Outstanding handling and comfort. Plenty of pep. 4-wheel drive has been a remarkable improvement over our front-drive Camry in the slippery winter we are having. Back seat is small, but comfortable. Xenon headlights make it like daylight--worth their terrible price. Controls are logical and easy to use. Good security system. Steel blue color is striking and finish is solid. Great adjustment flexibility with seats and tilt/telescope steering wheel. The front/rear (38/62)drive ratio seems to provide the best of all worlds for all seasons. Nice standard stereo--radio has performed well in a tough reception area.

Windshield wipers are just adequate. Brakes are effective but take some getting used to (sensitive). Mediocre mileage for a small car using premium gas.

We've had the chance to make three long trips with the 325xi since we bought it in October. Its stability and comfort on the highway are better than anything we've tried. The seats are a dream. If you're a fan of a soft ride, this won't be the car for you. The suspension is firm, but not harsh, giving good road feel and absolutely no sway or roll on fast corners. The car is also very maneuverable in tight parking or rush hour jams. Mileage has been about 17 in town and 25/26 on the highway with 92 octane/alcohol-free gas--not the best, but tolerable. The new 2.5L in-line six can really sail if you need to, but it doesn't seem to get "busy" at any speed. The difference in price between this car and a comparably equipped Camry, Audi A4, or Passat 4-motion made the choice an easy one. We passed on the Mercedes 230 because rear-wheel drive doesn't seem to cut it during our winters. My wife is the primary driver--she wanted a compact car, but also wanted a vehicle that she felt safer in, especially in winter, and one that had an aura of high quality. This car is not cheap, but is definitely an example of getting what you pay for.

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Have had experiences with Camry (owned two), Audi A4, Passat 4-motion. BMW seems to have combined the best traits of these three. Also tried Lexus, Mercedes, Lincoln LS, Toyota Avalon.

Very good gas mileage (35+ on highway, 25+ city)
handling, road feel
hatchback utility
manual transmission

underpowered
the color (black--impossible to keep clean for more than 2 days)
gas guage--repaird 3x and it is still broken. Dealer f@#ked it up each time--gas leaks and I have to go back, wasting more of my time
the dealer in the midwest--I don't care to mention the name, he deserves no publicity--I was stupid and should have known better but it would have been nice it the s$#thead would have told me the 97 model had traction control and 3 year maintenance. But I digress...
costly routine maintenance
fear of total system failure now that warranty has expired

The 88 Honda was such a better car (better gas mileage, handling, reliability, affordability) overall. This is a good car but nothing spectacular. If I were to do it again, I'd get a 328 sedan, 1-2 years old. That $23,000 I spent (incl loan, taxes) would be worth about $50k now if I had invested it (I had the Honda up until July 2000, so I didn't need another car)is now worth probably 10 grand, if I'm lucky. BMWs do not hold their value and unfortunately are often key-ringed by idiots. My next car will probably be a Japanese model because the aforementioned negatives outweigh the positives.

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88 Honda CRX Si

THIS CAR HAD ONLY ONE QUALITY. BODYSTYLE

WHERE DO I BEGIN

FOR YEARS I HAVE LIKED THE BODY STYLE OF THE BMW'S. EVERYTHING CHANGED AFTER I DROVE A 318 AND 325 AND 525. THESE HAD TO BE THE MOST DISAPOINTING CARS I HAVE EVER DRIVEN. I GOT IN FOR A TEST DRIVE AT THE BMW DEALER AND THE FIRST THING I NOTICED WAS HOW CHEAP LOOKING THE INTERIOR WAS. THEN IT GOT EVEN WORSE. I DROVE IT. ALL THESE DIFFERENT MODELS OF BMW'S WERE SO SLOW I COULDNT BELIEVE IT. I DONT GET WHY PEOPLE WHO DRIVE BMW'S THINK THE CAR IS SO GREAT. THE RIDE WAS GOD AWEFUL. THERE WAS SO MUCH ROAD NOISE I COULD BARELY HEAR THE CHEAP ASS RADIO THAT COMES WITH IT. WHEN I WENT OVER SOME BUMPS I THOUGHT THE CAR WAS GONNA FALL APART. HANDLING WAS A JOKE. THEN I DROVE THE 330CI. SOME THINGS WILL NEVER CHANGE. STILL THE SAME DIRT CHEAP SLOW PIECE OF CRAP THEY ALWAYS WERE. NEVER AGAIN WILL I PUNISH MYSELF BY DRIVING A BMW.

