Been away for ages busy with work and the like! Finally written 100th review with more to follow......
Been away for ages busy with work and the like! Finally written 100th review with more to follow...I hope!! Nick
Member since:10.11.2003
Reviews:102
Members who trust:16
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.
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!
Happy motoring!!
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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
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