BMW 3 Series (1993 - 1997) Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Well I haven't had it even a week yet: Performance Acceleration isn't too bad however it lags within the first few 1000 revs Handling is fantastic - even being a rear wheel drive which I'm not used to, this car does an amazing job of sitting on the road around corners and straights - I don't feel like I'm gonna bliksem out of control The brakes are sharp. very sharp and doesn't take long to come to a complete stop. Build Quality I live on a dirt road, and one does't feel a bump or squeak. its a smooth drive and I'm genuinely impressed - even for an 18yr old car! Appearance Its still a stock standard car and the quality of the leather and interior is beyond me. I had a Honda Ballade same year - the leather cracked very quickly - unlike the BMW's Cost of Ownership Look its expensive on gas - but what do you expect from that amazing engine? but yet I'm impressed with the manageability of its consumption! I haven't had any maintenance costs as yet - will be sure to elaborate once I do! The soft purr of the engine makes you feel like the silent type about to wipe out your competition! Jun 11, 2012

Performance: Strong. Felt more powerful than it is. Strong Mid range too. Brakes Good. Handles well. Bulid Quality: Good, as expected Appearance: Previous owner subtly modified it very nicely. Look great. Cost of Ownership: Can get 46MPG which is very good for what it is. Cheap insurance Fun Factor: Great fun, probably the best BMW 3 Series I have hadJun 01, 2011

This car is amazing. My friends have Japanese cars and my car breaks down less than any of theirs. And that's not bad considering that it has 150,000 miles on it. Granted, parts are more expensive when it does, but it's a BMW. The car isn't a ferrari, but it's quick, with great handling courtesy of the arguably perfect weight distribution of the e36 (considered one of the best bodies for a car ever made). It also has a very tight turning radius which comes in handy more often than you would expect. The car is fairly small, great for tight parking spots (and racing in heavy traffic). The car has a 2.5 liter inline 6, with 189 horsepower and 181 pound feet of torque. The 0-60 for the stick is 7.5, and the automatic (mine) is about 8.5. The braking is great, the handling is great as I mentioned, and the rear wheel drive coupled with the fact that the car is fairly light makes it a decent car to drift. The build quality is good, and as I said it's very reliable (as long as you treat it right). The interior and exterior are beautiful in my opinion (could possibly be first love syndrome since it's my first car so nothing else looks as pretty), but my friends agree as well so I'm sure it doesn't look bad. The car gets combined 20-22 miles per gallon. It gets about 18 in the city and 25 on the freeway (assuming I'm not speeding, if I'm speeding around it gets combined 15-16), which isn't great. Also, the car doesn't take regular gasoline, it takes Plus (89 AKI) so that's an extra 10-15 cents per gallon there always. The only complaints (not really but if there were things I did complain about they would be these) are the not amazing gas mileage and the lack of trunk space (the latter being partially my fault because of my subs). And, this is relevant if you're looking to buy one, the A/C and the heater ROCK, but only once the engine is warmed up. Other than that, the car is really fun to drive, and I love it. Apr 30, 2011

Performance: 2.5 Straight 6 is quick, auto box puts power down well, the brakes were nice and strong, handled very nice and taught. Build Quality: Solid. Appearance: Love the pillarless doors. Looks Good. Cost of Ownership: Much better on fuel than you would expect. I put 13 litres of petrol in at Milton Keynes and that got me back to thanet (130miles) with some to spare. Fun Factor: Good fun to drive, very involving like all BMW'sOct 11, 2010

Performance: 1.8ti is quite quick, the backbox gave a lovely exhaust note to it. Brakes were very strong, handled Ok in a flat road, it was just too low to drive properly. Build Quality: Very good. Appearance: Wearing its miles (198k) very well, was in lovely condition. All the mods looked really nice. Cost Of Ownership: Good on Petrol and cheap to insure. Fun Factor: Great fun, turned lots of heads.Oct 11, 2010

A classic in every sense of the word. style, comfort, performance and a head turner. The 325ic is a dream to drive. Its V-6, 2.5 litre with 189 bhp will pin you to the seat. Iit hugs the pavement at any speed. Handling is responsive and accurate. As with all BMWs, it is solidly built, giving the driver and passengers a real sense of security. Gas mileage is reasonable, averaging about 9 litres per 100 k. And its all wrapped up in timeless styling. Apr 02, 2010

