Road Tests: Long-Term Test

Since this is the last long-term update on our beloved 328i, we could easily conclude this month's commentary in one sentence. That would be, "Can we keep the car another 40,000 miles?"

Of course, there's a lot more to discuss. But much of it is what we've written about before in terms of glowing praise for this benchmark sport sedan — one of the best driving machines you can buy at any price.

Although only a variation on previous heaps of praise for this car, Features Editor Miles Cook did manage to put a slightly different spin on what makes our BMW the most fun to drive of any car in our long-term fleet, if not any car on the market. He related that, "All the controls on our 328 are perfectly weighted. They're not too heavy and not too light. This includes everything, such as the steering, brakes, throttle, clutch, shifter and the compromise between ride and handling. Everything is weighted just so and the balance between the various controls is also right on the money. Even the tension in the shoulder belt and the way it unlocks is perfect for when you want to lean forward and readjust your position in the comfy seats."

While the ride provided by the sport package's 17-inch wheels (which can be easily damaged by curbs if you're not careful) and tires might be a little too firm for some, if you have even a passing interest in tight, over-the-road driving dynamics, you won't be disappointed by the trade-off. "If you want a cushy ride, buy a Buick Park Avenue or a Lincoln Town Car," quipped Cook.

A few things about the car's interior controls also came to Cook's mind. He, unlike many other staffers, found the stereo to have a good sound despite the lack of a CD player. It is a little strange, however, that you have to do several things to tune radio stations manually. First, you have to push the "select" button on the head unit. Then you have to turn the knob until you get to the "manual station choice" selection. You then have to push the knob before you can actually start tuning the station. And since the radio resets after a brief time, you have to do this every time you want to tune the radio manually. "This one example of the several ergonomic flaws in the car's secondary controls is kind of a pain in the neck, but you get used to it after a time," noted Cook.

Despite some of these seemingly minor foibles, and after sweet-talking the key masters of our long-term program into driving the BMW for its final month, Cook wanted to take full advantage of his stick time in the car. This included a weekend jaunt to Big Bear Lake in California's San Bernardino Mountains. A twisty back road ride to 7,000-foot altitudes, Big Bear is the perfect destination in this car. Then again, anywhere is a perfect place to go in the 328 even if it's nowhere in particular. Driving the 328 just for the fun of driving it is always a legitimate excuse to get behind the wheel. And as noted before in previous updates, the car's 400-plus-mile-per-tank fuel range is also a very nice feature.

When Cook's duties called him to be elsewhere besides piloting the Bimmer, others got in on the fun as most seem to do when the chance to drive this car presents itself. Over the holiday season, staff shutterbug Scott Jacobs drove the car to San Francisco, while staff scribes Phil Reed and Erin Riches also got stints of seat time in our soon-to-be-leaving-us 328i.

Mr. Reed relates: "What happens when a middle-aged guy, with middle-aged driving habits, is given the keys to a BMW 328i with a five-speed stick? Have you ever seen the old Disney cartoon about how mild-mannered Mr. Walker becomes the maniacal Mr. Wheeler when he gets into a car? Let's just say that a whole different personality seemed to be tapped by the performance and handling of this German bombshell. I had been in the car for only a few minutes when I found myself next to another BMW on an entrance ramp to the freeway. Normally, I would have backed off and let him merge. But now I was no longer Mr. Walker. I became Mr. Wheeler. I put my foot down. I won the short race and was rewarded with open road in front of the car's hood instead of the back end of someone else's car.

"During my week in the car, Los Angeles was hit with torrential rains. On several occasions I felt the traction control system overruling my driving choices. This was a little jarring but with the rain, and the craziness it brings, I think this is a justifiable safety feature. I also plowed through some gargantuan puddles — sending walls of water skyrocketing — and there was not a flicker of hesitation from the engine. This despite the fact that other cars had stalled out around me.

"Finally, I should note that I had a great chance to check out the GPS navigation system. I dropped a few editors to pick up a test car. After they got out I realized I didn't know where I was. But the satellite knew. I keyed in my destination, and it navigated me home. This was the first time I actually needed the nav system to find my way. In the past I used it mainly just for fun."

