BMW 3 Series - Is the 'king of the sports sedans' any good USED? | ReDriven used car review

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Check out the BMW 3 Series Cheat Sheet here: redriven.com/cheat-sheets/bmw...
Looking for a used BMW 330i? - carsforsale.com.au/bmw/330i
It's the father of the luxury sports sedan, and the standard by which all its competitors are judged, but is the BMW 3 Series the best luxury sedan for the money? Watch to find out.
00:00​​​​​​​ - Intro
00:36 - What is it?
03:23 - How's the interior?
06:52 - Tech & safety?
09:35 - What's it like to drive?
13:26 - Pricing
14:10 - What goes wrong?
19:09 - Should you buy it?
What did you think? Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments below and don't forget to subscribe to stay up to date with all of our latest content!
USED CAR BUYERS GUIDE: • ULTIMATE used car buye...
#bmw
#3series
#sedan
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At ReDriven, we’ll be taking you through the pros and cons of a huge range of used cars to see how well they’re going now that they’re a few years old, have thousands of kilometres on the clock, and are coming toward the end of their warranty, or maybe don’t have one at all.
Plus, thanks to our resident mechanic, Jim, you’ll find out what commonly goes wrong with them and what might need to be fixed.
Most importantly, we want to make ReDriven a voice for the most in-the-know used car experts there are...you guys.. See, you’re the ones that actually buy, live with, love and sometimes unfortunately hate the cars we’ll be reviewing.
So we want to hear your thoughts. Hit us up in the comments, or on Instagram and Facebook.
We’d love nothing more than for you to give us as much feedback as possible, so we can make this channel the best it can be.
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[@ReDriven]

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[@metrix9125]

You are too honest mate, initially I hated your videos for bashing all my favourite cars but now I'm all over your videos, every car buyer needs this content...Thank you, don't change for anything. And I've been seeing a lot of "PRETENTIOUS" things around me of late...lol

[@JC-bqq]

too honest? no such thing

[@love2huntbooks2]

Love the channel and was waiting for your F30 video. I was aware of a few of these issues but the others were informative. I purchased my BMW 340i (RWD) post-LCI used in Sep 2022 with about 24k miles on it. It still had a few months left on the original warranty and had a year’s CPO. As a owner, I wanted to add my 2 cents to the F30 conversation as well. These are my own experiences, and it could be different from others, so take it with a grain of salt. Hope this benefits anyone who is considering the 3 series. Try to purchase with warranty - I had the following taken care of because it still had 3 to 4 months of warranty left. CPO wouldn’t cover these (transmission and engine only). Coolant problem - The B58 engines have this issue where the coolant keeps depleting. If you’re in warranty, have the coolant reservoir and/or it’s cap replaced. But to be safe, travel with some coolant with you and top it up often. There are sensors, but the sensor is at the absolute bottom of the reservoir, so by the time the sensor throws an error, you’re screwed. Rattles & squeaks - Two well known issues here. The door pins rattle in a few models and another issue is squeaky noises with the shadowline trim. There are service bulletin codes for each of these, which you can use with your service center to have them corrected under warranty. While fixing one of the rattles in the passenger door, they found something wrong with the weather seal in it and fixed it for free. All of this wouldn’t be possible without warranty. Plastic cowl under windshield - Extremely prone to crack around the edges with time. Looks ugly, doesn’t lead to water seeping in. XDrive - The xDrive system is praised by a lot of people BUT only consider it if you live in a place with extremely adverse weather. It comes with a certain set of “rules”. For ex - the rolling diameter of the front tires and the rear can’t go beyond 1%. Why would there be a difference? That goes into our next topic. Staggered vs square setup - A lot of the BMWs have thinner front wheel tires and wider rear wheel tires - staggered setup. The staggered setup tends to force the car to understeer, and thereby making it “safer” from a OEM’s POV. It’s hard to explain but it’s almost like the chassis is twisting (if you take a turn hard), it’s like the front is understeering and the rear wheels are pushing you forward. It doesn’t “rotate” easily. Ok, so do I switch to a square setup of same tires all round? Next topic. Tires - I HIGHLY recommend you go to a square setup and to get better tires. The default tires on BMWs are RFTs which are NOISY as hell and give a very firm/rough ride. Continental DWS are soft and comfortable, not like SUV luxury/softness, but they do the job. Not to mention, with a square setup, you can carry a spare (esp if you go off RFTs) for road trips. Wheels/Alloys - Since the world is leaning to lower and lower profile tires with big wheels, you will FEEL the road. Especially if you have the mSport alloys. Changing your wheels and tires mean a lot of research so they don’t rub on the inside. There are quite a few options out there which look better and weigh lesser. Lesser weight is lesser unsprung mass, faster turn in. Seats & Adaptive dampers - Definitely on the firm side. In fact, forums say that if your car was made in South Africa, the seats are definitely a problem. Despite all this, I like my car. I won't own it till I die, but I’ll have fun with it for a few years. What works well. Transmission - I would rate the ZF transmission only a notch below the Porsche PDK. It’s really good. PDK is cerebral, it just instinctively knows what you’re trying to do. The ZF isn’t that good, the first 3 gears feel like they’re holding you back, they feel over complicated to my millennial brain which grew up with 4 and 5 speed stick shifts. Engine - The low subtle grunt of the inline 6 is an absolute pleasure. The newer m340i has too many crackles and pops. Not my cup of tea. And merging into the highway or highway cruising is a delight. Never lacks power. You also get a 30+ mpg on highways (if you stay in the vicinity of the speed limit). Community - I moved from a Miata to this car and honestly the BMW forums & community have been on par with the Miata’s. A lot of the forum people helped me figure out a lot of these, and they are extremely knowledgeable. Aftermarket support - Endless. It’s expensive, but there are just so many options that it’s mind boggling. Modifications/tuning - You can easily bump the power on a B58 engine by 50whp with just a Stage 1 software tune. And these are conservative estimates. Pretty sure you can go higher.