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AFTER DRIVING ALL THE MODELS OF BMW AND WAS DISAPPOINTED, I THEN WENT TO THE DEALER WITH REAL LUXURY CARS. LEXUS. NOTHING ELSE COULD EVER BE AS REFINED AS A BRAND NEW LEXUS. NOTHING IS QUIETER THAN A LEXUS AND NOTHING RIDES SMOOTHER. BMW'S RIDE AWEFUL. I DROVE AN IS300 AND I IMEDIETLY FELL IN LOVE WITH IT AND I HAD TO BUY ONE. IT WAS SUCH A CHANGE FROM A UGLY INTERIOR, SLOW ASS BMW. I HAVE HAD MY IS300 FOR 5 MONTHS AND IT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE BEST CARS I HAVE EVER DRIVEN. TALK ABOUT HANDLING,PERFORMANCE.WHO WOULD WANT A SLOW 180 HP BMW WHEN YOU COULD DRIVE A LEXUS? THE BODYSTYLE OF THE IS300 IS ONE OF THE SLEEKEST IVE EVER SEEN. THIS CAR PUTS BMW TO SHAME. NOW I GET TO LAUGH AT BMW OWNERS WHEN I SEE THEM IN TRAFFIC BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT A PIECE OF CRAP THEY GOT SCAMMED INTO BUYING!

safe, solid movement. i felt very safe in this car, but drove it way too fast...because it was so much fun to drive.

little annoying quirks, like window, moonroof problems...all covered under warranty. also i had my breaks replaced twice...i don't think it was just the way i drove. i am scared because my 36,000 warranty is up and who knows what other little problems could arrise that need attention. i am trading it in for a jeep...much more affordable. it's an older person's car that i am not into right now. i would recommend if you want to settle down in lifestyle and car.

great driving experience, overall good performance.

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None

Looks, quality, sportiness, ride and handling.

This car is great. There is nothing that disappoints. I love the looks and ride. It is awesome in Topaz Blue Metallic and a grey leather interior along with the sport package.

I would strongly recommend this car to someone who is looking for a sporty car. Someone who really like to have fun when driving. This car handles great, and looks great too. I chose to get it in Topaz Blue Metallic with a Grey Leather interior and the Sport Package. The combination is strikingly good looking.

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This car out preforms the Acura in ride and handling. It also appears to have a better fit and finish.

3.0 liter inline 6 cylinder engine
Brakes
Styling
Updated, refined interior

Body roll
Clutch (but not the transmission)
It's beginning to evolve into a Japanese luxo car.

First, let me assist a fellow Bimmer driver: Hey SUNCHIRO, you should take a look at your owner's manual! The trunk release is located directly above the hood release, which is on the driver's side kick panel. Also, the average speed readout can be found by pressing the button at the end of the directional stalk. This button will scroll through your clock, average speed, fuel economy, temperature, miles remaining before fuel runs out, etc. All these items will be displayed dead center in your dashboard's guage cluster.

And now, about the car: As usual BMW has produced another outstanding engine. The new 3.0 liter inline six has to be experienced to appreciate just how much better it is than the typical V-6s and 4 cylinder engines. The power is available almost immediately from launch and continues to pull the car all the way through red line. All this power is produced with the type of smoothness normally reserved for the 8 cylinder power plants. But don't worry, BMW has tuned the exhaust on the 330 to allow that powerful growl to reach your ears and keep you in touch with the engine.
Thankfully, the brakes have been upgraded to help bring this extra power (and extra weight) back in line. But, while these two upgrades (engine and brakes) bring an increase of sportiness to this car, there are other changes which have decreased the fun factor.

Though this car can still outperform it's competitors, it has definately gone soft when compared to it's ancestors. There is more body roll than I ever could imagine a BMW having. BMW also decreased the amount of roadfeel which had always been the intangible quality that set BMW above the rest. And the decreased feel is also experienced in the clutch, it's too springy and it's tough to learn it's engagement point.

I must admit however that some of the "softness" has been welcomed by me. The interior, while less sporty, has improved in comfort and style. The leather, wood trim, and overall ambiance of the interior is remarkable. There are too many "luxury" features to list, but some of my favorites are the Xenon lights, rain sensing windshield wipers, automatic dimming rearview mirror, and the onboard computer.

