WTB: e46 3 Series Bentley Service Manual

[Boris3]

Anyone have a copy they no longer need? I've got the pdf but having a hard copy in the garage is useful.

[damnboy037]

I might have one

[Boris3]

damnboy037 said:

I might have one

Good deal. Let me know if you find it.

[damnboy037]

Still can’t find it, I know it’s around

[Boris3]

Found one.

I realize that the e46 is a different animal but was still surprised with the size of this brick compared to the e30 version. I got the 1999-2005 manual, approx 1400 pages 480 in electrical diagrams alone. Crazy.

[Jdesign]

Boris3 said:

Found one.

I realize that the e46 is a different animal but was still surprised with the size of this brick compared to the e30 version. I got the 1999-2005 manual, approx 1400 pages 480 in electrical diagrams alone. Crazy.

Honestly my solution to this has been an iPad. You can get them for a mere $20-$40 used, put all the PDF docs on it, and its way better than having a library of shelves filled with manuals.

[straight6pwr]

Jdesign said:

Honestly my solution to this has been an iPad. You can get them for a mere $20-$40 used, put all the PDF docs on it, and its way better than having a library of shelves filled with manuals.

humbug you young whipper snapper

+1 for books in the shop!

no charger

no updates or need for wifi

no risk of breaking if you drop a tool on it or set your trans on it

you can tab pages

you can write notes on it

[Jdesign]

straight6pwr said:

humbug you young whipper snapper

I take that as a compliment, as I am pretty sure I am older than you are.  But you are right, some things are better with tactile material. With that said, I also live in 2019, so I have to try and act like it at times.

️no charger - you win here

no updates or need for wifi - MEH none needed. I have a gen 2 iPod that I don't update or connect to the internets, I plug it into my computer to add docs if needed 

️no risk of breaking if you drop a tool on it or set your trans on it - you win here again

you can tab pages - you mean like a PDF document?

you can write notes on it  - you mean like a editable PDF document?

3 vs. 2 = I win

Honestly I print all my stuff out if I need too. I was just making a 2019 suggestion to help make myself feel young. cut me some slack.

[straight6pwr]

Jdesign said:

I take that as a compliment, as I am pretty sure I am older than you are.  But you are right, some things are better with tactile material. With that said, I also live in 2019, so I have to try and act like it at times.

️no charger - you win here

no updates or need for wifi - MEH none needed. I have a gen 2 iPod that I don't update or connect to the internets, I plug it into my computer to add docs if needed 

️no risk of breaking if you drop a tool on it or set your trans on it - you win here again

you can tab pages - you mean like a PDF document?

you can write notes on it  - you mean like a editable PDF document?

3 vs. 2 = I win

Honestly I print all my stuff out if I need too. I was just making a 2019 suggestion to help make myself feel young. cut me some slack.

i'm as old as any Super ETA. i bet we are near the same age, but that convertible makes you seem so youthful

[Boris3]

Yeah, no claim to youth here.  Add up the age of both my e30s and I still win with some room to spare.

I've already got the pdf version of the Bentley but I like having the paper copies and printouts of forum DIYs in hand. Both tactile in the ability to work through and check off the steps and easier to reference than scrolling through screens / using keys with crud-covered nitrile gloves.  That said, when confusion hits I'm back on the computer for clearer pictures, forum web searches or on the phone for reality-check texts to m42b32, snap, straight6pwr, etc.