BMW 3 Series - Is the 'king of the sports sedans' any good USED? | ReDriven used car review 

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You are too honest mate, initially I hated your videos for bashing all my favourite cars but now I'm all over your videos, every car buyer needs this content...Thank you, don't change for anything. And I've been seeing a lot of "PRETENTIOUS" things around me of late...lol

Love the channel and was waiting for your F30 video. I was aware of a few of these issues but the others were informative. I purchased my BMW 340i (RWD) post-LCI used in Sep 2022 with about 24k miles on it. It still had a few months left on the original warranty and had a year’s CPO. As a owner, I wanted to add my 2 cents to the F30 conversation as well. These are my own experiences, and it could be different from others, so take it with a grain of salt. Hope this benefits anyone who is considering the 3 series. Try to purchase with warranty - I had the following taken care of because it still had 3 to 4 months of warranty left. CPO wouldn’t cover these (transmission and engine only). Coolant problem - The B58 engines have this issue where the coolant keeps depleting. If you’re in warranty, have the coolant reservoir and/or it’s cap replaced. But to be safe, travel with some coolant with you and top it up often. There are sensors, but the sensor is at the absolute bottom of the reservoir, so by the time the sensor throws an error, you’re screwed. Rattles & squeaks - Two well known issues here. The door pins rattle in a few models and another issue is squeaky noises with the shadowline trim. There are service bulletin codes for each of these, which you can use with your service center to have them corrected under warranty. While fixing one of the rattles in the passenger door, they found something wrong with the weather seal in it and fixed it for free. All of this wouldn’t be possible without warranty. Plastic cowl under windshield - Extremely prone to crack around the edges with time. Looks ugly, doesn’t lead to water seeping in. XDrive - The xDrive system is praised by a lot of people BUT only consider it if you live in a place with extremely adverse weather. It comes with a certain set of “rules”. For ex - the rolling diameter of the front tires and the rear can’t go beyond 1%. Why would there be a difference? That goes into our next topic. Staggered vs square setup - A lot of the BMWs have thinner front wheel tires and wider rear wheel tires - staggered setup. The staggered setup tends to force the car to understeer, and thereby making it “safer” from a OEM’s POV. It’s hard to explain but it’s almost like the chassis is twisting (if you take a turn hard), it’s like the front is understeering and the rear wheels are pushing you forward. It doesn’t “rotate” easily. Ok, so do I switch to a square setup of same tires all round? Next topic. Tires - I HIGHLY recommend you go to a square setup and to get better tires. The default tires on BMWs are RFTs which are NOISY as hell and give a very firm/rough ride. Continental DWS are soft and comfortable, not like SUV luxury/softness, but they do the job. Not to mention, with a square setup, you can carry a spare (esp if you go off RFTs) for road trips. Wheels/Alloys - Since the world is leaning to lower and lower profile tires with big wheels, you will FEEL the road. Especially if you have the mSport alloys. Changing your wheels and tires mean a lot of research so they don’t rub on the inside. There are quite a few options out there which look better and weigh lesser. Lesser weight is lesser unsprung mass, faster turn in. Seats & Adaptive dampers - Definitely on the firm side. In fact, forums say that if your car was made in South Africa, the seats are definitely a problem. Despite all this, I like my car. I won't own it till I die, but I’ll have fun with it for a few years. What works well. Transmission - I would rate the ZF transmission only a notch below the Porsche PDK. It’s really good. PDK is cerebral, it just instinctively knows what you’re trying to do. The ZF isn’t that good, the first 3 gears feel like they’re holding you back, they feel over complicated to my millennial brain which grew up with 4 and 5 speed stick shifts. Engine - The low subtle grunt of the inline 6 is an absolute pleasure. The newer m340i has too many crackles and pops. Not my cup of tea. And merging into the highway or highway cruising is a delight. Never lacks power. You also get a 30+ mpg on highways (if you stay in the vicinity of the speed limit). Community - I moved from a Miata to this car and honestly the BMW forums & community have been on par with the Miata’s. A lot of the forum people helped me figure out a lot of these, and they are extremely knowledgeable. Aftermarket support - Endless. It’s expensive, but there are just so many options that it’s mind boggling. Modifications/tuning - You can easily bump the power on a B58 engine by 50whp with just a Stage 1 software tune. And these are conservative estimates. Pretty sure you can go higher.

