BMW 3 Series Problems

It's a well recognised fact that we humans don't like change, we prefer to stick with what we know and trust and resist that we aren't so familiar with.  BMW clearly recognised this trait when it updated its very successful 3-Series in 2005 with the new E90 model.While it was clearly a new car with a raft of changes it still ticked all the boxes a 3-Series needed to tick to ensure it would carry on the success that has made the 3-Series the worldwide prestige car benchmark.MODEL WATCH Much had happened in the BMW world since the E90's predecessor, the E46 hit the market in 2000.  Most notably was the arrival of the all-new small 1-Series, which in effect filled the traditional role of the 3-Series as the entry point in the BMW range.With the 1-Series now the entry point the 3-Series was moved upmarket, it was then a stepping stone to bigger things.  Gone from the expanded range of 3-Series models was the 318i, the traditional way into the range. It was replaced with the 320i.The most obvious change from the E46 was the new body, which brought with it the edgy corporate lines that had been introduced on other models like the 5-Series.Run a tape over the car and you would have found it to be larger than its predecessor. It was longer in the wheelbase by 35 mm and a massive 78 mm wider, which translated into more width in the front seat and greater knee-room in the rear.BMW also claimed the boot was much larger, but that was in no small part due to the use of run-flat tyres, which eliminated the need to carry a spare tyre.At launch BMW offered four models: the four-cylinder 320i and its better-equipped 320i Executive sibling, and the six-cylinder 325i and 330i.  A 2.0-litre 16-valve double overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine boasting 110 kW and 200 Nm powered the 320i, and there was the choice of a six-speed sequential-shift automatic transmission or a six-speed manual gearbox.For more zip there was the 325i with a 2.5-litre six-cylinder with 160 kW and 250 Nm, and the 330i with a 3.0-litre six with 190 kW and 300 Nm.  The 325i was available with a six-speed sequential-shift auto and six- speed manual, while 330i was only available with the auto.In a sea of front-wheel drive models BMW has steadfastly held back the tide and the E90 retained rear-drive.  As befits a prestige car the E90 came with plenty of fruit.At the lower end the 320i came with climate controlled air, cruise, remote central locking, power windows and mirrors, a multi-function steering wheel, trip computer, six-speaker CD sound, and 16-inch alloys. Step up to the 320i Executive and you also got fog lamps and leather trim.A move to a six rewarded you with 17-inch alloys, leather, CD- stacker, power driver's seat with memory, and parking sensors.IN THE SHOP BMW parts and servicing don't come cheap if you stick to dealers for your maintenance.  Look around for a BMW service specialist, there are many out there, and you will save heaps on servicing and any parts you might need.The E90 is still in its infancy, with the earliest just coming up five years old and on average with 60,000 km on the odo, so there are very few problems to relate.  All BMW engines use a timing chain instead of a belt, so there's no regular servicing required.ON THE ROAD The real joy of owning a BMW came in the form of the six-cylinder engine.  While the four was adequate, with its smooth driveability and decent fuel economy, there was nothing like a free-revving, silky-smooth BMW straight-six to excite the senses.Coupled with the superbly stable chassis of the E90, with its stiffer body, and rear-wheel drive the 3-Series was a real driver's car.  On the downside, the ride was hard and harsh thanks to the run-flat tyres that BMW used.IN A CRASH BMW claimed the E90 body was 25 per cent stiffer than the E46, a great foundation for building a solid safety package.  Add to that eight airbags and you had plenty of protection when it came to the crunch.Before that the R90 driver had a raft of active safety systems, like ABS anti-lock brakes, dynamic stability control, traction control, and others to assist in avoiding a crash.AT THE PUMP For economy the 320i would deliver 10.0-11.00 L/100 km around town, and 5.5-6.0 L/100 km on the open road.  A six would get between 11.0 and 13.0 L/100 km around town and around 6.5 L/100 km on the highway.LOOK FORSmart modern style . Roomy interior . Good-sized boot . Smooth, free-revving six . Modest four performance . Great rear-drive handling . Hard ride.THE BOTTOM LINEA well built, solid, comfortable that turns heads, but is also a delight to drive.RATING 80/100

