1991 BMW 3 Series Reviews - Page 3 of 9

Needed full engine seal kit immediately

Had to replace exhaust (It is 18 years old!)

Replace speed sensor in rear diff

Not much else... read below.

I found this car rotting away with flat tires in some guys driveway and bought it for a whopping $350. It hadnt run in over 3 years he said, but I put air in the tires, jumped it and drove it over an hour home! I intended to just beat the crap out of it til it died and then scrap it (I own 3 other cars). WELL, it didn't die even after 3 sets of rear tires (gotta love that limited slip!) So, here I am about a year later and the car is fresh out of restoration and looks incredible. Everything but the motor/trans/diff has been replaced with actual hi-performance stuff and its downright gorgeous and gets stares everywhere I go (much more than my 04 330ci does). Now that I have the paint & bodywork right as well as the suspension and brakes I started doing some research to turbo it...Well, that's just to plain for me, so its getting a Chevy LS-2 motor w/6 speed trans (its been done, look it up) in a few months. I can't wait to see how that works out! And I'm gonna keep the wheelcovers on it for the ultimate sleeper.

Rear subframe ripped from floor.

Bought this car as a mint 1991 example with nearly full BMW service history. It is in excellent condition throughout, and there is no rust whatsoever on the car.

Ideal cheap replacement for my e38 7 Series, as I am spending a year in Eastern Europe and couldn't face driving a Lada!

The car drives perfectly and sat at a constant 140mph throughout Germany, returning 27mpg on the OBC with no problems whatsoever.

The engine and drivetrain are indestructible, and I am very pleased with the car. It handles like a boat, but is amazingly fast in a straight line and impressive on fuel.

It's difficult to drive quickly in the wet on the standard biscuit wheels.

If you are after a fairly cheap and quick runabout, this is an ideal car. Just wish BMW had addressed the problems with the rear subframe mountings sooner, as it is still apparent on the E46's.

Water pump went at 100,000.

Clutch master cylinder at 130,000.

Exhaust at 110,000.

Usual wear and tear on parts such as tyres and brake pads etc.

Best car I have ever owned. Make sure it has been well looked after; these cars will go on forever. My car is 16 years old and has no rust whatsoever. It is still even on its original clutch.

Cheap spares and parts from specialists i.e. German car parts specialists. Cheap and easy to work on. Plenty of quality 2nd hand spares from breakers.

Parts from better spec models can be brought and easily fitted.

Only being a 1.6, it is no rocket ship, and the acceleration is slow. But once going over 60, it pulls pretty well. Economy is this small BMW's strong point. 30-35 mpg around town when driven well, and I have had it do 45 mpg on a 270 mile motorway journey.

Regular servicing and oil changes is the key to keeping these cars reliable.

What hasn't gone wrong with this car? I love it when it is running well, but it always seems to have something or other that needs replacing.

1. The front rubber seal across the top of windshield needed replacing to stop water from leaking into the car.

2. Even though it was a few years old, I was surprised that I needed to replace the complete front end at 28,000kms - at significant cost.

3. The air conditioning stopped working when I needed it to defrost windows at night causing a dangerously impairing vision and safety. Replaced a couple of pipes and fittings and recharged the gas.

4. The battery was repeatedly being drained by a short somewhere. Eventually it was discovered that the stereo/radio was the culprit after it got fried just sitting still for a week. Replaced both battery and sound system.

5. Oil pan gasket leak turned warning light on, had to stop in the middle of the night in the middle of the countryside for a tow. Obviously replaced it. Very inconvenient.

6. Thermostat blew out on the way to the airport for an international flight. Had to have it towed off the expressway and left it at a dealer to be replaced. Had radiator flushed. Made it to check in (after calling ahead) with 2 minutes to spare. Dangerous place to die, and an incredibly inconvenient time.

7. Battery died again after less than 2 years. Replaced again.

8. Had top replaced at great expense.

9. Rubber seal on back passenger window dried up, cracked, and now needs replacing.

10. Water leaks under the top of the front passenger windows when it rains heavily, drenching the front seats even after replacing the top. I must place plastic sheets on the seats when I think it will rain. It is inconvenient, uncomfortable, messy, and not very stylish.

11. Yesterday the door locks stopped locking automatically when I lock the trunk or either door and must now lock each thing manually.

I keep thinking that after each repair I will have a safe and reliable car that will finally be right, but things just keep happening even though I really do take good care of my cars. I have more than paid twice for this car, but I keep thinking that after each repair it will be OK. I could have gotten a brand new economy car for what I've got into this relic. I like older cars, and believe that they usually are better choices, but I'm beginning to rethink my beliefs on this issue.

Now I am worried that the transmission might be a little funky. It has always seemed like it needs another gear or a different gear ratio, but lately it seems even more sluggish than before. Plus, the metal part of the gear selector lever under the leather handle has always heated up more than seems normal. The window toggle switches in the center console next to it also heat up after the car has been running for a while.

There is a strange "shaken" system in Japan that I assume is similar to a MOT in Britain. It is good for two years, and a bit of a selling point when you buy a used car with 2 years of shaken because of the expense involved. The only problem is that if a car is awaiting a new buyer to get the shaken, you may not drive it on the road, so a test drive is out of the question. Most Japanese dealers are reputable (including the one I bought this car from), and the last two used cars I bought like this were both quite good deals and in great condition for the money. However, this seems to be the exception.

There was another 3 Series cabriolet for sale at the same time that was a 325 5 speed, but it was older and had 3 times the mileage as this one. It was a one owner, and it looked brand new, so I figured at only 26,000kms it would be the better choice. Perhaps I was wrong.

When the car is in good working order I love it - even if it is a bit slower off the line than I would like. It is comfortable, the size is better for me and for Tokyo than the newer ones, and the lines are beautiful. However, I have had nothing, but trouble and expense with this car - something that I thought I would avoid after reading other reviews on this site, especially with such a low mileage car.

With all the expenses I have racked up, I could have/should have financed a newer, more expensive model and likely had fewer problems.

I have owned a BMW before, and I know many others who own BMW products, but I seem to be the only one who has purchased a lemon. I might consider buying one again, but I am a little gun-shy at the moment.

The car still looks great, and the interior is like new. But somehow that doesn't seem like enough at the moment.