2003 BMW M3

Equipment

Carbon Black Metallic paintwork, Black Nappa leather, Electric folding soft-top in black, 19-inch forged alloy wheels, 6-speed manual transmission, Electric sports seats with driver’s seat memory, Front central armrest, M leather steering wheel, Rear parking sensors (PDC), Automatic Xenon headlights, Headlight washer system, Rain-sensitive wipers, Automatic air conditioning, Auto-dimming rear view mirror, BMW Professional cassette radio, On-board computer, Front fog lights, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Alarm system, BMW floor mats.

Exterior

A magnificent example in Carbon Black, additionally boasting 19-inch wheels and the sought-after manual gearbox. After careful inspection the body is incredibly straight and quite remarkably for a 22-year-old M3 the paintwork is entirely original throughout. A full machine polish has just been carried out leaving a deep swirl-free shine across every panel. The electric soft-top operates without fault and condition-wise it’s also first-rate with no rips or marks from careless pressure washing. When the car arrived with us the original forged M wheels were also in their factory finish but expectedly some age-related wear to the lacquer was evident; all four alloys have now been fully refurbished to the highest standard by Lepsons with new genuine BMW centre caps and fresh Michelin Pilot Sport rubber at each corner.

Interior

Surely the perfect complement to the dark exterior, the black leather interior is a great place to be. As with the rest of the car, everything looks fresh and original. The seat upholstery is soft and supple with no notable wear or signs of re-connolisation. All the electric adjustments are fully operational, and the rest of the switchgear inside the cabin is virtually unmarked. The original M gear knob looks every bit the low mileage with no de-lamination to the badge or wear to the leather. The steering wheel feels great in hand and again, the leather is shine-free. The footwell carpets are well protected by genuine BMW floor mats, and an original BMW first aid kit is present in the boot.

This has to be one of the tightest convertible M3s we’ve driven. With only 49k miles under its belt the S54 straight-six is as potent as ever, and the manual ‘box feels smooth and precise. Having only ever been serviced within the BMW main dealer network, the car has clearly been maintained to a high standard with 9 stamps in the accompanying service book. It has just returned from having an Inspection II service at Group 1 BMW who also carried out a Vanos health check at our request. A recent oil analysis showed no rod bearing wear, and the boot floor area has also just been checked for stress cracks with no issues reported.

First registered in November 2003 this beautiful E46 M3 has had only one keeper since 2006. The car has always been looked after by BMW main dealers, primarily Dick Lovett but most recently by Group 1 who have just completed out an Inspection II service and health check of the Vanos system. Within the accompanying documentation the lucky new owner will receive a raft of invoices and MOT certificates, the M leather document pouch with all owner’s manuals, the service booklet (stamps below), and the current V5C registration document showing only 2 former keepers (3 in total).