BMW 3 series: compact all the way...

Advantages: Great buys at the moment
Disadvantages: Will be replaced in 2005

...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...

nickjj78 07.09.2004 · Read review
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Review of BMW 316i

BMW 1.9 Z3 Roadster

Advantages: Great for hot, sunny days and posing, great build quality
Disadvantages: Attracts unwanted attention, NOT a sports car

...If you want a BMW Z3 then do not go for the 1.9 version. The small engine, although provides some torque, is not up to the job to power a heavy 2 seater roadster. I bought a 1997 model in blue, with 65,000 miles on the clock for £8,000 back in April 2006. After changing jobs I fancied a change in car. I had always wanted a small two seater convertible and had considered the MX-5 and MGF. Although I like the look of both of these cars they are a bit.....well...... ponzy. I wanted a 'mans' convertible. Unfortunately the SLK, Z4 etc were way beyond my budget, as was the Z3 - or so I thought..... When I saw the Z3 I had to have a drive in it. It was a bright and sunny day, not too hot since it was April, but the rag top brigade were out in force. The Z3 felt sluggish, but then I had just gotten rid of my 240bhp twin entry turbo...

yackers1 12.03.2007 · Read review
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Review of BMW Z3 Roadster 

Red Dwarf series 3.

Advantages: SUPERB
Disadvantages: NOTHING

...Red Dwarf series 3. This wonderfully funny and fantastically written show ran for eight series and almost had a film made, sadly not to be. Starring; Craig Charles - Dave Lister Arnold J Rimmer - Chris Barrie Cat - Danny John-Jules Kryten - Robert Llewellyn Holy was played by two people, Norman Lovett and later Hattie Hayridge. Although Norman did return later in the series. Kristine Kochanski was also played by two people Clare Grogan and then later by Chloë Annett. Kryten was initially played by David Ross but thankfully he did not stay in the role. It had a simple premise, The Red Dwarf Mining ship has a radiation leak which kills all of the crew except Dave who is in Null space put there as a punishment for bringing a cat aboard the ship and then refusing to surrender it up to the captain. He is...

MaldivesHoliday 14.07.2009 · Read review
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Review of Red Dwarf - Series 3 (DVD)

Bmw M3 Evo Saloon

Advantages: Fast, reliable, good handeling, comfortable, looks evil, solid build, smile factor
Disadvantages: expensive to maintain and run, steering wheel is a bit big, long gear throw

...Bmw E36 M3 evo saloon I love my M3 evo, 90k on the clock so far FSH and still on the same healthy sounding vanos unit. Ive always had quick cars but this thing is awesome. There are a few updated items on the 3.2 E36 M3 including bigger brakes from the M5 6, speed box and bigger 3.2 twin vanos engine giving a massive 321bhp. Beware though this car cant be run on a shoe string budget. my spends so far 1) new suspension and bushes standard boge set up £1000 2)gear box selector seal £150 3) inspection 2 service £850 which has highlighted that the vavles will need re-set in about 20-30k at a cost of £400 4) Its going in in two weeks to get the vanos serviced ,new mesh oil filter, solinoides cleaned and longer BMW bolts fitted to the front plate at a cost of £150 And if that troublesome vanos unit goes im looking a £1500...

reidtastic 11.07.2008 (07.07.2008) · Read review
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Review of BMW M3

The BMW M3 is drive-a-licious !

Advantages: Good motorsport feel
Disadvantages: Pricey, can get stiff neck, driving at speed

...At first glance there doesn't seem anything special about it, but I have to admit it does look better than the average BMW. That's when I noticed the lower front spoiler, the wider wheel arches that hide the wider axle. Believe, I couldn't go wrong with 20 18 inch rims,...can I ? Then there's that little hump on the bonnet to make sure there's enough room for the bigger engine. At closer inspection I noticed the M3 nostrils on the front fenders...and the emblem on the back on the car that says EMMMM 3 !...but the most distinct characteristic I like lies below the emblem...it's the beautiful 4-pipe organ ( twin exhaust ) which plays the most wonderful sounds known to BMW kind !...no not the church organ...but this one vroom-VROOM !! (get it ?!) Once inside I noticed the usual BMW leather upholstery, a little chrome polish here and there...

joeyhey2007 22.10.2008 · Read review
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Review of BMW M3

BMW 3 Series

Advantages: Fast, comfortable
Disadvantages: Drinks petrol

...I bought my BMW after my B reg Orion fell to bits. It was about time I bought a new car. I searched on the Internet for the model I wanted (had to get a 1.6 because I knew I wouldn't get insured on anything else!). I found two, one R reg for £8,000, which the dealer would not negotiate on, and a T reg for £6,750. I was lucky because the company were doing a deal at the time. So, f you hold out, you'll get one at that age for around £7,000. However, mileage in all BMWs is quite high. I think this is because they are mostly used as company cars. However, don't be put of by this fact as BMWs are renowed for their reliability. The exterior of the car is sleek and sophisticated and presents a very professional look, especially in black. The bumpers are colour coded and the alloys give it that finishing look. The windows are slightly...

