BMW Sporty Diesel with Low Running Costs

Advantages: Good Resale value, sporty, comfortable, sleek
Disadvantages: Feels same as a much older model.

...I bought a 2004 model 320DSE recently and am pleased to report it is a nice executive car. The 320D range start with a basic model then the ES then the SE and then of course the Mtec Sport. The level of goodies you get with the car go up with each model but they all driver the same apart from the sports suspension on the Mtec. I decided the Se was probably the best value for myself with Climate control, electric windows , 6 speed manual gearbox, electric windows all round, and cd player advantages over the ES. This is the second BMW I have owned. the first being a 316 made in 92, and I must report it is amazingly similar to drive. The pedals are offset to the right slightly but this feels quite natural, the, the brakes are exellent, and the clutch is fairly light but has quite a long travel which I find takes a while to get used to...

lightheart 18.10.2007 · Read review
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Review of BMW 320d

BMW Sytner Chigwell

Advantages: Great customer service, aparently no matter who you are.
Disadvantages: Services can be a bit pricey, but not as bad as you would think.

...I have visited BMW Sytner a few times over the last 3-4 years & I have to say, they have the best customer service i have experienced at any dealership, bar none. I am not your typical kind of guy you would see in a BMW showroom, I am 27 years old but look like I am 17, I probably go there looking a bit rag tag aswell (I think i do it on purpose, i am not fond of face value). But I always feel that they treat me with the same courtesy as all of their customers I have been to Sytner for 3 series parts a few times & no matter how small the problem, the staff are always very helpful & polite. They took their time to track down some E36 washers I could have probably got anywhere & smiled at me when i thought they would charge me for it!, lol. Specifically, i find parts prices are not that bad at all compared to mercedes or renault. I...

krslim 23.04.2009 · Read review
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Review of BMW

BMW 5 Series 530i Sport Touring - Apr 2004

Advantages: Comfort, power, smoothness of ride, after-sales service.
Disadvantages: Expensive to run and maintain, unconvincing in ice and snow!

...The car for the lazy driver as it does absolutely everything for you. There are no gears or clutch to think about as the car has an extremely smooth automatic gearbox. The cruise control permits you to set your speed and take your foot off the accelerator. Automatic lights and rain sensors mean that you don’t need to worry about the weather conditions or lack of daylight, whilst the BMW satellite navigation package takes you directly to your destination. The traffic master package even helps you to avoid traffic build up or jams! Entertainment is also catered for although, unfortunately, this model doesn’t have the Internet package; the radio automatically re-tunes itself depending on your location and the fully loaded 6 CD autochanger is sufficient for the majority of journeys. There is a hands free in built telephone...

wetherby.beans 19.03.2007 · Read review
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Review of BMW 530i Touring

BMW Approved used car warranty in doubt

Advantages: I have seen none to date
Disadvantages: A BMW approved used car from a main dealer proved to be a nightmare

...Two months ago, I purchased a BMW 323ci convertible from Vines of Guildford who are BMW main dealers. The car is 8 years old and had just over 47000 miles on the clock. It was sold with a BMW used car warranty but with certain exclusions due to its age, explained to me after I had paid a deposit on it. In the last couple of weeks, knocking noises have started coming from the engine which have progressively got worse. I've owned three BMWs and I know these cars well but I've never had one do that before. Very worried I checked the service history booklet 'Evidence of maintenance work' that came with the car and this is what I found ... 09/05/2000 Pre-delivery check No running-in check at 1250 miles 20/11/2002 Oil service at 12632 miles (6 months late) 05/05/2005 Oil/Inspection 1 and 2 at 21055 miles (1 year late) And then no...

cravenh 09.11.2008 (24.11.2008) · Read review
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Review of BMW

Halliwell Jones Chester (BMW) - Give Them A Wide Berth

Advantages: Some pretty cars to look at in the showroom
Disadvantages: Poor after-sales, the ability to 'create' problems with your car (then refuse to accept liabilty)

...My wife purchased a 2nd hand Mini Cooper last year (2008) and included with the car was the TLC 5 year servicing plan. The car didn't appear to have been serviced upon collection, and the absence of any service book dealer stamps would seem to confirm this, so in March this year (2009) the car was booked into Halliwell Jones Chester (BMW) for a service. We explained the situation to the service desk advisor who assured us that the car would receive the necessary attention. When the car was collected, the mechanism which operates the drivers' seat sliding back/forth was inoperable - we'd had no previous problems with the seat (or the car at all) until that point. The dealer agreed to replace the seat rails and mechanism under warranty, but argued that they hadn't caused the seat to fail. Coincidence therefore? In the weeks following...

