bmw 3 series 330d sport saloon review

Have a picture of BMW 3 Series 330d Sport Saloon?, please send it to us.
 

Average Ratings

Performance	9.3/10
Practicality	9/10
Reliability	9.3/10
Value for Money	7.5/10
Reviewer Rating	9.5/10
Overall Rating	8.1/10

100% Recommended4 out of 4 Reviews

• Overview
• Reviews
• Write your review
• Ask a Question

By playitcooltrig on 3rd Oct 2005

playitcooltrig's Ratings

Year Manufactured	2001
Length of ownership	10 mths
Doors	4
Performance	9/10
Practicality	9/10
Reliability	10/10
Value for money	9/10
Overall value	9/10
playitcooltrig's recommendation

Good Points

Just about everything.

Bad Points

People will chastise you for owning a BMW. The ride is a bit choppy on poorly maintained roads, but is otherwise extraordinarily good. Oh, did I mention that people will chastise you for owning a BMW.

General Comments

I had been considering buying an A4 2.5TDI to replace my ageing Mk2 GTI when the papers reported that Jenson Button had been prosecuted for speeding through France in a BMW 3 Series 330d Sport. Obviously I then took one for a test drive and haven't considered another car since - it is a truly astounding car. Do all your research on cost of ownership beforehand if you are determined to have it maintained by a franchised dealer. But, as with all things in life, a little research will show you that you can have exemplary maintenance if you seek an independant specialist (cf Insp 2 Service, £232 vs £552 at BMW). Those tyres hurt a bit at £150/ea Rr, £100/ea Fr, but again consider the broader issue; leave the DSC on and mine happily returns 20k miles between replacements.

The interior is fantastically fitted out, comfortable and supportive, and doesn't just seem to be good quality; you just know it is. The driving experience is superb and, for point-to-point cross country dashes, is probably as quick as most enthusiastic drivers could demand. The straight-6 is the heart of this car; it provides a nicely muted growl up through the range and is turbine- like in its delivery of a solid wall of torque almost from idle. And in 25k miles of enthusiastic driving, mine has returned 43.4mpg - an excellent figure of merit.

Total Respect: +1