bmw 3-Series Coupe road tests and consumer car reviews

BMW 3-Series Coupe 320d M Sport Auto 2008

I bought the car with 2,200 miles on it and 3months old. It has Black exterior, Black leather interior and M Sport 19" wheels. I’ve had it over a year now and its done 18,000 miles and I’ve loved every mile of it!! High in comfort, fuel consumption and overall driving pleasure. I did consider the Audi A5 but preferred the 3 Series Coupe due to its sporty looks and uncomplicated dashboard. Still think it looks great and it drives like new; excellent road holding and poise. The few things I dont like are the difficulty getting in and out of it, mainly in tight car parks and the location of the drinks holders are ridiculous. Otherwise, I’m over the moon with this car and cannot recommend it highly enough. I did test drive the 320i but found it a bit ’gutless’, whereas the diesel has just enough power. Its having its first service next week and have experienced really good ’care’ from Specialist Cars in Tring, Hertfordshire.

BMW 3-Series Coupe 320d m sport 2009

I love this car. I have just swapped my Audi A4 Cabriolrt for this BMW and cannot believe how much of a difference there is! What a pleasure to drive. I cannot believe how many people look the car when I am out driving... I can’t get the wife out of it!

BMW 3-Series Coupe 320i 2007

Great car all round with a few small niggles. For a coupe this is a decent 4 seater. Looks as good as BMW coupe’s costing 15 grand more. Can cover the miles in great comfort and refinement. MPG loads better than previous petrol models as you have the stop start system which you get used to very quickly. 320i is a little low powered and feels slow to pick up from a standstill due to the weight. I expect diesel to be better in this respect. BMW legendary quality slipping as the years go by. I suffered from 2 cam sensors failing & very spectacular oil burn up on a fast trip. Interior material for seats is cheap and I would recommend leather option for those who will keep the car. And BMW; get rid of these terrible rock hard run flats. They cost the earth to replace and are not commonly available - could catch you out on a long trip. Can’t get punctures repaired on them so £200 a pop you have to pay - it’s plain daft. I give it 4 stars but would give it 5 if the tyres were sorted and trim is better than the Ford level used.

BMW 3-Series Coupe 320i MSport 2007

I have just handed back my 320i MSport after 2 year PCP. I had mixed feelings on returning it. While I loved the car for its looks, driving position, smoothness, and build integrity but I had issues with reliability which soured the relationship. Mine was one of the first MSport cars with the new 170bhp 2litre engine and efficient dynamics and this may have been the cause of some of my problems. Having owned an E48 318i Coupe previously it was an interesting comparison. The engine was smooth and revved well up to its 7000rpm limit but lacked low down torque. It stuttered intermittently on take off and needed 4000 revs to really wake up and while it got quicker while I had it, these characteristics never changed. While the E48 coupe was slower it had more torque low down and was more economical according to the trip computer. The old one used to average over 36MPG while the new one with Stop Start, 6 gears and all the efficient dynamics struggled to reach 35MPG. I have never had so many issues with a new car. When I first picked it up the steering felt odd. This was one of the first electric power steering implementations which I initially put it down to. However after about 15 minutes on the motorway it stiffened up causing you to over-correct to the extent it was noticeable by passengers. When I took it to the dealer the tech would not let me drive it home and replaced the rack. No recall was ever issued for this. In addition I had separate injectors which failed on two occasions dropping the car into limp home mode with a top speed of 60MPH and the worry it was going to die altogether. Each time BMW refused to replace all the injectors, only the faulty one under warrantee until a recall was issued and they were all replaced anyway. I also had a cam seal failure which was also subject to recall but failed before I could get the car into the dealers. To see your new car disappear on a trailer in 3 instances in 2 years is not something I was expecting although the BMW breakdown service is excellent. The car itself was fine, the steering was sharp but lacked true feel, handling and grip were good but a bit skittish in the wet I put down to the run flats. Ride was OK from my point of view, firm but not rock hard but I did get more complaints from rear seat passengers. The seats were comfortable with good room for 4 and an ample boot but tricky to get in and out for older people. All in all a good car but the problems made me feel BMW should be paying me for testing their new technology!

BMW 3-Series Coupe 1998

Good looking , good road handling, no problems. Backache though.

BMW 3-Series Coupe 320d SE 2007

Just picked up my 2007 320d SE Coupe this week. Its Montego blue with cream beige nappa leather interior, a real head turner. Its very economical to drive and the sheer power it packs is brilliant, ideal for overtaking. Everything works like a dream inside and with all the little gadgets in the car I just don’t want to get out. I just love this car. Well done BMW.

