1997 BMW 3 Series Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Great car, great gas mileage, luxury feel with sporty handling. The car has had no major issues, maintenance is easy and parts are easy to find, it drives and handles like a dream, fuel economy is great for a 1997 car, the interior feel of the car is very nice. The car over all is a luxury car with a sporty feel, it is also a steal for the price!

excellent build quality, not spent a penny on it in nearly a year

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.

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.

Performance- Pretty quick, but lacks the power of other BMW's being a 4 potter. Handles like a dream! Build quality- Great quality, very solid. Appearance- Pretty nice looking. Cost of Ownership- Gas mileage is AMAZING I get 33+ miles per gallon depending on how fast i'm going. Fun factor- Sooooo much fun to drive on winding roads. Handles great, but as I already said could use some more power-- DASC or S52 swap would be great.

Performance - great pickup and killer torque! Build Quality - second to hmm ferrari! Appearance - classy yet doesn't stick out amongst the crowd Fun Factor - fun to drive and corners on rails Cost of Ownership - keep the maintenance up and it'll last forever all in all its a great car as a daily driver and in 3 years will be my track car once its fully built up.

performance: smooth fast acceleration, good brakes, handling is good build quality: its german its excellent build will last a llifetime! appearance: still looks good today for a 14 year old car. cost of ownership: keep it serviced and it shouldnt want for much fun factor: its rear wheel drive what more do you want?

Great acceleration experience thanks to VANOS, the brakes bite strong, handling is superb with the M-Sport suspension. The design is timeless and maintenance costs are normal if you know what you are doing! It is an ideal car for long road trips, hillclimbing with lots of corners, anything that is fun really.

Absolutely the best car I've ever owned. Amazing handling, very quick acceleration, and awesome looks. There is a reason they call it "The Ultimate Driving Machine". When it was new, it fetched nearly $50,000. It's still every bit the top of the line car it was in '97. Averages about 19/25 MPG. Needs very basic upkeep. One or two squeaks from convertible top, but the car is solid as a rock. It's definitely not a cheap car to buy or own, but the value is astronomical. Don't hesitate...just buy it.

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.