1997 BMW 3 Series review from North America
"Don't be fooled by this car...it's a piece of junk"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The brakes have needed replaced twice in the last year. It has gone through two alternators as well. The car also consumes oil very quickly and it has horrible gas mileage. In addition, it needs a new muffler. The car sounds like a lawn mower. I just don't have any more money to put out on this car.
General comments?
All my life, I have dreamed of owning a BMW. Now I dream of getting rid of this piece of junk. My old Toyota Corolla was super reliable. Getting rid of it was the worst mistake I ever made in my life. The dealer service is lousy. They never quote an accurate wait time. I dropped the car off at 9 am and was told it would be ready in 2 hours. I called back at 4 pm and they had not even started on it.
This is a nice looking car, but that's about it. I can't wait until I can trade it in. I think from now on, I am going to stick with Toyota.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| First year of ownership | 2000 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.5L Manual |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 5/10 |
| Comfort marks | 8/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 1/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 0/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 40000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 71000 miles |
| Previous car | Toyota Corolla |
| Date of Entry | 3rd March, 2002 |