[@MG-Alexandrovich]

Coolant loss is something I had on my 18 540 but didn’t on 19 440i. Also I got coolant low message, when it was about 5fl oz down, mb even less (I waited till car cooled down before adding coolant)

[@TheClaptonisgod1]

Amazing info 👌

[@love2huntbooks2]

@@TheClaptonisgod1 Cheers, glad it helps people

[@TwistedDonners]

This video right here is the sort of quality you'd expect from a channel or TV show with a far larger budget than what you guys have yet you are consistently improving and out doing yourselves on the quality of the videos compared to the competition and this layout is the best of the bunch so far. The only thing that was a bit off putting was the camera was a bit all over the place with Hullsy but even that's a minor thing. They should use this as an example of how to do a video in film making classes. Had to laugh at the indicator and GT variant's looks bits as they were priceless. Also have to admit I honestly thought this generation of 3 series was made in Thailand not South Africa. Should get a banner made with the 10k kms servicing recommendation Hullsy keeps saying so he can hang it behind himself and point to it as needed to save repeating himself all the time lol. Also congrats on breaking 130k subs guys you're really starting to get the recognition you all deserve. Have a good weekend guys and look forward to next week's videos as always 👍.

[@Cathom180]

I really like the more dynamic camera and for majority of the shots, maybe leaving the static camera with some panning shots for the interior sections would help keep a more a ‘professional’ presentation but I’m loving the growth and production value of the videos, keep it up guys.

[@brainsmatterpodcast]

Glad to see the indicators working on that BM, because most I see on the roads seem to have ones that don’t work 😂 Your bit about the indicators was so on point! That GT body style is so ugly, maybe it was a peek into the future with the huge beaver grilles, getting us used to ugly BMWs…

[@user-gs6du1ex1b]

BMW is known for having weird functioning turn signals, it's one of those that returns to center and it has no click, hard to turn off. A tap only flashes it a couple times and it's not long enough to complete your turn. So most people just don't even bother.

[@timberry2723]

Super informative and great video as always. I think this may be your funniest one yet to mate, lost count of how many laughs I had and that’s coming from a BMW owner.

[@chuckdiego719]

You have your own unique style of reviewing cars and I like it.

[@pokkel1982]

Hahaha, "Rattles & Squeaks" Great video. One of my friends once said, that there is no car that drives like a BMW. I owned a 3 series in South Africa (nice safety feature segment btw...) , and seeing that is made here, the parts are cheap, especially when you can do it yourself. The 320d is a gem, especially with a ECU tune. Lovely cars...

[@jarrod1687]

Your videos are very well made, especially for a small team

[@teavstravel]

After giving you a bit of grief about the new vs used options earlier in the week, gotta say this is back to the great stuff I follow the channel for. This and the Hiace are up there with the best vids on the channel (and great reviews compared anything else that's out there). Weird combo of cars, but two I've got experience with and think both reviews were spot on.

