2009 BMW 3 Series 328i 3.0 gas
Summary:
This car lived on Car & Drivers 10 Best list for a reason
Faults:
Bad ignition coil, have since replaced all plugs and coils. 135,000 miles.
Rear struts replaced. 175,000 miles.
Starter replaced. 220,000 miles.
Thermostat replaced. 260,000 miles.
General Comments:
It is an all-around great car, it does everything well and doesn't have any glaring faults - no wonder it lived on Car & Driver's 10 Best List for so many years.
I wouldn't call it a sports car, but it is quick and has a motor that sings its way to the redline. Like most BMW's (especially before electronic steering) it has impeccable road manners that made the brands slogan of "Ultimate Driving Machine" the real deal, whether back country roads or the interstate haul, it is always composed.
A practical daily driver packaged in a 4 door sedan with enough headroom for my 6'3" frame and rear seats that are useable for smaller adults and children. Trunk is a decent size and I use the built-in roof rack anchors for that extra room on long trips. Top it all off with good looks, respectable gas mileage and a car that has largely defied BMW's reputation as being unreliable. This 15-year-old daily driver has nearly 270,000 miles in it and is still going strong.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 12th March, 2024
14th Mar 2024, 14:10
My experience mirrors yours - 2009 320i, owned since 2019. I haven’t done as much mileage as your one, 75k km over 5 years, but mine has been unexpectedly dependable. I know of some BMW owners who have had issues, but mine’s been good. My previous BMW, I kept for 9 years, and so far my current one is even better. Agreed on the drive and handling - no sports car, but definitely composed and confident. Mine still has hydraulic power steering, and all the better for it. Driving position is spot on, I’m 6’ tall, and it’s definitely better than Audis I’ve had. I had a chance to buy the 6-cylinder 325i at the time, but driving in city traffic, I couldn’t justify it; the engine would’ve been using fuel to idle 6 cylinders instead of only 4. Had I lived more rural with open roads, a six would’ve been fine. When time comes to replace this, I’m not sure if the newer turbo ones will be as dependable.