BMW 3-Series Coupe (1999 - 2006) 320 Cd SE Sport 2d (2003/53) Owner Review
Want to know everything there is to know about this car?
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Summary
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
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Buying experience
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.
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Driving it
What's it like to drive?
Superb
What's it like to park?
Easy
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Living with it
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