[@ReDriven]

Cheers mate, and we love copping constructive criticism, it’s how we improve. - AK

[@Tony-112]

Another great video guys!

[@MrInternFTL]

I’m really glad you made this video I’m really serious about buying one of these

[@alex-025x]

Your videos are very useful, thanks

[@dangerm3496]

Good review AK

[@claudiadavies5110]

Informative AND hilarious, thank you 😁😁😁

[@partyplayer3701]

Showing love all the way from South Africa. Please review an AUDI TT in future videos🔥

[@levichance]

I dig the new camera style you guys have tried , however me personally preferred the more subtle approach. Not that it's bad but yeah. I prefer the more minimalistic clean cut approach.

[@eastharvest8415]

Broo, I've been considering buying this car for 2 weeks now😂😂 thank you!

[@BryceBrown1]

I just discovered your channel... nice! And, I just bought a pre-lci Touring 320d... wish me luck! It replaces my E61 with the pretty much bulletproof NA N52. Quite a change!

[@alexsimon9032]

I love it when he keeps poppin that stick on the left side of the steering wheel up and down just before taking a turn 🤪 looks so funny.

[@joespittle1]

The timing chain guide issue wasn't quite as prevalent as people make it out to be. It affected cars made prior to May 2015, after which BMW changed the design of the timing chain guides. Most notably it effected the N20 and N26 engines. BMW offered an extended warranty that spanned 7 years and 120k miles so these have all lapsed now. Frequent oil changes, not using the auto start/stop, and not abusing the engine are key in preventing damage. Cars with the issue will present with a whinning and rattling sound from the front of the engine (not to be confused with the clattery direct injection) sounding engine.

[@dougparker-barnes1229]

Funniest video yet!! Awesome, keep up the great content

[@Thebigshow872]

I own a 2013 328I touring Msport (85k) and my mother owns a 2018 320I Luxury Line (30k). Absolutely no issues as yet. Fix things if needed or service accordingly and you’ll be fine.

[@Kiwittgmail]

The last best 3-series was the E90 range, with the NA 6-cylinder no-turbo models. All newer 3-series are turbo models, which started with the E90 335i and onwards. I own a German-Built 2006 E90 330i M-Sport and is rock-solid.

[@telbor3378]

I live in Germany and currently I own a 2018 4 series F36 Gran Coupé LCI xDrive model with the N57D30, so a 3L Turbo-Diesel Engine. It has almost 100.000 km under its belt and I happily report zero issues or unplanned maintenance so far. This car has been very good to me. It being my very first BMW is especially surprising because I also heard all the rumors about them being unreliable, but I also suppose that it might have something to do with their drivers...

[@rossscalise6100]

Another great video. Can you review the standard 2 series please?

[@MyRandomLife247]

14:29 “pile of dog shit”. Holy shit that caught me off guard 🤣🤣🤣🤣. Noticed you guys are going a different style with the videos! I dig it!

[@jasongarufi8187]

I loved your comment about BMW drivers and indicators lol.

[@gavazamoabelo4060]

One of the cars I've been dying to see❤

[@Kenadian2006]

I bought a 328d, a 2018 F30 diesel. Only gremlin I've had is the digital cluster had to be replaced, but under warranty so no skin off my back. I put about 26k on it in about 9 months now? No mechanical problems whatsoever.

[@charleskyriakou1938]

Hearing all those problems actually makes me feel good about owning my Alfa Giulia 😂

[@jayzr8938]

I think you spoke too soon. Your vid will come 😄 mwahahahaha

[@phelelanikhuluse8840]

@@jayzr8938 Alphas are worse...

[@miskatonic6210]

And how old is your italian piece of crap? It can't be that old...

[@charleskyriakou1938]

@Phelelani Khuluse i don't know about that. Haven't heard of many major engine issues such as timing chains etc. They're pretty solid units. Electrical gremlins though 🤦‍♂️

[@rsoul7282]

Dude, you drive an Alfa, only true driving enthusiasts are that brave, my hat comes off in respect. 👏

[@brunooliveiramazza]

Hahahahahahahha! Best moment ever - how to use the indicator. Well done mate.

[@damilolaakanni]

The reason why most BMW drivers don't use their turn signals is because they don't know how to cancel it after a lane change. In other cars, if you use the turn signal to signal a lane change and return it to centre, it will cancel. In the 3 series that puts on the turn signal of the other side. It's very annoying to most people, hence why they don't use it.

