2003 BMW M3 Convertible SMG - LSB Interior

Here for sale is my 2003 M3 convertible. It is a genuine facelift model manufactured Sept 2003.

I bought it in February this year to be a second car/weekend toy for me as my X5 is my daily driver. This car is garaged almost all of the time and only really gets used on nice days. This is my second e46 M3 and my fifth e46 in general so I know what a good one looks like. My last M3 was a coupe so I wanted a vert this time around, but it's scratched the itch I had and I'm not driving alot anymore, I find myself going for a random drive on a Sunday evening just to use it which seems silly. Having 2 cars and working from home just doesn't stack up it would seem!

I want to convert my double garage, and so I will (a) need the money and (b) not have anywhere to store the car! I've enjoyed owning it but I don't need a second car - it was a luxury while I had it - so I would rather sell the car in tip top condition and invest the money in something more sensible now.

I have done/replaced the following:

• New brakes all round - OEM discs front & back, OEM front pads (all bought direct from Cotswold BMW), Textar rear pads (OE supplier but sourced from ECP)

• OEM 19’s OEM – not painted silver but done properly with diamond cut faces and OEM anthracite inserts, and lacquered.

• New OEM centre caps

• New OEM front indicators

• New OEM boot badge & side grille badges

• New OEM side indicators

• New OEM headlight lenses

• New OEM front grilles

• Refurbished OEM steering wheel

• New OEM SMG shifter knob

• New OEM air filter

• New OEM volume knobs for the sat-nav screen

• SMG ECU updated with CSL SMG software with full rev-matching (blips on downshifts, sharper and faster gear changes)

• SMG electrical (salmon) relay replaced

• SMG system hydraulic fluid replaced

• Continental Contact Sport (M3 spec) tyres all round (around 5mm remaining all round)

• CPV valve recently replaced (most common source of oil leaks on M3)

• New oil and filter (correct Castrol 10w60)

• New exhaust hangers

• New OEM exhaust tips

• New NGK DCPR8E spark plugs (the correct OE plugs as fitted by BMW)

• GROM USB2 unit which integrates ipod/android/USB sticks into the factory sound system. Also plays music via Bluetooth and allows Bluetooth calls with full steering wheel/head unit controls.

• Pre-wired for a sub and amp and the custom ski-hatch sub mount will be included. All you will need is a 12” square sub and appropriate amp and 30 minutes to connect it. I will also include the original HK amp which works perfectly but is just too underpowered in my opinion. The sub fits in the mount between the back seats and allows the centre cushion to fit back in place making it totally concealed.

• All interior lights replaced with LED

• BMW ‘///M’ aluminium pedals

• Soft top renovated with Renovo system



Standard M3 spec, plus the following extras:

• Harmon Kardon stereo

• Heated Seats

• Auto lights

• Auto wipers

• Remote soft top open/close from the key fob

• Power folding mirrors

• Electric memory seats

• Xenon headlights

• Mk IV Navigation with map DVD (yes it actually works!)

• 6 CD changer

• TV tuner (analogue)

• Bluetooth handsfree telephone sytem


I had the subframe checked on ramps when I purchased the car and there were no cracks. I had it checked 3 times in total by JS Prestige in Tamworth, Clarence Road Service Station in Sutton Coldfield and I hired a ramp to check it for myself. It is still free of any cracks.

I had the car compression tested recently and compression was healthy with only 6psi difference between the lowest and highest reading. The average was 172 psi.

The SMG system gives no problems at all. When I purchased it I performed the various clutch adaptations using DIS (dealer level diagnostic software) and it drove like new. I then had the CSL SMG gearbox software put on and this has transformed the car. Gear changes are faster and smoother and the car automatically blips the throttle on downshifts for perfect rev matching. It feels much sportier now even in S4 and S5/6 changes are extremely fast. S6 in particular is brutal. Salmon relay and SMG fluid were changed as preventative maintenance.

Generally, the car is in excellent condition both inside and out. There is the odd stone chip on the front end which is mandatory on a car at this age, and one small parking 'ding' on the rear quarter which is too small to be noteworthy.

The interior is in very good condition, mainly because I have replaced all the trim that showed excessive wear (gear knob, steering wheel, steering wheel trim, storage cubbys etc). The passenger seat has no wear at all and the drivers side bolster was worn in the usual place but I had it refurbished when I bought it and now only shows minor signs of use.

Full service history including the Running In check. It had an Inspection II at 62,727 miles and Ins I at 74,996. After that, the previous owner stepped up the oil changes to every 5,000 miles instead of the BMW schedule which allows the car to go for upto 15,000 miles between oil changes depending on what the OBC readout says.

It had an Ins I at 91,532 (valve clearances checked but not requiring adjustment) in July last year and I also had the oil and filter changed this year when having the CPV leak dealt with. I have also changed the spark plugs and air filter this year as I do not believe in leaving these items in for the period of time that BMW recommend. If I waited until the next Ins II which is when these items are meant to be changed it would be at around 110,000 miles.

I recommend the new owner keep up the 5,000 mile oil changes but if you choose to follow the service schedule the next service required will be an oil service at around 100,000 miles.

It is taxed, MOT'd until 15/8/2015.

2 keys, service book and all docs present.

It has a Tracker installed.

Also published at eBay.co.uk