This video right here is the sort of quality you'd expect from a channel or TV show with a far larger budget than what you guys have yet you are consistently improving and out doing yourselves on the quality of the videos compared to the competition and this layout is the best of the bunch so far. The only thing that was a bit off putting was the camera was a bit all over the place with Hullsy but even that's a minor thing. They should use this as an example of how to do a video in film making classes. Had to laugh at the indicator and GT variant's looks bits as they were priceless. Also have to admit I honestly thought this generation of 3 series was made in Thailand not South Africa. Should get a banner made with the 10k kms servicing recommendation Hullsy keeps saying so he can hang it behind himself and point to it as needed to save repeating himself all the time lol. Also congrats on breaking 130k subs guys you're really starting to get the recognition you all deserve. Have a good weekend guys and look forward to next week's videos as always 👍.

Glad to see the indicators working on that BM, because most I see on the roads seem to have ones that don’t work 😂 Your bit about the indicators was so on point! That GT body style is so ugly, maybe it was a peek into the future with the huge beaver grilles, getting us used to ugly BMWs…

Zero issues with my 2015 F31 335d so far. 104k miles and still going strong! Can’t get warm with the brand new 🐽 BMWs, F-generation is where it’s at when it comes to newer models.

Hearing all those problems actually makes me feel good about owning my Alfa Giulia 😂

I really like the more dynamic camera and for majority of the shots, maybe leaving the static camera with some panning shots for the interior sections would help keep a more a ‘professional’ presentation but I’m loving the growth and production value of the videos, keep it up guys.

Hahaha, "Rattles & Squeaks" Great video. One of my friends once said, that there is no car that drives like a BMW. I owned a 3 series in South Africa (nice safety feature segment btw...) , and seeing that is made here, the parts are cheap, especially when you can do it yourself. The 320d is a gem, especially with a ECU tune. Lovely cars...

Super informative and great video as always. I think this may be your funniest one yet to mate, lost count of how many laughs I had and that’s coming from a BMW owner.

Another great video guys!

Your videos are very well made, especially for a small team

After giving you a bit of grief about the new vs used options earlier in the week, gotta say this is back to the great stuff I follow the channel for. This and the Hiace are up there with the best vids on the channel (and great reviews compared anything else that's out there). Weird combo of cars, but two I've got experience with and think both reviews were spot on.

You have your own unique style of reviewing cars and I like it.

The timing chain guide issue wasn't quite as prevalent as people make it out to be. It affected cars made prior to May 2015, after which BMW changed the design of the timing chain guides. Most notably it effected the N20 and N26 engines. BMW offered an extended warranty that spanned 7 years and 120k miles so these have all lapsed now. Frequent oil changes, not using the auto start/stop, and not abusing the engine are key in preventing damage. Cars with the issue will present with a whinning and rattling sound from the front of the engine (not to be confused with the clattery direct injection) sounding engine.

I’m really glad you made this video I’m really serious about buying one of these

Showing love all the way from South Africa. Please review an AUDI TT in future videos🔥

Great report Adam! I have had my F30, 328 for almost 11 years and done 170k. Timing chain replaced at 155k (limp mode). Yes it was expensive at $7500. Before this I had a C Class. There is no comparison between the MB and a BM. BMW are the Ultimate Driving Machine. And in my experience, the dealership really looks after you. And the police do love them as we do tend to contribute our fair share of donations to their multi-nova speed camera department, because they are so enjoyable to drive.

Good review AK

Lovng all your videos guys. I'll be looking for a new second hand car in the next few years and I'll be watching for advice.

Nice review ❤

Broo, I've been considering buying this car for 2 weeks now😂😂 thank you!

