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Seamster15
MB Enthusiast
Saab 9-3 
Terrible car, Even worse than the Vectra it's based on!
Terrible car, Even worse than the Vectra it's based on!
Howard
MB Club Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2004
- Messages
- 18,624
- Location
- Toad Hall
- Car
- 2018 C63 Wagon / CLK430 / A150 / VW Pink Floyd Golf Cabriolet
Yep , i have a 9-3 as a hire car at the moment , some of the trim inside is so sharp that it scratched me the other day 
Uglier than some of the girls i have woken up to after 10 pints too ....
Uglier than some of the girls i have woken up to after 10 pints too ....
Thanks great idea.
I have just emailed somebody for a IS200 sport with 6 speed manual as they are better than the 4 speed auto (did a review on google as the advice was go for the manual)
Great reviews on these cars for reliability etc.:bannana::bannana:
Not getting any luck with a decent 190e so have been looking at BMW 3 series and the reviews are terrible for reliability and cost to repair
Steer clear of the 320D and 330d (people remap them, then thrash them and complain that they are not reliable) - any petrol variant should be very reliable. Servicing them at the main dealer is almost half what the Merc dealers charge (in the Midlands, anyway). I have had a series of E46 3 series, and never had any problems with petrol ones.
They are hugely entertaining to drive and the fuel consumption is good too. Go for a 325 or a 330i, and you will see what it is all about.
st4
Banned
I'd have a look at a petrol 3 series-( the I6's are excellent) but an 190E from a completely different era to that of a E46 so I'd expect the E46 to be better. What about a 203 or an Audi A4, solid diesel engines
its a toyota, so it has a good degree of reliability (imo), and i've driven one of these for a few weeks, its a very under-stated car.
Rose Chap
MB Enthusiast
"Lexus. It's like the Japanese Mercedes"
flango
Hardcore MB Enthusiast
My 3 series 318i (2001) was a dog, dealer had it more than I did, rear suspension failures, front shocks, badly fitting trim, poor cold running, swapped to a C180K different league altogether 96,000 mile in 2 years never put a spanner on it except normal servicing and consumables. IMHO BMW useless until you get to the 5 series then they start to get it right.
fyonn
Active Member
As you can see from my sig, I've owned 3 BMW 3 series and I'd say my experience of them has been good, hence my return to the marque.
I've owned an e30 BMW 325iA. I did crack the cylinder head on this one once but it was my first car and I didn't really know how to read the signs of impending doom. it got fixed however and it was an excellent first car. I also recall having to replace the brake pedal sensor that activated the brake lights, but this was a cheap part.
I later owned an e46 BMW 320td. I really wanted the 320Cd but I just couldn't afford it. I still think that the facelift e46 coupe is a great looking car. the little compact was a brilliant little motor and I don't recall it giving me any gip at all. in fact over a month after I part-ex'd it for the SLK, I returned to the dealer to get something on the SLK fixed (the electric seat switch) and the dealer commented on what a great car the BMW was, and that it had become their new runaround. Not really sure why I sold it TBH, I think I was tempted by the SLK and I'd just changed jobs at the time for one with lower mileage. if I'd had the coupe I might still have it now.
and now I'm on an e90 BMW 330d. this car is too new to have caused me any problems yet (apart from having to get the dealer to update the software to make my phone work) but so far, it's shaping up to be the best car I've owned so far.
I don't know whether my experience with BMW's has not been the norm, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to someone else.
I've owned an e30 BMW 325iA. I did crack the cylinder head on this one once but it was my first car and I didn't really know how to read the signs of impending doom. it got fixed however and it was an excellent first car. I also recall having to replace the brake pedal sensor that activated the brake lights, but this was a cheap part.
I later owned an e46 BMW 320td. I really wanted the 320Cd but I just couldn't afford it. I still think that the facelift e46 coupe is a great looking car. the little compact was a brilliant little motor and I don't recall it giving me any gip at all. in fact over a month after I part-ex'd it for the SLK, I returned to the dealer to get something on the SLK fixed (the electric seat switch) and the dealer commented on what a great car the BMW was, and that it had become their new runaround. Not really sure why I sold it TBH, I think I was tempted by the SLK and I'd just changed jobs at the time for one with lower mileage. if I'd had the coupe I might still have it now.
and now I'm on an e90 BMW 330d. this car is too new to have caused me any problems yet (apart from having to get the dealer to update the software to make my phone work) but so far, it's shaping up to be the best car I've owned so far.
