[jazzy426]

I finally picked up the M3 version of the magnificient E46 after all these years. There were plenty of opportunities in the past for me to snag one but i wasn't willing to fork out more than $200 for either a Kyosho/Autoart/Ottomobile plus I wasn't too desperate for one. Was patiently waiting for Solido to announce their upcoming E46 M3 at the end of the year then stumbled across an estate sale which offers an unboxed grey M3 for a hundred bucks. From the pictures it looks great with everything intact. Picked it up on the day state gov issued another snap covid restriction so had to dust off the face mask before driving over.

The model still looks brilliant like the Kyosho of old. But compares to their later BMW efforts you can see the earlier E46s starting to show some age. Regardless it is still an awesome piece. Was slightly disappointed after i got the model though because only then I noticed both wipers were snapped off however one was kept in the rear boot. Seller's photos didn't show and I only paid attention to the obvious missing and defective exterior parts. Guess it is time to hunt for donor parts or photo etched wipers...

I guess the old saying you can't win them all you win some but lose some rings true in this case. But considering I recently picked up a minty Kyosho silver E90 for $30 and a NIB HWE Ferrari 410 superamerica for another mere $30 from interstate pawn shop (fingers crossed no surprises when it arrives by post) i'd say this even out LOL.

And here are some snaps of the M3 with the other siblings..

Untitled by Jazzy 426, on Flickr

Untitled by Jazzy 426, on Flickr

Untitled by Jazzy 426, on Flickr

Untitled by Jazzy 426, on Flickr

Untitled by Jazzy 426, on Flickr

Untitled by Jazzy 426, on Flickr

Untitled by Jazzy 426, on Flickr

Untitled by Jazzy 426, on Flickr

Untitled by Jazzy 426, on Flickr

Untitled by Jazzy 426, on Flickr

Untitled by Jazzy 426, on Flickr

Untitled by Jazzy 426, on Flickr

Untitled by Jazzy 426, on Flickr

Untitled by Jazzy 426, on Flickr

Untitled by Jazzy 426, on Flickr

Untitled by Jazzy 426, on Flickr

Untitled by Jazzy 426, on Flickr

Untitled by Jazzy 426, on Flickr

 

[Craig]

Nice group!! I do love an E46!!
The Silver M3 with the CSL wheels was a great score, they are stupidly rare now!!

I had the Silver UT Models Dealer Edition 330i sedan one a while ago, I sold it as they were making good money. I'd buy another one right away if I could get one for a sensible price!

 

[jazzy426]

Thanks Craig! Yea E46 is my all time favourite 3 series too considering I drive one as well, although just a lowly 318i with leaky 4 pot engine LOL. I notice the UT's E46 saloon even the 328i variant are selling quickly. the 330i one is much rarer and i too wish to get one some day. In some aspects i actually think UT's E46 is better than the Kyosho one.

 

[D N'D-Land]

Hey Simon!! Man, are we all on the same wave length or something? I have all of my older BMW models here
out of storage too! I love posts like this...... Very nice to see a group/variety of E46s posted!! 😊 👏

 

[jazzy426]

Haha it could be David i actually just realised that i've been buying quite a few BMW models this year. Let's see..
MCG BMW E12 and 2002 Turbo, Solido's BMW E36 M3 at the start of the year.. Otto's BMW E39 M5, then Kyosho BMW E92, E60 pre facelift, Motormax E65, UT Z3 M, another Kyosho E90 3 weeks ago and now this, the E46 M3.. sort of my grail

 

[cwbs]

Much congrats on the add! And you've got one with the CSL wheel swap, lucky you! 👍 👍 👍

I only recently got one as well, in black (here's a tiny picture just to show what it's like).

I think I prefer the Kyosho over the AutoArt tbh. I watched a yellow Autoart e46 M3 go for €130 on eBay today, I almost bid on it, but when I saw the huge doglegs on the hood, I had to say no.

 

[jazzy426]

ah that would explains why the wheels are so big. To be honest i was bit confused when I first saw seller's pictures and tried to match it to the online photo reference. I deduced that it is likely a Kyosho hobby edition going by the plate. But photos of CSL models kept popping up. I think E46 models came out at the time where huge doglegs were common even among Autoart models. The millennium series really elevated the realism of the bonnet/door/boot mechanism with realistic hinges and struts etc. Then it all went downhill from there, doglegs were showing up again due to cost cutting presumably.. then sealed nothing opens! 😫

 

[crz]

Nice post. The grey m3 with the CSL wheels is actually the Club Sport edition. I have both the silver and the blue one. It's an original release and indeed quite rare. The wheels came with this car. You can recognize this specific CS edition by the small spoiler lip on the boot.

 

[cwbs]

Nice post. The grey m3 with the CSL wheels is actually the Club Sport edition. I have both the silver and the blue one. It's an original release and indeed quite rare. The wheels came with this car. You can recognize this specific CS edition by the small spoiler lip on the boot.

Thanks very much for the info on the Club Sport edition, crz! 👍 👍 I went and Googled a picture of the original box showing the model with the CSL wheels:

I always thought people changed the wheels on the regular E46 M3, because it's fairly easy to do.

Is the boot spoiler the only way to recognize it? Because mine with the stock wheels also has the spoiler:

(this is an old picture from when I bought it):

(apologies for hijacking your thread, jazzy! )

 

[jazzy426]

Not at all mate I’m very glad to have spark interest in this old kyosho beauty among us collectors and I get to learn more about the model release history. I wonder if the thin boot spoiler is optional extra or comes standard with all the kyosho M3.

 

[crz]

That's odd, I always thought it was the bootspoiler that made the difference. I have around 10+ E46's in my collection, most of them Autoart. I have 4 Kyosho's, being both the grey CS and blue CS, M3 cabriolet and M3 cabriolet with CSL wheels. Both cabriolets don't have the boot spoiler though, the Autoart coupes do have them. All the CSL's don't have separate spoilers but they're kind of integrated into the trunk.

However, both the CS cars have a grey/dark interior, whilst the silver regular E46 coupe from Kyosho has the laguna seca blue details in it. I once had that regular M3 with the blue interior with CSL wheels, they were probably swapped. Sold it later when I bought the CS version.

I should really make some pictures one day too 😄

 

[winstoncds]

Those wheels look great in the car. Congratulations in scoring a classic. The regular wheels on the Kyosho E46 were not flush with the fenders and some members here put spacers behind the wheels to correct the eye sore. There might be a tutorial somewhere.

 

[jazzy426]

Thanks guys for chiming in. Always glad to see a thread get people talking and provides insight into the model car in question. I guess next I would be keeping an eye out for the CSL version. Would love to get hold of the silver 330i saloon by UT but they are pretty rare these days.

Thanks Winston, I was actually going to settle for the upcoming Solido E46 M3 initially. But still curious to see how that turns out. Guess we will find out in Oct or later as that was the supposed to be the release date.

 

[Passion]

Very Great reaview ... I have the same model but some in different colour ... but I never ever made a group photos ...

Congrats, Thank you for sharing!

 

[jazzy426]

Thanks Passion! Glad you liked it😙

 

[tanayast]

Loving your collection!
E46 was actually the BEST 1:1 BMW I have ever owned (including my newer F10).
Thanks for sharing this.

Here are the only 2 E46's in my current collections:

M3 All Gen by tanayast, on Flickr

IMG_0361 by tanayast, on Flickr