Owners' Stories

problem from the start. 2007 328i bmw $22k. bought the car used at exotic car dealer in rt 1&9 elixabeth. its been making a lot of knocking noise in the engine plus a whistle noise coming out from the bottom of the engine,and many of the indicator come on the dash board within 2 days after purchase. I took it back for in exchance, of cause they refused,they said it was a minor problem and request to fix it,so they did oil change and a few test.that only work for one wk afterward samething allover again,so that process repeated five time,i called BBB they were unable to do anything, cause the dealer always said they are fixing it,they keept doing oil change and test until the warranty expired,and now i'm stuck with a problem car.If you have any suggestion please share it? i'll appreciate it thank you.

I love this car. This is my second BMW. My first was a 1974 Bavaria. That is where my love affair with the inline six started. I have an e36 with a manual trans that I purchased in January of 2010 I have put 10k on it since then. I bought the car when it was in need of a wiper control module, on board computer, drive shaft and flex disc, front brakes, tires and a wheel alignment. Knowing where to buy parts really helped keep my total bill including purchase under 4500. I have a few interior problems that are all cosmetic and just two days ago one of the seat motors in the driver's seat went out. I also had some very broken wires in the trunk lid harness that took me a couple of months to finally fix (me being lazy...whole repair process took less than 1 hour). All in all my car is in very good shape for a teenager. I am a mother with one of my children in a car seat... no tether system and the rear center belt is a PAIN to tighten. That would be the one draw back. Fuel economy is hovering at 29 mpg, power is there to be had, drives like she is on rails. I have a couple of minor problems like the oil pan is seeping (no drips) and the front strut mounts are still cracked, but those will get done in time. One piece of advice if you are considering this car. Keep up on the inspections and maintenance. They are pricey. You can save some money if you are mechanicly inclined, but do not attempt anything other than minor repairs with a Haynes manual. They do not share some of the nuances and tricks that are required to succesfully repair your bimmer. I hope you enjoy driving yours as much as I LOVE driving mine!!

--Replaced both rear window regulators @ 35K Passenger side front is showing signs of failure at 65K. --Window fogging problem @ 25K, never resolved. --Seal went bad in power steering unit @ 60K -- Stalling problem when cold, & erratic idle when cold @25K, never resolved. Two Dealer Service Departments could not locate source of problem -- All indicator lights on console shifter went on @ 50K. Dealer discouraged repair, was told to refer to shift position on dash. --Poor reception at AM dial on radio since 25K --- Heater has always been erratic, whether on Auto or Manual setting. No relationship between temperature setting and the air temperature from the heater. -- The usual sensor problems; Camshaft Position (Intake) @50K -- Air Bag activation sensor went bad at 55K. Repaired at dealer and went bad again a few hundred miles later. --Dash clock mechanism quit working at 45K --Body side moldings popped off at about 55K --Lost lower rear bumper molding while driving through moderately flooded section of roadway at 60K. Molding attachment not well-designed. --Bad design and location for grills on hood. Plastic clips snapped-off on both by 65K and both grills had to replaced. -- Air Conditioning unit had to be re-charged at 25K. --Plastic Shifter knob showed cracks at 30K Generally, anything related to the computer on this unit has been a problem from the start. The 6cyl engine is a tight a fit and in general, not a pleasant car to repair.

I have never regretted purchasing this vehicle in 2005. Since owning the car, I have not had to do anything major except routine oil services and one inspection due to low miles put on car. I have owned four BMW's now and this car is a winner! You can't beat the handling, fuel economy and luxury in a sports car such as this one.

my passenger seat motor when out and i think my front axe is bent but its still handles nice and the acceration is UNBELIEVEABLE

Great classic BMW. Smooth inline 6 cylinder engine with plenty of power to keep up with the new cars. Great steering and handling. I have the convertible with 160k+ miles and have no problems. Original top is still going strong. Back plastic window is cloudy due to age so I wish it had a glass rear window. Trip computer is pretty good for 1997 vintage. I just had the beak pads changed and the price was not bad. $350.

great car

Overall a great vehicle but like most others once it has even the slightest bit of damage, either body or engine, it is never the same even after extensive repairs. It also develops a very annoying issue with the heating and coolin system