Went car shopping yesterday and from looking at Golfs and poss A3s we are now looking at BMW 3 series instead. Will anyone ever let me out of a side street and how reliable/expensive to fix are 3/4 yr old ones!

no and not/very

Reliable but expensive to fix.

Some one I know has one.
New wheel nut £75… WTF

Just fitted new discs and pads all round on mine for £117 plus £20 for a polish man to spend the morning on his knees. 😯 Force your way out of side streets then give the bird to who ever let you out. Keep up the rep and all that. Much fun 😆

Well I wouldn't (let you out), but then I'm a grumpy git!
Have you driven one in the snow/Ice? I know its a bit 'now', but its possibly the worst car I have driven in bad conditions, maybe that would make 'her' reconsider?

generally very reliable IF they have been looked after, but, like most german cars, expensive when thy do go wrong,
got a bit of a chavvy image at the mo due to the 'drifters' buying up all the old ones for said purpose, but newer ones just manage to stay above tyheir fundings!!
also as youve said, other road users tend not to be very forgiving/nice towards bmw drivers,

Yeah mine was stuck down at the bottom of my road for three days after everyone else was happily driving off to work. Totally useless in snow but so are all rear wheel drives with fat wheels.

Well I wouldn't (let you out), but then I'm a grumpy git!
Have you driven one in the snow/Ice? I know its a bit 'now', but its possibly the worst car I have driven in bad conditions, maybe that would make 'her' reconsider?

I had great fun watching a rep trying to get their 3 series out of the services at Oswestry on the A5?, had to be careful following them out in case they lost it completely.

She managed fine in an MX5 during the last lot of snow so have no doubts about her ability to drive the thing.

Mostly wondering about how reliable and expensive to run they are. Honest John seems to be reasonably positive.

You will need a stripy double-breasted suit from Next then. Enjoy!

I had an '04 320d Touring for nearly 5 years/100k miles. I bought it 1 year old with a full service pack already attached, which saved a bit on servicing (everything except tyres) up to 60k miles. Never really had the getting let out problem.

Reliable as the days are long. small/narrow bootspace. Radio reception died towards the end of my ownership but by then I was trading in anyway so it didn't matter to me.

My daily commute is 30 miles each way across Bradford/Leeds and I never got more than 40mpg, despite not being heavy footed and it being a diesel. The problem was the bit getting from home, north of Bradford, to the M62/M1 south of Bradford/Leeds.

my new car gets about the same mpg, it's a Swedish Vectra diesel. Sorry, I mean a Saab 9-3 Sportwagon

BMW – nice car but expensive to buy.

Avoid the pale grey cloth seats as it gets grubby very quickly and is a pig to clean

Divorce?

Will anyone ever let me out of a side street

Keep with the times, Audi drivers have been the most hated/reviled on the roads for many years now… The BMW drivers of the late 90's that were the problem all switched to Audis when they were getting treated like 2nd class road citizens in their BMW's. BMW drivers have, on the whole, been largely free of driving like tossers for a number of years now… Certainly, get yourself on the fast lane of a motorway, drive at anything less than 90mph, and I GUARANTEE the person flashing their lights behind you to move over is not driving a BMW, and is more than likely driving an Audi!

women in BMW's – very hot.

I'll get my coat.

seriously my 330 has so far been cheaper to run than the A4

Forget the other stuff, the most important thing is that the 3 series is a great car to drive.

I have an 04 BMW 330CI that's now on 64000 miles, other than regular servicing (variable) it has required nothing other than brakes and tyres. It has been the most dependable car I've ever owned.

Bits are dear on the sport models though. Full set of tyres £700 similar for a full set of discs and pads.

MaverickBoy repeating whatever they say on Top Gear as though it's fact there… 😉

Isn't the BMW 1 series more of an equivalent for an A3 / Golf? 3 series is more Mondeo size isn't it?

I'd like to like the 1 series but I can't help thinking of the Munsters whenever I see one.

Daffy, my Pug has 165+k on the clock, requires no servicing other than filters and oil (50 quid max), nobody calls me a cock for driving it (yet) and has a boot that takes a couple of bikes easily.
Beemers are pretty, I'd love one myself, but they're like the hot chick at the bar – a quick, meaningless relationship and pass it on. Unless it's a '90's M5 in which case the sex is worth it.
IGMC and head for the door…

Much better car than dull Golf/A3 option. As you've mentioned the Mrs can drive the brilliant MX5 in the snow,so the Beemer should be no problem.

