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BMW Consumer Car Reviews

BMW X3 Full Road Test Report

BMW very rarely make mistakes but that is what has happened here. Not up to BMW’s usually high standards, the X3 performs more like a saloon than the compact SUV it purposes to be and the build quality is simply not good enough for a vehicle of this price. Budget BMW.... read more

Road Test Reports Says 3 star rating Full Report
BMW X3 provided by

James Edwards, Buckinghamshire

BMW 5-Series Saloon 5.0 V10 M5 5dr 2007

This is the only car really worth driving. The whole thing is beautifully designed and built and the driving experience is like nothing else. This is the serious car lovers car because there are no cons, only pros - it simply is perfect.

Submitted: 21/04/2008 09:32:03

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Robert Magee, Herefordshire

BMW 7-Series Long wheel base individual 2005

I have been driving the 730 Li 3.0 petrol for three years almost and have just agreed to replace it with the 2008 (short wheel based) 730 D SE. I opted for the individual package in piano black etc, beautiful! There were one or two minor problems such as the side light build going a few weeks after delivery, but because the fix requires the front bumper to be removed I haven’t had the time to get it sorted. The other annoyance was the tyre puncture alert design fault. which meant that you were never sure if you really had a puncture or not. However, the car is a beautiful thing to drive, the Long wheel base does change the overall look of the car as it appears sleaker and lower. my business is numbers and money and I can see little reason to buy the car in anoy other way than through contract hire. Fabulous head turner, tremendous safety features and the I drive become second nature (after a little while anyway).

Submitted: 14/04/2008 10:47:23

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Kim Tegg, Northamptonshire

BMW 1-Series 116i SE 2007

Bought this car new in December 2007. Lovely car to drive, really comfortable and great handling (although not as good as a mini!). Good to have front and rear parking sensors and cruise control and got 5 years (60k miles) free servicing. Lacks acceleration and as for fuel consumption, what can I say? Bought this car believing combined fuel consumption of the 1.6 petrol, was 39 mpg, I’ve been lucky if I get 27 mpg out of it. Took it back to the dealer and they told me I’ve been getting 42 mpg out of it!?! However, I know how much petrol I’ve been putting in!

Submitted: 11/04/2008 10:42:13

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Tom, Wiltshire

BMW 1-Series 123d M 2008

I’ve now had this for a month / 2800 miles, and have achieved 44mpg overall, but this is with highly spirited driving (read "ragging it everywhere") - it’s fully maintained and I have a fuel card so the economy and reduced service interval is of no concern to me. I’ve just come back from a trip to the garden centre, and squeezed quite a lot in with the seats down - although the Volvo days of strapping fence panels to the roof are over. I can’t help comparing this to my V70 - on the motorway the idiots in bmw’s would get out of the way in case I was plod, but now _I_ am the idiot in the bmw and progress is somewhat slowed which is exceedingly frustrating. People seem genuinely surprised when I let them out! If I could buy this car all over again, I would remove the M package as the sports seats which are a little too sporty, the side supports hug a little too closely. I would also fit the 6 speed auto box as 1st and 2nd are very short; leaving the lights most petrol hot hatches will win up to around 30-40 (unfortunately the auto was not available to order 5 months ago). The pedals are very close together, it is all too easy to stab the brake pedal with my left foot when changing gear. An auto box would have disabled the damn auto stop-start which is a pain (eventually I’ll work out which fuse I have to ad or remove to disable permanently). I also wish I’d fitted front pdc, as with the high bonnet it is surprisingly hard to judge, and comfort access as the hole-instead-of-a-key is near the centre console, every time I get in the car I go to put the dongle in the ignition which isn’t there! It does sound like a plumbers escort van for the first few miles until it’s warm, but I think that’s true of all diesels. I’m still very happy with the car overall, the niggles are all relatively trivial. The handling is precise, there is plenty of power to get both in and out of trouble, and at the very least it is a conversation piece - as there aren’t many about and I had the model inscription deleted most people have no idea what it is. I genuinely haven’t come across another one in a month. Still only 4-stars as it’s not the 535d touring I really want!

Submitted: 11/04/2008 09:46:21

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Pete Smith, Wiltshire

BMW 3-Series Coupe 335i M Sport 2008

Just taken delivery and it’s awesome. Superb build quality, everything works perfectly, no rattles or creaks. Power delivery is stunning with no turbo lag, yet to test the handling as it’s always raining!

