2004 BMW 3 Series 330 Ci Sport 3.0 24v petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Quick, smooth, entertaining and 31 mpg!

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong.

General Comments:

Has surpassed every expectation.

The engine is incredible, giving true sports car pace whilst returning 31 mpg average. How do BMW do it? I used to have a Mazda MX-5 which was 1200cc smaller, 300kg lighter, had only 60% of the power, yet returned 1 mpg less. A remarkable feat of engineering on BMW's part.

The car is fun to drive, although my only real criticism of is that it does isolate the driver a little from the action. Cocooned in a comfortable cabin with lots of noise insulation, it's not until you look at the speedo that you realise just how quick and capable the car is. This isolation however makes it a superb long distance machine. My job regularly takes me from the South coast up to Tyneside, and the car will munch this 400 mile journey so effortlessly that I rarely need to stop en route.

It's a fast, good looking, reliable, beautifully built and incredibly economical car which has a real feel good factor about it, even if they are pretty much everywhere these days. Exclusivity does not come with 3-series ownership any more, but that's a mark of the excellence of the car. I struggle to see how BMW will improve it in all honesty.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 25th October, 2004

2004 BMW 3 Series Ci Sport 2.0 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Perfect

Faults:

None.

General Comments:

WOW, what a car. We took delivery of the car yesterday, and we had to go and pick the tax disc up today for it in Shrewsbury.

God, what a drive down, FANTASTIC in every way. It corners so good, it's not even a harsh ride with the 18" wheels. Sounds great, looks great, drives great.

I think we will be sticking to our BMW instead of those crap Audis and Mercs.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 17th January, 2004

2nd Aug 2004, 04:51

I've got the same 318ci sport with the 18" M tech wheels. What a cool looking Car!!! I love it!

27th Sep 2004, 16:51

This was a really good review, right up until the last sentence. Audis and Mercs are not "crap", and to suggest they are shows staggering ignorance. The 3 series is a fine car (I have had two, so I know), but there are models in both the Audi and Mercedes range that are at least as good as equivalent BMWs.

Unfortunately comments like this simply enforce the increasingly poor image and reputation of the 3 series and its drivers among British motorists. It's pretty sad really.

22nd Jan 2013, 18:09

Very well said... I tip my hat to you, couldn't have said it better, and for that... RESPECT. I have seen that ignorance in a lot of people.