Overview & Reviews
Having introduced two all-new body styles last year, the 3 Series undergoes few changes for 2008. Most notable is the addition of the 335xi coupe, which adds all-wheel drive to the turbocharged 3 Series two-door. Sedans and wagons equipped with the six-speed automatic and Sport Package can now be upgraded with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. The convertible carries over unchanged.
- Costs more than most competitors, not much interior storage space, navigation system brings with it exasperating iDrive, plain-Jane interior design.
User Reviews:
Showing 1 through 10 of 191.00-
The Ultimate Repair Machine - 2008 BMW 3-Series
By S. Sutton - October 26 - 10:30 amDont believe the advertising hype and signage at the dealerships about how "cheap" the cost of ownership is and "inexpensive" the repairs are. (My favorite is a placard outside the dealership that says "this landscaping costs more to maintain than your BMW!"). The stereotypes are true, these things are a money pit. My 2008 335xi is a pleasure to drive, super fun, super comfortable, the perfect balance of power and luxury: The Ultimate Driving Machine (TM). Unfortunately, that comes at a severe cost in maintenance and repairs. Many of the parts used on these have very short life spans, and cost thousands to replace. My vehicle has less than 60,000 miles and currently needs a $1200 waterpump. The warranty for 2008s was a 4y/48k, so this one is out of pocket for me. Ive had vehicles that go three times as long without needing a water pump, let alone such an expensive one. If you assume the waterpump will only last another 55,000 miles thats $2400 in waterpumps just to make it to 100k miles! *whistle noise* Im 6 months away from having this paid off... I think Im going to put her up for sale as soon as I have the title in hand and look for something more reliable.
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Drivers and Mechanics dream - 2008 BMW 3-Series
By FLMike - September 25 - 8:35 amBought my 335xi AWD sedan as a CPO with 30K miles in 2011 as a "practical" commuter as too many miles on my 1995 Porsche 911S. Love the car but the maintenance costs are beginning to concern me. IMO the ONLY way to purchase / own a 335XI is under the CPO warranty program and sell it before the value curve falls off at 5 to 6 years. Maintenance thus far: Via recall: fuel pump, Under CPO: Both rear bearings, front transfer case, front bearing, all O2 sensors, idler pulley, main harness from battery to engine compartment. Maintenance not covered under CPO: rear window motor: $400 Now at 104K highway miles, maintenance out of my pocket: Electric water pump and thermostat ($1500). So I am estimating the cost to drive this driving machine approaching >$10k in 4 years. Ouch. Expected Maintenance in next 3 months: All fuel injectors: $1600, Rotors / pads $800. Turbos...? hope not.
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Fun to drive when not in shop - 2008 BMW 3-Series
By soccerprnt - December 29 - 12:13 pmLoved it when new. After 45000 miles I wish I had never heard of BMW. This car is continually having issues. It started with the antilock brake light coming on intermittently, about once a month. It was at the dealers at least 4 times for this before the problem was finally fixed. Similar problem with engine light coming 3 visits to fix this. Recently my clock has been clearing the time. Engine now stalling out occasionally while I am driving the car. Happens after driving from a few hundred feet to about a mile after I have begun driving it. Extremely dangerous. Diagnosed bad battery . Not covered under warrenty. They also did a programming update on the engine.
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Fuel Injection Problems - 2008 BMW 3-Series
By steve - September 18 - 2:00 amThis car was in the shop every 3 months for the 3 years that I leased the car. They cannot reliably repair the fuel injection defect. Top speed of 25 mph when the fuel injection system goes down. Very dangerous car on the highway with this chronic issue. BMW not compassionate with problems. They will repair but no responsibility. They should publicly warn about their defect in this car. They should offer incentives to turn in the car. I turned the car in 2 months early for the safety issues and they expected me to pay a fine. Will never buy BMW again.
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BMW 335 - 2008 BMW 3-Series
By Jasmin - June 26 - 10:36 pmBought this car in Dec 2008 with 12,000 miles, CPO . Four times within 17 months, it was sent to the dealer for engine lights turned on. Not very reliable. Fuel pump was replaced three times within 17 months.
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Not Impressed - 2008 BMW 3-Series
By BMWOwner - October 29 - 1:44 pmI have had four Audi A4 sedans for the last six years. I purchased a BMW, hoping for the same or better performance. Im not impressed. The transmission is sluggish, jerking around corners when accelerating (tech says its normal), run-flat tires and NO SPARE and the tires are not good, the value for the money isnt there and not sure what the buzz about BMW is. I cant wait to trade this one for another Audi!
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High cost, low driving satisfaction - 2008 BMW 3-Series
By BB - August 12 - 2:50 pmNicely appointed car with the driving excitement of a mid 90s Ford Taurus. 6 speed shiftable automatic transmission is rough in automatic modes and sluggish when shifted with paddles. Handling gives little road feel, and the car does very poorly on wet roads. Excessive road noise at highway speeds with original run-flat tires. BMW has managed to engineer the fun out of this very quick sedan. Gas mileage on premium is poor. Driver comfort with sport seats is very good, but the front passenger seat is cramped for an average adult. Many of the cars electronic features work only on an intermittent basis. The car is a real disappointment at $50K+ fully equipped.
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335xi Coupe - 2008 BMW 3-Series
By B - August 1 - 12:12 pmGot the car last October. Nothing but issues with it. Shifts hard, constant jerking. Also experiencing issues with the oil sensor. Today my car has been in the shop for 5 days because of a bad fuel pump apparently. Waiting for BMW to send the part! Not happy with it !
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The last BMW for me - 2008 BMW 3-Series
By imgnohc - June 18 - 5:33 pmThe first 4 months of driving the car is everything I expected. It felt great. Then the mechanical problems began. This is my second and my last BMW. I had similar terrible problems with my first BMW but I loved the body style of this latest 3 series and couldnt resist. But, Ive learned my lesson. Problems Ive encountered in the last 3 months include overheating engine, electrical problems with my windows and door locks, a/c not functioning at low speed, scratches caused by service center, etc.