[@User-cb4jm]

Sometimes I wonder why they have to reinvent things that work. That said it shouldn’t be too difficult to get used to the fact you can press it the same way it’s blinking to cancel - if people can get used to the fact different cars have turn signals on different sides of the steering wheel, I think this is also a quirk you’ll get used to when it’s your own car and you drive it everyday.

[@rexthesheep]

I hear you. I understand. I even sympathise. But it does basically boil down to "they don't use their turn signals because they didn't learn how to, perhaps through repeated usage of the turn signals."

[@davidperry3531]

Hardly a reason - I had a F30 but using indicators was never a problem.

[@cwang6951]

Lexus GS has the same stupid indicators - so annoying

[@kristoffer3000]

It's actually incredibly easy to use, people are just stupid. Idiot proof something and the world will invent a better idiot.

[@drain9993]

as a previous owner of this gen M3 and 330i i never heard of any of these going wrong. think you got this list of an internet forum or something. both mine were the most solid cars ever.

[@ReDriven]

As we mentioned mate, plenty of owners have never and will never have an issue however, everything we mentioned is easily found via reliability reports, customer satisfaction surveys, owners groups, forums, we spoke to multiple BMW service technicians and BMW specialist mechanics, what we covered was the culmination of all of this information. - AK

[@johnnybutler9484]

Hahaha, yes indicators are great, shame the BMW’s sold here in Canberra don’t have them installed.

[@user-tj9xv4dk8o]

Not a bad post on the f30 but we run them in uk no issues they cracking cars my n47 318d running 50mpg urban no issues with chain 103000k and as for the timing chain issues its lack of servicing the b engine is same with chain issues due to servicing but good vid mate keep up the good work :)

[@FDGiovanni]

Great video guys! Please review an f22 2 series! I'm on the market for one hehe

[@blu_is500]

Lexus IS all day everyday! Thanks for another great video team. Sent it to a friend of ours who just bought a 2014 X6 against our recommendations. Had the car for 6 months and has already spent $5K in repairs! 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@reaperxi-0382]

Great video as always! I’d personally pick an F22 M240i (still patiently waiting for your review on that) 😅

[@trevordriver1504]

I have watched nearly all your videos, thanks to multiple FIFO quarantine's, and you are on the money for the cars I have owned. I have a 2012 and a 2013 f30 335i as well as a 135i from BM Trouble You stable. I do all my own repairs, etc. Here are some of the very common issues you may have missed on that car. The plastic panel under the wipers degrades in the sun and looks crap while the rest of the car still looks great. Inside the real issue with door handles is the sticky degrading black muck that comes off on your hands from the inner side of the handle until you buy Chinese replacements that are great. The door lock pins that stick out of the tops of the doors vibrate and make a tone of noise when driving on coarse bitumen roads ( one well placed wrap with electrical tape fixes it ). Yes the steering has issues and knocks prematurely ( $120 for a guide kit from the internet fixes it but at 130k on it, it shouldn't need it ) Mine being N55's both leak oil from the pan, one was also leaking badly from the filter housing to the oil cooler pipe block, $9 and a few hours = sorted but the belt was so badly damaged, it was close to delimitation. The water pumps OMG, the seal on the impeller leaks internally and coolant enters the electronics of the pump. This causes the pump to start by itself when the car is shut and locked ( about 8 minutes after ) and drawing 28 amps, it kills the battery overnight. ( that took some diagnosing, LOL) no electronics issues of yet inside, drives beautiful and quick but the 0-100 time you quoted of 4.5 seconds is not realistic, my daughters Stinger is quicker than my f30, maybe that should be 5.5 seconds. Keep the good work, Cheers Trev

[@dexterdpc]

For the steering - just turn on the Sport setting and it takes away the vague feel! I coded the ability via BimmerCode into my 2014 320d Luxury Line and being able to keep the normal transmission with the sport steering makes all the difference.

[@ajwest3081]

I ran a 330d Xdrive from 50k to over 100k. Proved very expensive - rear diff, adaptive suspension issues, always £1000 plus every year to repair and service. Too new to repair at an independent at the time - but out of warranty. I now lease my cars as they are always in warranty………

[@petec6805]

Had my 2013 f31 320d m sport now for 200k miles (322k km). Refreshed all the suspension at 140k and religiously do regular service oil changes ( engine at 5k intervals, 50k diff and gearbox ), but apart from brakes, tyres etc there’s been nothing else. Never let me down & 100% reliability - maybe lucked out on a unicorn build

[@duffydon1741]

No luck, BMW is building some solid diesel engines, cant go wrong with the diesels

[@68404]

How did you break the tyres?

