What BMW 3 series for a Daily Driver?

[latroz]

What 3 series BMW model year would make a good daily driver?

I want an auto. transmission.

Thanks - the BMW board is dead BTW.

[stuttgart46]

I drive an E46 M3 with SMG every day and I love it.

[matt711]

Have an E46 (2006) 330Ci convertible with an auto. Sport package and ZHP package. Wife drives it every once in a while. Great car, has been very reliable for us.

[McLovin]

A 2013 BMW 328i would make a nice daily driver.

[livi]

Being an oldtimer I drive a 1998 E36 320. Faeces-brown..

[JR Indy]

I split between E46 M3 and E28 535. Both are great daily drivers.

[GG Allin]

Been driving a 98 M3 for 6 years now, the car has never let me down. All it requires of me is gas, oil, tires and the occasional sensor.

[RANDY P]

great question DARISC.

I'd buy what you can afford...

rjp

[willtel]

Auto e46s have some issues with transmissions going out due to reverse failing. The trans isn't really serviceable and requires replacement if it fails. Checking the date of the build can help narrow down the issue as the later ones are more reliable.

BMW Reverse Transmission Problems

[Tim Hancock]

2003 330i with about 150k miles on the clock is my wife's daily driver..... We bought it with about 77k on the clock and the only thing I can think of that I have done to it besides tires is that I replaced the front lower control arm trailing bushings that were getting a bit worn out. Interior is still very nice. Just don't let the wife dig her nails/rings into the interior pieces and they hold up fine at least in Ohio's four seasons.

Great car IMO and much easier to work on when the time comes for repair compared to AWD Audis.

I have a friend that still daily drives an older beautiful lowered red '99 E46 auto with 250k + mileage. I know he has DIY replaced many suspension components, seals and cooling system parts, but the engine and trans still are going strong. Both of my previous bosses along with my current boss also daily drive clean high mileage (100k-150k mileage) E46's with very few problems.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by McLovin

A 2013 BMW 328i would make a nice daily driver.

Mrs. Lee brought one of these home last night as a loaner and I am in love with it.

[Nostril Cheese]

Nothing newer than a E46 if you intend to keep the car a long time. I'd only be leasing a newer BMW. What's the oil change interval suggested by BMW these days? 12,000 miles?

[RWebb]

which ones have the hated iDrive joysticks on them?

[glewis80SC]

2006 325i Sport Package, wife's daily driver. Great little car, very reliable good gas mileage. Only drawback it goes through rear tires like crazy, just turned over 90,000. Like knowing she and the kids are in a car with so much safety engineered into it.

[Rick V]

E36

[MMiller]

E36...getting a little long in the tooth these days but what fantastic drivers they are. Sold one to buy an E46 and regretted it. I really wished I had bought an E36 M3 and kept and cherished it..

Regards,

[A930Rocket]

Get a job mayo.

Originally Posted by maynsx

All it requires of me is gas, oil, tires and the occasional sensor.

[OZCarrera3]

I had an E46 320i 5-speed - one of the best cars I've owned. The 2.2l six is a gem. No real problems other than interior trim, front suspension bushes ($350) and cooling system overhaul $1,200 - cheaper than many local cars here in Aust.

I have a 335i now, also an excellent car, no issues to date (only owned it 6mths and 7,000kms though). Injector pumps seem to be an issue in the States (ethanol fuel?), no issues here with 98 octane.

[Drisump]

328i e-46 here, a great four door. Very good passing power, comfortable, nice ergonomics, good fuel economy and seemingly, deals abound. I'm a DIY guy and it hasn't been expensive or time consuming to maintain or repair...going to BMW though... Even the most undemanding work seems to come with very large price tag. It's no wonder that many people tell you to dump them as they approach the end of warranty. There are a lot of complicated systems in newer cars. I have a buddy who has owned five series cars for 25 years (currently owns a 550) and his experience has been so positive racking up big miles on all of them that I'd thought I'd give it a go. BMW's depreciate like crazy, not because they produce cars that don't stand up, but IMHO BMW's philosophy of gouging "out of warranty" owners. Given this, I'm not sure I'd recommend buying a used out of warranty car for other than people who do at least the basics themselves. Cheers

[widebody911]

I daily drove an E36 M3 for about 5 years, and now I'm on year 4 of an E46 M3. Can't really complain.