2002 BMW 3 Series 330i Sport/Premium 3.0 In-line 6 from North America

Summary:

BEST CAR EVER! I'LL BE BUYING THE NEW 330i NEXT YEAR!

Faults:

The only thing that has gone wrong with the car is that the moon roof got stuck on closing once... not sure why. Luckily it was under the 100,000 mile warranty and they paid to have it repaired with no deductible! Other than that... Perfect!

General Comments:

The 330i Sport is nothing short of FREAKING AWESOME!

The handling is superb and woops other high performance cars that I've driven in the past that were "known" for their handling. Beats them hands down!

Great get up and go... I love smoking all those punks who think their V6 Mustang is something great. It does 0-60 right about 6 seconds flat. MotorTrend clocked it at 5.9!

Great gas mileage! I drove from Omaha, NE to Roseville, CA and averaged 31 mpg! That includes the Sierra Nevada Mts, and going against the wind most of the time!

Above all, the car just looks sexy. It's important to own a car you love... a car you've gotta name because it's so awesome. I LOVE IT! (His name's Jake by the way)

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 29th March, 2006

11th Jul 2006, 23:52

Thanks for sharing your experiences!

You are absolutely right, IT is important to own a car that you truly love... otherwise you end up not caring about it... similar to a person.

I don't love my current ride, but still have fond memories of my last MB... :)

27th Feb 2007, 21:30

Yes, more people should buy the cars that they are passionate about instead of buying something crappy just because it is a "good deal." I know sooo many people who have done this and they ALWAYS wind up griping about how much they hate their car. I do not find myself walking around complaining about my BMW as I feel like it has looked after me so well.

2nd Sep 2009, 13:34

Yeah, these are not Hyundais... I drive American cars myself, but one should drive something nice, safe and reliable. I like cars to have a smooth ride, rather than tight handling because of all the interstate travel I do, and large GM cars fit that bill. However sometimes I wish for a little more sport with the smooth ride. What I wonder is how these beemers drive on rough road, can't have a bumpy riding car.

4th Sep 2009, 13:25

I've had a few BMWs, and they all drive smooth. They don't crash around like you might expect. Do your research before buying, and you will not be disappointed.

Avoid runflat tyres, not everyone will agree, but that is my opinion.

2002 BMW 3 Series 330i Sport 3.0 petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

All the car you'll ever need

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong (touch wood)

General Comments:

It's easy to understand why these cars are so commonplace on the road, as they do pretty much everything you could ever want.

Performance: Superb. 0-60 in around 6 seconds and pulls like a jumbo past the ton. Sounds fabulous, totally smooth and astonishingly frugal. My best average on a tankful was 33 mpg, although average is more like 28-30. For the performance on tap, that is amazing. The engine's metallic rasp ad induction howl at high revs makes the hairs stand up on my neck.

Handling: Again, brilliant. Near zero body roll, sharp steering, great brakes and lovely controllable oversteer at the limit if you disable the electronics. Can feel a little large and cumbersome in the really twisty stuff, but for most A and B roads it's entertaining enough to warrant turning around and doing it all again (and I've done so)

Build quality: Peerless. Tiny, millimetre precise panel gaps, deep lustrous paint, quality plastics and a precise, machined feel to all the controls. Still looks, feels and drives like a brand new car.

Practicality: Okay for what it is, although adults complain about the lack of rear space. Comfortable for whole tanks of fuel at a time, hard wearing materials and low noise levels.

Equipment: Everything I need. A cracking Harmon Kardon hi-fi, electric windows, electric mirrors, climate control and a set of gorgeous 18" alloys.

Costs: Becoming more affordable now. Had a budget of UKP 15,000 and this came in just under it. There was a huge choice too. Good economy for what it is. BMW servicing a rip off, but independents charge less and in my experience do a better job (more personalised service). Insurance very reasonable - UKP 600 for a 30 yr old doing 30k PA with business use, car not garaged in low/mid risk area.

Unless you transport adults in the back regularly or need acres of boot space, this car does pretty much everything. Above all that however it's great fun to drive, searingly quick, well made and it looks utterly gorgeous. The E46 is the first 3 series to my mind that hasn't dated the instant its replacement arrived. The only thing I don't like is the naff image and the lack of exclusivity, but I can live with both.

Buy one. You won't regret it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 16th December, 2005

22nd Jul 2007, 12:40

I disagree. It's a great car yes, but it's not perfect. I've taken my only one up on 2 wheels. It's not nearly fast enough. It grips the road great, but there is just something about it that is missing. I can't figure it out, but when I do I'll let you know.

26th Jun 2010, 01:03

Re: up on two wheels comment - my sport coupe had unexpected understeer a couple of times; if wet it will aquaplane if this happens, it went sideways in the dry as well. Possibly why yours went up on two wheels.

Also had oversteer, but in saying that, it pulls around corners really well. Handles so well I think most people will test it out a bit. Put the acceleration on, and the weight will shift to the rear enough for it to do a little better.