User Reviews

318i SE

A Hutchings

Overall Rating

Excellent family car - good, solid and reliable.

328i Saloon

Aleks Ilic

Overall Rating

I bought this car three years ago, when it was five years old with 90k on the clock. It has now clocked up almost 130,000 miles. It has been absolutely faultless in that time. The engine is an absolute peach, smoother and creamier than Ambrosia double cream! I average 30-31mpg, although it gets mid-30s on longer motorway trips. Running costs are very reasonable as I use a specialist, not a BMW dealer. The ultimate driving machine? Not far off!

BMW 328i Coupe Auto

Alex

Overall Rating

What can I say? Superb, superb, superb!!! The last car I owned was a 2000 Lexus IS200 SE. My 96 BMW eats the Lex for breakfast. Smoother, far superior handling, and even in automatic the driving experience is thrilling!!! I have owned an array of cars and jeeps but for overall performance nothing touches the Bimmer. I have the sports suspension and gearbox but still this is a silky smooth drive even approaching 10 years old and 90,000 miles on the clock.

316i coupe

bmw

Overall Rating

Very sluggish engine, i would probably go for a bigger engine.

3.20 Convertible

Dee Spooner

Overall Rating

The 320i is an OK car - very nice in the Summer with the roof down...but it is primarily a car for the Summer months.

328i Cabriolet Auto

Edge-Hog1973

Overall Rating

I've had the car a year. It's very nice to drive with the roof up down. The engine doesn't miss a beat, but it likes its fuel...

318ti Compact Sport

Mark Wright

Overall Rating

Bought my M plate 318ti five years ago. Came with the Sports pack. Half-leather seats, M3 body kit and suspension, and 5-spoke alloys. The ride is a bit firmer than the average 3 Series, but more than compensated by the improved handling. Basically I love the car, but then I'm the driver. Rear seat space is limited but adequate for two adults - no worse than the 3 Series coupe. Boot space is good for a hatch and the split/fold rear seats offer a lot of load variations. Performance is OK, 0-60 in 9.9 seconds and a top whack of 135. Rear wheel drive coupled with the M3 suspension makes it much more fun though. The back end is nice and predictable. Reliability? Well in five years I've had to change the battery (it was still running on the original one) and had two forays to the garage. The first was fixed under warranty and the second was an electrical mystery that solved itself. Running costs were not as big a worry as I thought they might be. Main dealers offer discounted servicing for cars over four years old and there are a lot of independents who will shave the prices still more. I do around 8-10k miles per year and the worst bill I have faced for servicing in one year was £400. That was because I had two services. I currently get about 7.5k miles between services. Only real niggles are the lack of air con - but there is a steel sunroof - and the stereo, which is not a problem to upgrade. Value for money? This is the first saloon/hatch that has brought a smile to my face every time I drive it. Don't let anyone fool you that the Compact is a substandard BMW.

325i saloon

Mr Vanni

Overall Rating

I drove a friend's 318i coupe and a month later after it left such an impression, I was sitting in a 325i saloon 2 weeks later. The handling of this car is superb. The grip available makes you smile evertime you go round a corner and see the oppsition fade away in your rear view. Acceleration is also impressive and the car easily clibs from 80kmph to 160kmph giving you good overtaking power. In the low revs the car doesn't pull so strongly but rev past 3,000rpm and you're in an entirely different car. Reliability is good but not Japanese and running costs...remember you're in a German six cylinder. Basicaly, the car gives me a smile each day.

M3

Ralph Sadler

Overall Rating

Good Value performance motoring with built-in reliability.

1998 318i SE Touring

Robin Evans

Overall Rating

Bought this car in October 2002 to replace a 160,000 mile E30 316i Touring. It has provided faultless and reliable transport for the last 5 years. Have replaced the battery (original lasted 8 years!) This years' MOT saw replacement of the broken rear springs and corroded front to rear brake pipes - the first non servicing and wear & tear items in 5 years of ownership. I was lucky to find this very well specced version, with full leather, sunroof & air con. Rear space is a little tight and I wish sometimes it had more power, but we love it!

325i Saloon (E36 series 1991)

Smoggy

Overall Rating

I bought this car at the end of last year. It is the best car I have owned. The performance and handling are superb! I would advise anyone thinking of buying a used car to seriously consider a BMW E36.