BMW 3 Series 330 Ci Coupe Reviews

Click here if this is your business
BMW 3 Series 330 Ci Coupe
★★★★★
4.5
91.0% of users recommend this
Click here if this is your business
  • Performance

  • Practicality

  • Reliability

  • Value For Money

? Ask our helpful community of experts about this product or company
BMW 3 Series 330 Ci Coupe - Ask a question now

Media Gallery for BMW 3 Series 330 Ci Coupe

Refine your search

  • Average Rating Over Time
  • Within the last month ***** (From 0 reviews)
  • Within the last 6 months *** (From 0 reviews)
  • Within the last 12 months * (From 0 reviews)

Latest Reviews

“What a car.....”

★★★★★

written by TimmyQ on 20/02/2015

I bought my 330ci 2003 used-only has 95000 kms on it with a full bmw history when purchased. For a 10 year old car since it was the update model most people assume it's only a a few years old or even new! I have m sport package with auto transmission. The mechanic said underneath it still looks new and appears to be on original running gear. It's just the complete classy car- interior is simple and elegant, much nicer than the newer interiors which don't cut it for me looks wise. Basic and simple, but does the job with everything at your fingertips. Black leather sports seats again just look cool and classy. The engine growl at start up reminds you that you are in a serious car and coupled with the ridiculous 255 wide rear wheels it just looks understated menacing... Power is smooth and progressive and fuel economy is better than the local Australian made 6 cylinder cars. On the highway on cruise I reckon I get close to 700 kms out of a tank which is amazing really and even puttering around town I get 13.5 l/100 kms- a pleasant surprise. Bonus that it takes 91 Ron aussie fuel but I use premium, as the manual recommends. Preventative maintenance is the key and the mindset you need to adopt with these now relatively old cars. Replace things like cooling system regularly- get the water pump with a metal impeller and just enjoy. Parts are not expensive- the Internet is your friend. Spend a few dollars on maintenance and will be a reliable car for many many years..... Just a wonderful car!!!!

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 1 0

“BMW 330M CI COUPE”

★★★★★

written by on 25/09/2013

My car is now ten years old having bought it new in July 2003. It was a facelift model finished in Mystic Blue with light tan leather and light wood trim. fitted with sports seats, power sun roof, tint glass, centre arm rest business radio c/d and M pack from new. now with 64000 miles under it,it still drives like new and looks close to new. The only replacements beyond service items are a new set of suspension bushes. This has proved the most reliable, fun car possible.It is now our third car behind a Porsche 997 turbo cabrio and a BMW5GT. The 330 is still a thrill to drive fast. If ever there was quality better than this I am yet to find it. The original exhaust and battery are still sound. a fantastic that looks as though it was designed yesterday. I am proud to have in my garage.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“5 years 80000 miles still love it!”

★★★★★

written by hooked330ci on 23/07/2012

Fun Fun Fun...Fun to drive, strong power plant with plenty of instant zoom at your finger tips.Fun in the twisties, corners like a dream..the tighter the better, preferable slicing thru the mtns. Fun to look at.. clean lines,beautiful styling, makes you smile each time you enter the garage and every time you turn the key. The black leather interior,stainless trim,major controls on leather wrapped steering wheel put the awesome sound quality of the Harmon Kardon stereo with it's powerful amp and speakers send perfected tweeter highs and deep bass lows along with a huge mid range create the illusion of a front row seat at the synphony. It's a love that feels as if it will last forever from the seat of your pants straight thru your heart into your soul..

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“Fantastic BMW 330Ci M Sport”

★★★★★

written by on 31/01/2012

I have owned my BMW for just over 2 months now. It is only my second car & I am over the moon with it. Literally one of the most pleasurable vehicles I have driven & I have driven a few being a Technician. From the second you climb in to the car you have a smile. The leather steering wheel being so much thicker to grip on to than other cars & the interior so is so comfortable & well built... I still love the black lined roof! As you would expect the performance is amazing. From a stand still, you plant your foot in the floor & the rear end anchors down & you take off! Not a lot can keep up. Overall an amazing car with excellent reliability for an amazing price.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“Hi, bought this recently having driven a 318 ,320,...”

