... A BMW 3 series probably doesn't say cheap to most people but I have just purchased the BMW 1.6 ES special edition for £16, 495 including metallic paint.
What do you get for your money?
With this special edition I have got a 1.8 litre engine with 150 BHP.
Standard features of this ... Read review
BMW 3 Series - Saloon - Rear (RWD) - 6 Speed Manual, 6 Speed Automatic - 1995 cc - Max Speed: 130 mph - 143 bhp - Petrol - Available Trims: M Sport, Sport, SE, ES
BMW 3 Series - Saloon - Rear (RWD) - 6 Speed Manual, 6 Speed Automatic - 1995 cc - Max Speed: 137 mph - 150, 170 bhp - Petrol - Available Trims: ES, SE, Sport, M Sport
BMW 3 Series - Saloon - Rear (RWD) - 6 Speed Manual, 6 Speed Automatic - 1995 cc - Max Speed: 140, 143 mph - 163, 177 bhp - Diesel - Available Trims: ES, SE, Sport, M Sport
BMW 1 Series - Hatchback - Rear (RWD) - 6 Speed Automatic, 6 Speed Manual - 1995 cc - Max Speed: 127 mph - 122 bhp - Petrol - Available Trims: M Sport, Sport, SE, ES
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Advantages: Great buys at the moment Disadvantages: Will be replaced in 2005
...huge price tag. A BMW 3 series probably doesn't say cheap to most people but I have just purchased the BMW 1.6 ES special edition for £16, 495 including metallic paint.
What do you get for your money?
With this special edition I have got a 1.8 litre engine with 150 BHP.
Standard features of this car include:
Air conditioning (manual)
CD Player
162 alloy wheels ...to the gallon combined. BMW official figures are 50.4 combined.
What else is available?
I have just seen and driven the new 1 series that is being released by BMW on the 18th Sep 21004 and I have to say that the 1 series will prove competition for the 3 series which some may think is relatively old and not quite so stylish in design. However, the basic one series is around £16 for the base 1.6 edition and does ... more
After a somewhat disastrous encounter with a VW I decided that in my next car, I wanted to stay German as I was impressed with the build quality of the VW but that I wanted a little more prestige but without a huge price tag. A BMW 3 series probably doesn't say cheap to most people but I have just purchased the BMW 1.6 ES special edition for £16, 495 including metallic paint.
What do you get for your money?
With this special edition I have got a 1.8 litre engine with 150 BHP.
Standard features of this car include:
Air conditioning (manual)
CD Player
162 alloy wheels
Electric front widows
M3 steering wheel and gear stick (no controls)
Sports suspension
Anthracite headlining
Storage compartment pocket
The base price is £15, 995 and metallic paint will set you back a further £500 ish. This car is definitely great value for money as to get a similar specification on a similar 3 series compact you would be in the £18/19k mark.
What's it like?
I have purchased the deep metallic silver which is a practical colour in that it looks clean but doesn't need too much maintaining. The alloy wheels are easy to clean as well!
Driving and cabin:
The cabin is functional but does offer some nice touches and the driver's seat is comfortable with height adjustments making it practical and comfortable to drive for those of us who are over 6 feet tall. The compact series only comes in a three door option so this is something to take into account when buying. Inside the cabin offers plenty of room for 4 adults although 5 is a bit of a squeeze.
I had the black cloth inside which is practical but also looks expensive and so far is hard wearing and very practical not showing any spills or anything like that!
I like the M3 steering wheel which is leather trimmed and small and the gear stick is also smooth and the gears of the car feels smooth and don't clog or stick at all. The ride and suspension the car seems absolutely right and the car handles and corners very well.
The drive is responsive and the engine feels powerful but the car does not run away with you. The car is good around town with enough power to zoom around but you can also take advantage of the engine on the motorways and the car gives a good performance at the 80 ish mark on the motorway.
The air conditioning works well and cools the car down quickly; haven't really tried the heating yet as it's been too warm.
Luggage space:
The car is hatchback and the boot size is good and will easily accommodate two medium/large suitcases and is good for the weekly shop with very easy access. The spare wheel (not full size) is also stored via the boot. The car comes with a warning triangle.
One very nifty feature is a storage area that drops down from the boot shelf and allows you to store all of your rubbish in the boot without cluttering it up and anyone else being able to see it!
Security and safety: The car acomes with an immobilser and remote central locking which I always find to be a great feature.
The car also features several airbags (driver, passenger, side etc) as well as side impact bars and because of the high door frames you always feel very safe
Value for money?
The insurance group is a very reasonable 11 on this car and the insurance premiums is pretty good (much better than my last car!)
The car costs approx £25 to fill the tank and does on average of 45 ish to the gallon combined. BMW official figures are 50.4 combined.
What else is available?
