2002 BMW 3 Series Consumer Reviews
Most Helpful Reviews
Positive Review
My 2003 325Xi was a one owner car with 94k miles on the clock when I bought it. It was well maintained with a clean Carfax. Fifteen months and 20k miles later I would say I am pleased with the car, but not overjoyed. Handling and braking are great. Ride comfort is very good even on long trips and it seats four adults comfortably. There is plenty of trunk space for a small car, and I get about 27mpg on the highway. Combined driving is in the low to mid 20's. I would like to upgrade to the Harmon-Kardon sound system but the base model sounds very good; I think most people would be just fine with it. Now for the down sides. Shortly after purchasing the car I experienced various minor electrical problems which, after a couple mis-diagnoses lead to replacing the general module (main electrical control for lights, central locking system, alarm, etc.) - about $600 bucks installed. I had to replace the rear brake/reverse light assembly - about $50. Torn inner CV boot on the front axle; to get to this you have to take the front suspension apart. Good luck doing that without damaging the boots on the ball joints - $650 worth of suspension parts. Just replaced the starter - $700 installed. This is not to mention the upcoming coolant system maintenance, filter changes, shocks, etc. Oil changes are 8 quarts of synthetic - no $25 Quicklube special. The other major gripe (and this is not the car's fault) is the resale value. I paid retail from a local dealer, ie. I didn't get a great deal, but I didn't get screwed either. I have a 30 month note and I am still upside down in the car. It just hasn't held its value like the Volvo it replaced. It's a better car than the old S70, but KBB doesn't seem to agree. So the verdict..... I like the car. A LOT. Its comfortable, practical and fun to drive. If it wasn't for the expensive and frequent maintenance I would have rated it higher. I would recommend the car to anyone who would appreciate the BMW driving experience with one caveat. You can buy one in good condition for a pretty reasonable price, but do your homework and make sure that you can afford to maintain it like it should be. Sorry about the lengthy review - hope it helps someone.
VS
Critical Review
Car needs a lot of maintenance! Especially when buying used. I bought this car in October of 2011 with 87,000 miles for $9,500. Probably one of the worst decisions of my life. Things I didn't remember to check during the test drive ended up not working. My heater didn't work, Windshield Washer pump was out,Windshield Washer clip is broken, gas door doesn't lock, Window regulator went out after only 2 months of ownership, valve cover gasket was leaking,DISA gasket went out,undercarriage protection was missing, Fan clutch and pulleys went out causing me to replace water pump, stock tail lights would intermittently go out (now recall), and finally I'm going to need a new Torque converter. I'm OVER this car! Do a lot of research and make sure you get this car checked out by BMW before purchasing,otherwise you will end up paying thousands out of pocket. NOT WORTH IT! On top of all this, KBB value went down $2,000 in the past year while my previous vehicle stayed the same in 3 years.
2002 3 Series Reviews
Showing 8 of 1,450 reviews.
Clean, sharp, well cared for stylish classic BMW. Super clean inside and out. 5 speed automatic convertible to manual transmission with the slide of the shifter one notch to the left. Great car, safe car, for a teen driver or wife. Well maintained by original owner with mechanics name available for consult. Won't find another 2002 that looks and drives this well.
Luxury, safe, reliable
Too small for tall people
Luckily i found my bmw 328i year 2000 with 93k miles and its been a fun journey. Fast, beautiful handle, economic and strong. Materials on the inside are good quality and hard to break or scratch, leather seats are amazing and they keep looking good if you take care of them like everything else. Only problem i had it was the fan clutch and radiator and it was a quick fix for 300$ i drive it 34miles everyday for a year, take it to trips and never had failed me. I love this car and the only reason i would change it its because i want a bigger car for me like an e38. SUPER RELIABLE
Solid reliable
Age
Clean BMW 325it 6 cylynder 5 speed Runs very well New tires No mechanical problems Leather seats 1 drivers seat tear
Smooth fast and fun
Electrical gremlins
Driving Excellence. Very smooth and quiet at high speeds. German engineering at its finest. The only issues I ever had were related to the battery being replaced with a non registered battery and the ppppp cluster error which was easily fixed by turning key to 1 position removing fuse 10, 34, and 42 reinserting and turning key to position 2.
Good on gas
Oil leaks
Bought the car when it had 145000 miles on it, now entering the 191000 range. After owning it for 3 years it has had its issues but as long as you know how to turn a wrench you should do fine. It's only left me stranded maybe 4 times but 1 time was my fault because I neglected to get a new tire so it popped. Overall it's a good car as long as you do routine maintenance, and as the car begins to age even more just know you're going to have to change a lot of things I don't regret my purchase looking soon to upgrade.
Get you where you need to go
Very quiet
Reliable vehicle Get you where you need to go Very dependable No matter what kind of weather summer winter fall or summer it will get you where you have to go
Hear and AC worked.
Not enough seats.
I liked the trunk space. I liked the easy to clean leather seat. I DID NOT LIKE THAT IT WASN'T ROW VEHICLE as I had to fit atleast 7 kids in my vehicle being a father of many kids.
really smooth handling
premium gas required
After my dad sold his old 325i back in 2011 I've always wanted my own and I somehow managed to find a 2004 325xi with 130k miles for $2500. And it rocks. I mean, it sucks that you have to use premium gas, but the drive is super smooth, and the brakes are almost perfect. For any other 18-year-old car, I don't think I'd be saying the same thing. Overall 9.5/10.
