# Last production date of E46



## shizat63 (Feb 14, 2002)

I've searched but I can't find a solid date. 

I'm really torn between an 05' ZHP and the E90. I would like the see the E90 in person at the NY auto show in April. But I also don't want to blow my last chance to order a ZHP if the E90 interior and iDrive trully disgust me, as they do now. :thumbdwn: 

When is the last day dealers are accepting orders for the E46 :dunno:


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## Gabe (Sep 20, 2004)

I recently faced a similar dilemma. After picking up my ZHP yesterday, I can say that I am very happy with my decision 

Sorry I am not of more help.


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## brybarrett (Feb 2, 2002)

I am trying to find the thread or it was on germancarfans or autoweek that dec 04, not sure of the exact date so don't quote me would be the last month to order e46's. I need to make my decision fast because my lease is up in Feb. If I can get a good deal I would opt for a ZHP and let BMW figure out the glitches with the E90 as well as add some standard equipment. :thumbup:


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## RandyB (Mar 4, 2003)

"E46 sales skyrockets after E90 introduction". :rofl: 

Glad I already reserved my copy back in '03...


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## shizat63 (Feb 14, 2002)

Gabe said:


> I recently faced a similar dilemma. After picking up my ZHP yesterday, I can say that I am very happy with my decision
> 
> Sorry I am not of more help.


Sweet! WE REQUIRE PICS!


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## Corleone (Oct 27, 2004)

Same situation here (first post by the way - cool forum).
I'm planning on buying my first BMW next year. I love the E46 but still not convinced by the E90. Ideally I'd like to wait until the E90 comes out and drive them both to compare them side by side. If I decide on the E46 I doubt they'll still be making them at that point so I won't be able to do European Delivery and even if the price of the E46 is reduced to clear them off the lots I doubt they'll be cheaper than the current ED price. What a dilemma.


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## RSPDiver (Jul 14, 2004)

Isn't roll out of the E90 going to be staggered, like the 3 series has been in the past? Perhaps the coupe will be available for a bit longer.


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## Gabe (Sep 20, 2004)

shizat63 said:


> Sweet! WE REQUIRE PICS!


There are plenty of pics of stock Titanium Silver Metallic 330i's w/ ZHP on this board. Mine looks just like the rest of them


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## Moderato (Nov 24, 2003)

I have high hopes for the E90 M3, I just bought my 04 330i in March of this year so that works out perfect. I figure the E90 M3 will be out in 2 years, then I'll give it a couple of years to see what's up so 4 - 6 years will be a perfect time to pick one up.

edit - although everyday that goes by, I like the 330i more, so maybe I'll keep it and go all out and get a C6 Z06. :dunno: Then there's the new Skyline, rumors that Audi will put a FSI engine in the S4, one thing I know for sure is get the best car you can afford. I thought I was smart getting a 330i instead of an E46 M3, but even though I love the 330i I think I would've been happier with the M3.


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## shizat63 (Feb 14, 2002)

Gabe said:


> There are plenty of pics of stock Titanium Silver Metallic 330i's w/ ZHP on this board. Mine looks just like the rest of them


Ban this guy!

J/K welcome aboard :hi:


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## wndrful (Aug 18, 2004)

If I were you, I would wait for the E90. The torque numbers look
very promising. From what it looks like it is going to be a killer car
unless they mess up the handing which I really doubt would happen.
Also to me the shape is similar enough to E46 to grow on you.

The only issues would be the price, avaibility and the new model year
reliability. :thumbup:


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## shizat63 (Feb 14, 2002)

wndrful said:


> If I were you, I would wait for the E90. The torque numbers look very promising.


Did you mean HP? They claim a 30 HP increase but no boost in torque.

That leads me to believe that we're dealing with yet another bullsh!t marketing spin so BMW can compete with the Japanese. :thumbdwn:


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## Eduardo (Jul 13, 2004)

wndrful said:


> If I were you, I would wait for the E90. The torque numbers look
> very promising. From what it looks like it is going to be a killer car
> unless they mess up the handing which I really doubt would happen.
> Also to me the shape is similar enough to E46 to grow on you.
> ...


...and the fact that the ZHP version will be several years away.

Frankly, the more I look at my 2004 Silver Gray ZHP the more I fall in love with it!

I am glad that I bought this and not the E90. Nice looking car but too "Japanese"-looking and ugly interior (per available photographs). I love my Alcantara interior with the black cube and the BMW Navigation system. Ahh, sweet. :bigpimp:


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## seh (Oct 6, 2004)

shizat63 said:


> When is the last day dealers are accepting orders for the E46


I asked a similar question about a week ago, specifically about the E46 coupe. Though perhaps not as specific as you'd like, the answer was encouraging.

My plan is to wait until late 2005 to order a 2006 E46 330Ci. Whether or not that will be possible remains to be seen.


