2013 BMW 3 Series 318i M Sport Coupe 2.0 petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Fun coupe

Faults:

Long term reliability remains to be seen, but in two years and about 10K miles, really not much. Had "grabby" brakes upon test drive, an apparently common problem, dealer fixed this when I bought it.

Always buy one of these with full verified history, avoid abused cars with dodgy history.

Minor cosmetic issues, but it is over ten years old now.

General Comments:

Stunning to look at and fun to drive, a 3 series coupe will do any driver looking for a polished driving experience while still needing a practical car just fine.

My car is white, common color but suits it well. M Sport is the trim to have.

Interior clean and simple, dash is laid out well. Driving position is perfect.

The car is smooth and powerful and still manages well over 30 mpg. I went for petrol as they are a lot simpler than the more common diesels. Can still be expensive to maintain, but worth it.

Boot has plenty of space, rear seats are best left alone however, this car is for two people.

Loving it so far, it's like the perfect car for me, good looking and fun to drive and reliable so far. They can be dear to buy initially, but prices have started to come down a bit after the craziness of the last few years.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 29th May, 2024

2013 BMW 3 Series 320d SE Touring 2.0 turbo diesel from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Fast, economical, spacious, but can get expensive if it goes wrong

Faults:

Usual diesel foibles, give the car a firm drive and use quality fuel and oil or you will have expensive DPF regeneration problems; usually an expensive replacement is all that will sort it!

Keep services up to date on these cars to avoid trouble as well, walk away from unloved examples.

As it is ten years old now, cosmetically it is looking a bit rough, but not really the car's fault, I really should wash it more, but the exterior paint seems hardy against the elements and the interior is holding up well; looks like a five year old car rather than ten years.

General Comments:

320d "touring" basically an estate car - bloody good looking and spacious fun to drive car, I love it.

2.0 turbo diesel is good for faster driving while still returning around 50 mpg, cannot beat that. The car also out handles anything - impressive for an estate car! And this is the SE model, not the M Sport, which I have heard handles even better! All models of this generation of 3 series are sporty.

Interior is functional and comfortable and very German. Love it. Still feels fresh and modern at this age.

It's the perfect car really if you find a good one. Lots of over priced rubbish on the market right now however so be careful buying these cars used, get a mechanic that knows these cars to look it over before you buy!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 5th October, 2023