2001-2003 M3 Steering. Need Help!? - BMW Forum

BMWPro77 · 01-29-2004, 04:09 PM

Hey everyone. I need help. As some of you guys know I work at a BMW Center (BMW of Darien). I'm not soliciting or anything but I need you E46 M3 owners help! I have a gentleman who owns a 1997 M3 with 83k and he's looking to buy a 2001 M3 with 15,000 miles from me. He loves the car and actually said he liked it more than he though he would because he thought it wouldn't perform as well as his '97. He complained about the steering. He's now doing all kinds of research and finding out if anyone else has had the same feeling that the steering is overboosted or doesn't feel natural. I've driven both E36 and E46 M3's and there is no comparison. They're two entirely different cars. He says he's seen some people say that their dealers offered them a fix for their 2002-2003 M3's for the steering. I checked with my warranty dept. and there is only a bulletin for E46 3 series and not the M3. Please help me. Any feedback is appreciated! Keep the good times goin' and the BMW's Rollin'!

BMWPro77 · 01-29-2004, 04:10 PM

Check it out!

woobiee · 01-29-2004, 04:19 PM

im not sure about the M3, but i remember reading on the E46 having overboosted steering. this applies to 2001 E46 cars (dunno if that includes e46 m3s). i believe bmw of north america has issued a steering retrofit to solve the problem for free at bmw dealerships. maybe they terminated the 'recall' program for this?

i kno after 01, they redesigned the steering and they reverted back to their normal bmw steering feel in 02 and on.

TECH · 01-29-2004, 08:29 PM

Tell him to drive another M3 to compare. I'm not aware of any steering issues at all.
The old and new are very different, as you know.

TECH · 01-29-2004, 08:30 PM

Do you not have a service dept?

BMWPro77 · 01-30-2004, 10:30 AM

Yeah and I checked for any bulletins on it. Nothing. I believe my friend from NC has found the solution. The 2001 model year M3's don't have an upper strut bar but 2002 and newer M3's do. That might make all the difference in the world. What do you think?

used

TECH · 01-31-2004, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BMWPro77@Jan 30 2004, 12:10 PM
Yeah and I checked for any bulletins on it. Nothing. I believe my friend from NC has found the solution. The 2001 model year M3's don't have an upper strut bar but 2002 and newer M3's do. That might make all the difference in the world. What do you think? used

Yeah, the original year didn't come with a strut tower brace.......I don't know if you could tell from regular driving, but you never know.

Check the tire pressures on his car.