Used 2008 BMW 3 Series Wagon Consumer Reviews
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Love, Love, Love
Cookie, 01/31/2008
2008 BMW 3 Series 328xi 4dr Wagon AWD (3.0L 6cyl 6M)
15 of 15 people found this review helpful
I love this wagon. Have driven Jeeps, Expeditions, and Honda CRVs. After driving SUVs for twenty years, I wanted something different but utilitarian. It's great... lots of room with fold-down seats. It handles so well, I hate to drive my husband's Mercedes E class as it's got so much more play and bigger turning radius. It feels so loose compared to responsiveness of my wagon. Got the AWD wagon for peace of mind. I was a Mercedes lover before this. Not anymore!
For a used car, a great value.
Al Powell, 02/25/2016
updated 08/28/2018
2008 BMW 3 Series 328xi 4dr Wagon AWD (3.0L 6cyl 6M)
48 of 53 people found this review helpful
I do a lot of my own minor maintenance, and that matters when you own a German car, especially a used one. My 2008 328xi Wagon came with 98K miles, but was in beautiful condition. I've driven it for a year and haven't had to touch it other than an oil change and to mount winter wheels, which I did myself. If you have a German car, stay away from the dealer except for specialized work and find a good independent shop that knows German cars. Basic maintenance like brake pads, rotors, filters and other normal stuff is pretty easy to DIY, so I'm not interested in paying labor rates for that. My 328xi Wagon and my wife's 09 328ix Coupe drive pretty much identically. I've never driven a wagon that handled so much like a coupe; it makes my eyes light up when I find a twisty road! The handling is excellent and great fun, but if you stay with the factory run-flat tires the ride will be a bit harsh. The seats are firm, but somehow they're still comfortable after 8 hours of driving. BMW has that exactly right, and the 3-series is fantastic on long trips! The instrumentation is too minimal (speedometer, tach, gas and but fuel mileage) but it's not a problem for those who trust lights and don't want lots of gauges. The driving experience is why you buy a BMW. The turbos have higher maintenance costs and more issues, so I bought the normally aspirated 328, which is a very reliable engine. I am also one of the fortunate few who have the six-speed manual transmission, which makes driving at least 2x more fun. The shifter is quick and smooth, and the pedals are well set up for heel-and-toe shifting. BMW clutches tend to last a very long time, and my car has the original clutch at 105K miles. Clutch replacements will be expensive since BMW uses an unusual dual-disc flywheel that's expensive. Gas mileage is great for a sport sedan/wagon (mid to high 20's) for highway cruising, and in-town mileage depends on how heavy your right foot is (mine is heavy) and how much stop-and-go driving you encounter. The wagon model has enough room for four people (five only in a pinch) and a reasonable amount of cargo. If you're packing for a sports event and bringing a fold-up canopy, you'll have to drop the smaller side of the 60/40 back seat to give yourself room for it. For groceries, trips with carry-on bags and a reasonable amount of cargo, you'll have no problems. Update in 2018: After three years and 27,000 miles I've had the oil and filter changed, fluids changed, installed front brake pads and rotors, changed the spark plugs and cabin filter, replaced the original 9-year-old battery, and had a front end alignment done. The clutch is original (as far as I know) at 125K miles and appears to have substantial life left. I installed standard high performance summer tires and got rid of the Yokohama run-flats, which had a terrible ride. The car is much more pleasing with the standard tires. I carry a 12V air pump and a plug kit in case of a flat. Oh yes, I had the AC refrigerant topped up after three years of driving. That's the total maintenance required to date, and the reader will note that most of it is routine stuff done to every car at appropriate intervals. This car has been among the most dependable I've ever owned. I hope to keep it for years.
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2008 BMW 3 Series for sale near you
3 of 18 listings
- 328xi SedanMSRP: $2,50029 mi away
- 335i ConvertibleMSRP: $10,89599 mi away
- 335i ConvertibleMSRP: $4,995107 mi away
See all 18 listings
BMW For Life
Nahidah, 11/09/2015
2008 BMW 3 Series 328xi 4dr Wagon AWD (3.0L 6cyl 6M)
15 of 18 people found this review helpful
I'd been looking for a used car for a few weeks but found nothing I liked. My husband was out car shopping with a friend when he found this car. I was never a fan of BMW, now I never want to drive anything else! He got it for a fair price, one owner, 70,000 miles, well maintained and super clean. I love this car!
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Reliable, revved up and red
happybeemer, 04/05/2008
2008 BMW 3 Series 328xi 4dr Wagon AWD (3.0L 6cyl 6M)
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
I have about 7800 miles on my 328xi red wagon. I love it! It's the most reliable car I've had, has great space for the size and navigation system and Sirius radio rock! Navigation disses are silly. It's as easy to learn as an iPod which I love, and probably should be standard. Cupholders seem weird at first, but are okay. Comfort access is a great safety feature, and so is all-wheel drive. Gas mileage better than sticker. Drives like a BMW. Enough said. It's my first, but I've had Mercedes and such. Never anything but BMW from here on out. Get one. You will fall in love. I promise.
2008 328xi Wagon, blown transmission avoid!!
Steve, 01/16/2022
updated 01/24/2023
2008 BMW 3 Series 328xi 4dr Wagon AWD (3.0L 6cyl 6M)
8 of 11 people found this review helpful
I bought one of these cars in 2020 as daily driver. It had 119k miles when i bought it. 13 months later, It had pretty significant oil leaks, the whole engine was covered in oil by 126k miles. The interior had a burning oil smell. Around 124k miles the transmission started slipping by 126k miles the transmission was completely blown. Do yourself a favor and completely avoid this car.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value