These cars have two big potential engine disasters that you will need to sort when you buy it!. Luckily about £50 will sort them both.

Firstly the intake manifold has "swirl flaps" that are known to break off and be ingested into the engine. These are removed and replaced with alloy blanks that are £6ea (you'll need 6).

See: http://www.pmwltd.co.uk/swirl_flaps.pdf

Secondly, they have a shite crankcase breather that becomes blocked, and as a result shags turbo oil seals requiring a new turbo. BMW have since released a "vortex" breather instead of the old foam filter that solves this problem and it is £18ish from the dealers.

See: http://www.bmwland.co.uk/talker/viewtopic.php?p=875415

Both easy enough to sort and cheap, and solves the two biggest problems encountered on both 320d and 330d engines.

I've just bought an E46 so am sorting these issues on mine in the next week


For remaps, most guys on the forums recommend e-maps, and if you goto bmwland forums etc you'll see theres a few group buys on their maps at the moment

See: http://www.e-maps.co.uk/products/BMW...ies+%28e46%29/