For a blend of performance, handling precision, comfort and refinement it’s hard to go past any of the BMWs of the last 20 years, and of course there’s the prestige that comes with the blue and white spinner badge. In many ways BMW has become the benchmark for the car industry. The Bavarian company’s cars have been pace setters since the mid-1980s, particularly since the beaut E30 3-Series and the equally brilliant larger E34 5-Series were launched.They were great driving cars that put the fun back into motoring, cars that were enjoyable to drive, safe and refined, the sort that made you want to get behind the wheel.Today there are plenty of other models from rival car makers that challenge the BMW stars, but few have managed to fully capture the thrill of driving that is part and parcel of the cars from Bavaria.The E36 3-Series launched in 1991 saw a natural progression of the E30. It was bigger and more refined, but built on the things that make BMWs so appealing.Today the E36 represents an affordable ticket into the BMW driving experience, an attractive car for the young and young at heart. It equally appeals to older drivers wanting to downsize from a larger family four-door.MODEL WATCHBy the time the E36 3-Series appeared in local showrooms it was already coming under attack from other car makers who had been busy preparing their own versions of the smallest Beemer.The success of the 3-Series, particularly the E30, wasn’t lost on BMW’s rivals. Its blend of performance, handling and beaut styling in a compact sedan was attracting more and more buyers who didn’t need the size of a Falcon or Commodore, but appreciated the prestige of driving a Euro badge.The 3-Series was, still is, BMW’s biggest seller here. It was in no small part responsible for the German brand’s rise to pre-eminence as the leading Euro importer in the mid-1990s.The E36 318i is a conventional booted four-door sedan. Inside there was accommodation for five, but it really was a little squeezy if you tried to fit five into a space that was more comfortable for four. Still, if you wanted to fit three across the rear bench the unfortunate soul who got the middle slot had the safety of a lap and sash belt.Front seats were comfortable buckets trimmed in durable cloth. There wasn’t any adjustment of the steering column, but the driver had the protection of an airbag from 1993.Power was modest. There was a new 1.8-litre fuel-injected four cylinder engine, the M43, but it was still a two-valver and BMW chose to concentrate on refinement and fuel efficiency rather than chase performance, hence the power gains over the previous four were relatively small.With variable length inlets the power flow of the BMW four was smooth and uninterrupted. So smooth was the delivery that it felt flat to some.Peak power was put at 85 kW, up just 2 kW, and that occurred at 5500 rpm, while maximum torque was 168 Nm, up from 162, and that was achieved at 3900 rpm.There’s no denying it, the numbers were modest and that resulted in modest performance with the 0-100 km/h sprint requiring 11.3 secs and the 400 metre dash taking a fairly leisurely 17.9s. Fuel consumption, however, was well under nine L/100km on average.Gearbox choices were a five-speed manual that had a delightfully slick shift, or a smooth four-speed auto, which was the choice of most buyers.Despite the modest numbers the thrill of driving the BMW on the open road wasn’t dulled. It was always beautifully poised, fluid and well planted, which was both reassuring and challenging.Front suspension was MacPherson strut, the rear multilink independent, with anti-roll bars at both ends.Brakes were a combination of ventilated front discs with solid rears, with the safety of standard ABS from early 1992.Steering was power-assisted rack and pinion that was well weighted and helped point the 318i so precisely.Alloy wheels were optional, steel wheels came standard and they had full wheel covers, but that hardly made up for the lack of alloys.ABS and metallic paint became standard features from April 1992, driver’s airbag from November 1993. A passenger’s airbag joined the features list along with power windows in November ‘94; the following year saw auto climate control air-con standard as well.The 318i Limited arrived in 1996 with alloy wheels, wood trim and six speaker sound. An Executive model replaced it in June 1997 to keep the E36 going in the final months before it was replaced by the E46 in Aug ’98. In addition to the standard features of the regular 318i it also boasted leather trim and remote central locking.IN THE SHOPThe 3-Series is generally robust and reliable providing it’s serviced, which includes regular changes of coolant. Failing to change the coolant can lead to problems with corrosion in the engine and cooling system ancillaries.Check for a verifiable service record, preferably by a BMW dealer or recognised BMW specialist and walk away from any car that doesn’t have one.Engines, transmissions and drive lines are all reliable and give little trouble in the long term if looked after.Like all Euros brake wear is an issue, witness the build up of brake dust on the front wheels of most of them, so be prepared to replace not only pads on