BMW 3-Series Coupe 320d M Sport 2007

I picked up my 320d M Sport Coupe brand new, in June 2007. I was immediately delighted with its performance and styling. As previous posters have mentioned, it attracted looks from passers by immediately... this was in the days when the coupe was rare, and the M Sport variant almost unseen! Quickly, I had a turbo problem... a complete lack of power, which fortunately didn’t cause a dangerous situation, and was solved despite the car being with my local BMW dealership for 2 weeks. In recent times, it has had 2/3 niggles, involving trips to the dealers, and the odd 1/2 night stay with a hire car. However, I do still love the car... it’s in Le Mans blue, which is gratifyingly rare, and still attracts positive comments (when it’s clean!) Economy is outstanding for a car with its performance. It might not have the same growl as the 330d or 335d, but it uses half the fuel, and will get me there just as quickly.

BMW 3-Series Coupe 335d. 2007

Ive had my 335d m sports now for 16 months and still after all that time it puts a smile on my face, its quick, looks the part, and even better still its returning me 32mpg on average. I’ve been thinking recently what car I should purchase next? I can’t think of any other car on the planet that will give me power, economy and out and out driving experience. The only downside is the depreciation! I paid 44k brand new and you can now pick up for around 30k at around 12 months old!! So my tip is buy a 12 month old model it will have taken a major kicking already!!

BMW 3-Series Coupe 330iSport 2007

This replaced a 9-month old 335d Touring that rattled and squeaked from new. Despite the local dealer’s valiant efforts the oil-burner was never right. This coupe is like waking up from a bad dream - everything works as it should, it is blissfully quiet and smooth and handles like a dream. On a run it regularly returns 35+ mpg and is near silent around the legal(ish) limit. True, the ride is firm but this is a sports coupe and the seats are superb.

BMW 3-Series Coupe 330d Coupe 2006

I got this car as an early retirement present in Dec 06 and was so excited awaiting its delivery. I have had BMW’s for over 20 years but never had a diesel or an automatic before. Prior to placing an order, Mill Garages of Boldon (as it was then) loaned me a 335d version for the weekend to take my wife to the Lakes on her birthday. I was sold within minutes. The power, handling, refinement and economy were just amazing. It had 3/4’s of a tank of diesel when I picked it up and was just under half when I returned it even after around 200 miles. Amazing! I ordered mine with the professional sat nav, grey leather heated seats and the paddles for the steering wheel. The paddles look great and are fun to use now and again and was only a £100 extra. The gear change using them is so smooth and occurs in a micro second. I got the telematic too which allows use of a hands free blue tooth mobile phone and for verbal instructions to the Sat Nav etc. Mine is a second car and only had 9,000 miles on the clock now after 17 months. (I use a Smart car for commuting to my part time occupation and it produces the same economy) The car still smells of leather, everything works as it should, the power is amazing and the economy varies depending on use between 35 and 48 mpg. I love going on a longer run and trying to reach 50 mpg but you have to really drive economically and below 70 mph to achieve this. Oh and this is a car that turns heads. It is so impressive on the road when its clean znc polished. That happens in my yellow Smart Car too but I think for different reasons. I highly recommend this car. It was a lot of money (£36,2000) but really worth it. John in Tyne and Wear.

BMW 3-Series Coupe 330d 2006

Having had an older 330D touring for four years I was saddened when BMW came out with its new styling...until the the coupe came along. It is the best looking and most practical coupe on the market. The new 3.0L diesel is unbelievable, it is so much faster than my old one and is showing 41.5MPG on the computer!!! It pulls at any speed and any revs and leaves other cars as a spec in the rear view mirror. The ride is an excellent balance with a sporty feel but not too harsh, the interior has a real quality feel and the room in the rear seats is better than my old 330 Touring. It is the first automatic I have ever owned and BMW should have a different description for it because it reads my mind. It is the first auto I have ever driven where it does not feel like it is sapping power and it even gives engine braking as it changes down the gears. The standard fit Electric memory seats are a blessing as my partner and I share the car, just press the button and the seat and mirrors go where you want them. I struggle to think of a single fault with the car apart from BMW’s insistance on run flat tyres.

