Road Tests: Long-Term Test

Well, he got the keys again. Yep, despite Andy Chase's confession of love for an Audi TT Quattro Coupe as opposed to our Bimmer last month, he finagled his way back behind the wheel for a couple more weeks. And even though he's been thinking Audis, this latest tryst with the 328i seems to have swayed him back to BMW's camp -- he now claims the company has a future customer in him. Well, how's that for finicky.

After commenting that this is the nicest car he's ever driven, Chase told us that he thinks this BMW is the best there is in this category of car, in terms of performance and handling. This opinion was solidified when his friend and fellow car freak, said, "Pretty good for a four door, eh?" All this time, Chase had overlooked the fact that our Bimmer is a sedan. "When I think 'sedan' I think 1987 Buick Skylark, not the sleek, stylish, precision machine I've been driving around town for the last two weeks. The car went up another notch in my esteem."

Chase has finally figured out how to use the climate control system, but still finds it needlessly complex. Another driver despised the system, saying that it randomly activates, is a pain to decipher, and even when you turn it all the way down it keeps blowing out air. This driver was also disappointed in the steering wheel-mounted switchgear, since all you can control are station presets and volume adjustment. Another staffer called the sound system unimpressive. Of course, everyone is still griping about the lack of a CD player.

Other complaints included the GPS system, which was called "a complete waste of my time; it didn't work at all and calculated completely idiotic routes," and the "check engine" light on the dash was illuminated when this staffer took possession of the vehicle. This doesn't necessarily mean any type of a component failure. There are several possible causes that are not serious; in fact, our owner's manual states that a potential cause can be the fuel filler cap not secured tightly. However, we checked the cap and found it was tight so we ruled that out as the culprit. Before we could get the car into service, the light extinguished itself. If this happens again, we'll be sure to have it looked at.

As far as the drive goes, one staffer felt there was a slight lack of torque when pulling away from a dead stop. While the BMW's 2.8-liter makes peak torque (206 foot-pounds) at a low 3,500 rpm, from idle to about 3,000 rpm the engine doesn't feel as enthusiastic as this former muscle car driver would like. Another driver commented that the car's precise ride and handling was almost too refined for her tastes (OK, she gets the Miata next month). She also found it a nuisance to drive the stick shift in L.A. traffic. (Now, she really gets the Miata!).

Finally, the side view mirrors were criticized for being too small for safe driving. Oh, and thanks to a one helpful reader, we learned that the LED under the rearview mirror is not, as we said last time, the infrared sensor for the remote keyless entry; rather, the LED is for an optional dealer-installed alarm system, which becomes a flashing siren of sorts. It also serves as a dimmer switch, so it does have some purpose in our BMW; we previously thought it was just an oh-so-attractive rearview mirror chachkie, like fuzzy dice.

Total Odometer Reading: 22,253
Best Fuel Economy: 24.4 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 23.7 mpg
Body Damage: $0
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: None.