Faults:

Nothing at all. It has been problem free which is what I expected given it had a full service history and was in excellent condition. I had to replace the stereo, but this is not a mechanical problem.

General Comments:

The car feels tight and well put together. The doors are tight, as is the gearbox and general drivetrain. There are no rattles or squeaks and the interior feels as it it will last forever. All of the switches and controls work perfectly. BMWs are expensive, but quality is engineered into the car and you feel it every time you open the door.

Faults:

I bought my car with the factory BMW battery, and it died about a week after I bought it.

My airbag sensors both failed.

General Comments:

I have done some heavy upgrading to the suspension and engine. I used to own a Mustang GT, that car would neer keep up with this. My car sits about 1.5 inches off the ground, and has NO body roll. I replaced the factory 155mph speedometer with a digital speedometer. I have had this car at 173mph on the interstate. I have beaten almost every car I have raced. I have even beaten 2 600cc bikes. My 0-60 is under 4 seconds, and my quarter mile is a bit over 10 seconds. I removed the rear seats and upgraded the front seats to Sparco racing seats. I am actually selling my car. I am looking for a Mitsubishi 3000GT, or an Audi S4.

Faults:

Cylinder head warped 60,000 miles - due to failed water pump leading too failed radiator - very expensive to repair.

Passenger door rubber seal wearing.

Diagnostics computer giving false readings such as water level low or coolant level low. 75,000 miles.

Glove box hinge snapped - difficult to find matching replacement part.

General Comments:

Even though I have had my fair share of problems with this vehicle, I still love it, owned it close to four years now, and I still think the E36 is a great looking car, I can't think of another car in the £12 -14,000 price range I would rather have than a 3 series coupe.

Regular servicing should guarantee you a classy car for many years and miles.

I drive my cars hard so expect my fair share of repair bills. Friends have 3 series and have had no problems at all.

Handling is superb - but icy conditions can catch you out.

Performance isn't as good as I hoped 2.0L Astra GSI's can just keep up.

Comfort - it's a BMW a real driving pleasure... make sure if you have leather you have air conditioning.

Economy - I average 28.5 miles to the gallon and I like to take it through the rev range.

Faults:

Slight leak coming from the steering rack,

Rear drums required replacing,

General Comments:

Generally very impressed with the vehicle, expected the car to be as slow as hell, but isn't too bad at all once it get's moving.

Have added some M-Technic styling and 17" wheels which make it look very nice.

Handling is excellent and is quite low as standard as well.

Was a bit dubious about getting a 316 again after owning an E30 one, but have not regretted it at all and being 21 a higher engined 3 series will be a joke on the insurance.

Faults:

I bought the car from a dealer who replaced the motor of the windscreen fluid spray and the interior lining of the roof which was sunken.

A week later, still under a 3 month dealer warranty, the dealer replaced an electric relay controlling the radiator fan. I was advised that the fan works only at high speed (it's supposed to have a low speed setting, too). Due to the high cost, I decided not to fix it since I was told that the high speed setting does no damage except for the excessive noise.

At 162000 I replaced all four tires.

At 167000km during regular service a belt tensioner pulley was replaced and the rear brakes were overhauled (etched).

The interior lining of the A-pillars needs to be tightened or replaced.

General Comments:

This car just feels rock solid. The sound of the engine is so smooth, you'd never guess it's 170000km age...

While it's not very quick, it is very satisfying once you get passed 3500 rpm, and I have plenty of fun with it.

Another interesting point is its efficiency, which is almost an exact match to what my Nubira delivered, i.e. 10.5km/liter on average, 9.5 on intensive city and close to 14 on the open road.

Finally, I love its compact size which makes parking in the city much easier.