1982 BMW 3 Series 316 review from UK and Ireland
"As good a car as I could have dreamed of"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Rust round the wheel arches (fixed in 1994 but came back).
Rusted sills (rockers) welded 2001 for MOT test (Scottish roads very salty!)
Exhausts every 2-3 years.
Rear sub-frame mounting bushes.
Front springs replaced (106,000 miles in March 2000).
Brake discs (90000 miles +).
Drivers seat badly worn.
Both petrol tanks leaking (2000).
Radiator replaced.
Hazard light switch replaced (twice).
Carb jet loosened (38,000 miles).
Water pump beginning to drip (110,000 miles).
Anti-roll bar bushes keep wearing out. This is the only unnecessary and irritating fault that it really has.
Beginning to use oil. Probably valve stem oil seals (100,000+ miles).
Oil leak from a fuel pump flange.
General comments?
This car has been a dream for reliability in the ten years that we owned it.
All the faults have been minor and fixable. It is a wonderful car to work on, everything is well laid out and it has lots of nice touches to facilitate easy maintenance.
Runs beautifully even at 18 years old and 113,000 miles.
Having owned a Fiesta before it, this car felt powerful and fast, though it is actually a little underpowered for its size. Ideally get a five speed box and a bigger, fuel injected engine.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 1990 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.8 petrol Manual |
| Performance marks | 6/10 |
| Reliability marks | 10/10 |
| Comfort marks | 8/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 8/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 3/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 36000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 113000 miles |
| Previous car | Ford Fiesta |
| Date of Entry | 4th March, 2001 |