jhp012

For those of you who have driven a 328 325 and most of the 3 series other then the 335 from all different years.

It seems that no matter what magazine you read motor trend, car and driver and road and track,

they have been praising the 3 series forever and ever. Sure recently for the first time in years they say the g coupe is better then the 335. But other then that nothing ever beats the 3 series.

I have driven the old 3 coupe, newer 3 sedan but I just dont understand why the 3 series gets so much praise. the 3 sedan is very slow and feels very heavy and i dont see how it is sporty.

Does anyone agree with me? or am i wrong...

ace123

not everyone drives an s2000 like you and i. poor souls....

most people just want 'fast enough,' and all bmws have enough power to pass SUVs on the freeway without hesitation, they handle fairly well, have some luxury features, nice styling, a good feel, and the price is on par with what you get. build quality used to also be a highlight, but it's not much ahead of the crowd anymore.

i feel like there is some of a bandwagon effect among reviewers for 3 series, but at least BMW earned it.

it's not because it's better than everything; it's just that it always has the complete package for what most people are looking for.

PedalFaster

I disagree completely -- I got an automatic 323 as a loaner, and enjoyed it so much that I ended up driving it around with no destination in mind.

For crying out loud: sports cars and sports sedans aren't just about power, people. Read the Porsche Experience thread a few posts down. Most of the points made when comparing a Porsche to, say, an S2000 or a Corvette apply when comparing a BMW to a Lexus or a Cadillac.

sam_spider

Well, we got a 328xi last week. We looked at a lot of cars prior to going with the 328. Spending 10 minutes in a 3 series is not sufficient to make a proper judgment of the car, or any car for that matter. As the recent test showed in C&D (I think) that compared the CTS, C300, G35 and 328, the 328 does everything very well, no compromises. I was certainly not a BMW lover prior to this car (I loathed our '07 X3) but the 328 is a real "driver's" car on all levels. I'm not sure where you're getting "slow" from, the 328 is a very impressive machine with only 238hp, compared to the 300hp offerings from the others. Spend some real time in a 3 series and you'll get it.

Onehots2k

I never drove a 328xi but I have driven the latest 328i and 335i. It is just amazing how those cars perform. Feels so solid.

Btw, the only way the G has outperformed the 3series is in features and amenities for the price. It STILL is not as refined. You can still feel the vibrations through the shifter and the pedals. For the type of coin I would be paying, that is a no no. Its apparent that it is very hard to have a sporty and refined car. BMW seems to have nailed that.

I was reading the back of an old RoadandTrack magazine on the shitter a few years ago and I noticed something interesting. The 328i sedan was as grippy as an s2000. It braked about the same. The acceleration was not far off. I mean its spectacular for what it is. I mean a 7 series will stop shorter than a Lotus Elise from 70mph for crying out loud.

Like C&D has said in its latest edition. "The 328i sedan is still the best sports sedan 38,000 can buy" Many will think they've been drinking that BMW kool-aid for 17yrs too long. But their not the only rag.

sahtt

They are balanced, good handling cars. That's rare in the 3 series market. Most of it's competition offers either FWD or a more luxurious, softer car.

For instance, you have the audi/lexus/mb group then you have the acura on the other side. The 3 series gives you enough luxury, enough power, enough reliablity, and great handling/overall feel.

I completely understand why the testers like the 3 series more than the competition. However, those guys test skid pad numbers , 0-60 times, etc. are are more concerned about how the handles and the feel they get from the steering wheel/throttle/etc.

For me, I like to have the best of both worlds and get seperate cars. If I'm doing a god-awful commute over crappy roads I'll take a Lexus every day of the week. On the other side I take a sport bike, s2000, etc. The 3 series is great for the family man who can't have his cake and eat it too.

y2ks2k

I

triman54

I am replacing my daily driver in the next few months. My only knock on the 3 Series is that the tactility of the interior is not as refined as the previous generation of the 3 Series. It is still better than the two Infinities I have driven, a 2007 G53 coupe and a 2007 G35 sedan. At this price point, no one really has yet done an interior to rival Audi although Lexus is close. I have just read two new reviews of the all new A4 3.2 Quattro, and I think I will give that a serious look before deciding.

Jacques79

Steering feel and balance in a package that doesn't destroy your lower back.

It's not that the 3 series is that good, it's just that the competition suks IMO.

Not a lot of 3300 pound luxury sedans are fun to drive with modest HP.

bjohnston

I also disagree. The 3 series is that good. I'd go so far as to say the 335i is the best all-around car ever made (I also loved the E46 330i ZHP). Speed on par with a 996 911. Sweet handling. Great breaks. Excellent build quality. All the luxury you really need. It could look better and I wish that the base motor was the 260 h.p. 3.0l from the departed 330i and that the 335i came in a wagon (with more cargo room too), but, nonetheless, they are wonderful cars. Even without the turbos, the 3 series is still the class of the class. To me, the 3 series' greatness starts with the inline 6. A V6 just doesn't compare, IMO. The 3 series is more than the sum of its stats. Obviously, I like Infinitis, but I'll be the first to admit that the G35 (haven't driven a G37 yet) isn't on the same level as the 3 series. I also can't be considered a fanboi since I've never bought a BMW, and I don't think the auto rags are engaged in some sort of BMW-funded conspiracy to unfairly sing the praises of the 3 series. They are that good. My $.02 worth.