★★★★★

written by on 24/08/2010

Hi, bought this recently having driven a 318 ,320, 325, 520. The car is what you expect a prestige, luxury car with class oozing outside, one thing I wasn't expecting the ssg gearbox to be this disappointing. I have been a manual driver in the city all my life and I first thought I wouldn't miss it that much, well the auto mode is so stupid sometimes it changes gears when least expected and from 2nd to 3rd gear is instant. I tried my best to work out a driving style but most of the time I haven't got a clue what it will do next. The gearbox is the worst to have didn't research it before I bought the car. Now I'm stuck with a noisy and slow jerky gearbox, the normal auto box, or the manual box will be a dream to have after this one. Don't make the same mistake and get a manual or a auto. Rest of the car is absolutely superb to drive. The engine is exactly what a BMW is about. The power is there for the speed freaks or when ever you need to overtake. This car isn't for the boy racers, you have to get a golf gti turbo and tune it up to what ever takes your fancy. I drove a 230 bhp golf and it used to fly off from the start because it was small and lightweight , I was a boy racer, I must admit. Now I am a family man of four and a can get my kids and wife in the car with a smile. I know they are happy with this one. The sports kit makes it standout and it gets noticed whereever you are. Especially my one is red imola with red Dakota leathers. The engine is the most sophisticated engine I have owned, reliable as a nut. Mpg is not too bad for a 3litre engine wait till you get a M3, town is around 20mpg and motorway is about 30mpg. But most importantly I think the image and the comfort and performance is the main factors that for me doest it. Personally I have always driven BMW and golf and Audi. I think the BMW is the best out of the 3 cos of the handling ride and suspension are stronger, the pulling power takes you on another planet. This is better than the 325ci or the 328ci, believe me I have driven these and I think the 330 ci is the don.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“I brought my first 330ci M Sport in 2006 it was 2 1/2...”

★★★★☆

written by on 11/07/2010

I brought my first 330ci M Sport in 2006 it was 2 1/2 years old and replaced my 2000 325 ci convertible.... and what a replacement it was the power difference was staggering the styling was superb I missed nothing from having a hard top, everything was great until I hit 50,000 miles and the automatic gearbox went on me... £2500 for a fix or £4000 for a new gear box.

Since then I have read plenty of reviews and perhaps I was just very unlucky still I opted to part ex the car for a X5 which I enjoyed but very much missed the power from the 330.

Perhaps a blessing in disguise!?! the X5 was stolen earlier this year which put me back in the hot seat for a new car...not wanting to cover old ground I searched high and low for soething to match the power of the 330 to no avail... I am now again the proud owner of another 330ci this time a 6 speed manual, oh the smile on my face everytime I put my foot down! This car has been lowered by the previous owner and handles like a dream even more so after coming from an X5. I would recommend this car to anyone with a budget. When I have the money the next car will have to be either a 645 or an M3. But for now this will keep me happy i'm sure.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“absolutely brilliant im in my late fifties now had all...”

★★★★★

written by on 24/05/2010

absolutely brilliant im in my late fifties now had all sorts of performance cars this 330ci msport is the true all rounder smooth accelaration quality build comfortable great sound speed is in control of the tyres not like the m3 i had tip use high octane petrol like v power it may be a few pence more per litre but more miles to gallon and better performance 65000 pounds well spent 2001 imola red coupe highley recomended listen to experiance and ride on people

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“Bought a 2005 330ci Sport in September 2009. A lot of...”

★★★★☆

written by viacom1 on 16/11/2009

Bought a 2005 330ci Sport in September 2009. A lot of people seem to say this is an amazing car, and so far I would agree in terms of the performance. On my route to work, just as I'm leaving the town I live in, there's a 90 degree bend which needs to be taken at a careful 15mph, and once round it the road becomes glorious wide straight country road... perfect for kicking down. Personally I find the accerlation exhilarating! I've only owned 3 cars previous to this; A 1980 MKII 1600 Escort, an Astra 2.0 GTE and a Golf 2.o GTI. The Astra was the most fun - light and very quick, but the 330 is in another league. I always wanted a 'big car' with a big engine, in my opinion when engine size reaches 2.5 litre they sound different to 'ordinary' cars. The 330 has a gorgeous rich deep 'hummm' to it. Quite frankly I'd rather listen to the engine sound than the Stereo!

