BMW 3-Series Coupe (1999 - 2006) 320 Cd SE Sport 2d (2003/53) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

That I enjoy driving

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

They like it

Would you buy this car again and why?

No definitely not despite the drive and fuel performance the reliability is atrocious for such an expensive marque.

What are you likely to buy next?

Anything but a BMW

Type of dealer you bought from?

Independent

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£16,995

When did you buy the car?

May 2006

Did you get a good deal and why?

Good deal on trade in and finance

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

I had an overall good impression of the marque. I also liked the performance quoted.

What was the dealer like?

Average. Showroom filled with nice cars. But he was reluctant to let me test drive until I had agreed in principle to buy the vehicle.

What's it like to drive?

Superb

What's it like to park?

Easy

Have you had any problems with the car?

Everything went well until September 2007. A little known problem with this engine (the 2 litre 150bhp diesel) is that the inlet manifold valves have a tendency to come away and be ingested into the engine causing the engine block to be written off. The number of miles on the engine will dictate how BMW UK will treat you. As the engines are getting older this is becoming a more frequent problem suggesting the deterioration of the material is time dependent. Fortunately for me BMW UK agreed to pay for a new engine block and I was left with a bill of £2.2k to refit it (this included the investigation costs as well). Two weeks later I had to be recovered back to my local dealer by the AA with a flat battery due to a fault in the fan circuit causing the battery to discharge.

What's most practical about your car?

Fuel consumption vs performance

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

Rear parking sensor