2012 BMW 3 Series 320d SE 2.0 turbo diesel from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Solid sporty executive saloon

Faults:

Tiny oil leak.

ABS sensor.

General Comments:

My silver 320d is a common sight on the roads, but is a fantastic car to own.

The 3 series still stands out in regards to driving ability. It is powerful yet economical. This car really does blend the best of both worlds.

320d SE. Common engine and spec. Very nicely trimmed, leather and electrics. Interior is very comfortable. Engine is solid if looked after. The car is amazing to drive.

A bit expensive on the market even at this age, but given how overpriced used cars are, you might as well buy quality. Go for a looked after car with full history and reasonable mileage. These are well worth it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 16th February, 2024

2012 BMW 3 Series 320d Luxury 2.0 turbo diesel from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Fast, economical, reliable car

Faults:

Nothing other than servicing and consumables in two years and 18K miles. Start stop technology does not always work. No big deal, I just ignore it.

General Comments:

Love my 3 series, bought it used a couple of years ago and it has never missed a beat.

Easily the best interior on this top of range luxury model; beige leather looks nice but is a pain to keep clean. The car has all the electrics you would want in a 2012 car. Comfort is as good as it gets.

180 bhp and feels like it. Very fast, auto-box gives smooth shifts. Over 50 mpg as well.

The car looks the part in silver with big alloy wheels, never lets me down, and performs as it should, what more can I say, no wonder the modern 3 series is so popular. A little expensive to buy used, that is the only problem, so little chance of finding a bargain, but at-least it holds its value very well. Look after these cars and they will return with reliability and strong resale value.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 18th November, 2022

2012 BMW 3 Series 335i N55B30M0 3.0L turbo straight 6 from North America

Summary:

Nothing short of shameful that more people don't or didn't buy 335i's

Faults:

Shockingly, nothing. I was expecting a host of issues given how people tend to complain about BMWs in general, but I haven't had any issues with the car yet.

General Comments:

I had test-driven a couple bimmers leading up to buying the car. Initially I wanted to get an E90, but prospects for finding one with a manual transmission in rear-wheel drive AND that weren't clapped out were evaporating, so I threw down with credit and bought an F30 from the dealership. The car was local and had low mileage, but was being sold at an otherwise barnstormer price, so with a little encouragement from my wife, I bought it. I should note that the dealership took the car in for a trade and called me up when they got it, which was nice of them. I have since taken it to the dealership for a service item that, although mild, was ghastly expensive for what it was, so I will be taking the car to the family mechanic from here on out.

This is my first car with a 6-speed, European car and rear-wheel drive, but surprisingly not my first car with a turbo I6 (I did own a Skyline at one point in my life). As far as I know, the car is stock but it pulls pretty good (especially in Sport+ mode), which is also why I bought it. I can fit car seats in the back, junk in the trunk and haul ass on the highways or back-country. Speaking of which, the car is frighteningly smooth - I remarked that you could get it moving really fast without it feeling like you're moving really fast. And when you're not blasting down highways, the car is agile and composed; the dealership enticed me with an offer of customer track days at one of the race tracks in town, and though I haven't been called yet, I eagerly anticipate the session.

Thus far, it is the nicest thing I've ever owned.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 6th July, 2020

7th Jul 2020, 13:32

They are nice cars, but the reason people stay away from them is as you mentioned, very expensive when they do go wrong, even if you use a cheaper garage rather than a main dealer. Not everyone has a mechanic in the family unfortunately.

Myself I live in the UK and ran a BMW 3 series years ago, great car, but had a local specialist BMW guy check it out for me. Was no more or less reliable than any other car I had, but was still quite expensive when it did go wrong.