Ok, so it is obvious I love the engine, but I do have a couple of issues with the interior; generally it looks gorgeous. Mine is full black leather and is as comfortable as you could wish it to be. The bits that annoy me are;

Lack of storage. The glove box is ok but I prefer the high-level glove box in the Golf. The 330 has the old-fashioned low level one. Personally, I want to be able to jump in my car and toss a mobile phone and possibly a pint of milk in the cockpit and speed off - but the 330 dosn't really offer this. There's a tiny compartment below the climate contol dash which you can fit your phone in but not much else. My glove box tends to be full with maps etc, and I hate leaving stuff on the passenger seat. There's also a small compartment to the right, under the steering wheel, but this is still small. So, storage is not good.

The on-board computer is not as good as the Golf. The Golf's had 2 modes - one that reset itself every day, and one that was on-going, so you could compare speeds/times/mpg's for a specific journey against the average readings for say the past month. The 330 dosesn't really offer this. If you want to record data for a new journey you basically have to reset the memory and lose all information prior to that point. The Golf also timed the journeys whereas the 330 doesn't - something i really miss.

I find the wiper settings a bit odd. On every car I've owned, if you pull the wiper leaver backwards, it usually jets water and wipes at the same time. The 330 just jets the water and you have to then push the lever up to wipe the water you just sprayed. I don't get the logic there at all?

The interior clock is a let-down. Even more so because there are actually 2 clocks; the first clock is a mode on the computer readout - just below the speedo. But if you're like me, you'd probably have the computer mode set to either current MPGs, or possibly the amount of miles left in the tank. So, the other clock is a mode on the LCD of the stereo - the problem is if you have the stereo LCD in Stereo mode, you have to switch it to time mode. What is also very annoying is when you siwtch of the engine and then want to know what the time is you have to put the keys back in and turn to get the LCD readout's up again - very very annoying!!

The Stereo I have is the BMW Business model. Hate it. The Golf had an Alpine which even though didn't come as standard, wasn't expensive, yet still managed to show a time counter for tracks on a CD which is nice if you want to scan a track back to a specific point. with the BMW business stereo you are completely blind as to the position you are at in a track. I've found I really miss this. There is also no pause button. Love the sterring wheel controls though.

The climate control is again a bit weird. Lets say you have it set to full blowing power - when i park my car i like to turn all ancillary power off before i trun the engine off - personally i think it lessens the chance of a fuse blowing when you turn the engine back on - with the 330 you have to press the fan button continually taking it from full power down to zero just to turn it off - why didn't they just add an on-off button?? Logic is lost here.

Ok, last thing. The Speedo. But this isn't directed at BMW, but at ALL car manufacturers; I like my seat low, and my steering wheel low. I'm 6' tall which is not an unusual height - so why is it I can never see the speedo because the steering wheel is in the way?? In all the cars I've driven, this is an issue that still bugs me to this day - i've been driving for over 20 years.

Summing up, all my annoyances are fairly minor. The 330ci is by far the best car I've ever owned and driven in terms of engine power, comfort and looks. It is one sexy looking car and performs as good as it looks. and it sounds gorgeous too, and these plus points far out-weiggh the lack of compartment space or computer modes!

A quick thing about MPG - I don't use motorways. I use B roads and some A roads. The MPG in the Golf was 39, i'm getting about 25 from the 330 which means I get around 35% less miles than i did from the golf from the same amout of fuel - which for me adds about 14 quid a week on my petrol bill - but well worth it considering the performance you get!

Love the car.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.

Big Dave Midlands's Response to viacom1's Review

Written on: 01/12/2009

I found this review only somewhat helpful because too much time was spent comparing previous cars to the BMW and not enough about the new car. i.e. ownership costs for servicing and tyres, experience of dealers etc... and although the reviewer did say the annoyances were minor, unfortunately the review was dominted by them!
<br/>
<br/>I have owned Golf MKIII and MKIV gti's and E46 BMW and the two are worlds apart in terms of driver appeal and quality. Yes ok the trip computer may be different on the BMW and the CD player may not be a flashy unit all signign and dancing affair, but if i need to know the time on the move, I wear a watch, and when you are enjoying one of the best driving experiences money can by this side of a Porsche, who honestly cares about what the elapsed track time is, the audio sound quality and build quality more than compensate.

