Classy great handling saloon car
Added: 15th of October 2020
- 2010
- 1997
- Manual
- Petrol
- Saloon
- 4
The E90 BMW 318i is the base 3 series model, featuring the BMW 2L engine in its mildest form of tune - It is still a responsive unit but needs to be revved enthusiastically to get near the claimed 0-60 time of 9 secs - Where this car comes into its own is in its ride/handling compromise, I have the SE model which has the softer suspension set up and is all the better for it - The ride is superb, wonderfully compliant yet never wallowy, with better seats, comfort would be world class - The seats are a disappointment, they look comfy in leather but in reality are thin, flat and lacking in support, they are also unduly firm, passengers in the back get a better deal however - The headlining feature is the cars handling - The car is easy to set up for corners, obeying any adjustments to the accurate steering without drama or any unexpected nasty surprises - There is a little roll but this allows the car to sit up on its haunches while you aim for the apex, giving a fluid sure footed feel - Unlike BMW's of old, at the limit adjustments are easy to make, the back end stepping obediently back into line if you need to make a correction - In terms of model selection, Id pick the SE over the Sport every time, it feels part of you while retaining that glorious ride - The 318i doesnt have the best reputation for reliability, my advice would be to use good quality fuel and find a good BMW engineering works, normally a fraction of the price of the main dealer and populated with real engineers who really know their stuff - Servicing on the 318i is very reasonable and running costs similarly modest, mpg works out between 32- 39 mpg in real terms, which is not bad for 2L saloon - The 3 series BMW is a rewarding car to own and drive, the 318i is a low cost entry model underpinned by BMW's engineering pedigree, do your research, chose carefully and you could enjoy owning a premium product at a bargain price.