By john on 01/02/08 20:19 PM (PST)
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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By White 2 Dr Coupe on 11/08/07 13:18 PM (PST)
Vehicle
1996 BMW 3 Series 328is 2dr Coupe
Review
After owning this car for five years I still enjoy the ride & performance of this vehicle. It makes just driving to the grocery store a pleasure. Keeping it clean brings comments to me all the time, like what year is your car and when I tell them they don't believe it. They say that car still looks new. And it feels good because I stay up on the maintenance.
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By PAUL WILSON on 07/04/07 22:02 PM (PDT)
Vehicle
1996 BMW 3 Series 318i 4dr Sedan
Review
I purchased the car while living in Germany, although it was a U.S. made car. I now have 205,000 miles and I have always had it serviced at authorized BMW dealers. No engine or transmission repairs ever. It is a really fun car to drive, and overall I would say economical. The first five years of my ownership were in Germany, and the car really did well at high speeds. On the Autobahn I usually drove 85-95 MPH, but I have driven it as fast as 140 MPH with no problems. Although the car has 205,000 miles on it I think it will be good for at least another 50,000 or more.
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By Hellrot on 04/20/07 08:18 AM (PDT)
Vehicle
1996 BMW 3 Series 328is 2dr Coupe
Review
Very comfortable highway car. I'm 6'3" 220 lbs. and I have plenty of room. It has plenty of power for the highway and is very agile in city traffic. The central locking system these Germans designed is a tough one to figure out. That's my only beef. The car is very tight, solid. At high speeds it is quiet and smooth. You definitely have to pay attention to your speed or set the cruise control otherwise you'll be traveling 80+ mph and not realize it. It handles like it is on rails but still maintains a smooth ride quality. This is my first BMW. I have owned 30 different cars over the last 30+ years. This car impressed me so much that I'll be adding another BMW to my collection very soon.
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By Michael on 01/04/07 08:27 AM (PST)
Vehicle
1996 BMW 3 Series 328is 2dr Coupe
Review
BMWs have the reputation of being a car for those to whom driving is more than just getting from point A to point B and this car shows why. It's sophisticated fun especially with a five speed and good tires. Turns everyday boring drives into something to be enjoyed. However on an older car like this you better know how to work on it yourself or know a good independent mechanic who can. A dealer can be really expensive. It's just the price you pay for owning an out of warranty performance car. If you want basic transportation with minimum $$ for maintenance better find something more reliable.
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1 of 1 people found this review helpful
By BigMikeyP on 05/08/06 10:01 AM (PDT)
Vehicle
1996 BMW 3 Series 318ti 2dr Hatchback
Review
This is possibly the most reliable car made in the last 20 years. Mine has 193K miles and has yet to have any major mechanical problems. It has never broken down and I don't detect a drop in performance. Its not a great long distance car as it can ride a little stiff. The other problem is noise at 70+ mph. It can also get lite in the rain, especially at high speeds. Interestingly enough, it seems unstable at 70mph (dry road) but sits down nicely and rides beautifully at 85+mph. Clearly a car built for the autobon. My parting though is that I love this car and intend to drive it for another 60+K miles.
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1 of 1 people found this review helpful
By Yves on 05/06/06 20:11 PM (PDT)
Vehicle
1996 BMW 3 Series 328i 2dr Convertible
Review
I couldn't pass up the opportunity to buy this car. I have never owned anything close to this car before. I have driven many north american and a few european models and this car's driving experience exceeded all of those and my expectations. The engine is silky smooth right to the redline and puts out plenty of go. Although the auto transmission may not provide as much pure joy as the stick, the manual shift option comes close. The suspension is pure genius. Never too harsh, it provides a stable, confidence inspiring platform at any speed or road condition. Drop the top, and this little white car goes from attractive to gorgeous. Every time I drive it, I can't stop smiling.
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By chris on 12/02/05 10:08 AM (PST)
Vehicle
1996 BMW 3 Series 328i 4dr Sedan
Review
Had this car for over 10 years and 180,000 miles and the car is still going strong. Body is sturdy and still no creaks or rattles whatsoever. Maintenance is cheaper than my Honda since parts don't break down or rust as much. Excellent fuel mileage and very practical due to the folding seats. Excellent handling. This car can take curves and corners at high speeds. I've almost run off roads with rental cars since I'm used to how this car handles. It would have been better if this had a 6 cylinder engine, but it holds up more than repectably when pushed at higher rpms. Torque is strong at all rpms. Too bad they stopped making this model. Europe still has it with 6 cylinder models.
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By Tony on 06/22/05 01:10 AM (PDT)
Vehicle
1996 BMW 3 Series 318i 4dr Sedan
Review
I just recently (may 2005) got hold of a 1996 318 automatic. Owner before me had taken good care of it. I haven't had any major problems (other than normal wear parts) with it so far (crosses fingers) and i just passed 100K. Check engine light came on for a "low pressure cat. converter" code, but i had that code cleared at a shop and it hasn't come on again. Gas mileage is great, i use 92 or higher, 94 if i can find it... (owners manual recommends 91 but gas cap says minimum is 89) I've taken a 393 mile trip 3 times in this car and I can drive straight through and still have a quarter tank left...with the AC running full blast going up hills...which is even better mpg than my 97 accord
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By russ on 05/10/05 01:45 AM (PDT)
Vehicle
1996 BMW 3 Series 328i 4dr Sedan
Review
Great car, love it but know what you are getting. Reliability: car will require some maintenance. Also reliability will vary with treatment more than some other cars, consider this when buying used. You will get electrical problems like brake light/check engine, do me a favor and don't buy/complain about this as it is not a "real" problem. Performance: depends on what you are comparing it to. Great compared to average cars: civic, grand am, saturn, etc. good driving experience corners well, accelerates, rear wheel drive which is completely under appreciated. Good blend of comfort and sport handling. But it is not a really fast car you will wish you had an M3 at times; though you can mod.
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