The 3 series is not a real BMW, you need to look at 5series & above.

And you will need to cut 4inches off you nob.

Thanks guys, so looks no worse than either Golf or Audi price wise as long as she stays clear of the big wheels.

She will be hot in a BMW but given how fast she drives you would struggle to keep up 😆

1 series too ugly. 320d Touring not really much bigger than Golf etc anyway.

Memo to self, check the tyre wear on next 1 we look at.

Great cars to drive – if you get one with the direction pack – you’ll find that other road user are so grateful that they let you out of junction and even if they don’t you have the consolation of your very own lane on the motorway

Still miss my 318tds – it was one of the best handling cars I’ve driven – if a little underpowered

Lovely cars, but inconsiderate tools do seem to choose them to er, tool around in.

We all know that there are loads of considerate BMW owners, but you really do notice the idiots who believe a nice car entitles you to drive like a knobster. Lack of indication a speciality, usually on roundabouts.

Was Volvos with dog breeder stickers driven by blokes in hats when I was younger.

Actually, the hat rule still applies – treat any driver in a hat with extreme caution. 🙂

re: Rusty

MaverickBoy repeating whatever they say on Top Gear as though it's fact there…

LOL

Lifelong Beemer fan mate… Couldn't give a stuff what Top Gear says about them! I remember only a couple of years ago Clarkson et al hated them passionately for the very reason everyone else seems to still. Each to their own and all that…

They're damned good cars though, and my opinion is of course based entirely upon my own experience… Maybe Audi drivers just see me coming and pick me out to drive on my back bumper on the motorway on purpose, the rest of the time they're perfectly civil people? 😉

Hairy – What's your point? I can get 4 bikes on it's roof with 4 people and all their stuff in it, all in complete comfort, and it'll still easily do over 100mph while returing 23ish mpg.

It has a silky smooth straight 6 engine up front. Satnav, heated leather seats , cruise control and a 5sp automatic box in the middle with a decent boot and RWD at the back. I love every aspect of it.

PS, Nobody has directly called me a cock as I (believe I) drive considerately.

So there!!

When I grew up in Wolverhampton and at school in the early 80s BMW stood for black man wagon.

The 3 series is not a real BMW, you need to look at 5series & above

?

Anyway, BMW drivers will let her out at junctions, maybe.

Mine's been totally reliable in the 7 years I've had it (since new), only time it wouldn't start was when I forgot to disable the tilt alarm on a ferry crossing and ended up with a flat battery.

Only real expense is tyres, I go through a rear in about 10k and fronts in 15k and at £200 each it adds up. That said I do very little motorway miles and like going around corners faster than I probably should so most people would get better wear than that.

The only negative stuff I get seems to be from Audi drivers as though there's a secret club they'll get thrown out of it they show a BMW driver any courtesy. Dunno why though, I actually like Audi's :p

bruk if she likes driving/steering feel (coming from a MX5) then she'd prefer the BMW over a Audi anyway.

I'd go for the BMW. As for servicing- VW main dealers arent cheap nevermind Audi.

Hairychested – which Pug have you got and which engine etc? I'm 'thinking' about a 406 2.0 HDI estate with circa 90k miles.

My last car was a BMW 3 series and current one is an X5.
Both have been extremely reliable and good cars to drive. I don't notice any animosity from other road users.

TBH I've never noticed 'bad BMW' drivers. Its not brand-specific. Mind you, when you drive my car everyone seems to let you in to gaps etc 🙂

Had a '95 320D wagon since end of October. Fantastic to drive, not quite as economical as I'd like, OK for bikes, not too bad in the snow, despite the silly tyres once you'd got going. Stopping was a very bad idea though. Not had too much trouble with other drivers being idiots (or no more than usual anyway)

My wife had quite a few test drives when looking for something a bit bigger to replace her mini.

She's not a keen driver but within minutes of trying a 1 series she decided that it was the best one. They are just nicer to drive than so much of the competition – better weighted steering, with better feel, better balanced chassis etc.

We've now got a 120d M sport and I've had an old 520 for years (car before that was a 944 turbo)

smurf

I have a 320d, Great car… Just got a new tyre 255/35/R18 Run Flat Michelin, Cost £250… So deffo not cheap!

Made up with the car though! 🙂

Take it from me. Go find a 10-12 yr old 328i convertible with as low a mileage as you can get. Super fast 0-60 7secs, super reliable, parts available, cycle rack goes on back or I take roof down and just stick my orange straight in! Cool. On my second

Start weening her of the indicators now 😡