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## shizat63 (Feb 14, 2002)

seh said:


> I asked a similar question about a week ago, specifically about the E46 coupe. Though perhaps not as specific as you'd like, the answer was encouraging.
> 
> My plan is to wait until late 2005 to order a 2006 E46 330Ci. Whether or not that will be possible remains to be seen.


From what I understand, they are going to shut down the E46 production line in March to retool, but that hasn't been corroborated by any good source. Not sure if the coupe and/or M3 will be affected.


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## numbersguy (May 21, 2003)

shizat63 said:


> I'm really torn between an 05' ZHP and the E90. I would like the see the E90 in person at the NY auto show in April. But I also don't want to blow my last chance to order a ZHP if the E90 interior and iDrive trully disgust me, as they do now. :thumbdwn:


Wait for the E90. If you don't like it get a low mileage used E46. There will be plenty of buying opportunity as many E46 owners will bail on their cars at the first opportunity to get an E90.


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## Shades (Sep 24, 2002)

shizat63 said:


> From what I understand, they are going to shut down the E46 production line in March to retool, but that hasn't been corroborated by any good source. Not sure if the coupe and/or M3 will be affected.


The E46 Coupe and M3 will not be affected because the new coupe will come out spring 2006.The new coupe always comes out a year after the sedan.Do a search,there has already been quite a bit of info on this.


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## armaq (Apr 18, 2003)

shizat63 said:


> Did you mean HP? They claim a 30 HP increase but no boost in torque.


Max torque available at 2500rpm


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## Megatron (May 15, 2004)

shizat63 said:


> I'm really torn between an 05' ZHP and the E90. I would like the see the E90 in person at the NY auto show in April. But I also don't want to blow my last chance to order a ZHP if the E90 interior and iDrive trully disgust me, as they do now. :thumbdwn:


Go with your gut instinct. I was on the fence trying to decide if I wanted to wait for the E90 or get my E46. After seeing what the 5 series looked like and hearing those rumour reports from fellow members who attended those secret BMW sessions to look at the new 3 series, I decided to go with the E46.

Now that the E90 pictures were released officially, I can say I'm glad I stuck with my E46. If you don't like iDrive and the interior just by how the pictures look, do you really think you'll change your mind when the see the real E90 interior? (It looks ugly in the pictures and reminds me of the 5 series interior which I don't like)


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## SARAFIL (Feb 19, 2003)

shizat63 said:


> I've searched but I can't find a solid date.
> 
> I'm really torn between an 05' ZHP and the E90. I would like the see the E90 in person at the NY auto show in April. But I also don't want to blow my last chance to order a ZHP if the E90 interior and iDrive trully disgust me, as they do now. :thumbdwn:
> 
> When is the last day dealers are accepting orders for the E46 :dunno:


If you wait until the NY autoshow, you will not be able to order a new E46.

The E90 will be here in May. That means that these cars will be built in March or April (they usually start building them in bulk a few weeks ahead and hold them at the port), and that therefore means that by March, the E46 sedan should be out of production. Following basic BMW ordering timeframe, the last of the March builds would be modifiable up until the very beginning of March. This, of course, is assuming your dealer gets one of these last build slots in the last build week. Otherwise, assume that February will be the cut off.

Of course, this is mostly speculation on my part, since BMW has not told us when the E46 will end production. It could go right through April (unlikely), or end early (January or February). We'll see what BMW says. I'd imagine that we'd get more definately timeframes to use within the next month or two.


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## Jeff_DML (Mar 13, 2002)

SARAFIL said:


> ....The E90 will be here in May....


is this confirmed or your guessimate?

thx

just in time to beat up the B7 a4


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## yycF30MPerf (Nov 21, 2003)

I stopped by my dealer a couple of weeks ago to discuss the upcoming replacement of my E39. I was shown a copy of a memo from BMWNA stating that the MY 2006 E90, 5 and 7 series cars will be released in March 2005. The memo also went on to say that the vehicles will be at the dealers in "early spring".

I read into the memo that this likely means the E90 will be on hand including the E60/61with the new engines and X drive (shop forman has received info on this already) and the 7 series refresh.

Shaping up to be a long winter of waiting.


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## SARAFIL (Feb 19, 2003)

Jeff_DML said:


> is this confirmed or your guessimate?
> 
> thx
> 
> just in time to beat up the B7 a4


Along with the release of the official press photos, BMWNA gave the dealers a timeline for the US release of the E90. We will see the car for the first "official" showing at the NY Auto Show, and dealers will receive their first demos in early May (these dates are confirmed). From past product launches, I believe that our first retail units will also arrive in May, a few weeks behind the demos (this is my speculation).

Also, if the past is any indication, there will be about 2-3 months between when the last E46 sedan is produced, and when we start to see new E90s.


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