Reply to this comment
If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.

Big Dave Midlands's Response to viacom1's Review

Written on: 18/06/2012

I stand by my comments, most of your review is along the lines of 'My golf used to this, my BMW doesn't' Of course they are different, they are different cars in a different class made by different manufacturers. If you read your owners manual you can have a clock on display by pressing the clock symbol on the radio controls and the fan automatically reduces its speed when you start the car. Also the wipers do automatically work when the washers are engaged. I have owned sevral BMW's over a period fo 15 years and all do this. thanks.

Reply to this comment
If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.

Viacom's Response to viacom1's Review

Written on: 15/03/2010

Response to Big Dave Midlands comment on 1st Dec 2009
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>Hmmm, I couldn't comment on ownership costs or dealership (Sytner) experiences because at time of writing I'd only owned the car about 8 weeks - but if you read the review again, you will see I did mention petrol cost which was the only ownership cost I could possibly comment on at that time. For the record, I have since bought 2 new rear tyres spec: 255/35 ZR 18 90Y MICHELIN PILOT SPORT PS1 and these cost &pound;232 each - cheaper than Sytner supply them.
<br/>
<br/>The reason I compared it to my past cars was because it is all that I can possibly compare it to isn't it? I mean, if your first ever holiday was to spain, and your second was to france, would you not compare the 2? I thought my comparisons were significant because, considering the reputation BMW's have (i.e. very good), it was interesting that lesser spec cars were better in some areas - possibly BMW might learn from them and build the PERFECT car?!!
<br/>
<br/>If you felt my review was dominated by my annoyances, that is because I didn't feel the need to spend the entire review telling everybody what they already know; that a BMW is a lovely car. Since when did any critic ever praise anything 100%?! And in my defence, my summing up of the car was pretty positive; "an amazing car" "Personally I find the accerlation exhilarating" "gorgeous rich deep hummm" "Love the sterring wheel controls" "best car I've ever owned " "Love the car" - just a few of my comments.
<br/>
<br/>I agree the 'annoyances' i listed are fairly minor, but again, i did say this, and I quote; "all my annoyances are fairly minor".
<br/>
<br/>Regarding the clock; I disagree with you completely. Yes the car is fantastic, but not all of us wear a watch, which is why you don't find it annoying not having a clock on permanent show (my Golf did!). I personally want to be able to check the time without taking my hands off the wheel or my eyes off the road. And yes, if you're pleasure driving on a sunday then time may not be important, but sometimes people have to drive to a schedule which is when timekeeping must surely be significant.
<br/>
<br/>I hope my update helps.

Reply to this comment
If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 1

“ fantastic vehicle dream to drive”

★★★★★

written by on 19/10/2009

fantastic vehicle dream to drive

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“I had my 330Ci for 5 months before I got the ECU...”

★★★★★

written by on 07/03/2008

I had my 330Ci for 5 months before I got the ECU remapped. I dropped a better air filter and it goes great now. Nothing against an M3 but still can keep up with the best of them. The 330Ci looks good even without the sport package and the handling is awesome even with the traction control completely off... I had an Audi A4 1.8T before and swore I would never get anything but a turbocharged car after but 2 rides out in the bimmer and I was sold. Every gear seems to pull just as hard and I am always surprised on how quick the car really is.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“Engine, I mean wow, the performance is unbelievable,...”

★★★★★

written by on 17/01/2008

Engine, I mean wow, the performance is unbelievable, I've driven many a sports car even highly tuned raw cars but the 330 not only beats them but it does it with minimal fuss!

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“I bought my 330Ci second hand. It's a 2001 manual 5...”

★★★★☆

written by on 10/01/2008

I bought my 330Ci second hand. It's a 2001 manual 5 speed with 74,000miles. The thing I like most is the comfortable interior with TV, Sat Nav ,DVD, heated seats,, a must have with leather, that are electric with 3 memory settings apart from a couple of annoying rattles.
A lot of people say the car is very fast, I found that it could do with a bit more power as the car is heavyish although it's not slow. I feel it would benefit having a lsd. Handling is great, you feel very connected to the road with the help of 255/35/18 on the rears and 225/40/18 up front. Now for the mpg around town 22mpg is good whilst on a long run 30-33 is achievable. At the moment I get about 300-350miles per tankful and oil at 1 litre per 2000miles. Servicing is good £170 at a specialist garage.
Overall I like the car very much and I am pleased with it for £10,000 3months ago. I think it's great value. A lot of car for the money.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“The BMW 3 Series 330 Ci Coupe is a great car, just a...”