BMW 3-Series Coupe 325 Coupe SE 2007

Decided on this car after falling in love purely with it’s looks and am happy to say she drives ten times better than she looks. It is a real honey with smooth power delivery and awesome handling, DSC on or off. Returns surprisingly good mileage figures too. My second BMW and very impressed.

Responses to this review

Hi I’m looking at purchasing a 325i coupe, anyone have any actual mpg figures rather than the manufacturers? Cheers - Chris Jones from England

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!

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.

BMW 3-Series Coupe 2.0 2007

Great looking coupe. Fantastic and precise handling. Had quite a few beamers and this coupe is by far the best.

BMW 3-Series Coupe 320CD Automatic 2008

I have had 3-series for over twenty years now and I have to say based on overall performance, comfort and design this is the best. It is the first automatic I have had and it is an absolute treat to drive. I am getting 42-44mpg in town and urban driving and yet it is still powerful and I am now so glad I didn’t go for the 330 or 335 versions. I think the design of the interior is brilliant and by far the best I’ve come across. I had the professional Sat Nav fitted and it makes the whole i-drive experience that much better with the split-screen. I can also thoroughly recommend the pro-logic hi fi which makes it hard to get out of the car! The only reason I haven’t given it 5 stars is that the ride on the run-flat tyres is a bit hard although you do get used to it.

BMW 3-Series Coupe 320d M-Sport 2007

Great Car and (surprisingly) a really great dealer. I can highly recommend the www.kentbmw.co.uk website and the service that the Broad Oak Group provide. The car is superb and looks terrific. I love the way it drives. It is really powerful but economical thanks to its stop-start system in traffic. This part took a bit of getting used to but I am now loving the economy. I was unsure about buying a car on the web but I am now a convert thanks to Broad Oak BMW in Canterbury, Kent. They kept all their promises, kept me informed of progress and there were no nasty hidden extras. They made it simple and straightforward. Best of all for my convenience they delivered the car to my work which was fantastic service. I have had some poor experiences in the past with BMW dealerships but the guys at Broad Oak are different. Try them!

BMW 3-Series Coupe 320i SE 2dr

This is a very refined car. It out performs any car I have driven before (Mercedes, Audi, Alpha Romeo) and really does put the enjoyment back into driving. The well laid out interior comfortably seats 4 adults and iDrive controller is easy to get to grips with. Whilst I wasn’t expecting high mpg I did think I could rely on the 23mpg quoted in the book - that is my only gripe because it’s no where near.

Responses to this review

You’re not even getting 23mpg? You must either be incredibly heavy footed or there is something wrong with your car - Jasper Hawker from Sussex

BMW 3-Series Coupe 320 Coupe SE

Car generally adequate but ride atrocious on run flat tyres. They are not worth it. The car never ever settles on the road. Crashes over imperfections. Looking forward to replacing them with proper tyres. Otherwise OK for £34k.

BMW 3-Series Coupe 335d

This car in my opinion is fantastic, great performance and handling even on poor road surfaces. 33mpg with mixed driving can’t be bad with the performance this car produces. Pity the dealer wasn’t so efficient but thats another story.

BMW 3-Series Coupe 335d

As always with BMW, options are very expensive, but the car and engine are absolutely awesome. Blisteringly quick at any speed and a huge amount of fun on the mountain roads of Wales. Well worth the extra £120 per month in lease costs to get the 335d. With mixed city and motorway driving I get around 31mpg, which I feel is more than acceptable a car with 286bhp on tap!

BMW 3-Series Coupe 320d SE 2 dr

Such a great car, so pleased I finally made the jump from Audi. Handles superbly, a real pleasure to drive and very reasonable to run. Excellent value for money.

BMW 3-Series Coupe 320d SE

I did a LOT of research to find the best coupe before parting with my hard earnt cash. The 3-Series came out top on most of the sites that I looked at and this persuaded me to get one. Glad I did! This car is a delight, get one if you can.

BMW 3-Series Coupe 3 Series Diesel

Great handling and great diesel performance. This car ticks all the boxes. 5 out of 5 from me!

BMW 3-Series Coupe

I don't think I could have got a better car to drive/own. I love driving my 335i everywhere. The 2007 coupe is a stunner to look at, a beautiful car that performs well, definitely worth the money i spent on it. I agree that BMW is the ultimate driving machine, it just feels more solid and stable than any other car I’ve driven.

BMW 3-Series Coupe

The BMW 3 Series Coupe has not been the most fuel efficient car I have ever had. It only does about 30mpg so it is not the most economic in the world. Suspension not the best but all in all a pretty good car.