2007 BMW 328xi Coupe - Owners Review

By Sheldon G

The BMW 3 Series - Coupe - 328xi - the good news - the car is great to look at; very comfortable and incredibly fun to drive - even at slow speeds, and the dealership network is wonderfully responsive. That's the good news.

The Bad news - the car has more computer problems than Microsoft Vista.

Even without the I-Drive and navigation system, the car's computer is a nightmare - I have a college and graduate degree and understand the Internal Revenue Code, but trying to understand the English edition of the car's manual is like reading Chinese.

The car's alarm system blows when the temperature drops below 37 degrees; when you don't monitor tire pressure at least twice a month and reset the computer's tire pressure system; when the car loses contact with a roving satellite; when a light bulb goes out, etc.

Example, when I put the car in reverse a front courtesy light bulb went out - the alarm system blows - you have to return the car to the dealer, wait for service, they figure out the problem, make an appointment and come back for a two hour service repair (at no cost) to replace one light bulb!

The sound system is adequate - but only holds one CD at a time - unless you want to pay an additional $800 for a CD system that holds six CDs.

The heating and air conditioning system is "fair" at best, it works great if you drive it in a refrigerator.

On top of it all if you get a flat tire - you have no spare; although you can continue to drive the car for 50 more miles to nowhere and then wait a week to get a replacement tire.

So - if you are looking for a car that you can drive anywhere within a 50 mile radius of the BMW dealership - great, but if you consider going more than 50 miles - take along a suitcase of clothes just in case, because if you happen to get a flat tire you are going to spend nights in a in a place you never intended to stay waiting for a replacement tire to be .

In terms of value - the car cost $42,000; after seven months and 6,000 miles - the dealer will give me $28,000 for it.

I'm now looking for a Honda Accord Coupe.

After Publication The Auto Channel recieved these additional comments from BMW owner Shelly G.

It is even worse – after I wrote my Owners Review, the next day the alarm system again went off about a light bulb situation.

This time the dealership felt sorry for me and brought a car to me, took it back and put in another light bulb – this time in the rear of the car.

So – in six months two light bulb problems – needing repair. Sounds simple, but it wasn't.

Oh well, count me as one would not buy another BMW – too much aggravation.

(Like – how do you set the cruise control – I couldn’t figure that out either – I needed a special lesson.)

Editors Note: I would like to thank Shelly G. for the time he has taken to let you all know his first hand experiences with the car he purchased and drives every day.

Professional test drivers usually have a car for a week or so to form their opinion before they write their review, but an owner has the car 24x7 and sees the pimples.

If you wish to have your own Owners Reveiw published here in The Auto Channel, send it as a word document to me msnide@theautochannel.com and I will be happy to see that it gets published.