I don't know whether my experience with BMW's has not been the norm, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to someone else.
gIzzE
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2004
- Messages
- 5,726
- Location
- Norfolk, UK
- Car
- 65 plate BMW F11 Touring (165k miles) + Porsche 911 Carrera 4 (140k miles) Doing my bit to be green.
I have owned 11 BMW's and still have one in the house now, E46 SMG M3.
I have had less problems with the BMWs than all the Mercs I have owned, which is an M270cdi and the E320 W210 estate that I have at the moment.
In fact in all that time the only problem I have had with the BMWs I have owned were...
Rear trailing arm bush on the E39 530i at 116k miles.
Alcantara steering wheel replaced under warranty as it started to bobble on the M3 CSL at 2 years and 11 months old.
535d sport touring had to have a software update as my car was advertised as being MP3 capable and it would not play them so they updated it.
ML I had for 3 months at most and it had the comand unit replaced (just bad luck as it stopped reading discs), remote keys kept not working and some unit replaced, seat on drivers side stopped working and motor replaced, loss of power and some sensors were replaced.
Dad had an W211 E270cdi, ABS sensor failed and they had the car for 7 weeks, this was 10 days after collecting it.
But who cares?? All cars can have problems. The 320d is the best selling mid size saloon now, of course there are going to be a few problems reported.
Don't buy an A4, at 4 years old they start to become a money pit.
You can take advantage of peoples perception of big petrols and buy a stunning 330i E46 for peanuts, really nice sport sold on bmwland for £4k recently!!
That will do 26-38mpg depending on how you drive it and it is an amazing car, bullet proof engine and nice and pacey with 231bhp, with perfect balance and handling. Probably the best BMW ever made as and all round car, that or the E39 530i auto.
I have had less problems with the BMWs than all the Mercs I have owned, which is an M270cdi and the E320 W210 estate that I have at the moment.
In fact in all that time the only problem I have had with the BMWs I have owned were...
Rear trailing arm bush on the E39 530i at 116k miles.
Alcantara steering wheel replaced under warranty as it started to bobble on the M3 CSL at 2 years and 11 months old.
535d sport touring had to have a software update as my car was advertised as being MP3 capable and it would not play them so they updated it.
ML I had for 3 months at most and it had the comand unit replaced (just bad luck as it stopped reading discs), remote keys kept not working and some unit replaced, seat on drivers side stopped working and motor replaced, loss of power and some sensors were replaced.
Dad had an W211 E270cdi, ABS sensor failed and they had the car for 7 weeks, this was 10 days after collecting it.
But who cares?? All cars can have problems. The 320d is the best selling mid size saloon now, of course there are going to be a few problems reported.
Don't buy an A4, at 4 years old they start to become a money pit.
You can take advantage of peoples perception of big petrols and buy a stunning 330i E46 for peanuts, really nice sport sold on bmwland for £4k recently!!
That will do 26-38mpg depending on how you drive it and it is an amazing car, bullet proof engine and nice and pacey with 231bhp, with perfect balance and handling. Probably the best BMW ever made as and all round car, that or the E39 530i auto.
Dryce
Hardcore MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- May 17, 2006
- Messages
- 10,958
- Car
- ..
Saab 9-3
Disagree. 9-3 is a lot better than a Vectra.
I had one down to the SW of England and Wales for a week and managed to completely forget about its Vectra heritage.
R129mine
Active Member
i agree totally!!
MUGGY
Active Member
I have a E46 330d Sport and have done over 50k miles in it in the past 18 months completely trouble free. It's a fast, economical & reliable car. However, I yearn to return to an E Class. The trouble is the value seems to have dropped out of the market for these cars and I am loathe to throw another pile of cash at another car in these uncertain economic times.
