2009 BMW 3 Series Sedan User Reviews

Pros

Good fuel economy, Great exterior look

Cons

Bad interior features and dashboard design

Purchased As Not Purchased

I had love BMW but it's interior is not good at all as compared to similar models...Lexus IS or Infinity G35.

Purchased the Toyota Avalon instead with good features and dashboard and interior design and comfort.

Pros

Enjoyment and comfort enough

Cons

options

Purchased As New

Benz C, Audi A4, Lexus IS are all good car, but also boring comparing to BMW.

Benz is comfy and good handling, Audi in white is a looker and Lexus is luxury and nice, but BMW is what you would enjoy to take out everyday in any journey. You won't be wrong for any of them as they are good in someway and you are certain about what you are looking for. BMW is good in all areas in this class if you can agreed that one should consider Benz E, BMW 5 ....for more luxury...read morehide

Pros

Enjoyment and comfort enough

Cons

options

Purchased As New

Benz C, Audi A4, Lexus IS are all good car, but also boring comparing to BMW.

Benz is comfy and good handling, Audi in white is a looker and Lexus is luxury and nice, but BMW is what you would enjoy to take out everyday in any journey. You won't be wrong for any of them as they are good in someway and you are certain about what you are looking for. BMW is good in all areas in this class if you can agreed that one should consider Benz C, BMW 5 ........for more luxury....read morehide

Pros

Pretty Fast

Cons

Not fast enough

Purchased As New

I'm fortunate to be able to live in Germany and run with the best of the best on the Autobahn. The 328i is nice, but I find myself moving to the right quit a bit. Sometimes it's embarrassing. 140mph and not a drop more. That's almost 3 times as much as i'll need in the states, but it's holding down the fort here. If you want speed, get an Audi. Other that that, it's a nice car. I should have bought a 5 series for the space though....read morehide

Pros

Great interior, excellent iDrive with Nav etc.

Cons

This car is not for everyday driving. Its not really a "luxury".

Purchased As Not Purchased

I have been wanting to buy the best entry level luxury car. Have been doing a lot of research and test driving cars. I narrowed down my final two choices to the 328i and the Mercedes C300. I drove both of these cars extensively (rented both).

All online reviews about the 328i will tell you that it is "more fun to drive" and has better performance etc. After I drove the 328i, I kind of understand what they mean. But I feel that for the average buyer looking for a luxury car, the 328i is not what you are looking for. The Mercedes C300 is truly a luxurious drive. It drives so smoothly and the 7-speed transmission shifts so softly that you can hit the gas pedal as hard as you want and it will shift very smoothly. The 328i on the other hand has a very jerky shift. Sure it may do 0-60 faster than the C300, but it will be a lot more jerky too. The suspension in the C300 is orders of magnitude superior to the 328i. The engine noise in the 328i is terrible compared to the very quiet C300.

The steering wheel of the 328i is terribly stiff. The purists will tell you that that is typical of BMW and sports cars. But for the average driver like me looking for a great luxury car, the steering is too stiff in the 328i. The C300 on the other hand has a steering that is so smooth that I could turn 90 degrees using one finger at great speeds. Sure the BMW may be slightly better if u are driving atop winding hills at 90 mph, but that is not average driving unless u live in Montana.

The brakes are another thing that the C300 beats the 328i by a long shot. The C300 brakes from 60-70 mph to 0 absolutely smoothly with a very good feel on the brake pedal. The 328i on the other hand will brake, but u can tell the car is struggling to do it, the vehicle shakes a bit and the pedal vibrates quite a bit.

Also try doing a very fast U-turn on the 328i versus C300. You will instantly see the superior performance of the C300. The BMW on the other hand struggles to get back in a straight line and swerves.

Bottom line is this friends. If you are looking for a truly luxury car, then at a minimum you HAVE TO test drive the Mercedes C300. Don't just trust the online reviews and BLINDLY buy the 328i. What you are looking for may be very different than what the reviewers were paying attention to.

Don't buy the BMW without at least test driving the C300. And if possible rent both cars for at least a few hours of driving rather than the courtesy 10 minute test drive. Most dealers, if you insist will let you loan a car for a couple of hours.

And don't just make your decision based on the jazzy interior of the BMW, look at the driving performance of the C300. You dont want to make a decision of this magnitude based on a fancier dash etc....read morehide

Pros

The Torque is incredible!

Cons

I don't hear the turbos whistle as I step on it

Purchased As New

As soon as I stepped on the gas (or diesel pedal in this case...haha) I knew I had to buy this car! I haven't experienced such power and smooth acceleration. I am suprised so few people are educated about Diesel powered cars...the efficiency, durability and power a diesel motor produces, blows away gasoline motors. The ride is super comfortable and handles no like any other car I have ever driven. Overall a top notch car and you won't regret you bought it....read morehide

Purchased As New

I like everything about the car, but am I the only one that has a problem with the air. For cooling it only drops to 60 and it doesn't seem to push out much. It takes a while to cool....Anyone else feeling this?

Pros

Reliability, performance, appearance

Cons

Cup holder locations

Purchased As New

I had my new 09 328xi in Feb 2009! Wow that car is really an ultimate driving machince, the car handles great!! excellent performance, sporty look, very fast! very stable on the road! The only little tiny complaint i have is the cup holder location and the tight space in the back seats! Otherwise I am very very happy with my purchase!! I don't think i will ever be able to drive anything else but a BMW!...read morehide

Pros

Great handling and looks

Purchased As New

The car is amazing. I have the montego blue with black interior and all the options. The new I-Drive system is excellent. So far it is my favorite feature.

Pros

Handling, styling, quality of materials, power, driving position, automatic transmission

Cons

Premium pricing, too many options

Purchased As Used

The Mercedes Benz C class has the prestige and a beautiful exterior styling. The Audi A4 has the best interior. The Lexus IS has a ton of standard features. The BMW 3 series has none of that, but it has something the other cars do not have which is the best driving experience. BMW with this car has found the best compromise between comfort and handling. The driving feel is really its strong point. This car can do anything; slow or fast, it feels great. The driving position, the steering, the response from the engine, the suspension, no other car makes you feel as in synch as it does.

I chose the 328I with the premium package and the 6 speed automatic transmission (I could not justify the extra expense for the 335I). This car is perfect for what I do with it. Just enough power, the auto transmission for ease in long traffic jams, the option of manual for more fun when I feel like it, comfortable and quiet for long drives on the highway, great gas mileage for a 6 cylinder inline. This car puts a smile on my face any time I drive it.

The only negative I have found is really more toward the BMW options policy than anything with the car itself. Without the premium package, this car is not worth of the term ?premium?. The standard fake leather (vinyl) seats are really unacceptable on a luxury car and even with the premium package, the car is really not that well equipped. Yet, BMW makes you pay a premium price for it. BMW need to look at other offers out there and include some more standard features on its cars. In the DC area, I see as many Lexus as I see BMW and the reason is that Lexus includes everything as standard (heated and ventilated leather sets, xenon headlights, autodiming mirrors, 6 CD changer, keyless entry?). Yet, if you can live with fewer features, the BMW will give you a much more satisfying experience than its competitors....read morehide