Not a bad post on the f30 but we run them in uk no issues they cracking cars my n47 318d running 50mpg urban no issues with chain 103000k and as for the timing chain issues its lack of servicing the b engine is same with chain issues due to servicing but good vid mate keep up the good work :)

One of the cars I've been dying to see❤

Informative AND hilarious, thank you 😁😁😁

I love it when he keeps poppin that stick on the left side of the steering wheel up and down just before taking a turn 🤪 looks so funny.

14:29 “pile of dog shit”. Holy shit that caught me off guard 🤣🤣🤣🤣. Noticed you guys are going a different style with the videos! I dig it!

I live in Germany and currently I own a 2018 4 series F36 Gran Coupé LCI xDrive model with the N57D30, so a 3L Turbo-Diesel Engine. It has almost 100.000 km under its belt and I happily report zero issues or unplanned maintenance so far. This car has been very good to me. It being my very first BMW is especially surprising because I also heard all the rumors about them being unreliable, but I also suppose that it might have something to do with their drivers...

Funniest video yet!! Awesome, keep up the great content

Your videos are very useful, thanks

Honestly never had a single problem like that in my 3 years of owning a 3rd hand f30 335i bought it at 92k kms and now has 120k kms and it’s still immaculate. Only thing you’re right on with the idrive giving issues

Lexus IS all day everyday! Thanks for another great video team. Sent it to a friend of ours who just bought a 2014 X6 against our recommendations. Had the car for 6 months and has already spent $5K in repairs! 🤦🏽‍♂️

Hahaha, yes indicators are great, shame the BMW’s sold here in Canberra don’t have them installed.

The last best 3-series was the E90 range, with the NA 6-cylinder no-turbo models. All newer 3-series are turbo models, which started with the E90 335i and onwards. I own a German-Built 2006 E90 330i M-Sport and is rock-solid.

2016 320i M sport owner here with a smidge under 150k km on it! I picked it up with about 9000km on it in 2017, had it ever since and have loved it! Have taken it to all its service needs as scheduled. Maintenance plan ran out in July 2021 and it hasn’t been a problem child! Except until literally two months ago when it got a slow coolant leak; turned out to be the oil filter housing and turbo coolant feed lines. Bit of a pricy fix but not too bad (I’m in South Africa fyi). Small rattle when the plastic clip for the handbrake lines broke but that was a cheap fix. Other than that it has been absolutely rock solid! Drives really well still. Infotainment is now fairly dated admittedly but works well and doesn’t look like a pig’s arse on the outside like most new BMWs these days! Will probably look to trade it in next year cos out of maintenance plan BMWs are a risky prospect but I’ll be sad to see it go!

Great video as always! I’d personally pick an F22 M240i (still patiently waiting for your review on that) 😅

I just discovered your channel... nice! And, I just bought a pre-lci Touring 320d... wish me luck! It replaces my E61 with the pretty much bulletproof NA N52. Quite a change!

I own a 2013 328I touring Msport (85k) and my mother owns a 2018 320I Luxury Line (30k). Absolutely no issues as yet. Fix things if needed or service accordingly and you’ll be fine.

Great informative and funny video as per usual. I had a great number of Beemers over the years, some bad and some worse. I might be biased but........I rather put my money on a Mercedes any day of the week if one chooses between a Beemer and a Merc. You be spending a lot more of your hard earned cash on spare parts ( or the mechanic if you can't do things yourself ) being a Beemer owner. That means less time tailgating good folks on our roads. The choice is yours 😉

I dig the new camera style you guys have tried , however me personally preferred the more subtle approach. Not that it's bad but yeah. I prefer the more minimalistic clean cut approach.

Had my 2013 f31 320d m sport now for 200k miles (322k km). Refreshed all the suspension at 140k and religiously do regular service oil changes ( engine at 5k intervals, 50k diff and gearbox ), but apart from brakes, tyres etc there’s been nothing else. Never let me down & 100% reliability - maybe lucked out on a unicorn build

as a previous owner of this gen M3 and 330i i never heard of any of these going wrong. think you got this list of an internet forum or something. both mine were the most solid cars ever.

Hahahahahahahha! Best moment ever - how to use the indicator. Well done mate.

Another great video. Can you review the standard 2 series please?

