2002 BMW M3 Coupe Manual

Highlights

• S54 3.2-litre inline-six

• 6-speed manual transmission

• Carbon Black Metallic over red leather

• Comprehensive service record

• MOT to February 2026

Overview

How does one solve a problem like the E30 M3? BMW tried to follow it up with the E36 M3, but it received a fairly lukewarm reception at the time (although they’re rapidly appreciating now). The answer was to go back to basics: clean styling, fantastic build quality, a screamer of a naturally-aspirated engine and lightweight construction.

Cue a sales phenomenon. The E46 was an instant classic, and rightly so. That 3.2-litre inline-six with double-VANOS is an absolute peach of an engine, strong and tractable even at low revs, and a screaming lunatic once you nudge the rev-needle past 5,000rpm. By marrying that spine-tingling performance to a chassis that offered excellent traction and fantastic dynamics, BMW delivered what many aficionados consider to be the greatest of all M3s.

We can certainly see the case for such a claim. The E46 is a handsome beast, with the side grilles, subtle power-bulge bonnet and pumped arches hinting at the potency lurking within, but never stepping over into caricature. As you’ll have intimated from the above, there’s plenty of grunt on tap too, with a whopping 338bhp on tap and the kind of instant power-delivery that makes Tiff Needell require a little lie down and a strong cup of tea.

Naturally, with the newest E46 M3s now approaching the 20-year mark, finding one that hasn’t been messed about with, crashed or generally abused can be quite tricky. But we may have the answer here. This example has been daily driven for a number of years, comes with a good service record and a long MOT, and appears to have not been “slammed” or had the wheels put on at 45-degree angles by some Ken- Block wannabe in a baseball cap.

No, this is just a standard, well-specified, no-nonsense example of one of the finest everyday performance cars ever made, and we love that about it. It’s no garage queen, but would make a perfect rolling restoration project. It has been a daily driver for the current owner for more than a decade and will need some TLC to get through its next MOT, which is reflected in the reserve.

History and documentation

• Registered September 2002 (pre-facelift model)

• 111,630 miles on the clock, verified by the service and MOT records

• Current owner since March 2013, 7 former owners

• Stamped service book with services as follows:Feb 2002 (PDI), Oct 2002 @ 1,500 miles, Oct 2003 @ 10,715 miles, May 2004 @ 22,931 miles, Oct 2004 @ 35,283 miles, May 2006 @ 46,129 miles, May 2008 @ 51,074 miles, May 2010 @ 63,124 miles, Apr 2013 @ 74,850 miles, Jun 2014 @ 81,918 miles, May 2016 @ 88,791 miles, May 2017 @ 96,906 miles, Nov 2018 @ 105,013 miles, Dec 2020 @ 107,282 miles

• Full document pack, including service log

• Two keys

• Current MOT expires 5 February 2026

• V5 present in owner’s name

• HPI clear

• London ULEZ compliant

Interior

• Red leather upholstery, all in good overall condition

• The driver’s seat is showing some light wear and gentle creasing, but otherwise we didn’t notice any damage or significant wear to the upholstery

• Black carpets and matched over-mats are fitted, and appear to be in reasonably good order

• The dark grey headliner shows nicely, with no damage or sagging we could discern

• Electrically adjustable front seats, with 3-position memory for the driver

• Electrically adjustable door mirrors and side windows

• Air conditioning

• Multifunction steering wheel

• FM/AM radio system, with multi CD-changer

• Harman/Kardon sound system

• Integrated satellite navigation with colour screen, which appears to have some dead pixels

• All of the internal switchgear and instrumentation appears to be intact and in in good order, with some wear commensurate with the car’s age and mileage

• There is some wear to the usual major touchpoints, such as the gear lever, steering wheel and door handles, but nothing broken we could see other than the centre console cover

• Rear parking sensors

• Tyre pressure monitoring system

• Cruise control

• Generous boot space, lined with dark grey carpet, fitted with a rubber liner, and including the original BMW toolkit

• The vendor tells us that everything in the cabin works as it should, with no faults or issues reported

• There is an Airbag light illuminated on the dash

Exterior

• Carbon Black Metallic paintwork really suits the M3, offering a mean and moody look that contrasts well with the red leather interior

• The paintwork is in average condition, with quite a number of stone chips to the front, some swirling and scratches to the sides, blistering to the off-side door mirror and some blistering to the near-side front wheel arch

• All of the bodywork looks straight, presenting in undamaged condition with no major dents and no corrosion that we could identify

• The external badging and trim all looks to be present and correct, with a little UV fading showing on the badges

• The glass elements and light lenses appear to be in fine fettle, with no cracks, chips or discolouration that we could discern

• The underneath of the car looks tidy, and the vendor tells us that the subframe was strengthened in 2018, when the car was also undersealed

• Looking at the recent MOT history, we believe some attention may need to be paid to the underside of the car in the near future

• 19-inch Style 67 alloy wheels, presented in average condition, with some pitting, marking and light kerbing

• The vendor notes that the tyres are road legal, but would benefit from being changed in the near future

Mechanical

• 3,246cc naturally-aspirated inline-six (S54 engine)

• Double-VANOS system, factory-fitted ITBs

• Nitro-carbonised steel crankshaft, graphite-coated pistons

• Factory performance figures: 338bhp, 269lb-ft, 0-60mph in 5.1 seconds, limited to 155mph

• Variable M Differential (whines occasionally on tight right turns)

• Rear-wheel drive

• 6-speed manual transmission

• Sport mode

• Traction control system, ABS, power-assisted steering

• Low mileage in recent years, although the vendor tells us that the car was in daily use until recently

• We’re assured that it starts, idles and runs perfectly, with no mechanical faults or issues reported

• Seller informs us that Airbag recall performed 9 months ago however warning light remains on

Summary

When we think of an M3, this is the car we think about. That ballistic inline-six and taut handling is pure, classic BMW M Division. It sounds incredible when it’s wrung out to its nearly 8,000rpm redline, and has all the power you could reasonably want.

The rest of the car is pretty fabulous too. Classically elegant coupe lines are matched to BMW’s legendary build quality and superb ergonomics to create the kind of driving environment that you simply never want to leave.

From what we can see, it looks like this M3 will likely need new tyres, a warning light on the dash resolving and potentially some further work underneath based on the MOT to get through its next test in February 2026. This handsome machine would make for a fantastic, engaging daily driver and is the perfect car for those happy with taking on a project car.

To arrange a viewing, click the 'Book Viewing' button located under the 'Place Bid' button. Viewings can be booked up until the day before the auction ends, after which the option will change to 'Contact Seller' for further enquiries. This seller is located in South West Wales.