a regular basis, but disc rotors as well.Quality of interior trim components is quite high and they generally stand up well in our hot sun.Likewise the paint, even the metallics, withstands the onslaught of the sun well, and there’s little evidence of fading. Look instead for signs of accident damage and small dings caused by careless drivers.Dealer servicing is expensive, as are the factory parts, so look for a BMW specialist and you’ll save plenty.OWNERS VIEWDave Odorisio has owned his 318i for eight years. It has now travelled 135,000 km and still gives great fuel economy. He says the comfort and feel of road control make it too good to sell. Although he says the 318i lacks in performance Dave has fitted larger wheels and upgraded the suspension, which has made up for the lack of grunt.MG enthusiast Michael Tait bought his BMW 318i auto in 1998 with 32,000 km on the odometer. He says it’s a comfortable city and touring car, although its performance can be best described as leisurely. It has now covered 150,000 reliable kilometres, and in that time four tyres, a radiator and water pump have been replaced in addition to normal service items.LOOK FOR• unbeatable prestige of BMW badge• precise, well balanced handling makes driving a pleasure• refined, quiet and comfortable, a joy on long trips• modest performance, but very economical• reliable and robust over long term• check for verifiable service record 

The traditional prestige players are priced beyond the means of most of us -- but the qualitative difference separating the business class and the topline versions of the rest has diminished to the point of non-existence. All right, you'll look better in the car park comparison stakes if you drive the exxier choices listed here, but you're by no means always driving the better car.WAGONSOne's a classy Volkswagen Group sport wagon with a direct injection turbo petrol engine with the option of a cutting-edge transmission. And so's the Audi.The Czech-made Skoda is essentially a bigger in the body, more discreet, better riding and cheaper VW Golf GTI, the car that more than any other blurs the distinction between the prestige pack and the rest.The handling-enhancing electronic diff of the new GTI is on its way to the RS, so while the twin clutch DSG adds $2300, the generous standard kit (including tasty 18s) and skinny options list means there's not a lot more to spend. Rare is the Audi of which that can be said.The output of the front-wheel-drive Avant's turbo four is similar (132kW/320Nm plays Skoda's 147kW/280Nm), limited for its continuously variable transmission. Quattro and the full-fat engine sets you back another $13,000 -- and the premium is already just a bit silly.SEDANSOne's a perfectly balanced, rear-wheel-drive, inline petrol six with great steering and a six-speed ZF automatic. And so's the BMW.All right, we're comparing a big tarted-up Aussie taxi with a thoroughbred mid-size Bavarian sport sedan here, but what of it? Priced $33K south, this Falcon is probably the best-value car in the country on a metal for money basis and that price difference buys a lot of basic unleaded petrol for that 4.0-litre atmo six with its whacking 195kW/391Nm. If there's a quickish car that rides as well as the Falcon, it's known not unto us.As to the Bimmer, well, you'd go there if you could, even if the peerless handling comes at the price of run-flat tyres and an options list to make your eyes bleed.DIESELSOne's a European-built front-wheel-drive with a sophisticated turbodiesel engine and bank-vault build quality. And so's the Volvo. Now the first prestige Euro to be owned by a Chinese company, Volvo did rather well out of its association with Ford (certainly better than Saab did out of GM). But the years of proximity invite comparison.Long the choice of UK sales reps and families, the Mondeo's marriage of the diesel with an auto and capable dynamics give it a comfortable niche position at this level of the market. The Titanium edition gives the long Ford the trim and kit to compare with the premium brigade.Despite its more potent five-cylinder engine and Swedish aura of invulnerability, we just can't see the extra spend in the stolid Volvo.SUVSOne's the best-driving compact SUV and... uh, that's the BMW, actually. We've often said that if BMW made front-wheel-drive family cars they'd handle like Mazdas, so the two brands' respective four-wheel-drives should logically be even closer.Not quite, but not to the extent that the X3 is nigh-on $20K better. The X3's only real advantage in Australia's restricted conditions is its standard six-speed auto. Stop us if you're tired of hearing this, Mazda doesn't yet have a slusher for its diesel.While the Mazda's engine is slightly bigger and more potent than the BMW diesel, it has to haul a nearly two-tonne kerb weight. The X3 is 250kg lighter but, within, it's also the most dated Bimmer.How much is that badge worth, again?