Great video guys! Please review an f22 2 series! I'm on the market for one hehe

I bought a 328d, a 2018 F30 diesel. Only gremlin I've had is the digital cluster had to be replaced, but under warranty so no skin off my back. I put about 26k on it in about 9 months now? No mechanical problems whatsoever.

I have watched nearly all your videos, thanks to multiple FIFO quarantine's, and you are on the money for the cars I have owned. I have a 2012 and a 2013 f30 335i as well as a 135i from BM Trouble You stable. I do all my own repairs, etc. Here are some of the very common issues you may have missed on that car. The plastic panel under the wipers degrades in the sun and looks crap while the rest of the car still looks great. Inside the real issue with door handles is the sticky degrading black muck that comes off on your hands from the inner side of the handle until you buy Chinese replacements that are great. The door lock pins that stick out of the tops of the doors vibrate and make a tone of noise when driving on coarse bitumen roads ( one well placed wrap with electrical tape fixes it ). Yes the steering has issues and knocks prematurely ( $120 for a guide kit from the internet fixes it but at 130k on it, it shouldn't need it ) Mine being N55's both leak oil from the pan, one was also leaking badly from the filter housing to the oil cooler pipe block, $9 and a few hours = sorted but the belt was so badly damaged, it was close to delimitation. The water pumps OMG, the seal on the impeller leaks internally and coolant enters the electronics of the pump. This causes the pump to start by itself when the car is shut and locked ( about 8 minutes after ) and drawing 28 amps, it kills the battery overnight. ( that took some diagnosing, LOL) no electronics issues of yet inside, drives beautiful and quick but the 0-100 time you quoted of 4.5 seconds is not realistic, my daughters Stinger is quicker than my f30, maybe that should be 5.5 seconds. Keep the good work, Cheers Trev

I loved your comment about BMW drivers and indicators lol.

The reason why most BMW drivers don't use their turn signals is because they don't know how to cancel it after a lane change. In other cars, if you use the turn signal to signal a lane change and return it to centre, it will cancel. In the 3 series that puts on the turn signal of the other side. It's very annoying to most people, hence why they don't use it.

Love all your videos! Just thought I might add that you mentioned the 330i as the second most powerful 3 series behind the M3. I think you forgot about the 335i or 340i which were more powerful which makes the 330i the 3rd most powerful behind the M3!

You are spot on. I had a 328i F30 that I drove to 78,000 miles. Problems I had were: Thermostat needed replacing at 50,000 miles. Driver's and passenger's door latch needed replacing at 40,000 Seat belt sign turns on if I put anything over a pound on the passenger seat. Exhaust actuator broke at 75.000 miles and made rattling sound when idling. When parked on an incline overnight a transmission fault would come on and would go on limp mode, but when it's warmed up it goes away. Dealership found nothing wrong and after getting an oil change it inexplicably went away. Would I buy another one? Absolutely! It was one of the most fun car I have ever owned. I regret trading it in for the 330e.

I currently have an F10 with the n52 engine... Beast of a car but the interior trim is flimsy... Especially those vents... Haven't found an f10 or f30 without a replaced pair... But even with that, the F30 I drove feels like a mini f10 and that's incredible

This model still looks very modern and personally i would love to have one.

I never wanted to like BMW then I started driving them and had to admit, they just drive great.

I have the 330i wagon, it's very practical as well as fast and reliable. Th wheel base of 3 series is actually longer than some large SUVs. The only issue I had is a blown water pipe at 60000k, fixed for $500.

I ran a 330d Xdrive from 50k to over 100k. Proved very expensive - rear diff, adaptive suspension issues, always £1000 plus every year to repair and service. Too new to repair at an independent at the time - but out of warranty. I now lease my cars as they are always in warranty………

Thank you for being truthful about Bmw drivers, although I think the owners as long as he return signals are good to

Best video ever

The turn indicators explanation 😂😂😂

God bless you, I’ve been waiting for a video on the pre facelift 3 series and it just answers so many questions I had till now. Please kindly do a 4 series one too if possible. Seriously love your work and wanna see you grow in the future 👌🏿👌🏿

everytime i watch your videos i will think you shoot in South Africa... like on 9.17 that's somewhere in Johannesburg but I like the vids so informative...