★★★★★

written by 97M3SDN on 01/06/2007

The BMW 3 Series 330 Ci Coupe is a great car, just a step below the highly tauted M3. When I first took this car out I was surprised with the low end torque that the motor put out. I have the manual 5 speed which makes driving fun, especially when going into turns, keep the rpms up and you feel you are in a rocket ship. I have the premium and sport package which I highly recommend. I love the leather seats which are very comfortable and very supportive. The back seat of the car is adequate my 11 year old daughter fits well back there. The fold down rear seats are a god send as this is the best thing BMW has done. One thing you should do if you can is to get an extended warranty on the car as BMW repairs are very expensive. I was able to get an additional 4 year or 48K bumper to bumper warranty which gives me a peace of mind and allows me to drive the car hard.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“The BMW 3 Series 330 Ci Coupe is great fun. ”

★★★★★

written by jab177 on 25/07/2005

The BMW 3 Series 330 Ci Coupe is great fun.
It looks great.
I have had this car for 3 years and there are no squeaks. The car still looks new despite being kept on the road.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“I have had my BMW 330 Ci Coupe for 4 months now and...”

★★★★★

written by Indyjoe on 16/03/2004

I have had my BMW 330 Ci Coupe for 4 months now and just love it! I did install the Dinan S1 program. It has a great engine and handles great on the road. I love the sporty upper class looks.

The only bad points are that the doors do not close easily and the steering wheel needs to be lower.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“I have now owned a new 330i coupe sports for about 2...”

★★★★★

written by Raj B. on 01/08/2003

I have now owned a new 330i coupe sports for about 2 months. Previously I have owned a VR6 corrado, Alfa Romeo 156 V6 and a few other lowly cars. I have to say, however, that the BMW is by far the most exciting and enjoyable car I have owned up to now. The handling is spot on, although the steering did feel a little light initially. Little things like auto windscreen wipers, auto headlights, the way the passenger wing mirror dips when you select reverse all make the ownership experience really special. The steptronic gearbox is great fun (the manual must be fantastic) especially if you switch off the DSC button. The thing I like the most about it is that it does not attract too much attention to itself. Only the people in the know appreciate it and realise how serious a car this is.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 2 0

“I can't believe this car! I once owned a Porsche 914....”

★★★★★

written by Teaser. on 14/05/2003

I can't believe this car! I once owned a Porsche 914. It's a real low-end Porsche, but I used to love to go out on the freeways just so I could spin around the exit ramps at 80-mph with both hands on one side of the wheel. Well, this car is 1000-times better!

All the sportiness, control, engine growl and speed plus luxury and a 12-speaker sound system (though I keep it real low so I can hear the engine)!

You sit low to the ground like in a Porsche and you feel and hear everything. Yet you can still fit mom-mom and Aunt Bella in the back seat (though it's tough on their knees because I have the coupe'). I can't wait untill I have to pick my clothes up from the cleaners, or go out for milk, or...(don't worry, I'll think of something). Now I tell everyone that I have to practice my condescending snear.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.

97798_Aunt Bella.'s Response to 97625_Teaser.'s Review

Written on: 14/05/2003

Yes, this is a wonderful automobile. I agree that the back seat is a bit small, but the front seats are fantastic - or so I hear. I wish I could have had the key chain that was thrown out! The growl is fun but I prefer the sound system with a little Andrea Bocelli. I use the nice overstear to come off those off-ramps along the Long Island Expressway, using the controlled spin to manuever onto the adjacent streets. It is a safe manuever in this car and makes quite an impression on the surrounding drivers. Ooops, I shouldn't have mentioned I sneak a drive once and a while! Nonetheless, few cars have this fine architectural balance.

Reply to this comment
If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“This automobile is a truly spectacular thing. I have...”

