Vietnamese player spends 1.5 billion and 4 years to "revive" BMW 325i E46

A car enthusiast in Vietnam spent more than 1.5 billion and more than 4 years to restore the BMW 325i E46 to its original state according to the manufacturer's standards.

More than 20 years ago, the legendary BMW 325i E46 was the dream car of many car enthusiasts. At the time of its launch, the luxury sedan from Germany was equipped with a series of amenities that were superior to most cars of the time: electric front seats with memory, premium leather upholstery, automatic air conditioning, Cruise Control, electric mirrors and folding.

In addition, the power from the 2.5L I6 engine producing 186 horsepower, 245 Nm of torque, combined with a sturdy chassis, has turned the E46 into a car that brings pure driving emotions that many people are still fascinated by to this day.

According to Mr. Tuan Combat - founder of Glanz International, a company specializing in taking care of super cars, super luxury cars, and owns the Aerowash car wash chain brand. According to the sharing, the BMW 325i E46 is not only a car but also a symbol of youthful dreams.

In the 2000s, he dreamed of owning an E46 but conditions did not allow it. It was not until 2021 that he accidentally bought an old 325i E46 with the initial intention of only doing basic repairs to satisfy his desire. However, the more he learned and dismantled, the more he longed to return the car to its original standard, from which the project of "restoring the dream" began.

Over the course of 4 years, Mr. Tuan invested about 1.5 billion VND to revive the car. This figure not only includes the cost of buying the car but also the huge amount of spare parts: more than 400 items, of which 90% are Genuine BMW spare parts.

His perfectionism is reflected in the fact that even though many parts are still usable, he still decides to replace them to ensure originality. There are seemingly simple spare parts but with unbelievable value, such as a soundproof felt that costs more than 14 million VND at a BMW dealer in Germany.

The details directly related to operation such as pistons, piston rings, bushings, valve lifters... were all completely replaced. Some important parts such as crankshaft, camshaft, and engine cover were still in good condition and were retained after careful inspection. The suspension and shock absorbers were also replaced with genuine parts, although that amount of money was enough to buy famous sports shock absorbers such as Bilstein, Koni or KW.

Although he does not directly work on the engine or the bronze paint, Mr. Tuan, who has many years of experience in the field of car beauty, always closely supervises each stage. Plastic parts are restored, polished or repainted to regain their original aesthetics. Aluminum blocks such as engine blocks and gearboxes are cleaned until shiny, restoring their original appearance.

In particular, he also pays attention to seemingly unimportant details. This perfectionism makes the cost increase, but in return, the car after completion will be almost in factory condition.

In the BMW E46 community in Vietnam, it is not uncommon for people to spend 150 - 200 million to buy a car, then spend a few hundred million more to repair and use. However, to upgrade a project to about 1.5 billion VND like Mr. Tuan is really rare.

This comes from a personality that values ​​perfection: seeing a damaged detail, replace it, seeing it is not up to standard, continue to edit it. It is a combination of passion, economic potential and love for original value that not everyone is willing to pursue to the end.

After nearly 4 years since the start, the project to restore the BMW 325i E46 of Mr. Tuan Combat is nearing its end. If on schedule, it is expected that in about a month, the car will be completed and ready for its return.

At that time, it was not just an old car that was renewed, but also the revival of an icon, a youthful dream that was touched after many years of waiting. And above all, this was also an inspirational story for car lovers: that sometimes, passion and perseverance can turn seemingly impossible things into reality.

Video : Spend 1.5 billion to buy and restore BMW E46 325i.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/dan-choi-viet-chi-15-ty-va-4-nam-de-hoi-sinh-chiec-bmw-325i-e46-post2149058877.html