The best thing about the 330Ci is the driving experience. The seats are very comfortable, the Harman Kardon stereo is phenomenal, and both the steeling wheel and 6-speed shifter--while each a bit heavy--have a great feel and provide good feedback. The straight-six engine sounds great and has ample performance, however you have to move up to the M3 in order to experience the upper performance limit BMW has designed for this chassis. On the topic of the chassis, the car handles wonderfully. It's super agile, especially considering the all aluminum block engine up front, and it's always a blast to throw it into corners. The car is generally easy to work on, for anyone looking to save a bit of money by taking on repairs themselves. Keep in mind that it requires several BMW-specific adapters for your tools, such as a wrench cap to access the oil filter. Build quality is great where it really matters, such as the suspension and throughout the engine bay, but also in the large components of the interior. For instance, the dash is solid, and the instrument cluster is direct and effective. All switches and knobs are easily within reach, and the steering wheel contains switches to control the volume and tracking of the radio. The interior and exterior trim proved to be less substantial and suffered either from poor installation or poor components needed to keep everything in place. For instance, the interior window trim sagged--evidently the adhesive had broken its seal. On the exterior, the side skirts and front bumper also sagged, lacking a secure connection with the body. Overall, any plastic connectors are at risk of breaking, and any trim adhesive is at risk of losing adhesion--this aspect includes the liner on the A pillar and the D pillar. These are the trade offs for riding in a dynamic sports car with great seats, a great driving experience, and a stylish design. The styling is what first drew me to the car. The lines are gorgeous, and the 330Ci is a muscular without appearing brutish. The paint job is incredible, with depth of color unlike anything I've seen on a production vehicle. As for fuel economy, it does pretty well for a sports car, especially with the manual transmission. After a time with the car, I've achieved decent city mileage--averaging about 27 mpg on premium gas, which is required--by consciously managing my shifts and starts. First gear is pretty long, and I really have to hammer down into second, but shifting from there on is a breeze. The brakes needed an upgrade, and the stock pads threw off a lot of brake dust. A switch to ceramic brake pads fixed this, but wasn't an option at the time of manufacture. The car has been reliable, but not without issues. Elements have the cooling system developed cracks, such as the coolant reservoir. Again, anything under the hood that's plastic seems to be at risk. Another thing to consider is this model was involved with the recent Takata airbag recall, and will need the VIN examined to determine whether it's affected or the necessary repairs have been performed. I'd recommend this car to anyone willing to manage the maintenance schedule, either themselves or through a trusted certified mechanic. This car took care of me, provided that I was willing to take care of it, and anything I couldn't do often required forking over a good amount of money. BMW parts aren't inexpensive. That said, when the car is in good running condition, the driving experience is wonderful.

When I bought this car, I had never owned a car brand on the level of a BMW. The brand to me signifies luxury, and also great quality. Prior to purchasing the car, I only imagined these things, so when I decided to take a leap and buy it, I was more than excited when the actual vehicle topped all my prior expectations. The car itself was a 2 door coupe, with a sporty look. The interior leather seats gave it a feeling of luxury and class. When I began to drive the car around, one of the first things I noticed was how easily it responded to every element of control, from the steering to the acceleration, to all the actual electronics such as power windows and stereo system, etc. One thing I didn't know about, but was very fond of, was the emergency button inside the car, where I could press it during some kind of on road incident. I used this emergency system once when my car ran out of gas and I was stranded, someone quickly came to my assistance. Overall I have to say it's one of the best cars I've ever driven and owned, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone, despite the hefty price tag.