1996 BMW 3 Series 328is review from North America
"Great car to drive, not so great on the wallet as regular maintenance and cost of fixing isn't cheap"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Radio unit replaced at ~45k
Toe bushings at 50k, 52k, 93k
Clutch at 93k
Suspension at 100k.
Nagging problem with hose from Windshield Washer fluid to spout gets pinched and causes the right side not to spray.
Extremely difficult to replace fog-lamp bulbs.
One touch window close doesn't work most of the time. Replaced the motor twice.
Leather on Seats were wearing out when purchased, but leather creams and all that couldn't save it. Now, there's significant cracking in the driver-side.
General comments?
In general, this is a fast, fun, and good looking car. with Dinan mods (clutch, chip, and intake manifold) I wouldn't be surprised if the 0-60 was under 6 seconds.
Toe bushing cracking is a common problem with the E36 and if you drive the car like it should be driven (fast and hard) you'll have to get them replaced often ($800).
The layout of all the controls in the cockpit are beautiful and ergonomic. It's great. The only problem is the lack of a telescopic/tilt steering wheel.
Their's no trunk release inside the car, so you have to turn off the car to use the key to open the back. Just silly.
The trip computer doesn't accurately read the speed of the car, so it renders the estimations useless.
The cost of maintaining this car out-ways it's true value. Get rid of the car before the clutch goes out as that is a $3k cost. If you're looking to buy one, see if it's got a new clutch and suspension.
Inspection 1 (every 15k) = $400
Inspection 2 (every 30k) = $600.
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| 1995 - 3 Series 325i 2.5 Liter A Balanced Review |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.8 Liter Manual |
| Performance marks | 10/10 |
| Reliability marks | 7/10 |
| Comfort marks | 9/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 5/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 18000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 108000 miles |
| Previous car | Mazda RX7 |
| Date of Entry | 22nd October, 2003 |