1996 BMW 3 Series Consumer Reviews

295k

Vehicle

1996 BMW 3 Series 318is 2dr Coupe

Review

I bought this car 6 years ago with 187k on it. I was a poor college kid at the time and it was a relatively inexpensive car. Well the past 3 years I have driven the heck out of it. An hour commute on the backroads of PA (terrible roads), and an hour commute on highways of MD. I've put 100k on it in those 3 years. I have had to replace a lower control arm, and the heater control unit, so about $500 in parts. The speakers have blown and the radio backlight doesn't show up too well. I nearly get 40 mpg and hammer it on the backroads and never ride slower than 80 mph. Great car! I would love another one.
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Amazing car

Vehicle

1996 BMW 3 Series 328i 4dr Sedan

Review

This car is absolutely amazing. I've owned this car since 90,000 miles and have used it as a daily commuter, ALL seasons. It has 260,000+ miles on it now and it still runs great. This interior is in great condition and the leather looks amazing and won't just deteriorate on you. The exterior is still in good shape, although rust is beginning to start under the doors. The engine ticks a little bit now as well. Besides that the engine still roars like she's new and I couldn't be happier with this vehicle.
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Dissappointed

Vehicle

1996 BMW 3 Series 328i 4dr Sedan

Review

I bought the car from a carpool co- worker with 97,000 mi. The car was in excellent condition and garage kept. The radio failed on me, the rear differential had a slow leak, the air conditioning dash unit had to be replaced. I also took excellent care of the vehicle expecting to easily get 180k mi or more. At 156k it just overheated on me, and needed head gasket repair $1800. Two mechanics have told me when this happens on my model usually the head unit also needs replaced $1K, and typically the cylinder cracks, coolant gels, water pump an issue. The BMW mechanic said I was better off to replace the engine $6K if I keep it. Now looking for salvage value after several years of pristine care. :(
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BMW 318IS - The Ultimate Driving Machine

Vehicle

1996 BMW 3 Series 318is 2dr Coupe

Review

With beautiful interior/exterior appearances, this little 1900 cc driven head turner has surprising acceleration and superlative handling prowess. With 315K mileage, my service mechanic always says, "You can't kill these engines," every time I stop by for routine maintenance or inspections. Problem is, however, there have been numerous factory recalls for faulty emission components that have finally caught up to ruin my wistful experiences with this rig. Two (2) bad air sensors and a dysfunctional cam sensor have now put my beamer permanently confined to my driveway, because to repair these at a dealer would cost more than the car is worth unencumbered by these maladies. Dream over.
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Grear car

Vehicle

1996 BMW 3 Series 328i 4dr Sedan

Review

Owned the car for 3 yrs and at 160000 miles now. Has to be one of the most reliable cars ever made. If I could I would buy a new 1996 328 right now.
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SOOO expensive to repair

Vehicle

1996 BMW 3 Series 328i 2dr Convertible

Review

The head gasket is a major issue... YIKES. The engine components are made up of lots of plastic. I have had lots of electrical issues and the convertible top gets stuck sometimes. The top is leaking and caused mold damage to my back seats.
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BMW 328 IC Convertible

Vehicle

1996 BMW 3 Series 328i 2dr Convertible

Review

I traded a Dodge Ram Diesel with problems for this vehicle. I have had a few problems. Radio display dim, climate control not working, and fast wear of pulleys and bearings. Overall a very good car and would recommend to anyone looking for a good used vehicle.
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Awesome car!

Vehicle

1996 BMW 3 Series 328i 4dr Sedan

Review

This is arguably the best three series ever. It handles like a dream, has great power and has a classic design. The gas mileage is in the high 20s which is surprising. Big difference between this car and the earlier 325i. We plan on driving it until it reaches 250,000 miles.
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The best 3 series ever

Vehicle

1996 BMW 3 Series 328i 4dr Sedan

Review

We bought this car when it was 10 years old and with 62k miles and cannot believe how tight it is. Steering is awesome and power is impressive. It also gets about 29MPG on the highway. This model has all of the power options unlike the late 90s and early 00s where they started to option these features. The sport mode gives it a real edge and is great in traffic. We hope to have it for the next 150k miles.
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The ultimate driving machine

Vehicle

1996 BMW 3 Series 318i 4dr Sedan

Review

Zippy fun to drive car! handling is excellent. pick up is decent for a 4 speed automatic, 4cyl car. In my opinion you can hang with any other sports sedan on the freeway with this car. One thing about BMWs that the owner must stay on top of is the maintenace. these are VERY sensitive cars and if you ignore the maintenance the end result will hit you in your wallet hard!
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