1986 BMW 3 Series 320i A review from Australia and New Zealand

Needed new rear right brake hose for WOF.

Repaired chip on windscreen.

Vanity lights only work when rear right door is opened.

Leaks oil when on notable inclines - not sure where from yet.

Tear on the lower right area of driver's seat.

Sunroof and rear left window are in need of new seals as they sometimes leak.

I was lucky enough to be given this car from a family member who had owned it since 1991, and fortunately enough for me he looked after it well.

This car is simply amazing, and has never missed a beat, which is phenomenal for a car of this age. The bodywork is in pristine condition along with the interior. With the exception of rip in the driver's seat, everything looks just how it did when it was new.

Off the line this car doesn't feel very fast at all. The engine doesn't get started until about 3500-4000rpm, which is where she finally starts to move. It also doesn't really help that the ZF 4 speed auto transmission is more tuned for a relaxed driving experience, reluctantly kicking down only when you mash the pedal to the floor. Though in the 'real-world' this car performs fine. Has enough guts to get up inclines and keeps up with traffic without any fuss, and is certainly a more fulfilling drive than the 94 Honda Civic 1.3 manual I had been driving.

Ride and stability is the only noticeable shortfall of this car. The dampening is poor, virtually every change in camber and bump in the road is felt through the camber, along with a noticeable amount of bumpsteer coming through the wheel. Also whenever I go over a manhole cover on the road, the car for that instant feels relatively lacking in stability. Possibly worn shock absorbers/ dampers are the problem, as the ride is somewhat rolly polly through the corners when pushed.

Reliability and running costs is something that cannot be comprehensively overviewed, due to the short time I've had the vehicle. I can say though, that it had never left my grandfather stranded and has yet to do the same to me.

Fuel consumption I found to be surprisingly good. Averaging about 11L/100km in mainly city driving, and as little as 8L/100km on the open road.

Overall I love this car, and hopefully it'll get me through the next 4 years of uni without too much trouble.