★★★★★

written by Michael. on 07/05/2003

This automobile is a truly spectacular thing. I have driven Hondas and Acuras most of my life. The 330i sport/premium is superior not in the sense of its numerical credentials - such as the Mitusubishi Lancer Evolution - but rather in the way the car feels, sounds and communicates with the driver. It is a liason between you and the road. In this sense, it is superb. The car has a 50/50 weight ratio - thus perfect balance, good low end torque, and superb suspension componentry which makes it a superior and dominating weekend SCCA racer. Wash it up, drive it to the office and the black leather and Mrytle wood creates an executive environment.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 3 0

“I've had my '02 330 Ci (manual) for just over a year,...”

★★★★★

written by Paul. on 02/04/2003

I've had my '02 330 Ci (manual) for just over a year, and now that the thrill of owning my first high-end car has mellowed, I feel I can write an more objective review for prospective purchasers than the one I posted on this site a year ago.

First, let me say that I still think this a truly amazing total package. With a few extra options, the luxury level is top-notch for a car of its size and class, and tends to olverwhelm first-time passengers: most of the people who've been in it compare it to an aircraft cockpit. The interior looks particularly pretty at night, with lit-up controls strecthing to the ceiling console, and the nav-map tracking your position on the tv-screen. The luxury fittings are well designed - new drivers may have some difficulty in learning the controls (most switches and buttons move in multiple directions, and first time passengers always have difficulty figuring out the electric seat controls), but once you understand them, they are intuitive and well laid out. If only they'd bothered to produce a right-hand drive steering column, it would be almost perfect.

Handling is superb, and the side-padded sports seats really do their job of keeping you in position during a high-G turn. You need to drive a bit gentler when carrying rear-seat passengers though, as they tend to slide around a bit. I have yet to drive an M3, so cannot make the comparison, but must say that the 330Ci corners and brakes on a par (or at least very close) to my brother's Honda S-2000 roadster, and the nanny (stability control) gives you the confidence to push it to the max without risk of fishtailing.

Performance is very good, with plenty of power, and significant accelleration available at low rpm. However, if burning other cars off at the lights is your thing, then this car is not for you - you can buy many higher performance cars for less money, and I'm not just talking about the WRX. The newer Ford XR's and Holden HSV's have a clear advantage in accelleration, although you'll leave them behind when you hit the first sharp corner. The long first gear (0-60kph) is at least part of the reason for this minor weakness - in order to get the performance listed on paper, you need to disengage the nanny and allow for a fair amount of slip when dropping the clutch, as well as a bit more slip shifting from first to second. If you get the critical first clutch-drop wrong (which is easy to do), you'll be doing <1000rpm and there will be a second or two delay before your accelleration really kicks in. The car leaps from 30-60kph if you floor it in first, so I can't help thinking that having more (and shorter) gears would be a significant improvement. Once it gets up to a decent speed, things improve: accelleration in the 80-120kph range makes overtaking semi-trailers on the highway a breeze, but you need to keep the RPM up high to really perform at these speeds.

The ride is amazing smooth and quiet, even with the low profile tyres. Ventilation at high speeds is very good with the glass sunroof on 'vent', and the sunroof spoiler practically eliminates wind noise when it is fully open, even at 100+ kph. Rear vent windows are noisy and windy at any speed, and therefore I find I rarely open them. The front cabin is spacious (even for my 6'2" frame) and the seats are comfortable; I have driven for 5 or more hours without back pain, even without the lumbar support option. Don't take rear-passengers on long rides though, as leg and head room is very restricted in the back.

Overall practicality is great, as long as you accept that it is really a 2+2 seater car, not a 5 seater. The boot is a little small but through-loading helps with this. Wheel rims are probably the least practical part, with the soft alloy of the standard 17"x8" 7 spoke rims being very easy to scratch, apart form the brake dust problem. If you get premium metallic paint (I have titan silver), expect to have to get several panels fully re-sprayed to repair even minor paint damage.

Safety is superb, and the car is definitely built tough. After only two months on the road I was rear-ended while stationary at the back of a queqe: hard enough (70+ kph) to cause a four car pile-up, but fortunately no-one was seriously injured. Even through the shock of having my new toy smashed up, I was impressed at how well my car had protected me and how little damage it had sustained compared to the car that hit me (a large Holden sedan which was written off), and the car that I was shunted in to (an Impreza RX that suffered severe damage front and back and required towing). My car only appeared to suffer cosmetic damage to the rear bumper and front bumper/grille, and was drivable, at least for a short distance. Turned out the back of the frame had been knocked out by 12mm, but considering the impact, it held up amazingly well.