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, BMW should be feeling pretty pleased with its 3-Series. In the last 20 years or so many companies trying to get a slice of the affordable prestige market have copied it.There’s no doubt that the 3-Series has been one of the outstanding performers of the last 20 years or more. It has proved to be the favoured way of moving into the European world of prestige motoring for many Australians, and still holds its own in a market filled to overflowing with clones.Over the years the 3-Series range has been expanded, and now includes a model to suit everyone, from the Compact hatch, the ubiquitous 318 sedan, to the smooth six-cylinder sedans and coupes, the sizzling hot M3 sports sedan, and the slinky convertibles.BMW were one of the first to bring a convertible to the Australian market, starting with the pretty cabriolets and convertibles of the E30 model in the 1980s. They have maintained a drop-top in their range, and the 328i and the models that have followed have become the benchmarks for soft top motoring.MODEL WATCH Convertibles haven’t always been popular in Australia; a country where the blazing sun can fry exposed skin in minutes in summer. It seems odd really, but Australia was considered too hot to enjoy the thrill of open top motoring, while Europe was regarded as the perfect environment for a convertible.That thinking is outdated. Old time convertibles, while perfect on a mild spring day, were inconvenient and uncomfortable, just ask anyone who was stuck in a sudden downpour trying to erect the roof.Today’s convertibles, epitomised by the BMW E36, are everything the old ones weren’t. The most important development has been in the roof function, which can be raised and lowered in a matter of seconds, without even leaving the driver’s seat.There’s no chance of being caught in a sudden shower, and what’s more, once the roof is in place it’s sealed so it won’t let the rain in like old ones would. It’s also well lined so it’s quiet and snug inside.A modern convertible is like having a sedan when the roof is up, and a sporty car when it’s lowered. A great compromise for those who appreciate a car that can crossover the boundaries that separate family transport and sports motoring.The E36 328i convertible arrived in 1995, an update of the previous 325i model. It used the slinky lines of the 3-Series coupe, with a well developed soft top that attached to the windscreen header with a clasp operated by a single grip, and folded away out of sight behind the rear seat.To raise or lower it you simply had to be stationary, twist the clasp and push the roof away from the windscreen header, and flick a switch on the centre console. It was simple, and it all happened in a few seconds.The 328i is built on the same agile platform as the rest of the E36 3-Series. With independent suspension all round, four-wheel discs, ABS and traction control, it is armed for action.Add to that one of the sweetest six cylinder engines ever built and you’ve got a potent performance package. In the case of the 328i, the engine has a capacity of 2.8 litres; it’s a straight six, with double overhead camshafts, fuel injection, and VANOS variable valve timing that made it a powerful performer right through the rev range. Peak power was 142 kW at 5300 revs, while peak torque was 280 Nm.Transmission choices were sporty five-speed manual with a nice shift, and a smooth five-speed auto.As would be expected of a car this expensive the 328i convertible came well equipped. Alloy wheels, air-conditioning, cruise, remote central locking and alarm, leather steering wheel and trim, power mirrors and windows, and radio/cassette sound came standard.Dual airbags provided crash protection.IN THE SHOP The 328i convertible suffers few problems. Overall the 3-Series is a tight, well built car that stands up well over the long term.They tend to use up consumables at a fast rate. Things like brakes are consumed quite quickly, with OE pads and discs quite expensive. Likewise they tend to use up rear tyres quite quickly, which can also be expensive to replace. Both are the cost of the BMW’s high level of performance.Nothing much goes wrong with the six cylinder engine; it’s as sweet an engine as you will ever drive, with a neat note and plenty of punch.It’s important with convertibles to check the operation of the roof, to make sure it goes up and down smoothly. Check also the condition of the roof fabric, looking particularly for frayed areas, split stitching, and damaged seals, which can occur with regular use over the long term.Check the rear window for fogging or discolouration, which might mean a replacement is in order.Inside, check for signs the car has been left out in the rain with the roof down. It does happen. An owner might have cruised to lunch, and left the roof down while dining, only to be caught out by a sudden shower.Look for water stains in trim and carpets, perhaps even lift carpets to check underneath.Convertible roofs are expensive to replace, and can be difficult to adjust, so it’s important to make sure the roof on the car you want to buy is in good shape. The roof on a car that has been regularly garaged will last longer than one that has been left outside in the elements.Like all cars check for a service record, one preferably from a BMW dealer or an acknowledged BMW expert.OWNERS’ VIEW Paul Sabine of Brooklands Motors has a low kay 1996 328i auto convertible for sale at $46,990. It’s a one owner car, black with tan leather trim, and 44,000 km on the odometer. It drives smoothly, is tight as a drum, with just a few stone chips on the grille and bonnet. The roof needs a minor adjustment where it catches on the rear cover while being raised.LOOK FOR • proof of regular service by specialist• smooth straight six engine• agile handling and smooth ride• easy to use power roof• slinky stylingTHE BOTTOM LINE Smooth, tight convertible with sweet six engine, sporty handling and efficient roof.RATING 90/100