[@DWI_Community]

That service interval is the key to long and happy life!

[@kaym7549]

Good maintenance will keep your diesel engine solid! BMW did not sleep on them I must say.

[@doughbroNZ]

The fact you've been looking after it is key. Did you ever have to do the timing chain? Or does yours have a B-spec engine?

[@shahriarmahmood9886]

God bless you, I’ve been waiting for a video on the pre facelift 3 series and it just answers so many questions I had till now. Please kindly do a 4 series one too if possible. Seriously love your work and wanna see you grow in the future 👌🏿👌🏿

[@PrisonerD]

The 3 series and 4 series will be basically the same. They're the same car underneath.

[@lutles001]

everytime i watch your videos i will think you shoot in South Africa... like on 9.17 that's somewhere in Johannesburg but I like the vids so informative...

[@stuartarneaud218]

Great job bro. Do a video on Prado 120 series 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@angeloudy]

I have the 330i wagon, it's very practical as well as fast and reliable. Th wheel base of 3 series is actually longer than some large SUVs. The only issue I had is a blown water pipe at 60000k, fixed for $500.

[@doughbroNZ]

do you mean one of those plastic coolant flanges cracked?

[@YourTechGerman]

Got a high spec M performance 2017 model and Wireless Apple CarPlay comes with the BMW Professional navigation (and it has connected services), no need to retrofit it. I can recommend to look for one with the Harman/Kardon system, its well worth it. Also mine just passed the 110.000km mark and basically still feels like new, no rattles, little wear. On the negative, I have to replace my engine and transmission suspensions now, they broke. Apparently its quite common on these if you’re into drifting but I’ve never drifted and it still broke so i don’t know… no other complaints

[@bobs_sa8480]

2016 320i M sport owner here with a smidge under 150k km on it! I picked it up with about 9000km on it in 2017, had it ever since and have loved it! Have taken it to all its service needs as scheduled. Maintenance plan ran out in July 2021 and it hasn’t been a problem child! Except until literally two months ago when it got a slow coolant leak; turned out to be the oil filter housing and turbo coolant feed lines. Bit of a pricy fix but not too bad (I’m in South Africa fyi). Small rattle when the plastic clip for the handbrake lines broke but that was a cheap fix. Other than that it has been absolutely rock solid! Drives really well still. Infotainment is now fairly dated admittedly but works well and doesn’t look like a pig’s arse on the outside like most new BMWs these days! Will probably look to trade it in next year cos out of maintenance plan BMWs are a risky prospect but I’ll be sad to see it go!

[@ronz91]

Lol nice to see other saffas watch redriven. Weird that Aus gets them from here but gets more models than here. Also weird that in SA BMW people swear by the diesels.

[@PrisonerD]

@@ronz91 I have a diesel in Australia (320d) and the problem seems pretty overblown generally here. I've had no issues with mine at all, I just change the oil and filter at half the service interval that the service indicator tells me to make sure that the oil doesn't suffer diesel dilution. I think the main issue with the timing chains is the 30,000km service interval - if you do mostly city mileage then the oil can get diluted over time due to cold running and extra DPF burn offs.

[@dannyboii541]

Honestly never had a single problem like that in my 3 years of owning a 3rd hand f30 335i bought it at 92k kms and now has 120k kms and it’s still immaculate. Only thing you’re right on with the idrive giving issues

[@mbag012]

Dont mean to discount your experience but its the statistics that matter. And when something eventually does go wrong the repair bills are simply going to be a lot higher.

[@dannyboii541]

@@mbag012 only speaking of my personal experience with BMW and alot of things are easy to do yourself, plugs coils injectors etc can all be done at home, just the obvious ones are don't drive your car hard when cold and be on-top of your maintenance with a proper service centre not just BMW. Ofcourse it won't be a Toyota but the 340i and 335i's from personal experience are damn near the best reliable modern performance sedan's you can currently buy

[@combinedeffects4799]

I purchased new 2014 BMW 328 x drive - I now have 258,000 Km with very few issues - an oil sensor at 12,000 Km ( warranty ) , pulley belts under extended warranty, some sort of mechanism that makes the car drive slow ‘ ( wastegate something ? ) it was worn and broke loose ( 204,000 km ) and oil and brake maintenance - I am in love with this car - the comfort. Red seats , amazing fuel economy , X- drive for the snow. Rear seats fold down etc - this car has performed like a Toyota Corolla in terms of reliability- the only thing is the run flats were harsh and I replace several of them in the first 25,000 Km ( makes me paranoid that the mechanics at the dealership were in on some diabolical scheme ) - however I used to be a BMW hater - this 3 series now made me live BMW - I purchased a 2021 M40i Z 4 with 6000 Km on it and that is a dramatic fun car - but somehow in my 2014 3 series - it feels so right - they did an amazing job with this model. And yes - on start up it is a bit noisy.