I think a 330i LCI would be the pick of the bunch (and Luxury Line for me, I can do without the M Sport bits) - that said having been in a demo one, the ride is just way too firm for our crap roads. I think the B9 Audi A4 on its standard suspension manages to handle incredibly well despite having a comfy ride, that would be my pick for the category. The Lexus IS is reliable but the lazy powertrains and cluttered interior ruin it for me.

Great job bro. Do a video on Prado 120 series 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Really interesting to go back and see what cars get the most views. I predict this one will crack 200k pretty easily!

Have a 2015 f31 335i remapped to 400bhp with new faster gear box map and the car has been very reliable besides brakes and tyres and a few buckled wheels that caused steering wheel vibration but that was an easy fix with a full alloy refurb. Actually surprised Adam didn't mention the numerous complaints about the buckled and cracked alloys as that seems to be really common in the UK. Also surprised the run flats weren't slatted as these are terrible for handling and wallet.

I purchased new 2014 BMW 328 x drive - I now have 258,000 Km with very few issues - an oil sensor at 12,000 Km ( warranty ) , pulley belts under extended warranty, some sort of mechanism that makes the car drive slow ‘ ( wastegate something ? ) it was worn and broke loose ( 204,000 km ) and oil and brake maintenance - I am in love with this car - the comfort. Red seats , amazing fuel economy , X- drive for the snow. Rear seats fold down etc - this car has performed like a Toyota Corolla in terms of reliability- the only thing is the run flats were harsh and I replace several of them in the first 25,000 Km ( makes me paranoid that the mechanics at the dealership were in on some diabolical scheme ) - however I used to be a BMW hater - this 3 series now made me live BMW - I purchased a 2021 M40i Z 4 with 6000 Km on it and that is a dramatic fun car - but somehow in my 2014 3 series - it feels so right - they did an amazing job with this model. And yes - on start up it is a bit noisy.

For the steering - just turn on the Sport setting and it takes away the vague feel! I coded the ability via BimmerCode into my 2014 320d Luxury Line and being able to keep the normal transmission with the sport steering makes all the difference.

Got a high spec M performance 2017 model and Wireless Apple CarPlay comes with the BMW Professional navigation (and it has connected services), no need to retrofit it. I can recommend to look for one with the Harman/Kardon system, its well worth it. Also mine just passed the 110.000km mark and basically still feels like new, no rattles, little wear. On the negative, I have to replace my engine and transmission suspensions now, they broke. Apparently its quite common on these if you’re into drifting but I’ve never drifted and it still broke so i don’t know… no other complaints

And a partridge in a pear tree! Nice one mate!

Wrist check: looks like a 6138 Panda dial Chronograph. Legit vintage watch that one!

I had a 17 lci 330i in a MANUAL. coming from a swift it was amazing but then I was quickly bothered by the stupid amount of rev hang and the clutch needed to be replaced just after 10,000kms (100km when I got it). I do really miss it though. I'm pretty sure it was the only b48 manual 3 series in Australia when I got it. Easily one of my favourite cars in terms of looks

A couple of months ago I picked up a F31 330i Touring. Ex-BMW company car so it came with all the bells and whistles. Plus it is immaculately maintained. Still came with the remainder of a service pack and as you mentioned in the video, a complete unicorn. I love it. First BMW I've owned and I'm greatly impressed. Also being a Touring, I rarely see these on Perth roads anymore. My previous car was a Renault Koleos, Renault Megane RS, Golf R, Mazda RX8... But I definitely feel like in the Touring, I've become a bit of a target on the road from other drivers.

