supposed to be mine. Fast forward to 2011 and the 1M I bought had 8 miles when I bought it along with other interesting items like above. That though is a different build journal.

 

The Start of the Journey 2003

As I was new to the sports car world, I wanted to get out and meet fellow car enthusiast and go out on drives. In 2003, I was only on the E46fanatics forum which is where I learned all about my M3 before I purchased it. This was also where for the next few years I hung out to learn about upgrades for the car.

The very first event I went to was at Sacramento State in February 2003. This was setup by some of the local BMW guys and was my first event ever for any organized car meet. After meeting at Sacramento State and taking a few pictures, we headed out for a drive on some back roads around Folsom Lake.

 

The next event I went to was in March of 2003. I can’t recall if I tried to setup this meet but my memory says this was my first attempt at organizing a meet. Mother Nature decided to remind me that she dictates when car meets happen as it ended up being a very wet and windy day.

There was one car that showed up and the two of us did a short drive on the only road I knew at the time. While the drive was short we did pull off and take some pictures to show these cars do not melt in the rain. After pictures we took a ride in each other’s car as the E46 was still a new car at the time. I have a real respect for the continental tires that were stock on the car at the time as I drove like a idiot in the rain when I look back on that day.

 

In June of 2003 I organized another meet and drive with some of the people I meet on the Sacramento State meet and my co workers. As you will see we stopped at the same turn out for photos and completed the same loop around Folsom Lake. It was the only drive I knew and it was starting to get old driving on the same road over and over again.

This drive was also when I test my first modifications. I bought a K&N panel filter which might not seem like much but it was the first step down a very long road. Granted at the time I did not know that the road would have been this long as well as take so many twist and turns if we are staying with the car theme.

 

The next performance upgrade I purchased was the UUC Rasp X system in September of 2003. I bought this to get rid of the raspy metallic noise that the E46 M3 seemed to make at higher RPMs. This was the first generation of this system and it does remove the metallic rasp. The one drawback to the system is it does not add any power and but does add weight. So the removal of the rasp sound negates any real performance in retrospect but at the time it was the hottest thing on the block.

 

Three days after I installed the UUC RaspX system I went on my first group drive up HWY 1 North of San Francisco. Only three cars went on this drive but that was more than enough to have a good time. The group coved over 330 miles from start to finish which made for a long day and a great shake down run to see how the RaspX system worked on the car.

 

The last major activity I did in 2003 was organize a drive up to Lake Tahoe for the first time. This drive took place on October 15 2003 and is a far cry from the Tahoe Drives I organize now. Like anything, you have to start somewhere and this was where it all began for the Lake Tahoe runs. As this drive was the first time I had been to Lake Tahoe on my own I let one of the other drives lead the group. This was a great day and something I look forward to planning every year.

 

2004 The Adventures Continue

The start of the New Year brought the start of the real performance purchase for the car. First item on the list was an Eisenmann Race muffler with 83mm tips. I went with this muffler because I like the tip design and it was one of only three choices at the time. Over the years mufflers have come in and out of favor but this is still the only muffler I can never get enough of its sound. I also ordered the color match front reflectors as a late Christmas gift to me.

*In owning this muffler for almost 10 years the only issue I have had with the muffler was one of the side brackets broke on a drive in 2011. It was a quick weld job to re-attach the bracket*

 

The second performance upgrade was a set of Eibach sway bars. I installed these myself using the PIT at my parents house. I also installed a set on my buddies 330I at the time. I still have these sway bars on the car to this day. *I did order a set of UUC sway bars and tried to install. After fussing with them for half a day I gave up and sent them back.*

 

By this time it was February and I wanted to get out and try out my new upgrades. I organized a weekend of drives to Napa for the first time. This drive was to bring the Bay Area and Sacramento guys together for a fun day of back roads turns. I did the drive twice and the first day I got one car and the second day I got my buddy to go at the start and we met four Bay Area guys in Napa. Not stellar turnout but I was still learning it seems.

Saturday drive to Napa




Sunday drive to Napa

 

As March 2004 rolled around I was able to order a set of BMW E46 M3 CSL rims. At the time I got these rims they were one of the hottest items on the market for any BMW. I also got my rims before daytonaviolet for those who are keeping track. When I bought the rims I also installed a set of Nitto 555 per the suggestion of the tire shop that did the install.

 

At the end of March I went down to the Bay Area for the Stanford Mall meet. This was the predecessor meet to the now famous Santana Row meets. I sadly over the years I seem to have lost the images from the many events I attended down there. Luckily I have the very first meet I was at.

 

April 2004 I decided I wanted to take some pictures of my car. So I pinged the E46 forums and got a few guys together to meet up and take some photos. I only had a point and shoot camera so the pictures were not that great but I did get a few that I still love to this day.

 

2004 was my first time going to Bimmerfest at the Santa Monica Fair Grounds. I was there with three of my driving buddies at the time to spend a few days in SoCal. Before the day of Bimmerfest I purchased and install a GrouppeM Air Intake system from one of the big vendors at the time. I can’t find the name of the shop now which is kind of a bummer.



One thing that I was not able to confirm at Bimmerfest 2004 was if I was the only one there with OE CSL rims. I had six people on the spot ask me if I was willing to sell them the rims. Of course I declined all of the offers.

After seeing all the sights of Bimmerfest, we took off early and did the planned drive route the rest of the Bimmerfest was going to do later that day. I heard later from others said the drive was a giant cluster and there was some kids causing trouble. Glad we left early when I heard that. The images I have of that trip are of the drive after Bimmerfest, at the hotel and me using a old video camera to film down Pacific Coast Highway.