1996 BMW 3 Series 318i review from Australia and New Zealand
"Excellent family car with great handling, performance, luxury & economy; but servicing is expensive"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Heater stuck on heat (middle of summer of course); replaced electronic dash heater control unit - $800.
Jumping out of 1st gear - from normal driving only. Clutch & O/haul Gearbox - $2200.
Radiator tank exploded in driveway - common I am told. 2nd unit - $300.
New windscreen - damn that flying stone - $400.
Small annoying electrical problems fuses, parking lights and brake lights - cheap to fix, but annoying.
Several front disc brake rotors - again normal driving. Is this common?
General comments?
We bought this car from a doctor with only 27,000 Km after 4 years ownership. We have had it ever since. It was like new when we got it and it's still has that new feeling some 7 years later.
First thing that hit us was the dealer servicing costs - Ouch! Shopped around for a BMW specialist and the cost reduced dramatically. These cars need to be maintained, and we have always serviced it as required.
It's been a very reliable car, and given us much joy. Once we started using premium unleaded, it performed much better. Handling is superb, interior is great, sound system is fantastic. We have added original factory options over the years, making it an even better car:
- Boot CD stacker - 2nd hand $375
- Driving lights - $175
- Tinted windows - $400
- Leather interior - cloth seats wore out - $2000
- 328 brakes - 2nd hand - $700 - this is because we were going through front disc almost every time we replaced the standard pads; ventilated disc seems to have helped - is this a common problem?
- M3 17" wheels - these look great, and the handling is even better; but unless you drive it on a silky smooth road, it feels every bump, pebble, ant, you name it. Not sure if I would do that again, given the sore arms I now have hanging onto the steering wheel around town.
But overall we have been extremely happy, and will be upgrading to a newer model soon. We have our eye on a later model touring at the moment.
If you are after one of these models, make sure that it has a full documented service and maintenance history; otherwise keep looking.
Recommended reviews
| 1996 - 3 Series 328i Sport 2.8 Awesome |
|
| The best car you can buy under $6k |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1996 |
| First year of ownership | 2000 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2007 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.8 Manual |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 5 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 27000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 190000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Holden Gemini |
| Date of Entry | 28th June, 2007 |