Car is extremely tight even with high miles. Not loose in the front end like most high mile cars and smooth riding. I've owned Fords and Chevys before and they don't compare. Repairs can be expensive but if you can do anything yourself it's not to bad, plus shopping around for parts on the internet can save you loads of money. Bavarian Auto is one of the best places to get parts for BMW's online and you will be sure to get the right parts and not waste your time and money. 135,000 miles is still considered low miles for a BMW, but any american made car with over 100,000 is pushing it. I would still feel very confident with driving this car on long trips like Florida too.Jul 19, 2009

Car is a '97 318ti Sport 5-speed (2-door hatchback) Bought this car used about one year ago with 178,000 miles. Previous owner took great care of the car. Maintenance has been very inexpensive, and can be if you avoid the dealership. Performance is about what you'd expect from a 4-cylinder, however it's a little enhanced thanks to the lower weight of the car compared with the coupe/sedan. Handling is outstanding, at least compared to my previous cars. Quality - overall pretty good. The window regulators have been an issue, but that's common with the E36 (and other German cars I hear). Interior materials could be better, but this was basically their entry model, so BMW saved money wherever they could. Overall I'd give it an A- Appearance - I love it. I've always loved the boxy shape of the E36, whether it was the sedan, coupe, or hatchback. I've surprised numerous people when telling them what year the car is when they've asked. Straight-on shot of the rear isn't the greatest, but overall I like the car, and always have, even before I owned it. CoO - Not very much. Again, if you find an independant shop of do some work yourself, maintenance costs are minimal. Take it to the dealer and you'll pay ($120/hr labor at my local dealer). Mileage is fantastic, 27-30mpg in the city, 31-35 on the highway. And being a 4-cylinder, it doesn't require Premium gas, only 89 octane minimum. So where there's only 87 & 91 octane you'll have to spring for premium, but in most parts of the US you can get by with midgrade. Fun - Tremendous. I've never had this much fun with a car I owned (granted my previous car's weren't the greatest). Took a trip to the Denver/Boulder area shortly after getting the car and had a blast in the mountains. Left the car in 2nd & 3rd gear while doing some mountain driving, reaching speeds close to 60mph, and still averaged 35mpg. The car handles incredibly, and I can't wait to get my summer tires (Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R's) on. Overall - Wonderful car. A tremendous buy if you can find a decent one cheaply. Hatchbacks have never been popular in the US, and neither have 4-cylinder BMW's, but when you combine the two it's wonderful. Add in the fact that you can easily swap in a 6-cylinder (including the S50/52 from the M3) and you have a terrific car for the cost.Apr 08, 2009

Performance- Pretty quick, but lacks the power of other BMW's being a 4 potter. Handles like a dream! Build quality- Great quality, very solid. Appearance- Pretty nice looking. Cost of Ownership- Gas mileage is AMAZING I get 33+ miles per gallon depending on how fast i'm going. Fun factor- Sooooo much fun to drive on winding roads. Handles great, but as I already said could use some more power-- DASC or S52 swap would be great.Mar 09, 2009

Performance - great pickup and killer torque! Build Quality - second to hmm ferrari! Appearance - classy yet doesn't stick out amongst the crowd Fun Factor - fun to drive and corners on rails Cost of Ownership - keep the maintenance up and it'll last forever all in all its a great car as a daily driver and in 3 years will be my track car once its fully built up. Nov 24, 2008

good performing vehicle. pretty good pick up for a 2.8. BMW tried to pick up sales during the early to mid '90 and cheaped out on parts using plastic parts instead of the usual aluminum for the pretty critical parts of the car (i.e. cooling system) if you keep up with the maintenance the car will run flawlessly, but the maintenance on this car is pretty pricey. so you'll either have to have money on the side or do it yourself. this is a very fun car to drive as long as nothing breaks.Jul 18, 2008

5 speed manual 318is, 128 horses, 125 ft-lbs torque. After market Dinan Cat-back exhaust, angel-eye head lamps, K&N air filter. Pioneer stereo, Amp and hook ups for subs (one day!). For the 4 banger that it is, this car is one of the most exciting cars I have driven. It handles very well, braking is excellent, and you really cant beat the 45 miles per gallon on the freeway. It has a high red line and the Dinan cat-back ads a few extra horses and a wonderful sound. Perfectly comfortable, and fairly quiet ride. Looks much newer than it is. The only downfall to this 318 is the fact that it lacks limited slip which makes winter driving tricky. Mar 15, 2008