How Much Horsepower Does A High-Mileage BMW M3 E46 Make On The Dyno?

The owner bought it for just $3,000

bmw e46 m3 dyno run

11:03

Chris Bruce

By: Chris Bruce

Sep 7, 2021 at 9:32am ET

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The BMW M3 E46 generation from the early 2000s is arguably the final iteration of the performance model that follows the vehicle's original ethos of emphasizing handling over straight-line speed. Let's see what a high-mileage example can put down on a dyno.

The owner bought the car for just $3,000 because it had a faulty SMG transmission. Rather than replace the polarizing system, he converted it to a manual, bringing the total investment in the M3 to about $5,000. The car has covered 173,000 miles.

He also did some performance modifications. The car now runs headers with no catalytic converters, an ECU tune, a K&N intake, and a revised exhaust. The owner estimates the M3 is making around 355 horsepower (265 kilowatts) at the crank, versus an original output of 333 hp (248 kW).