Automotive Forums

If you could only have one car, how fast would you want it to be? Probably as fast as possible without winning Guzzler of the Month at Exxon, right? You say you want a smooth ride coupled with handling good enough for a magazine to call it “The Best Handling Car For Over $40,000”? That’s a tough order. You’d like it small enough to maintain agility and easy parking but roomy enough for five, just in case? Steering so smooth that driving in a straight line gets you high? A ride so quiet that 100 MPH feels like 50? Great looks? Prestige? Stellar resale value? The choice of five body styles? The latest in technology like 5-speed automatics with manual shift, a Sequential Manual Gearbox, and three very efficient, silk-smooth six-cylinder engines? In other words, you want a car that’s just so damn good at everything it does that every other car over the past 40 years has tried to outdo it, and failed? Well, why didn’t you say so?  

Enter the BMW 3-series, the long-standing German hero with such impaired English that it doesn’t even understand the word “compromise.” Every magazine that has tested this car has endured the continuous accusations of selling out to BMW – accusations that obviously come from those who have never driven one.  

Well, there’s only one thing to say: it really is that good.  

Totally agree! The BMW 3-Series is a really great car all-around! I drive a 2006 BMW 330i and I'm in love with it everyday!

On the scale from 1-10 I would rate this car's qualities as following: (not biased!!)

Power: 7
Handling: 9
Comfort: 7
Safety: 8
Fuel Efficiency: 7 (Not as good as advertised, or maybe I just have a leadfoot?)
Look/Bling Factor: 7 (I know, it's a very subjective category.)  

I was going to come on here and ask about the 3-series, so I guess some of my questions are answered.  
As a minitrucker it takes a lot for me to become intrigued about CARS, but this did it for sure, and is my newest crush as far as cars go.

What does fuel efficiency of "7" translate in to in mgp??

And $$$ concerns me too but I guess that's my problem.  

The "sticker" on the car claims 21/29 for an automatic transmission and 20/30 for a manual transmission. I personally drive 60% freeway and 40% local but I only get 21mpg mixed. So basically I'm getting the mpg for driving local 100% but I actually drive 60% freeway. The car gets 27 mpg on the freeway which is close to what BMW claimed, but local you will not get close to 21 mpg, more like 16 mpg.

My 330i has sport package and the steptronic(automatic transmission) and the msrp was about 40k and tax was about 3k so total i got the car for $43000 out the door. I purchased the car 2 weeks after it was announced so I only got a $200 discount. I'm pretty sure if you get either a 325i or a 330i now you will be able to get a $2000+ discount.

By the way, I have heard news about BMW changing 325i to 328i and 330i to 335i with almost no increment in price, at most $2000. I would wait until the 2007 models come out and see if that is true before I buy one. I feel kind of cheated knowing that BMW is upgrading all the 3 series only 1 year after it was announced. It was a brand new engine when I bought my car too! Oh well, I guess I'm just a victim of the horsepower war. I hope this helped, post more questions if you have any so I can help you.  

great car, , in it's segment its the better overhall...
i dont like the shape of the tail-lights... neither the I-drive( thank good it an option in this car) , but even with its little flaws.. its a greeat car...  

Quite simply, the staple.  In other words, the blueprint by which others must be graded upon.  I am at a loss with the different styling approach presented by the 2006 model however it has grown on me, like all the new Bangle BMW's have eventually.  The horizontal stripes used to illuminate the taillights are especially elegant.  

Agreed.  I have a 2004 330xi.  Best car by far I have ever driven.  Only problem is with the damned run-flat tires.  They seem to break down fast, and now the low pressure sensor keeps coming on.  No one seems to know how to fix it.  

Next set of tires:  I will avoid the OE Goodyear RST run flats:  very expensive ($1100 for new set of four) and not great performance, especially since they seem to burn up after only 20K.  

i have a 330i sportpack, I cant wait for MODS to start getting heavily produced for the E90