http://www.bmw.com/generic/com/en/products/highlights/3series/sedan/phase_2/movi...

An excellent site from BMW forget it with 56k I'm afraid....

The new e90 3 Series, its very similar to the e60 5 Series, I think the new car has improved over the e60 5 series, a car with looks I find challenging.

But, regardless of what it looks like, I still want an e60 M5!

Why ever not?

I'm in noooo position to afford a BMW new, so I did'nt buy new.

When buying a BMW second hand, a detailed main agent service history is vital, and at over 100k miles which mine was, most replaceable components such as dampers, exhaust, brakes etc have already had attention at the first owners expence! in the 40,000 miles I've ran my car, its needed brake pads on the front,2 new suspension bushes on the rear and finally, a new radiator caused by a wayward bunnyrabbit @ 115MPH (I was doing 115mph when I hit the rabbit, not the other way round!) , otherwise, its had oil / filters and plugs and nothing else!

I had a choice 2 years back, a 5 year old Ford with 75k Miles or an 11 year old BMW with 122k miles on its clock, both were £3495 I paid £2900 plus my old Ford Scorpio as a trade in, I drove home in my first BMW and I was worried about the running costs......

2 Years later, the cars on 161k its still on its factory clutch(!) uses little oil (about a litre per 1500 > 2000 miles) and has not missed a beat - despite early cold starts, it then gets left for days while I'm out in my truck, it's never failed to start - even after leaving my lights on for 2 days, a simple push start off a friend and it was away!

Insurance is reasonable for me , Fuel isn't an issue (its only a 1.8!) parts don't cost the earth and my local BMW dealer even offers discount rates on servicing older cars  (BMW Four Plus its called...)

I'm going to replace the e36 3 Series with an e39 528i shortly that will cost more in fuel & insurance certainly, but after my e36 3 Series, I think I'll be driving BMW's for some time to come.

I could'nt rate them highly enough and thats just reliabilty, I drive all day yet when I finally get home, I go out and drive my e36 just for the fun of it! That makes either me very sad or my car quite exceptional.... oh dear! 

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Honestly, I could'nt give a "monkeys bottom" about the image of the average BMW driver, for me, its all in the car and its quality. I don't buy a car to crawl city centres with the CD loud and front foglights on  I buy it to be reliable, not depreciate to the point of no value at an insane rate, and be enjoyable to drive... My BM's fitted the bill.

From what I've read,which is considerable, the e39 5 Series with which I'm replacing my 3 series, is still one of the best cars in its class despite being 12 months out of production (The e60 being the current weird looking 5...)

I think the above is called "off topic", oh well, I started it....

Right then, back to the O/T bit, for me its this, ok so the average image of your BMW driver stinks, for me I care not a jot! I'm a truck driver!  I'd love to think what people honestly thought about me and my mates in our 44tonners  but as I'm used to driving a vehicle with little street cred, I care not. 
Its not the image ultimately, its the engineering. I've owned some of the more mundane european manufacturers cars, Fords, GM, VW  etc none has lasted like my little 3, none has been as reliable, not one has flown the past 2 MOT tests ( ) and none has been as much fun to drive, yet I own a basic reps special 318i !

I've subsequently got really into the cars, driven some of the M powered variants  8) I've become converted.

Believe me, when I had my 160BHP Escort RS Turbo back in the mid 90's you could'nt have wished for a more ardent BMW hater than I.

Now, the reason for replying in the first place! Back on topic! 


I've arranged a drive of an e90 when my local dealer gets one for a weekend event, I'll reoprt back! 



Ramble on....

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Show me a make of Car thats had faultless reliability... alas, cars are still designed & built with machines built by humans....... All in all, as bad at winning wars they may be, I don't think anybody can better German automotive engineering.

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The French as much as I hate to say it!! If you ever get the chance to drive or ride in a Renault 16 (TX is best) I think they are the most comfortable and practical hatch backs ever. Made from 1965 to 1979 they had features that weren't replicated until the late eighties.
I have always found the ride in a BMW to be too harsh, wereas the "16" just soaks up the bumps and lumps with ease leaving the driver refreshed after a long drive, if you get tired the front seats fold down to make a double bed!!!!!!!

All I can say is to each his own, and good luck with the test drive and enjoy it
Regards Chris

PS do you drive a Scania?