I have been very happy with my options: Sunroof, Navigation, Phone, Voice Recognition and Anti-Theft, although I will say that the voice recognition is more a gimick than a serious feature - dictating phone numbers while driving is about the only function I use regularly. The 'voice notes' feature would be useful, except that it often confuses the word 'map' with the word 'note', so I end up filling up my voice pad with recordings of me saying "map... map... MAP!...". When the car phone is on speaker, the person you're talking to experiences a fair bit of echo, often forcing you to turn down the speaker volume. This surprised me considering the phone is one of the most expensive options on my car.

Navigation is my favourite feature, and well worth the discounted price (due to the car already having a TV as standard). On the down side, Australian navigation coverage is limited outside major metropolitan areas (eg minor strees and house numbers in small towns are missing), and you have to pay for updates, but overall it is a top-notch system. One missing feature is the ability to auto-rotate the map so your car is always facing up on the screen - there is supposedly an option for this, but it involves waiting until your car leaves the stationary map and then re-drawing the new stationary map with your car (initially) facing up. This is difficult (you can't see what's ahead when near the edge of the map) and confusing (you are never sure which way is north), and the other mode with the car in the centre of a scrolling map (north is up) is always preferable. As for the standard features, the self-dimming mirror, park distance control, rain sensor, and auto-recirculate features work well and were a lot more useful than I expected.

Overall, if you're looking for a well balanced mixture of top-of-the-range luxury, style and handling, along with a good dose of performance, then the 330Ci is for you. If you want to be able to beat everything on the road (and you want a BMW) then go for the M-class - the ZM roadster retails for about the same as a 330Ci here in Australia. The 330Ci is a car for those who enjoy all aspects of driving, not just drag-racing. Having clocked up 30,000km in the first year (mostly business use), this is definitely the car for me, and it satisfies my wilder side when I feel the need for speed. Maybe I'll go for the M3 as my next car, but it seemt a little over-the-top for my taste - having no less than four exhaust pipes on the E-46 M3 really bugs me.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 11 1

“2001 BMW 330 CI with 30k, STALLS!!! No, it's not the...”

☆☆☆☆☆

written by Johnq. on 26/10/2002

2001 BMW 330 CI with 30k, STALLS!!! No, it's not the driver. At low RPM in first or second gear the rpm's drop, then the car dies. Does not happen all the time, but frequently enough. The dealer can't find any problem, so I am stuck with a defective BMW. Ain't life grand...

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.

97805_Ralph.'s Response to Johnq.'s Review

Written on: 14/05/2003

You need some gas before you take your foot off the clutch! OK, OK, actually, my 330 does not have this problem but I had a 2002 Jaguar S-type V8 that did the same thing - it would just stall. No one could figure it out either. I am not certain what the problem is. I am concerned about all the creaks and noises the interior of my 330 makes.

Reply to this comment
If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.

337613_Rachael1212's Response to Johnq.'s Review

Written on: 13/01/2008

It could be the throttle body which needs replacing. I've just had that problem with mine (2001 330 ci convertible), and the mechanic said that in other cars this problem manifests itself with the car stalling. In mine, it disabled the accelerator pedal and so I couldn't drive it anywhere. The problem cost me £519 to put right at a specialist repairer which the warranty covered, but at least it would mean that you could drive it properly. It's just surprising that hooking the car upto the dignostics would not show what the fault was!

Reply to this comment
If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.

107892_G.'s Response to Johnq.'s Review

Written on: 16/06/2003

there may be a crack in the inlet pipe. I had a similar problem with a prvious car. it took months for the dealer to find the problem. Eventually it turned out to be a hairline crack in the intake pipe. This was screwing up the air/fuel ratio and causing the car to stall.

Reply to this comment
If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 1

Do you have a question about this product or company? Simply type it in the box below and one of our community will give you an answer

Our helpful community of likeminded people will be happy to answer any questions that you have.

Thanks for asking a question.

Once we've checked over your question we will put it live on the site and our strong community of experts will hopefully give you some great answers that you find useful.

We will email you when the question is on the site

overview