[@dennishorsthuis1507]

Thank you for being truthful about Bmw drivers, although I think the owners as long as he return signals are good to

[@_nezmo_]

A couple of months ago I picked up a F31 330i Touring. Ex-BMW company car so it came with all the bells and whistles. Plus it is immaculately maintained. Still came with the remainder of a service pack and as you mentioned in the video, a complete unicorn. I love it. First BMW I've owned and I'm greatly impressed. Also being a Touring, I rarely see these on Perth roads anymore. My previous car was a Renault Koleos, Renault Megane RS, Golf R, Mazda RX8... But I definitely feel like in the Touring, I've become a bit of a target on the road from other drivers.

[@richiepaddick9261]

Great report Adam! I have had my F30, 328 for almost 11 years and done 170k. Timing chain replaced at 155k (limp mode). Yes it was expensive at $7500. Before this I had a C Class. There is no comparison between the MB and a BM. BMW are the Ultimate Driving Machine. And in my experience, the dealership really looks after you. And the police do love them as we do tend to contribute our fair share of donations to their multi-nova speed camera department, because they are so enjoyable to drive.

[@gavinr9107]

$7500 for a timing chain thain should not have to be replaced anyway?! That is insane. Those kind of repairs justify why I will stick to Lexus and Toyota.

[@richiepaddick9261]

@@gavinr9107 all timing chains need replacing.

[@gavinr9107]

@@richiepaddick9261 Well it should last at least 200K and not cost $7500....

[@davidperry3531]

I had a F30 328i and it was a great car but the G20 330i is better.

[@richiepaddick9261]

@@davidperry3531 yes they are terrific. I have had one as a loaner when my car has been in for a service. Nice note in the exhaust!

[@maxcardenas8257]

I had a 17 lci 330i in a MANUAL. coming from a swift it was amazing but then I was quickly bothered by the stupid amount of rev hang and the clutch needed to be replaced just after 10,000kms (100km when I got it). I do really miss it though. I'm pretty sure it was the only b48 manual 3 series in Australia when I got it. Easily one of my favourite cars in terms of looks

[@carlosalejandro7315]

The turn indicators explanation 😂😂😂

[@smuy3782]

Really interesting to go back and see what cars get the most views. I predict this one will crack 200k pretty easily!

[@PhiveWalls]

Few things you've missed, all the soft touch especially the trims in the door handles and the knobs on the sound system and climate control melts and becomes sticky after a few years, and this model also suffered from the infamous knocking noise from the steering wheel rack when going over broken tarmac.

[@normaneshuchi5474]

I currently have an F10 with the n52 engine... Beast of a car but the interior trim is flimsy... Especially those vents... Haven't found an f10 or f30 without a replaced pair... But even with that, the F30 I drove feels like a mini f10 and that's incredible

[@joespittle1]

Which vents are you refering to, I haven't replaced mine. It does seem that cheap interior plastic does degrade on this generation, especially in warmer environments

[@aaronlaguda]

I just tune in to see the watch collection 😊

[@michaelp8928]

Wrist check: looks like a 6138 Panda dial Chronograph. Legit vintage watch that one!

[@ReDriven]

Well done mate, it’s a prized possession. - AK

[@givvia6782]

Love all your videos! Just thought I might add that you mentioned the 330i as the second most powerful 3 series behind the M3. I think you forgot about the 335i or 340i which were more powerful which makes the 330i the 3rd most powerful behind the M3!

[@joebloggs4191]

Second behind means two behind so in LCI guise 340i and this 330i! The 335i was on the earlier cars when the 340i wasn’t out so the video is correct.

[@givvia6782]

@@joebloggs4191 Apologies for that, I thought I heard him say 'including' not 'excluding' M3!

[@User-cb4jm]

I think a 330i LCI would be the pick of the bunch (and Luxury Line for me, I can do without the M Sport bits) - that said having been in a demo one, the ride is just way too firm for our crap roads. I think the B9 Audi A4 on its standard suspension manages to handle incredibly well despite having a comfy ride, that would be my pick for the category. The Lexus IS is reliable but the lazy powertrains and cluttered interior ruin it for me.

