1984 BMW 3 Series 325 e review from North America
"These are great used cars that you can keep for years"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Driver seat was worn badly when purchased (not a big deal really) I never fixed it and use a seat cover.
Fan clutch went at 174000 miles. It was relatively cheap to fix.
Air Conditioner went at 250000 miles. I had it inspected and it just needs to be recharged. Not bad for a quarter million miles!
The rear differential had a whiny noise when I purchased it and I never bothered to fix it. A mechanic told me it would cost about $500 to fix, but it still works fine.
Rear quarter panels have rusted. Be sure to have these cars undercoated. The rest of the car is relatively rust free and in excellent condition.
General comments?
This car has relatively low horsepower, but high torque and it accelerates very well. Not only that, but it gets amazing fuel economy. I can get 30 miles per gallon out of this car on the highway while driving 75 mph.
It has a limited slip differential and is not bad in the snow with a good set of snow tires.
In the summer months I put 195/60 R14 directional sport tires on it and it still handles amazingly well. It's truly a fun car to drive.
I had it painted 5 years ago because the original paint was fading and it looks new. People can't believe it's an 84.
I hardly do anything maintenance wise to this car except regular oil changes, timing belt etc.
I've seen people on Internet forums with the same car with over 300,000 miles and they report that they still work great. Looking forward to keeping this car until it dies, if it ever dies.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1984 |
| Year of manufacture | 1983 |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.7 inline 6 gas Manual |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 5 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 173200 miles |
| Most recent distance | 253900 miles |
| Previous car | Honda Accord |
| Date of Entry | 10th March, 2006 |