Next to drive the 328 was Ms. Riches. She says: "I hadn't driven this car since last June, and I suppose I had forgotten what it was really like — my evening and morning after with this car were a great deal more fun than I had expected. I have spent quite a few days in the Celica this month, and I was indeed impressed by the comparatively smooth gear engagement in the BMW. At first, I was disappointed that the shifter and its gate lacked the heaviness of the Celica's, but once I observed the 328i's consistent, unflinching power delivery as you work through the gears, my initial sentiment was neither here nor there. Of course, this isn't a fair comparison at all: the 328i may have only 13 more horsepower than the GTS, but it's endowed with a more generous share of torque (206 foot-pounds) while the Celica's allotment is frugal at best (133 foot-pounds). The sounds are different, too. The 328i emits a feline purr so as to provide the driver with the outwardly visible refinement they seek, while the Celica lets forth more urgent shrieks. Aside from this misplaced comparison, I took considerable pleasure in watching and feeling the revs climb, and then making my next shift — the rather inviting engine sounds encouraged me to wait longer (whereas in another car, raucous noise infiltrating the cabin might motivate more conservative shift points). Sometimes, I wished the freeway had opened up a bit more so that I could have really enjoyed the 328i's famed combination of handling and power. As it was, whenever I started to have fun with the car, I also reached the next group of traffic and/or a CHP waiting on the shoulder.

"Of course, the suspension and steering (and rear-wheel drive) were perfect for freeway maneuvers, and the high level of road feel brought real enjoyment to my commute. If everyone could commute to/from work in a car like this, perhaps there would be less strife on the freeway.

"Others may disagree, but I still contend that the stereo system (despite being a Harmon Kardon premium version) is not a strong point for this car. The last time I drove it, it had a blown speaker, so I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt this time. I put in a tape and adjusted the levels so that the bass was higher than the treble but not all the way up. I was quite disappointed with the results — the same flat sound that doesn't fill up the car's cabin as I experienced last summer. Most annoying of all, the tweeter on the driver's door vibrates (loudly) with the music, and turning down the bass and the volume did not solve this problem. Something's wrong with some part of the system — the tweeters shouldn't vibrate. Perhaps the music I was listening to was a bit more demanding than a softly humming radio, but I've found many other cars that can accommodate it. And frankly, I think this audio system is the worst in the long-term fleet, except for the Honda Odyssey's — that's right, the Sierra and the Insight rock out in comparison to the 328i. I'm sure this criticism sounds a bit harsh when directed toward a vehicle that is wonderful in every other way, but a decent audio system is important to me, and it might be enough to keep me from buying this car.

"The driver's seat was really comfortable. I didn't adjust it too much, other than moving it forward a bit. I think another driver had the seat height adjusted to one of the higher positions — and I left it as it was, thinking that I would enjoy the extra height to stretch my legs. But surprisingly, I think I actually had the seat up too high, because the rearview mirror sometimes blocked my view. I got over this inconvenience quickly, given the panoramic view out the rear window that the high seating position afforded me. I like the idea of leatherette upholstery — it's probably no stickier than leather in the summer and I don't have to cope with the guilt of knowing that cows gave up their skins for the sake of a fossil fuel-burning car with a finite existence.

"I wish this 328i had an auto-dimming rearview mirror, given its price (I see that you can get one for the 330i if you option it with the premium package) — the long-term Lincoln LS seems to have come standard with one. This feature reduces fatigue and lifts spirits during commutes, especially with so many SUVs on the road."

Finally, the lucky Mr. Jacobs had a long Christmas weekend in the 328: "I again took the BMW up the coast to San Francisco for the holidays. It's one of those cars you really feel a part of when you're driving — like an extension of your arms. Settling into the widely adjustable seats makes you feel like you're glued into them. Combine that with the excellent feel of the steering wheel and the lovely shifter, and you feel that much better of a driver even before you start down the road. Once moving, the feeling of being a better driver further multiplies. The total experience is like an exponential growth of confidence.

"That feeling is a little dangerous as it's very easy to get carried away. A couple times when driving up the I-5, I noticed my speed was in the triple digits. I've gotten one ticket in this car before and I certainly don't want another one. With its precise steering, smooth power from the engine, and that confidence-inspiring effect, one can't help but get a little too spirited once in a while. You know you shouldn't listen to the devil on your shoulder, but you do anyway.

"There still seems to be a few of the lingering minor problems that I've noticed in the past. The mysterious rattle in the back is still there and the windows still creak when you roll them up. Even with these small problems, this car is still as much fun to drive as it was when new."

Since this is the last update on this car (before the wrap-up) we want to hear from you. Write us with all the details of your impassioned relationship with a 1999, 2000 or 2001 BMW 3 Series sedan, coupe, wagon or convertible. Send your comments to eriches@edmunds.com by February 15. Please include your full name, and your city and state of residence.

Current Odometer: 41,019
Best Fuel Economy: 28.5 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 23.0 mpg
Body Damage: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None