Overview & Reviews

The BMW 3 Series sedan and wagon have been completely redesigned for 2006. Major highlights include new features, more powerful engines, a slightly larger interior and the incorporation of BMW's latest exterior styling elements. The 3 Series coupe and convertible are unchanged this year but will eventually move over to the new platform being used for the sedan and wagon; expect to see a new hardtop convertible for the 2008 model year.

• Still the standard when it comes to perfectly sorted vehicle dynamics, high-quality interior materials, wide range of configurations to suit any style, available all-wheel drive for sedan and wagon.

• Still costs more than most of its competitors, lacking in interior storage space.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 446.00

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  Money Pit But Worth It - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By Tony - October 26 - 8:46 am

  I Love my Bmw 325xi. It holds the road beautifully! This car looks amazing to be a 2006, Ive had friends ride with me and think its brand new! Perfect car for a 16 years old first car! There is nothing wrong with the car except for the cost of ownership. My car has 150000 thousand miles on it and Ive put about 30000 thousand on it already. Ive but about $10000 into it in repairs but i knew what I was getting into to. When my Parents bought it for a good price, the transfer case that drives the front wheels had gone out and it cost about $2800. Also I had to replace the oil pan and things which cost me $1500. Both of the rear windows motor went out but that was not the cars fault, every time my friends get in and out of my car, they all feel the need to slam my door shut! I am getting an appraisal to see how much it will cost, but its not looking good. Now for the big problem, a few months ago an error code came up with the transmission! The automatic had locked itself in 3rd gear (says the dealer) there was nothing they could do they said but replace it with a brand new one, which would cost a JAW DROPPING $11000. Needless to say I took it to my personal mechanic and he got it done with $5400 cash. That is all the problems Ive had with my car. While yes it is a money pit, it was worth every penny.

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  2006 330CI used purchase - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By graeme silvera - February 19 - 8:38 pm

  Went from a 2000 Z3 to this as i still wanted a convertible with the excellent handling and fun to drive capabilities of the Z3 but something more "practical". This car is amazing to drive and can fit 3 kids with luggage for the weekend with dad to boot! Highly recommend that you "shark" the car as the performance and throttle response is like night and day - dont know why they dont do this at the factory. Also recommend that you install a short shift kit, both upgrades will make a great car even better. So far no major problems in over 30,000kms of spirited driving.

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  The life of your car is dependent upon the way you maintain it. - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By jatoops - March 1 - 1:01 pm

  Ive never read so many poor reviews on a vehicle that was the World Car of the Year for 2006 (its first year of production). I used to be a BMW service employee at Bill Jacobs BMW of Naperville. I saw countless 06 325is and 330is. Shockingly, the customers who performed recommended services at the right times rarely had complaints regarding the 3s reliability, and since returned to buy newer models. BMWs arent made to be run into the ground by drivers who have zero regard for taking care of their car. Ive loyally taken care of my car. Its 8 years old with 82,000 miles and all Ive replaced unexpectedly is a taillight bulb. Take care of your cars, youll be amazed at the difference.

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  Fun to drive but frequent fixes - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By alphonsea - May 28 - 3:51 pm

  I purchased this 325i new in Oct. 2005 as a 2006 model. High on fun to drive meter but too many serious repairs. The car was great until about 75K miles. From 75k to 129k ignition coil failures, head bolt replacements, chipping paint, window motor failure, radio LED failure and sticky door handles. However I still love the car but not inclined to purchase another. I also had a 94 325 and a 97 525 which had less electronics but were more reliable.

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  Amazing performance, the true driving machine! - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By at_car_guy - May 13 - 4:37 am

  I owned the car for two years. The warranty and maintenance plan will help you not worry about its bills. It is an engineering marvel, it shows unmatched performance. It is in a level no other car in its class could match. On the negative side, the interior is poor and has no sense of luxury. especially the door panels. Anywyas, keep in mind when buying from BMW dealers, that BMW Financial services is such as disgusting company to buy from! If not really into the car, Id suggest opting for Mercedes C class, on performance it falls much shorter than the Bimmer, but it has a nice interior, its more comfortable and Mercedes dealers and MB Financial service know how to treat people well!

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  Love the car, but a little bit paranoid - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By arpy1 - November 5 - 12:23 pm

  I have always been a huge fan of BMW, and I was so excited to be able to buy my first one. I bought my 06 325XI in Sept of 11 with just under the 100K mark (98K). It is now Nov of 12, so, I have owned it for a little over a year. I now have 120K on the car and it is still going strong. In the year I have owned it I have had to change the oil, spark plugs, a headlight, and one pack of ignition coils. It truely is like a dream come true, but I always have a sense of doom in the back of my mind after reading a lot of these reviews.

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  Its great, when it works - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By csarson - April 14 - 10:07 am

  My husband had this car built in Germany to U.S. specs. It is his pride and joy, & has lived up to his expectations as far as the driving experience. We live in PA and the car performs great on narrow, winding roads in all conditions - though the suspension is WAY too tight for Pittsburgh potholes. Unfortunately it is constantly in the shop, & repairs are not cheap. My husband travels a lot & has been stranded multiple times, and been towed multiple times. He was stranded for two weeks when the steering lock went, but usually it is the tires - one FELL OFF about a month ago on the freeway. My advice - dont try this without a 100K warranty. And dont expect it to reliably get you anywhere

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  BMW, our Ultimate break-down machine - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By valka - December 31 - 7:02 am

  So, we bought this (2006 325i/E90) car last year for 16K. In the following year its needed (all prices include installation) 1. $600 Oil Pan Gasket 2. $1500 Passenger seat weight sensor 3. $1200 Radio Dash LCD display 4. $1300 Electric Water Pump 5. $150 Electric thermostat 6. $500 shaped coolant hoses 7. $350 Oil Filter Adapter Gasket 8. $500 replacement alloy rim 9. $200 spark plugs 10$700 VANOS solenoids Once you get past the questionable maintenance costs and the uncomfortable side bolsters the car has a lot of good points. Its good fun to drive with excellent handling and decent throttle...it just shouldnt cost this much to maintain a 5 year old car.

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  Love to drive, pain to own - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By vadim_ - March 9 - 11:48 pm

  This is the best handling and most fun to drive car I’ve owned. Its glued to the road. Great cornering, steering, the best brakes, feels very safe. Good acceleration. On other hand: run-flat tires became very noisy at 15K mi, and had to be replaced at 22K mi. No room for spare if you want to buy one. I’ve been to dealership at least 12 times in 5 years. Solenoid valves needed to be replaced 4 times in 2 years. Passenger seat airbag sensor replaced, ignition lock replaced & more. Cosmetic issues too such as paint peeling on the roof after 1 year, inside door handles needed to be replaced, improperly installed panels after service appointments that need to be reinstalled & more.

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  Too Sporty For Me - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By snowtrax00 - February 10 - 4:03 pm

  This car is a nice car and very fun to drive. Its very fast with great mileage. I get about 26mpg around town and 33 or 34 on the highway. The engine is quiet along with the cabin but the exhaust is too numb for me compared to the Infiniti. The sport ride is way too stiff even without runflats. The only reasons I wanted the sport package was for the better seats, steering wheel and rims but the ride is just awful, especially in the winter when the roads get bad. Its too small on the inside for three people and a little too small for two people. Its difficult to get into because its so low but the driving position is fantastic but the previous generation G35 was much better.