2013 BMW 3 Series - Great introduction into luxury vehicles.
The BMW 328i is a very well-rounded vehicle. It is luxurious but accessible to young professionals who are still saving and earning their way in the job market. It has excellent performance, great features and is very easy on the eyes. The new car's electrically assisted power steering is quite good (and, thanks to software updates, is supposed to get better over time). It is also very good value, when comparing it to other luxury models. A few negatives include gas mileage and cost of ownership. Gas mileage is not the best - although they advertise an estimated 32 MPG city, the car actually gets closer to 20. Another negative is the cost of repair. If you choose to own this vehicle long-term, you can expect to pay significantly for major repairs. Another slightly less important negati... (more)
The BMW 328i is a very well-rounded vehicle. It is luxurious but accessible to young professionals who are still saving and earning their way in the job market. It has excellent performance, great features and is very easy on the eyes. The new car's electrically assisted power steering is quite good (and, thanks to software updates, is supposed to get better over time). It is also very good value, when comparing it to other luxury models. A few negatives include gas mileage and cost of ownership. Gas mileage is not the best - although they advertise an estimated 32 MPG city, the car actually gets closer to 20. Another negative is the cost of repair. If you choose to own this vehicle long-term, you can expect to pay significantly for major repairs. Another slightly less important negative is that in order to cut costs, the company seems to cut a few corners. For example, LED lights are not standard (is becoming the norm even in economy brands nowadays), neither is GPS/navigation. Adding these features from the manufacturer costs significantly (at least 5,000 more for LED lights and $2,000 for the GPS/navigation system). Overall, though it is an excellent choice.
Driving in the mountains on the way to a camping trip really showcased the performance and engineering that gives this brand and model it's stellar reputation. Sometimes these things are hard to notice on the regular city commute.
Driving in the mountains on the way to a camping trip really showcased the performance and engineering that gives this brand and model it's stellar reputation. Sometimes these things are hard to notice on the regular city commute.
The performance is spectacular. I like the smart suspension and active steering features the most.
The performance is spectacular. I like the smart suspension and active steering features the most.
Gas mileage and cost of ownership (insurance, repairs, payments); some corner-skipping, in terms of options.
Gas mileage and cost of ownership (insurance, repairs, payments); some corner-skipping, in terms of options.
2001 BMW 3 Series - Love my BMW
I own a 2001 BMW 325i. I love this vehicle. Yes, it's older, but it still looks very modern. The body design is still beautiful and people can appreciate that. It is very well made, easy to work on for at-home mechanics and the ride is smooth.
I own a 2001 BMW 325i. I love this vehicle. Yes, it's older, but it still looks very modern. The body design is still beautiful and people can appreciate that. It is very well made, easy to work on for at-home mechanics and the ride is smooth.
Just today I stalled out 3 times driving my son to school. It was very busy, lots of cars, so this was inconvenient. For the manual transmission, you have to hold the clutch in while driving in 1st gear otherwise it stalls.
Just today I stalled out 3 times driving my son to school. It was very busy, lots of cars, so this was inconvenient. For the manual transmission, you have to hold the clutch in while driving in 1st gear otherwise it stalls.
This car got excellent crash ratings, so it would be very safe in an accident. It has front and side airbags and anti-lock brakes. The doors lock automatically when you start to drive. The ride is very comfortable despite needing some suspension components replaced. It stops on a dime even though the brakes need to be redone. The doors are light and easy to open. There is a ton of space in the trunk, enough for 4 big suitcases plus some. The car is beautifully designed and very classy looking.
This car got excellent crash ratings, so it would be very safe in an accident. It has front and side airbags and anti-lock brakes. The doors lock automatically when you start to drive. The ride is very comfortable despite needing some suspension components replaced. It stops on a dime even though the brakes need to be redone. The doors are light and easy to open. There is a ton of space in the trunk, enough for 4 big suitcases plus some. The car is beautifully designed and very classy looking.
There are hardly any negatives with this car. The leather on the door around the airbag is peeling but it is a quick fix with gorilla glue, no need to remove the door or door panel. The sunroof motor cover is difficult to attach, poorly designed. The cupholders need to be bigger and are a little awkward to use under the armrest. The plastic compartments on the dash are becoming sticky and gummed up due to heat and age.
There are hardly any negatives with this car. The leather on the door around the airbag is peeling but it is a quick fix with gorilla glue, no need to remove the door or door panel. The sunroof motor cover is difficult to attach, poorly designed. The cupholders need to be bigger and are a little awkward to use under the armrest. The plastic compartments on the dash are becoming sticky and gummed up due to heat and age.
2008 BMW 3 Series - We didn't follow the crowds.
In the area that we live in, BMW is one of the least owned cars. The closest facility to work on them is located hours from our home. We purchased this vehicle used, with a few problems, but overall good condition. We were in hopes that we would be able to perform repairs to it ourselves. We have found that it takes a little longer to get parts, but with some research, we are able to perform repairs ourselves. Fortunately, in the last year and a half of owning it, we haven't need many. Our car is a 2008 BMW 328xi with the N52 engine. We love that it is a four door, is AWD, is peppy, good on gas and beautiful. When we purchased the car, it had over 200,000 miles. We had to replace the windshield and were pleasantly surprised that the cost of doing so was the same as any other vehicle we... (more)
In the area that we live in, BMW is one of the least owned cars. The closest facility to work on them is located hours from our home. We purchased this vehicle used, with a few problems, but overall good condition. We were in hopes that we would be able to perform repairs to it ourselves. We have found that it takes a little longer to get parts, but with some research, we are able to perform repairs ourselves. Fortunately, in the last year and a half of owning it, we haven't need many. Our car is a 2008 BMW 328xi with the N52 engine. We love that it is a four door, is AWD, is peppy, good on gas and beautiful. When we purchased the car, it had over 200,000 miles. We had to replace the windshield and were pleasantly surprised that the cost of doing so was the same as any other vehicle we have owned. We also had to replace a few light bulbs including a reverse light and head lamp. We were able to complete those repairs ourselves. We also recently replaced the hood latch cables, valve cover gasket and vanos solenoids. When we had the valve cover gasket off, we surprised at how beautiful the internals were, even with the high mileage. There are a couple of things we dislike. We had to get a computer program to run diagnostics on the car, as no one in our area has the capability to do so. It was not a huge task for us, but I think that the average person would find it difficult and annoying. We also wish that the vehicle had an oil dipstick. It is scary to rely on a computer to monitor such an important thing. We would highly recommend this vehicle to anyone for its reliability and comfort. If you are a do it your selfer and are willing to order parts online, the cost of owning this vehicle is comparable to most others. If you are not, you may want to consider a different make, as they don't often have issues, but when they do, it could get expensive to bring it to a dealership.
It is a very peppy car. My husband was passing someone in a 40 MPH zone. Because the car is so smooth, by the time he was back in his lane and looked at the speedometer, he was doing 100 MPH.
It is a very peppy car. My husband was passing someone in a 40 MPH zone. Because the car is so smooth, by the time he was back in his lane and looked at the speedometer, he was doing 100 MPH.
Reliable, peppy, safe, beautiful interior and exterior, and quality.
Reliable, peppy, safe, beautiful interior and exterior, and quality.
Expensive parts if purchased locally, limited service in select area, and no oil dipstick.
Expensive parts if purchased locally, limited service in select area, and no oil dipstick.
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