I have just seen and driven the new 1 series that is being released by BMW on the 18th Sep 21004 and I have to say that the 1 series will prove competition for the 3 series which some may think is relatively old and not quite so stylish in design. However, the basic one series is around £16 for the base 1.6 edition and does not include half of the extras that the three compact special edition does at the moment so if you are going for value for money then the three compact will be hard to beat in the BMW range. Be warned however, that a new 3 series is being released next year so this may mean that you have fallen in love then need to buy another new car!
nickjj78 07.09.2004
Ciao members have rated this car review on average:
very helpful
Review of BMW 316i
Value for Money
Road Handling
Comfort
Features
Fuel consumption
Looks
Quick review of BMW 316i
pleasure to drive!
makes you feel safe and secure when driving, being a BMW
the large dimensions are hard to get used to at first as the car is a lot wider than similar models by other car manufacturers
some minor problems known with 3-series compact models such as the airbag light comes on even if the airbag is in fully working order. best to get this checked out first anyway, in case you are involved in an accident! other than that no problems at all.
have had the car eleven years already, expect to keep the car for another five years at least! mine is an automatic which makes the car even simpler to drive, really a pleasure at all speeds and in all conditions. ...
Advantages: It looks soooo good Disadvantages: Expensive to service and get parts
...I always wanted a BMW even when i was a little girl, I'd heard my Dad saying he wanted one and so did I. After a little 'prang' involving my Citroen Saxo and a Pergeot 306 I was offered a used BMW (1997 - P reg) in Black with air conditioning, CD player, alloy wheels etc. It looked so lovely and my dream came true. The cost of the used car was the same as it would cost me to buy a brand new saxo - £5000 and that's without the added extra's. The quality ... ...you expect to see a BMW in. To service it at a reputable BMW garage is going to set you back at least £300 - but this has a plus side because a full BMW service history will add value to your car when you come to sell it. Parts are also quite expensive - as is the labour to fit them, a qualified BMW mechanic will cost you £60 per hour. And if you're thinking you'll take it to the little man who used to service your fiesta and was really cheap you'll ...
sianandmartin 26.02.2004
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of BMW 316i
Advantages: Great looking and affordable luxury Disadvantages: No mod cons
...this car in that respect. BMW have really got it right with their bodywork.
Internally this car has no mod cons, the dashboard is pretty basic and there are none of those great gadgets everybody loves to have but the necessary equipment is there. BMW stereo system is great.
Does like to drink petrol but you get a good, nippy car for your money. Overall I am very happy with this car, I had the three years never had any problems with it at all. Very ...
strax74 17.12.2003
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: somewhat helpful Review of BMW 316i
i like this car because it is very good car. it has nice look . it has good comfort level . it gives very good mileage . it is very cheap in price. it look latest . i own this car from last 4 months . it has good comfort level. their is also an security alram . it is really a good car it is mostly look like a sports car . it also have a power steering. ydhnnjh dfhduyf ygsy w idji ui nd u n u u j u n u m uh j n j n y mj j ju j m k k i k ju jk m jk ... ...rssd dtgabdh suaudgd dasudhda csdshgd d uwdbad dsyd ddydasasycs dsuasbasu sdy du dua u sdua cjd fud uid dudd ydnwdysd s ysdmyeew scusfjencusd wrufemfu ruie feuifmefier83ekfdjf d i r if f i m if fie i e fki ytdwjdwuux i widksj 7 i 8 i meia, sidwr ek ermdfk edmdfma s fkdw ydnm ewd swd swd good car ...
badman123 02.08.2007
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: not helpful Review of BMW 316i
Hi all. I have just bought a black 316i saloon. At first I thought to myself "oh my god what what have I done"!!, as everywhere i seemed to go people seem to stare, and no doubt think I'm some wana be gangstar!! But as I've got used to it i find it to be an absolutely great car. The handling seems to be the best part about this car and this is obviously due to the rear wheel drive. Having a 1.8i engine in mine certainly helps it pull it off the line too and it gets up to 60 in no time. The only downfall with this car is the interior is a bit boring, its like being locked in a room with your granddad or something but as long as you dont mind that you can certainly have some fun. I would give this car 4/5 for handling, 5/5 for reliability, and 4/5 for looks. Overall very good car!! ...
surveyben2073 26.06.2008
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: somewhat helpful Review of BMW316i
Advantages: comfort and handling Disadvantages: cost to run
A nice man in a white van decided to go into the back of my little Renault Clio and wrote it off, therefore having children, I needed a car pretty quickly, as their school was too far to go by bus or train. A friend that wasn't using his BMW any more said that I could have his. So I test drove it and decided there and then this was the car for me.
Price?
The price of a BMW316i compact differs to whether you buy this car new or second hand. The prices range from £14,500 new to £1500 second hand in poor condition. I paid £2,500 for my 1998 BMW from a friend, which was in great condition, however had high mileage. The car I got had a full BMW service history. As it did have a full service, I decided that the price was good for the car. I am sure you can get some great car for about this price if you were buying new, however ...
jackiehayes 17.09.2006 (19.09.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of BMW316i Sport
Advantages: Great drive, nice kudos badge Disadvantages: want the M3 now
The BMW316i saloon is my first experience of owning and driving this superior marque. I’ve driven 15k miles since buying the car new six months ago and I’m really impressed by the quality, the driving experience and overall package. The only addition I’ve made to the car, which is a necessity in my book, is a CD multi-changer which sits in a special pod hidden in the boot compartment (very neat touch).
Driving the car is a real pleasure and something to look forward to on those cold ‘don’t want to get up to go to work’ mornings. The car has a 1.9 litre engine and good acceleration and power characteristics, it sounds sporty (has a growl in the exhaust) and pulls away very smoothly in all gears and road conditions.
It has plenty of power in all the gears, plenty of mid-range, and will cruise ...
runmedownmissy 03.02.2001
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of BMW316i