[@Arrwmkr]

I never wanted to like BMW then I started driving them and had to admit, they just drive great.

[@Simmsited236]

A few things missed.... The msport brake discs can relentlessly squeak and a basically made of soft cheese On xdrive models, the transfer box is really sensitive to tyres The zf 8 speed needs an oil change at least every 100k The manual seats are tricky to adjust of two of you use the car Egr cooler issues can make 6 cylinder diesels catch fire (quite common)

[@Phazur]

I have the 328i now for2,5 years. So far so good, only minor problems like a small oil leak and clogged up sunroof drainage. The engine and zf8 gearbox are really smooth for comfort driving. When you need power there is always plenty. In comfort mode the steering is a bit vague as a downside

[@brapanda7247]

I have a 2012 320d with 300 000kms and absolutely bullet proof so far

[@SilTheLost]

And a partridge in a pear tree! Nice one mate!

[@karlbenz4925]

Great informative and funny video as per usual. I had a great number of Beemers over the years, some bad and some worse. I might be biased but........I rather put my money on a Mercedes any day of the week if one chooses between a Beemer and a Merc. You be spending a lot more of your hard earned cash on spare parts ( or the mechanic if you can't do things yourself ) being a Beemer owner. That means less time tailgating good folks on our roads. The choice is yours 😉

[@baoquoc3710]

The B58 engines will still earn my heart though, Mercedes hybrid techs from F1 is still unpredictable reliability wise. But you do you

[@dpfghela]

My F30 was a work horse! Only issue was power steering didn’t function on a sunny day. Did a restart and all was ok! By contrast… my G20 was a dog!!… rubber seals on the door fell off… 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@angelothabo4107]

Best video ever

[@andrewvertes7467]

Have a 2015 f31 335i remapped to 400bhp with new faster gear box map and the car has been very reliable besides brakes and tyres and a few buckled wheels that caused steering wheel vibration but that was an easy fix with a full alloy refurb. Actually surprised Adam didn't mention the numerous complaints about the buckled and cracked alloys as that seems to be really common in the UK. Also surprised the run flats weren't slatted as these are terrible for handling and wallet.

[@ezumach]

Yes, run flats are the absolute worst. They make no sense financially.

[@awareofvacuity4238]

I used to have an F30 320d. It was a nice car but dynamically it felt a bit too big and numb and by 60k miles it developed a major suspension issue as well as electronic gremlins

[@aulzhoefer]

So it performed as designed.. failed out of warranty!

[@seamusobrien2675]

and after correction you now qualify for the Public Housing waiting list, I had a Beemer only once, never again.

[@awareofvacuity4238]

​@@seamusobrien2675 I did give BMW another try, with the F22 which was much better to drive. However this time I sold it just before it got to 60k miles (with some minor issues), switched to Toyota and haven't looked back

[@tomy8339]

I think the reason BMW drivers struggle with the blinkers is because it's not obvious where the reservoir for the blinker fluid is. Therefore forgetting to check it regularly. That was a missed opportunity on your part. 😬

[@gihanwijetunga6164]

I’ve had my LCI 330i 100 year anniversary special edition for 5 years now. 80k+ on the odo. The only issue I had was a cracked plastic coolant pipe which was fixed under warranty. Great car -love the 16-speaker Harmon Kardon. Its a beast for a 4cyl. Will be sad to see it go (selling it in next few weeks😢)

[@danmurphy5889]

Great video but it misses out on two crucial things. 1. Make sure you know a good mechanic and 2. get a good scanner

[@Saints_1983]

I’ve got a 2015 pre-LCI 330d XDrive M-Sport, 87k on the clock. Had it about 2 years, great car but in that time I’ve spent about half of the cost of what I spent buying the car on fixing it.

[@christophergreen6980]

This model still looks very modern and personally i would love to have one.

[@perpetualgrin5804]

I just knew Jim would mention the word ' plastic '.

[@EzzaLeo]

I completely agree about the transmission choice. I have no idea what it is about BMW but its manual transmissions (at least across the F 2&3 series cars) are just slushy and unpleasant to use, whereas the ZF autos are brilliant.

[@joespittle1]

Some form of this ZF 8 speed has been used in dozens of different cars, all around solid transmission

[@peterbutcher4848]

Good vid, I love and agree with the comments re indicator use. The wanker per capita is higher in BMW land.

