Fine old Beamer (BMW 3-series (pre 1991))

Member Name: naturenet

Product:	BMW 3-series (pre 1991)
Date:	14/07/01 (269 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: beautiful, stylish, fast

Disadvantages: cramped in back, saloon only

Well, I never really thought of myself as a BMW driver, but when this creature presented itself at our local garage I was smitten. Our old car having given up the ghost I was touring the area in hope, and saw what is now my very own BMW 320i D reg, metallic blue four door manual. It's a super car. The salesman said coyly, 'Once driven, sold.' and I smirked knowingly, but drove and then, indeed, bought. These cars drive like dreams, and look better. Although 13 years old it shone like the sun. Chrome bumpers, not tacky plastic accessories, give it a look of the past hard to find on modern cars. Not a speck of rust could be located, even underneath. The interior was a bit worn, I'll grant, but, hey, why not?

It's nice to sit in. Feels good. However, if you want to sit in the back, you'll need little legs. I can, however, recommend the boot which appears to have the capacity to swallow an elephant. It certainly managed to do the equivalent to a screaming two-year old who had his nappy changed in it in a busy high street without a problem - now that's a test I never saw on 'Top Gear'.

So now it's mine. A car to delight the senses, but not horrify the bank manager. What's more, people love it. They look. Colleagues at work ask for 'a lift' all of a sudden. And, yes, it does go fast. Very fast. Those wide wheels hold the road in a scary way. But I'll let you find out about that for yourself.

>>>>>>>

After two years, I return to update you. Yes, it's still mine. A few new bits later, and some cost, but it still goes like a dream. Let me suggest with hindsight that the pricy parts issue is not as bad as it seems. As it is an older car, many small independent garages are able to source parts quite cheaply, and 'recycled' bits are actually fairly easy to come by. For example, I had to get the interior driver's door pillar trim replaced, and it cost only £27 for the who
le bit, plus plasitc shields for the seatbelt entry point. These cars are now getting quite hard to come by, especially the four-door ones. Two door ones tend to be had by 'boy racers', so look out for loose clutch and smoky exhausts. Big speakers (or holes) set into the parcel shelf are the easiest way to spot this problem in advance!

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