2009 BMW 3 Series Sedan 328i

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

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

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

Pros

Smooth ride, great design

Cons

So-so mileage

Purchased As New

I've driven my 2009 328i (with just the premium package) for just about 5,000 miles. I love the smooth ride and the overall design of the car. My previous ride was a 2004 Volvo C70, which was SO STIFF. I don't feel that the 328 is stiff at all. It hugs the road -- I find myself flying along at speeds I couldn't even touch in the Volvo. However, I haven't found that my mileage is really what it should be -- I'm at about 24 mgp, with a mix of highway and city driving. I'm hoping it will improve with additional miles! Overall, I LOVE my 328....read morehide

Pros

Fuel Economy, Looks, Suspension, Xenons, Base Audio System, Manual Transmission

Cons

Weak A/C, run flats wear too fast, iPod interface, Heated mirrors cannot be turned on manually

Purchased As New

I love this car, I just broke 10,000 miles a couple of days ago. It drives wonderfully. The non-sporty seats are comfortable but they may be too firm for some people's tastes. The suspension is quite firm even though i don't have the sport suspension. some may complain that the suspension is too firm and transmits too much turbulence to the cabin. it is however a sport sedan. If you are looking for driving comfort rather than driving performance, (in this case, by performance i am talking about maneuvering, suspension, steering etc.) look at a 5 series.

I Have a 6 Speed Manual and it is great. The initial shift from 1st to 2nd is a little clunky, but from there on its smooth shifting. This car has great fuel economy for a 6 cylinder engine. I Get 23.5 mpg and i drive about 60 or 65 percent highway and the rest is stop and go. I do accelerate pretty hard and still get decent mileage. i'm sure if i tried to drive more efficiently, i could avg 24 or 25 mpgs.

The New facelift design on this car is beautiful. I absolutely love the new hood and the replacement of Sparkling Graphite for Space gray in the 09 Sedans. The interior controls are quite intuitive but some of the controls take some getting used to such as the radio. The standard steering wheel has radio controls right on on it.

The suspension is great for quick and sporty driving. it handles wonderfully and there is little body roll when cornering. I almost hit a cat once and had to quickly swerve around it and at night. when i was swerving i felt like i had complete control and did not skid or slip.

The xenons are optional on the 328 sedan and standard on the coupe. If you get this car i highly recommend getting the xenon option. it illuminates everything so brightly in front of you. and the xenons turn with the steering wheel so you can see whats ahead when cornering or curving at an exit.

The audio system sounds pretty good for being the base version. I do think it could use a little more bass

The Only major complaint that i have for this car is the Air Conditioning. I live in Miami. and right now it is really hot and 90 % humid. The air conditioning is not capable of comfortably and quickly cooling down the cabin on days like this. I have 20 Percent Tints and i can't imagine how much hotter it'd be if i didn't have them. The MAX button on the AC unit doesn't feel like it cools the car quickly enough. If you live up north, this shouldn't be a problem. It's not that big of a deal for me. But this is my only real major complaint about the car.

The iPod interface is too basic. it takes forever to navigate through songs and artists and you can only play songs from your playlists or look them up by artist. I had to create a playlist that includes all of my songs so that i can just shuffle that list.

My Last complaint about this car is that the heated mirrors are only activated automatically below a specific ambient temperature. However I'd like for them to be manually activated or activated with the rear window defroster. when i leave the house in the morning it could be 80 degrees but the air is always so humid and condensation appears on the outside of all the windows and mirrors. Sometimes i have to get a paper towel and wipe off the condensation before i drive off....read morehide

Pros

Power, Handling, Appearance , Free Service and just about everything.

Cons

Absolutely None.

Purchased As Not Purchased

This car has outstanding acceleration and it doubles the speed when you put it on sport. Merges on the freeway/streets with an eye blink. You can practically make a turn on 60 MPH and the car will still stay solid. The most comfortable and inviting car I have ever driven. Noise cancellation from outside is superior. Looks better than the 08 model with a few simple changes but I would recommend Sport Package and Xenon Headlights, you won't regret it. I was thinking about getting the Audi A4 but I remembered my sister's A6 could not handle at all while making fast turns, the steering wheel was too light and the interior was hideous. BMW will always be my choice and it will always be the Ultimate Driving Machine....read morehide

Pros

Ride & Handling; Solid Built; Quality Interior Materials; Very Good Audio System; Cool Headlights

Cons

Standard Run Flat Tires

Purchased As New

The front grill and its angel eyes headlights design gets a lot of attention & admiration. The tail lights definitely look better than the '08 model, but could still be better. Love the LED turn lights. The interior looks way better with the navi, w/out it, it looks plain and dull. It's interior looks simple yet elegant. Materials used from its leather seats to the smallest buttons to the dashboard and to the door handles are soft and luxurious to the touch. Great attention to details. The seats just hug you comfortably. The black interior that I got surely enhanced the coziness of the cabin. Plus, its standard audio system needs no upgrade. It's fine sounding as it is. Even though I got the 328i, it has ample power in acceleration. I say more than enough for normal day to day commuters like myself. It grips the road like no other, and it gives you that solid driving feel. Some people complain about a harsh ride, and that is true. But that would HIGHLY depend on the wheel size and the tire brand that you get. I test drove several sedans & coupes. The coupe's road manners were too intolerably harsh for me, especially the ones with Bridgestone tires. Demand for the ones w/ Continental or Michelin tires. I decided to get the sedan. I also opted for 16" wheels instead of 17" for a much more quiet and compliant ride. Still looks great with 16" wheels. BMW really knows what wheel design would look good on any wheel size they offer. I also made sure I got the ones with Continental tires (very important). I've driven other luxury cars, and this is my first BMW, and I say that it's worth the price I paid for. Maintenance covered for 100,000mls (got the extended prog). 0.9% apr. I really got the best deal for such a fine machine. I gave it 4 stars for reliabilty because so far I don't have any problems w/ it. It's fun to catch other commuters on the freeway and on the streets checking out your car. There's really something about BMW cars that somehow makes you standout from the crowd. Now I'm just waiting for the chrome grills I opted for to arrive so they can install it (328i does not come w/ chrome grills). Will also get the windows tinted light on both front and back. I am a proud owner of this car and I take pride of it. Cheers =)...read morehide