[@daispy101]

Thanks to Jim for the diagnosis. This was all sounding surprisingly good until we get the mechanical crap.

[@frankbaars1880]

I'm one those who "love Alfa Romeo" so I checked a Giulia, to follow up the Giulietta we've got. After my Giulia test ride I crossed the street to test a BMW 3 series. More or less the same pricing. But It felt like losing, it sucked so bad. The Giulia's interior is rubbish compared to a BMW 3 series. Right now I'm stuck in life, don't know what to do. So I keep enjoying the Giulietta.

[@chris.nyachiwowa]

You should do a video on the used C-Class

[@CathodeRayNipplez]

Off topic but nice watch.

[@lukeshannonify]

You break my heart 😂... I currently have a 320d F34 (GT) and its not that bad looking in the metal. What it lacks in looks it more than makes up for in practicality. Wait till you have 2 large rear facing child seats then try the GT, with the extra long wheelbase its a dream. Boot is also massive.

[@sanujayahewage9473]

we have a 330 LCI and love it

[@madspetterson2590]

Aight I'll get the F31 320d post lci. Thanks

[@joebloggs4191]

The F30 with the B series engines have been around for 8 years now and have generally proved to be way more reliable than the N series engines before it. 8 years is long enough to test the durability or reliabilty and I have yet to hear of any horror stories for the B48 or B58 the later which by the way is a gem of an engine hence why it’s fitted to the new Supra.

[@akalankadesilva5040]

Toyota engineers looked at the B58 and went 'this sh*t looks alright', and chucked it in the new Supra. Land Rover enginners looked at the N63, thought the same and chucked it in the new Range Rover :D

[@joebloggs4191]

@@akalankadesilva5040 And McLaren put the BMW S70 in the F1, considered to be one of the greatest cars of all time.

[@manofsesame3024]

The B series was first equipped in the 2017 models. It has only been 6 years so far not 8 years

[@joebloggs4191]

@@manofsesame3024 Check your facts, a quick google search will do. Both the B58 and B48 entered the market in 2015, we are now in 2023 that makes it 8 years. Long enough to test the durability of the units, even 6 years is enough to know if they are going to good or not.

[@stuco81]

As the owner of an f-30 manual for some 3 years now, I completely agree with your description of it. Its vague, rubbery, and the ratio's do not suit the power delivery of the engine at all (I have 2l turbo in 328i guise). My car is also a 'luxury', so doesn't have M-sport suspension. I find the ride pretty bouncy and at the same time, unsettled and skittish. Although I'm willing to blame the skittishness on the BMW factory fit Goodyear run-flats. I cant be bothered to spend the ££ needed on replacing 4 tires with loads of tread left, on a hunch though....

[@eyecontrol4900]

how is the clutch feel? I testdrove the new manual m3 last yr, and even that demo car has a rubbery/mushy shift feel, like you said. Clutch felt fine in the m3.

[@toobasaurus23]

Thanks responding to my request, @Redriven. I want a 335 E92... in coupe. Want to your thoughts.

[@oswrdfsh]

Good day from Sweden - is an "F33 series" Australian speak for a BMW 3 series with a 3 litre-ish engine? cheers 👍love the show and format BTW 🙂

[@FleetAdmiral215]

Prefer 3.0i & Autos when i buy BMW's, Great video as always !!!

[@joshlegg8600]

Stickers on the front grill, James May put it well, thats “casual”

[@katzicael]

On the subject of indicating, I've had 3 bmws over the years and I may be the exception to the reputation - I always indicate. However, Ford Rangers don't even come with an indicator stalk, which is why the owners buy them in New Zealand.

[@martingregory5955]

Being a BMW driver I find you quite rude about us but thanks for the tip on indicators, I always wondered what that stick was for.......... ;)

[@willbobig]

Any chance you’d like the tackle the G20 3 series? I am considering one!

[@HughRussell06]

Haha the indicator lecture 😂

[@Jargonaut1159]

Nup, bought a used 2018 ZB Commodore RS-V with the great sounding V6, 9 speed auto and AWD (Twinster diff at the back). Way better value for money (i.e. cheaper), much more room, totally reliable, cheaper parts and it was actually made in Germany! Plus, it is a truly great drive.

[@ReDriven]

Can we review it!!?? - AK

[@Jargonaut1159]

@@ReDriven Sure, no problem 🙂. I live in Brisbane.