I have a 2012 320d with 300 000kms and absolutely bullet proof so far

My daughter has a 218 in manual and the reverse gear is a nightmare to engage, we went back to the main stealers where she bought it who test drove it and said that is how it’s supposed to be 😮😮😮automatic all the way from now on, I’m looking at an f31 335d and it’s a toss up between touring or the grand coupe here in the uk

I just tune in to see the watch collection 😊

I think the reason BMW drivers struggle with the blinkers is because it's not obvious where the reservoir for the blinker fluid is. Therefore forgetting to check it regularly. That was a missed opportunity on your part. 😬

I used to have an F30 320d. It was a nice car but dynamically it felt a bit too big and numb and by 60k miles it developed a major suspension issue as well as electronic gremlins

Good vid, I love and agree with the comments re indicator use. The wanker per capita is higher in BMW land.

I just knew Jim would mention the word ' plastic '.

Few things you've missed, all the soft touch especially the trims in the door handles and the knobs on the sound system and climate control melts and becomes sticky after a few years, and this model also suffered from the infamous knocking noise from the steering wheel rack when going over broken tarmac.

I completely agree about the transmission choice. I have no idea what it is about BMW but its manual transmissions (at least across the F 2&3 series cars) are just slushy and unpleasant to use, whereas the ZF autos are brilliant.

I have the 328i now for2,5 years. So far so good, only minor problems like a small oil leak and clogged up sunroof drainage. The engine and zf8 gearbox are really smooth for comfort driving. When you need power there is always plenty. In comfort mode the steering is a bit vague as a downside

Good day from Sweden - is an "F33 series" Australian speak for a BMW 3 series with a 3 litre-ish engine? cheers 👍love the show and format BTW 🙂

My F30 was a work horse! Only issue was power steering didn’t function on a sunny day. Did a restart and all was ok! By contrast… my G20 was a dog!!… rubber seals on the door fell off… 🤷🏻‍♂️

Thanks responding to my request, @Redriven. I want a 335 E92... in coupe. Want to your thoughts.

Great video but it misses out on two crucial things. 1. Make sure you know a good mechanic and 2. get a good scanner

I’ve had my LCI 330i 100 year anniversary special edition for 5 years now. 80k+ on the odo. The only issue I had was a cracked plastic coolant pipe which was fixed under warranty. Great car -love the 16-speaker Harmon Kardon. Its a beast for a 4cyl. Will be sad to see it go (selling it in next few weeks😢)

A few things missed.... The msport brake discs can relentlessly squeak and a basically made of soft cheese On xdrive models, the transfer box is really sensitive to tyres The zf 8 speed needs an oil change at least every 100k The manual seats are tricky to adjust of two of you use the car Egr cooler issues can make 6 cylinder diesels catch fire (quite common)

The F30 with the B series engines have been around for 8 years now and have generally proved to be way more reliable than the N series engines before it. 8 years is long enough to test the durability or reliabilty and I have yet to hear of any horror stories for the B48 or B58 the later which by the way is a gem of an engine hence why it’s fitted to the new Supra.

You break my heart 😂... I currently have a 320d F34 (GT) and its not that bad looking in the metal. What it lacks in looks it more than makes up for in practicality. Wait till you have 2 large rear facing child seats then try the GT, with the extra long wheelbase its a dream. Boot is also massive.

Being a BMW driver I find you quite rude about us but thanks for the tip on indicators, I always wondered what that stick was for.......... ;)

Any chance you’d like the tackle the G20 3 series? I am considering one!

I'm one those who "love Alfa Romeo" so I checked a Giulia, to follow up the Giulietta we've got. After my Giulia test ride I crossed the street to test a BMW 3 series. More or less the same pricing. But It felt like losing, it sucked so bad. The Giulia's interior is rubbish compared to a BMW 3 series. Right now I'm stuck in life, don't know what to do. So I keep enjoying the Giulietta.

Off topic but nice watch.

I’ve got a 2015 pre-LCI 330d XDrive M-Sport, 87k on the clock. Had it about 2 years, great car but in that time I’ve spent about half of the cost of what I spent buying the car on fixing it.

Haha the indicator lecture 😂

Prefer 3.0i & Autos when i buy BMW's, Great video as always !!!

Adam please make a "RU-vid short" about BMW indicators, it's gonna be best thing to share on all platforms of social media 🤣🤣🤣

Thanks to Jim for the diagnosis. This was all sounding surprisingly good until we get the mechanical crap.

we have a 330 LCI and love it