1997 BMW 3 Series User Reviews

The Balls — Car is extremely tight even with high miles. Not loose in the front end like most high mile cars and smooth riding. I've owned Fords and Chevys before and they don't compare. Repairs can be expensive but if you can do anything yourself it's not to bad, plus shopping around for parts on the internet can save you loads of money. Bavarian Auto is one of the best places to get parts for BMW's online and you will be sure to get the right parts and not waste your time and money. 135,000 miles is still considered low miles for a BMW, but any american made car with over 100,000 is pushing it. I would still feel very confident with driving this car on long trips like Florida too.

Primary Use: Commuting to work

Personally Love This Car — Loved this car for the few years I drove it. Always handled well in dry and wet weather. Turning traction control system off allowed for more fun driving. Back seat space is kinda tight, friends never wanted to pile up in this thing.

An Old Style Bmw Rwd Car — A fun RWD BMW E36 with LSD and M-Pack Suspension. A fun-to-drive coupe, well built, with a nice fast response 1.9 engine and a nice setup that provides good handling. A cheap and reliable car for young drivers who want a RWD car but they can't buy a M3.

Primary Use: Sport/fun (spirited driving, track racing, off-roading, etc.)

Great Car For A Beginning Bmw Enthusiast — My Bimmer is quicker than you would expect from a 1.9L. It also is capable of going 140mph on the high end. It has 5 shifting modes: Autoomatic, Sport, Manual, Mountain, and Towing. The BMW brakes hard with its four disc brakes. It is also equiped with driver controlled traction control and stability management. The 318Ti is a two door that seats 5 comfortably. The interior is clean and austere, but it has a lot of new age features despite it being 12 years old. I have a six CD changer, thermometer, stereo controls, and trip computer.It turns very tight and the handling is stiff. It still has a very comfortable ride, though. It also has storage. I can fit 4 full sets of golf clubs in the trunk and still have room left over. Practical and still a ton of fun to drive. It is different than most BMWs because it's a hatchback. Mine is 256/7 Calypso Red Metallic. I have the upgraded factory 15" rims. It is built as solid as a tank with no rattles or squeaks even with over 100,000 miles on it. It's fun to drive and cheap to own. I get around 35 miles per gallon on the highway and 24 in the city. No repairs other than basic maintanence.

Primary Use: Sport/fun (spirited driving, track racing, off-roading, etc.)

'97 Bmw 318ti Sport — Car is a '97 318ti Sport 5-speed (2-door hatchback) Bought this car used about one year ago with 178,000 miles. Previous owner took great care of the car. Maintenance has been very inexpensive, and can be if you avoid the dealership. Performance is about what you'd expect from a 4-cylinder, however it's a little enhanced thanks to the lower weight of the car compared with the coupe/sedan. Handling is outstanding, at least compared to my previous cars. Quality - overall pretty good. The window regulators have been an issue, but that's common with the E36 (and other German cars I hear). Interior materials could be better, but this was basically their entry model, so BMW saved money wherever they could. Overall I'd give it an A- Appearance - I love it. I've always loved the boxy shape of the E36, whether it was the sedan, coupe, or hatchback. I've surprised numerous people when telling them what year the car is when they've asked. Straight-on shot of the rear isn't the greatest, but overall I like the car, and always have, even before I owned it. CoO - Not very much. Again, if you find an independant shop of do some work yourself, maintenance costs are minimal. Take it to the dealer and you'll pay ($120/hr labor at my local dealer). Mileage is fantastic, 27-30mpg in the city, 31-35 on the highway. And being a 4-cylinder, it doesn't require Premium gas, only 89 octane minimum. So where there's only 87 & 91 octane you'll have to spring for premium, but in most parts of the US you can get by with midgrade. Fun - Tremendous. I've never had this much fun with a car I owned (granted my previous car's weren't the greatest). Took a trip to the Denver/Boulder area shortly after getting the car and had a blast in the mountains. Left the car in 2nd & 3rd gear while doing some mountain driving, reaching speeds close to 60mph, and still averaged 35mpg. The car handles incredibly, and I can't wait to get my summer tires (Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R's) on. Overall - Wonderful car. A tremendous buy if you can find a decent one cheaply. Hatchbacks have never been popular in the US, and neither have 4-cylinder BMW's, but when you combine the two it's wonderful. Add in the fact that you can easily swap in a 6-cylinder (including the S50/52 from the M3) and you have a terrific car for the cost.