Overview & Reviews

For the 2004 BMW M3, BMW Assist is now an available option for immediate roadside assistance, and Sirius Satellite Radio is newly available as a dealer-installed accessory.

• Remarkable engine, race-carlike handling, killer good looks, sumptuous interior, available Sequential Manual Gearbox.

• Uninspired exhaust whine, having to pay extra for basics like power seats and an alarm system.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 103.00

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  All in one!!! Performance, Style and Reliability - 2004 BMW M3
  By vision3 - April 15 - 8:45 pm

  Bought this amazing car last year with 55k orig miles. Ive since driven it for 12k miles and can only say great things about it. It runs, drives and handles outstanding. The solid build, craftsmanship and styling of this car is top notch. The exterior color is called Carbon Schwartz. At first glance, it looks Black but, in sunlight it seems to change to metallic dark Blue. Have to see it to believe it! Interior is Black with Black convertible top and 19" wheels. All original, non SMG, regular 6 spd. No problems at all. A practical yet powerful convertible sports car with room for 4 people and suitcases. A powerful, great handling sports car that gets 20mpg!! BMW got it right!!

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  Best sports car ever - 2004 BMW M3
  By screamerdongie - December 9 - 1:47 pm

  I have been driving my M3 for the last 4 years. Truly amazing car. So responsive with exceptional handling. It is turning like on a rail I am not kidding. SMG is amazing once you get used to it - takes a while but once mastered you will love it. So much fun driving in the city. I am getting around 18/25 MPG not great but worth it. Lower the gear step on the gas boom you are there. It is rock solid in terms of reliability. No issues whatsoever. Only change oil twice a year around 100 bucks. E46s are probably the most reliable BMW model ever built. I heard M39s are also pretty reliable. This is one of the best sports car ever. Definitely a head turner. I am sad because it is getting older.

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  The Ultimate driving machine - 2004 BMW M3
  By wa6lie - September 18 - 5:05 pm

  It is hard to put into words about the magical smiles my 04 M3 makes on my face! You need to be the screaming passengers or a gutsy driver to take advantage of what this car delivers! FUN!!. The SMG takes time to learn, but I have a blast at Laguna Seca Raceway! I will have to refer people to the customer M3 reviews seen here to explain what I have to say about my M3! By far the best scariest time in total control! The most fun you can have with your pants on! I have done only 4 mods to my M3. Racing bushings for suspension, -1 degree camber for handling, Cool Carbon brake pads for the track, and K&N air filter. Stock other than that. Cant wait to drive! You have to pry me out of the seat!

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  Awesome! - 2004 BMW M3
  By harold hare - October 3 - 2:00 am

  Having owned Audi s and BMW x5,330d I finally bought my m3. What a fantastic motor. I went to Manchester via motorway, the other day and recorded 29.6 mpg at a steady 80- 90 mph. This is the best car, by a long way, I have ever owned, a pleasure to drive.

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  Turbine Smooth - 2004 BMW M3
  By Dick de Kroon - June 4 - 6:24 am

  I have owned 58 cars - this is the very best - first drove a friends new one in 1994 and vowed Id get one, one day - well I am fortunate to own such a magnificent beast! The grin factor is huge - I always enjoy starting her up , letting her warm up - then giving more and more stick - and then theres still the Sport button - wow what could a person want? Looks good in an understated way - just the way I like it - best thing I ever did on the motoring side of things! Find myself wondering what I could replace it with - nothing comes to mind!

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  With Upgrades, Pretty Much The Perfect Car - 2004 BMW M3
  By Bimmer Owner - May 16 - 9:59 am

  Amazing balance of performance and practicality. Research the VANOS, cam bolts, and rear subframe. Upgrade kits and parts are available for all. They can cause major damage if not inspected and addressed (if nec., as far as the subframe). Convertibles are reportedly less likely to have the rear subframe problem. Skip the SMG - arguably hard to live with, unreliable, expensive. Consider removing the manual transmissions Clutch Delay Valve (CDV). The car can be hard to shift smoothly and fellow owners recommend it, saying doing so solves the problem (Im planning to do it). Car is a remarkably comfortable tourer on the highway and is equally adept at carving up mountain roads. Seats are the best Ive ever had and upgraded stereo (Harmon Kardon) is the best OEM Ive ever had as well. The convertible does flex a bit. Top up, there are blind spots. Its also hard to judge the corners of the car from the drivers seat and easy to scrape the front spoiler. Parts and oil can be expensive, but considering the cars performance, its still a good value. You can drive it like a Honda all day or get on it and accelerate like a hoon. UPDATE 11/28/16: Still love this car. Had the CDV removed and it does shift much more smoothly. The strong online enthusiast community for these is helpful, friendly and informative. Some people find the e46 M3s ride too harsh; I suspect this is regarding the coupes and the convertibles extra weight improves things. Also, the 19-inch wheels reportedly result in a much firmer ride (I have the 18s). As the cars get older parts can be crazy high, but here again the online forums are a great resource. And a quality, well-reviewed independent mechanic is invaluable.

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  E46 M3 Convertible w/SMG is octogenarians dream! - 2004 BMW M3
  By Brian T - January 13 - 4:27 am

  I just turned 80 and I Knew what to expect from an e46 M3 w/SMG; (drove a silver Coupe for 5 years before it got totaled) Just bought a pristine, carbon black convertible instead of a motorcycle. SMG requires smooth driving style to avoid jerky behavior that many people cant seem to learn to overcome. I would put my SMG up against any 6 speed manual, and when you switch to automatic, your wife can drive it. Otherwise, I set my shift pattern on 5 bars and paddle shift. Must have the correct limited slip differential fluid from BMW to avoid jerky shifts and grinding noises during tight turns. I replaced stock exhaust with Rogue Engineering rasp eliminator, and a Remus axle back muffler system..sweet mellow tone and no rasp. To enjoy top down driving at speed, youll need a simple to install wind deflector.

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  Cant buy more fun - 2004 BMW M3
  By Silvert M3 - June 2 - 1:15 pm

  Nothing handles, accelerates, and overall performs like an M3 convertible and still has room for 4 people and luggage (try that in a Porsche). Proof positive that you can make a practical car fun, and a performance car practical! All with 21 mpg city and 25 mpg highway.

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  Fun at First - Then the poor quality - 2004 BMW M3
  By Frustrum - December 9 - 4:05 pm

  Had a lot of fun with the top down, great acceleration and speed -- loved the SMG. Not enough space for all the bad. Twice transmission died on the freeway at 90 mph, flying in neutral. Manage to get to the side, tow-truck guy says "these have been dropping like flies." GPS never worked. Took into different dealers totaling 5 times, everytime they said it was fixed. It actually works now. Intermittent glitch on windows rolling up, still not fixed. Tire pressure light is on now and wont go away (tires checkout). Took to dealer and they said it was fixed, drive it away and light still on. Anyway, tons of other basic quality issues. Frayed steering wheel leather.

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  Perfection on Four Wheels - 2004 BMW M3
  By Brian Graham - September 16 - 7:19 pm

  I just picked up my M3. I got it used with 8800 miles on it. What a beautiful piece of machinery. Stopping, accelerating, handling. Just amazing! The E46 body style is the best! If you can, buy one!