Submitted: 07/04/2008 09:34:42

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Alan Corner, Durham

BMW 5-Series Saloon 520d 2007

This is a luxurious and stylish car and great to drive. Fantastic fuel consumption for its size, I am averaging 40 plus on normal use and 49/50 on motorway driving. There is plenty of space inside and all in all it is a very comfortable, especially for a tall person such as myself. There is also very little or no road noise and you sometimes have to double check the diesel engine is running as you cannot hear it . A very impressive car all round and I am very very impressed with it .

Submitted: 02/04/2008 15:01:49

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Robert Andrews, England

BMW M5 Touring 2007

This car is fantastic, took a while to understand the driving style and gearbox, once sorted the gearbox is very smooth, you have to understand this car, this is a drivers car, very much like a Maserati, or Ferrari paddle shift, but once you adjust to it you are on your way. Just don’t attach any wings. P.s. It loves fuel.

Submitted: 20/03/2008 17:22:11

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Zoe McCulloch, Bridgend

BMW 3-Series Coupe 320i M-Sport 2008

I have just taken delivery of this car and I am over the moon with all aspects of it. I previously owned a Jaguar X-Type which now seems so old fashioned up against the BMW. What surprised me was how eco friendly the BMW have become with great fuel figures low road tax and servicing every 15,000 miles. I bought it because I loved the look of it and the drive but to find it eco friendly was a big bonus. It handles like it is on a rail and even with low sports suspension the ride is very good. I ordered mine in Le Mans Blue with cream leather and a walnut dash because that was the things I liked about the Jaguar. I was going for the XF but it was not not for me when I sat in it.

Submitted: 17/03/2008 10:49:38

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Tom, Wiltshire

BMW 1-Series Coupe 123d M Coupe 2008

..update from my previous post after a week of living with a 123d M coupe.. The MPG is creeping up now everything is running in and I’m learning to use the low end oomph, getting close to 48mpg overall so my previous comments about economy are inaccurate. The Sat Nav can be modified to include full post code search, as it is possible to copy the satnav dvd and include custom POIs, similar to the way you can on a TomTom, but to a DVD-RW. Still not quite as intuitive though, pull your finger out BMW and give a premium car full postcode search! A TomTom can do it in 10Meg, there’s loads of space left on the DVD! It feels closer to the previous gen 3 series coupe than the 1 hatch, which is a relief, and with the rear seats down can *just* take a couple of bicycles. Now the tyres are a bit scrubbed it has less tail wag so the sports seats can be justified! Don’t be deceived: it really is only a 2+2 and does have sports performance. In real-world conditions it is significantly quicker than my Volvo T5, mini cooper and neighbours’ R32 golf, which really surprised me - especially as I am broadly adhering to the running in guidelines. The engine is quite special, although it does sound like a tractor, and I must find out which fuse I have to add or remove to disable the auto engine stop - it is incredibly disconcerting especially when slowly freewheeling <5kmh as the engine will cut out leaving you with no servo assist braking! btw, through my company lease scheme the 123dM is the same lease cost as the 120dM due to better residuals, although the tax is marginally greater due to the higher list price.

Submitted: 17/03/2008 10:41:13

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Tom, Wiltshire

BMW 1-Series Coupe 123d M 2008

After 24hours of ownership it is clear that the fuel economy figures are completely made up, there is no way I will achieve the 55mpg suggested.. maybe once it is run in.. and if I slipstream juggernauts... SatNav professional is rubbish as it doesn’t do full postcode search, a TomTom at 10% of the price is a better option, but the acquisition time can’t be matched. However, the iPod integration is what I really upgraded to the premium iDrive system for, and it is astounding. Much better than any noddy after market system. The bluetooth connectivity to my Blackberry just works, although background noise is quite loud. The doors are large, making it impossible to park in tight spots, and due to the concave styling it gets very dirty very quickly. The turning circle is great though. Feedback through the steering is adequate, although I’ve been sideways already even with the traction control on which is a little worrisome, although I was just mucking about. Why did I go for a 1 coupe? Well as a company car driver I wanted to tick _every_ box - and I couldn’t do that on the 5 touring I should have bought! As with all beemers, it’s all about the toys... Am I happy with it? Yes, very. I am sure it will grow on me. It’s replacing a V70 T5, so has a lot to live up to.. frankly I don’t thing the fuel economy will be much better which is bonkers, but the handling and gadget integration is much better, as it the company car tax...

Submitted: 12/03/2008 10:14:30

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