thpba3 19.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of BMW

BMW Hexagon is poor

Advantages: convenient N London location
Disadvantages: unresponsive staff, expensive

...Hexagon BMW are hopeless. I had my car serviced at the Kentish Town site in December and they ordered a part for me that needed to be fitted. Have tried to contact the service contact (AR) there on 3 separate occasions during January to get the work done - he won't call back. No-one else I have spoken to seems to have any idea what is going on with this repair. I also visited their sales showroom on great north road recently to look at swapping my 7-series for a newer one, but hardly anyone around to help and the one youngster there had limited interest as he said that they were cutting jobs. BMW Park Lane is owned by BMW and I think I'll stick with them going forward....

m1000 14.01.2009 · Read review
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Review of BMW

HR Owen Heathrow BMW & MINI

Advantages: Exceptional Offers - Fantastic Service and Competency of all within the business
Disadvantages: -

...I recently had my vehicle serviced at HR Owen Heathrow BMW in West Drayton and found the overall experience brilliant. I have had numerous BMW's and been to many dealerships but I found them to be very professional and thorough. The pricing was competitive and they advised me on all the extra items my car needed after carrying out a FREE Maintenance Check. The one thing I found unique about them was they offered me a Service While I Fly facility. I dropped my car off to the dealership and the courtesy bus took me straight to the airport for my business flight. When I returned, they collected me, had the car waiting done and cleaned and I killed two birds with one stone. My car was serviced and the storage/parking charges were a damn site chepaer than all the NCP's etc... around the airport. In a nutshell the service was superb...

fashthebash 05.07.2006 · Read review
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Review of BMW

Advantage BMW

Advantages: A good all rounder and relatively cheap to run.
Disadvantages: None.

...and houses the spare under the floor. The CD changer is also in the boot behind a removable panel, and a nice tool kit is fitted in the boot lid. The interior is spacious at the front; however, rear passengers are not catered for so well in the legroom department. Although legroom is forgotten when they sample the smoothness and quietness of this automobile. The automatic gearbox changes without notice although sometimes it will go near the red line before changing up. My car has the steptronic version of auto box with the manual shift facility. I have to confess I hardly ever use it because there are only four gears in that mode, and the auto box achieves its task with so little effort. Driving BMW’s advert claim they are the “ultimate driving machines” and I would agree, This car is all about driving, one tends to...

Shekera 20.10.2001 · Read review
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Review of BMW 523i

Scotthall BMW, Cambridge

Advantages: Posh surroundings and a pick up/taxi/loan car service
Disadvantages: Buying a car is a tacky salesman nightmare

...The Scothall BMW dealership serving Cambrige is situated in the 'village' of Great Shelford. The truth of the matter is that this village is so close to Cambridge city that it might as well be considered as in the main town. The showroom and workshop are clean and of a modern design. At the time of writing they are being modernised further to expand the number of cars that can be displayed, amongst other services. Scothall...actually that might be spelled with 2 T's...offer a great facility whereby when you have your car serviced they will either loan you a car, organise a free taxi or deliver and drop off the car to you at any address in the locality. Of course you should be prepared to 'pay' for this as the service charges are consistently higher than you might expect to pay in a more run-of-the-mill garage. However having said...

DrC 27.07.2000 · Read review
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Review of BMW

BMW Stephen James Bromley

Advantages: Local
Disadvantages: Poor service, non-return of phonecalls, poor sales tactics

...Stephen James Bromley What can I say but absolutely awful service. I have used this delaership on a number of occassion for trying to buy a used vehicle, having my BMW serviced and for fixing a few problems I have had with my car. Every time I have used them I have been very disappointed with the customer service aspect of this delaership. I first went there to look at purchasing a used BMW and, although they had the criteria that I was looking for and my budget, they continually rang with cars that were not what I was looking for and that were way over my budget. And when I say way over I mean up to £10k over my budget (I'd buy a new one if I had that much money). The second time I used them was for my car's annual service. Whilst they were able to book the car in when I wanted it done, the follow up on the day was...

borstal 04.12.2007 (19.12.2007) · Read review
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Review of BMW