Pheonix5284 20.07.2003 · Read review
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Review of BMW 316i Coupé

My 3rd BMW

Advantages: Performance economy and comfort
Disadvantages: It does not drive it self ( well not quite )

...and allows full control of the radio and cruise control. There is plenty of legroom in the front and being 6.4" tall this is important. The only drawback is when I have the seat right back there is only enough legroom behind me for a small one. The seats are very comfortable and the car has seat belts for 5 with the middle rear being a lap belt. For those summer months Air conditioning is standard. The boot will easily take a months shopping for a family of 3 and has a toolkit built into the boot lid "just in case". The spare is whats called a space saver and the jack is fixed onto the spare under the boot floor. As standard there is a warning triangle in the boot and a first aid kit under the passenger seat. On the outside the M low profile wheels and sports body trim made it look a bit special. The sound is provided by the standard BMW...

Chadderz 02.08.2002 (14.08.2002) · Read review
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Review of BMW 330d

BMW X3, Ugly Duckling.

Advantages: Nice Smooth Engine
Disadvantages: About everything else

...the back it slants too much and the front as Jeremy Clarkson so nicely put it, will make the children sick as soon as they see it. Design wise, it's just not on par with the lovely X5. Inside - Unfortuneately the inside has quite a bit to answer for too. I've driven 1 Series BMWs which ALL have better quality materials than this X3 does. The fake leather look dashboard is actually horrible, horrible plastic and the seats are so hard, you slip and slide all over them. It's also quite awkward to get in and out of due to being a wierd height. Not tall enough to substantiate a proper set of running boards, yet not low enough for you to be able to simply swing yourself in. It's just plain wierd. The car does not go off road, sure it'll help you when you have parked in a grassy car park and it's been raining, hoever don't expect to drive...

rally1998 08.05.2008 · Read review
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Review of BMW X3 3.0i

Series 3 starts to solidify in the middle

Advantages: Great acting and writing
Disadvantages: Episodes spoilt by the subplot context

...The second disc in the third series of the modern Doctor Who gives us 4 episodes, two of which are a double-episode tale involving the Doctor's long serving arch enemies, the Daleks. With the first three episodes having set the scene with the emergence of Martha Jones as the Doctor's new companion, I was read for some gritty episodes that the writers could get their teeth stuck into. The Episodes The first two episodes are Daleks in Manhattan and Evolution of the Daleks. The Tardis brings the Doctor and Martha to Manhattan Island in the 1930s with the Great Depression having set in and many inhabitants of New York having to set up camp in the parks in order to survive. They come across a group of struggling homeless, and find out that people are disappearing. Closer inspection introduces us to the pig-men, humans who have...

pmcds 14.03.2009 · Read review
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Review of Doctor Who - Series 3 Vol.2 (DVD)

BMW 1 series as an everyday family car

Advantages: Plenty. Residual values are also truely astonishing!
Disadvantages: The rear doors - they don't open very wide and it's hard to manage getting very young children and the elderly in and out

...My wife and I have had our fair share of cars over the past 5 years or so - about 12 in total - and each one was very different to its predecessor. For example, we went from a Ford Escort to a Peugeot 206; a BMW Z3 to a VW Golf; from a LandRover Discovery to Porsche 911; and from a BMW 330d Sport to a Fiant Punto Mia (1.2). Most recent ly we changed from a BMW X3 to a BMW 116i Sport. If asked to choose which of all the cars we have owned I would recommend the most, I would say that depended to whom the recommendation was being made; however, if like us you have a young family and an active lifestyle, although you might imagine the versatility of a 4x4 such as the Discovery would be a good bet to get my vote, I would honestly have to say that, pound for pound, the 1 series has been the best buy by far. Let's start with the most...

Blackdog23 21.06.2006 · Read review
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Review of BMW 116i