Faults:

Some silly billy stuck a tank of 4 star in it at 160000... D'Oh!!!

Lost 4 of 6 injectors.

Inlet manifold split at 178000 miles.

Still working on that.

General Comments:

Most of the cars I've owned have been Beemers.

This is my 1st 3 and it HAS to be one of the BEST cars I've ever had.

Performance is fantastic.

Comfort is second to none.

Even driving everywhere in Sport and being heavy on the pedals, it STILL returns over 45 mpg.

Faults:

49.6k miles - Right when I got the car, it threw 11 codes, just because the mass air flow Sensor needed to be replaced.

49.6k miles - Window Regulators on the rear passenger, and passenger side needed to be replaced.

50.2k miles - All my weatherstripping for the windshield and sunroof needed replacing.

50.4k miles - Thermostat needed replacing.

50.6k miles - Clutch was slipping at 50k miles, not sure how bad the previous owner beat on it though, and needed a clutch alignment.

51.2k miles - BMW made control arm bushings horribly when it came out of the factory, and they tend to go at a low mileage.

General Comments:

The 328i is a great car. It performs well and still gets great gas mileage. With the right mods you can make the car, perform, look, and handle extremely well.

Even though I needed to put a good amount of money into the car right when I got it, the car is still a really good value. The engine is peppy and extremely reliable.

The only thing is would suggest is that BMW put a stronger clutch in the thing from the beginning. Other that that, the 328i is awesome and I love it.

Faults:

Well first off, the weather stripping on each side of the car is coming off. Many of my friends have an e46 3 series and they have the same problem.

The vanos issue truly bugs me. It cost $800 to fix it.

The ride comfort isn't that great. However this is probably because of the sport suspension.

It's a very nice car none the less, and I would recommend it to anyone. Nothing major has gone wrong with it. I just gotta be careful not to park near the curb, or else the bumper will scratch from the bottom.

General Comments:

Very quick, nice ride, looks amazing, high cost to keep running. However, you can do much of the work yourself (i.e. spark plugs, oil change, brakes, etc.)

Faults:

Nothing, after a bad experience with my last car (Impreza) I took out 12 warranty which I haven't had to use!!

General Comments:

Solid car no knocks or squeaks, comfortable on all journeys, good lookin, and plenty of power.

Faults:

Both O2 Sensors (post-cat) failed @ 90,000.

Sunroof motor and switch failed @ 65,000.

AC depleted w/no leaks @ 75,000.

General Comments:

As an avid sports car enthusiast, BMW suits me well. They are not all that reliable and maintenance or repairs are almost crippling, but their products are phenomenal.

I never knew with a few thousand in upgrades a sedan could be as potent and agile as the BMW 3 series.

Faults:

Rear shock absorbers.

Seal on rear drive shaft differential.

Tie rod.

Control arm bushings.

Drive shaft bushings.

Resistor on interior heater fan.

General Comments:

The car is very solid, well made, quiet and good to drive. The interior and exterior are in showroom condition, considering the car is 7 years old. The materials used seem to last very well, particularly the seats and carpets. There are no rattles or squeaks, and everything feels like it will last for a long time to come.

Bushings seem to be a major weak spot with these cars for some reason! They are not expensive to buy, but BMW labour rates are ridiculous (€115 per hour plus 21% VAT). The seal on the differential was itself €20 but cost €280 to fit, and this could only be done by BMW due to the tools required. Resistor on interior fan is a common problem, but again pricey to repair.

The car is good to drive and very refined. The engine is extremely smooth so can be revved, but it's a bit flat until you get it to about 3,500rpm. Performance is fine rather than great!

MPG-wise, I am getting late 30's on a long run, and averaging about 32mpg, which is not bad considering I have a heavyish right foot!