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Used 1997 BMW 3 Series Sedan Consumer Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
25 reviews
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4.63 out of 5 stars

First car

whippersnapped, 06/19/2011
1997 BMW 3 Series 328i 4dr Sedan
12 of 12 people found this review helpful

This is the first car I have ever owned, although I have driven many others. In my opinion, this is as close to a perfect car as there is (which is why I bought it. A logical progression, really). I got an excellent example of the model for 4 grand, and have since put less than a thousand into it over 8,000 miles. It is just bulletproof. I have never pushed the revs to the red because the car simply doesn't need it to do whatever you need. The interior is comfortable but you can tell it was a secondary concern after performance. The car has it where it counts, and that is what matters to me.

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4.63 out of 5 stars

I'm never selling this car!

Ken, 11/16/2010
1997 BMW 3 Series 328i 4dr Sedan
11 of 11 people found this review helpful

Well, I purchased this 1997 328i in 1999 as a dealer leftover that had been sitting on the lot for a very long time. I got a heck of a deal on it. I have driven it on and off for the past 11 years and when I'm not using the car, it's garaged. The black paint shines like the day I got it. The interior shows almost no signs of wear aside from the drivers floor mat. No cracking of the leather, etc. I have had NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS whatsoever with the car in the 70,000 miles I've owned it. Aside from regular scheduled maintenance, I've replaced the brake pads and tires once and that's it. This car has proven to be the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned. I will never sell this car.

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4 out of 5 stars

This car is a monster on the road

Randy Buchanan, 02/08/2019
1997 BMW 3 Series 318i 4dr Sedan
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Great for a college student. Great for car shows. Great gas mileage. I haven't any in car shows. Can be improved for the individual driver. Classical in it class. Mechanically cheaper to do yourself. Great power for a 4 cylinder engine. The 5/speed manual transmission is a beast of any transmission I ever came across. Great car to keep in the family.

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
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4.25 out of 5 stars

Practical BMW

RHartounian, 09/12/2006
1997 BMW 3 Series 318i 4dr Sedan
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

I have always loved BMWs. This one is not any less of a BMW. It has good handling and good torque in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th gear. I wish it had a sixth gear. This car has a very tight gear ratio so in the 5th gear at 80 mph the engine is begging for another gear. Too bad! The glove compartment is really poor, though. Everything you place inside, it keeps rolling out. I love the E30 glove box much more. I hate the vinyl interior. BMW is probably one of the only luxury car manufacturers that still makes vinyl seats. In the summer months it's an oven in there. One common problem with this car that cannot be fixed is the climate control. Overall it's a good car.

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5 out of 5 stars

1997 328i Sedan

camenta, 11/10/2003
1997 BMW 3 Series 328i 4dr Sedan
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

I have already run over 1,500 miles on this car and it has been everything I wxpected it to be. Used to have a 1991 318i and liked everything about that. This is that and more. The car pulls hard off the line and can still turn it on in 5th gear. I don't like that I have to hunt a factory CD player down (fits using a Z3 factory unit)and the cost of the CD is very high. With that said, nothing else to complain about. Smooth, fun and full of style. A must have for the driving fan.

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