If your looking to go from A to B in style, comfort, and luxury, you'll probably appreciated what BMW has done to their 3 series machines. If your an enthusiast, like me, you might be a bit disappointed by the softening of BMW's sporty 3 series. With so many Lexus and Infinity type luxury cars available, I'm not so sure why BMW is giving up their superiority in their niche and heading more towards the mainstream. Hopefully the trend will stop.

With a set of sway bars and stiffer springs the 330Ci is near perfect. I'm giving an overall rating of four stars cause I feel that BMW could have delivered all of the improvements without going "soft". They have fallen just short of perfection. And like I said, a few performance upgrades and the car is a true enthusiast's machine.

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97 328is is more sport less lux, 330Ci is more lux less sport.

This car sucks.. bad starting problems, BMW won't fix the problem, i give up, im trading it in for a MUCH better 2000 Toyota Camry XLE V6 which will kick its ass in acceleration and quality and reliability AND SAFETY.

everything... good handling though,, screwed up stereo

35,433

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Toyota Camry - Kicks BMW in the Ass in every department. Solid reputation.

Handling; Build Quality; Acceleration; Gas Mileage

Pricey dealer maintenance

I bought my 318is (used) from a local BMW dealer. Because I drive more than 37,000 miles per year in my job, I wanted a car for every-day use that was 1) good on the highway, 2) fun to drive, 3) got good gas mileage, and 3) was built to last. I couldn't be happier with the 318is. (Especially now that [premium] gasoline is over $2.00 per gallon!) I do most of my driving on the highway, and I consistently get 32 miles per gallon in the 318is. The BMW four cylinder engine (with the five speed manual transmission), rockets the car to highway speeds and is as smooth as many six cylinders available from other manufacturers. The little four cylinder has plenty of power to accelerate in fifth gear past monstrous 18-wheelers and other obstacles on the highway. I expect to drive this car for at least three more years before trading it for another 3-series coupe. Highly recommended.

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SAAB 900 Turbo, BMW 2002, Porsche 911

i have this car for 3 months, and till now, i love this car. The suspension, the handling, the steering, the acceleration and the braking. THE BEST. i can only imagine how the M3 feels.
the whole performance aspect of this car is just amazing. the 2.8 liter 190 horse power is amazing. i love the tight steering and the handling. im driving on 15 inch factory and my handling is amazing. i got 18 rims coming on the way, i can only imagine how good the handling will be. the ride is comfortable, very stable and firm. the seats are very comfortable, and the braking is really sharp.
the placement of the gear shifter and the armrest just fit me perfectly. very comfortable.

my check engine light comes on alot=trips to the dealer. head ache just looking at the light.
repairs are expensive, but thats known, so if you dont have the money for repairs...dont get the car,even if its an old bmw.
headlight quality is horrible, but i changed that to high wattage bulbs.
not enough room in the back to get busy wit shorties...but thats ok because the car isnt expected to be too roomy in the back.
i havent had any major problems yet....but bmw isnt known for its reliability.
i didnt buy this car with a warranty, because the factory warranty was over,millage was too high, hopeuflly i wont need to repair it. but take some advice, pay the extra to get this car with a warranty. seriously. its worth it. this is not a honda, they will rob you for parts and labor.
bmw dealers rob you.
my back door isnt in the central "lock-unlock" system.
when the car is running and thier is silence thier is a misterious click under the hood...i have no idea where its coming from.
the interior is buetiful, but i havent changed a head unit yet because of the amber color interior, a head unit will not match.

havent seen any car yet with no little glitches whatsover.
even the m5 gets weaknesses.

performance is amazing for a car that isnt an official "sports car"
it looks beutiful, i like the shape of my 98 e36 than an e46.
the steering, acceleration, firm ride, braking, suspension, handling ,comfort and look is why i love this car.
the ride is amazing. and im riding on all factory.
i took a ride upstate ny and i was driving 120. i know it could have went faster if i would have hit the gas harder.
i was handling a conversation with ma boy and the road was curving. 120 and the engine wasnt roaring. i was going for a strait 10 mins driving 100mph and the steering got really tight, and it felt amazing.
seriosly, if your looking to buy a car in this class, and your looking between a lex is300, es300, mercedes c280 or e320, audi a4...get this 328.

this car is the ultimate driving machine!

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is 300, benz e320, c 280

Great handling- especially on the corners

hoakie console area. Cup holder areas can't be covered- looks kinda cheap!

I LOVE THIS CAR! In 7 years I've owned 7 brand new cars - this has to be the best purchase I've made yet.

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2000 Expedition... doesn't compare!