Overview & Reviews

BMW is an acronym for Bayerische Motoren Werke AG -- or, in English, Bavarian Motor Works. Whatever you call it, the German-based company is one of the world's most respected automakers, renowned for crafting luxury cars and SUVs that offer superior levels of driving enjoyment.

Founded in Munich, the company began in the early 1910s as an aircraft manufacturer. BMW's current logo, designed to represent white propeller blades against a blue sky, reflects these origins; its blue-and-white color scheme also references Bavaria's blue-and-white checkered flag.

It wasn't until 1928 that production began on the first BMW automobile, the Dixi. The car proved tremendously popular, and its success helped the manufacturer weather the Depression. BMW's best-known pre-World War II vehicle was the Type 328 roadster, a supple two-seater that racked up more than 120 victories on the motorsport circuit between 1936 and 1940. Postwar BMW cars maintained this tradition, with several racing, rallying and hill climb victories.

The early 1950s saw the launch of the BMW 501, a roomy, voluptuous sedan that was resplendent with all of the hopefulness of that era. It was soon followed by the 502, which was powered by the world's first light-alloy V8, foreshadowing BMW's ongoing commitment to developing new technology. The best-selling BMW of that decade was the Isetta, a petite two-seat "microcar" typically powered by a 12- or 13-horsepower engine. The mid-'50s also saw the debut of the limited production and breathtakingly beautiful 507 sports car, which had an alloy body and used the 502's V8 for propulsion. In the 1960s, BMW sales strengthened significantly, thanks in part to the immense popularity of the 1500, a sporty family sedan.

By the 1970s, BMW was establishing itself as a full-fledged car company. It was a pioneer for many emerging technologies, including turbocharging and advanced vehicle electronics. BMW of North America was established at that time, and consumers who coveted both sports and luxury cars became loyal "Bimmer" owners. The '70s also saw the birth of BMW's three-tier sport sedan range consisting of the compact 3 Series, midsize 5 Series and large 7 Series cars and the creation of its performance M division. Though the 3 Series could be had with four-cylinder power, it was the company's inline-6 engines that developed BMW's reputation for spirited, yet highly refined performance. At decade's end, the limited production, short-lived M1 supercar debuted.

Throughout the 1980s, BMW became the unofficial poster car of yuppies, as the brand ostensibly signified one's financial success as well as a passion for driving. The elegant 6 Series coupe debuted, and the latter part of the decade saw the high-performance M division working its magic on various production models.

In the early 1990s, BMW replaced the 6 Series with the powerful (V12-powered at first) but heavy 8 Series grand touring coupe. A bit later, BMW introduced its popular Z3 roadster. The company also opened its first U.S. manufacturing plant in the latter half of the 1990s.

The 2000s brought a midsize SUV (the X5) as well as a compact SUV (the X3) as BMW joined the hot-selling segment. Since then, BMW has replaced the Z3 with the Z4, introduced the compact 1 Series, produced hybrid versions of a few models and debuted the X6 fastback crossover. The company has also expanded its empire to include Mini and Rolls-Royce and continues to build motorcycles, something it has done since the 1920s.

BMW's famous advertising slogan describes each of its vehicles as "the ultimate driving machine," and it's not mere hyperbole. Over the past couple of decades, BMWs have become the standard for performance and luxury in most of the "over $30,000" segments. With family-friendly wagons, crisp sedans, distinctive coupes, nimble sports cars and spacious SUVs offered, BMW's model roster is diverse. But its vehicles all share a common characteristic: the ability to make drivers feel gloriously connected to the road.

User Reviews:

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  Fun to Drive & Look @ - 2007 BMW 3-Series
  By 2097400128 - May 17 - 12:53 pm

  Great fun car to drive, looks great, but everytime i go to the dealership, they find something that is not under the certified pre owned warranty, and had the car 2 1/2 yrs, replaced run flats 3 times, very expensive tires, 0 miles warranty, finally last time i just went and bought 2 michellin tires for the back which were same as 1 run flat, and had 45k warranty on the full replacement, not pro rated, full free replacement, only thing i am affraid off is that i have no room for a spare in the trunk, so if i get a flat i have to get the car towed, guess i will just buy a tire inflator pump for the road, and get it towed at Bmw roadside expense if i get a flat.

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  Worst car Ive ever owned. Beautiful looking but leaves you stranded. - 2004 BMW 5-Series
  By nickafan - May 10 - 1:06 am

  The only thing this car has going for it is looks. The car is a worthless piece of crap in my opinion. I bought it with 70,000 miles and a month later, the car died. It needed a new battery and had $3,000 worth of oil leaks. My mechanic told me the oil leaks are standard maintenance on this BMW. A week later the car wouldnt start again & threw a check engine light. It needed a new thermostat, coolant, and MAF sensor. Two weeks later I discovered another oil leak at the oil pressure sensor! This is ridiculous. Ive owned a 2006 Toyota from 0 miles all the way to 140,000+ miles and it never needed a new battery, never had oil leaks, never a check engine light, and it never left me stranded.

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  one problem after another after 100K miles - 2000 BMW 3-Series
  By 1timebmw - May 5 - 12:33 pm

  Almost like clockwork, after she hit 100K miles things started malfunctioning. First the blower resistor ($280), then the "no reverse" transmission ($3600). Whats next? Repairs are more than the cars market value.

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  Great vehicle...when its not in the service department - 2005 BMW X5
  By toelldus - April 23 - 12:42 am

  I purchased a one-owner X5 with just over 100,000 miles just three weeks ago. The first day with the car went well however, the second did not. Accelerating after a rolling stop produced a lag followed by a violent jolt. Result=transmission needed to be replaced (do NOT fall for the "computer software update" run around, it will not fix anything.) Additionally, the X5 coated my garage floor with a 1 ft. in diameter oil puddle (caused by yet another mechanical issue). The dealer bought the vehicle back from me, while still maintaining it had NO mechanical issues. Ill be replacing it with an H3-same cost to fuel 18mpg vs. "22mpg", more reliable and much cheaper to maintain.

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  Issues and bad design for very basic features - 2008 BMW 5-Series
  By msimps - March 30 - 11:34 am

  I bought a CPO 2008 528 xi a year and half ago and have had quite a few issues that I think I shouldnt have for a car that is 4 years old. The driver side sport seat stopped working correctly. A couple months ago my battery died. $460 to replace that. You cannot do it yourself. It needs to be paired with the electrical devices in the car. This week my AC went out. Turns out there was a leak in the AC system and while my car was getting repaired they discovered a leak in my transmission. The tires that dont go flat cannot be repaired. Be prepared to buy a new tire and hope they have one in stock or you are out of commission until they get one.

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  BRAKES FAILED - 2008 BMW X3
  By capricornlady - March 14 - 1:43 am

  My X3 brakes failed causing a major accident. The accident resulted in approximately $75,000 worth of damage. BMW denied any brake issues. When I picked the vehicle up from BMW body shop I had to return it. All of the brake indicator lights on the dashboard lit up. I loved how my vehicle handled, but there were frequent trips to the repair shop, including previous brake jobs. It was disturbing and disappointing that BMW denied a major issue that could have resulted in casualties. BMW blamed the car mats for the accident (sounds familiar). Yet they returned the vehicle with mats in same position. Car was in service 2 wks before accident. A co-worker friend had similiar experience.

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  Not worth the money! - 2009 BMW 3-Series
  By bconne66 - March 12 - 8:31 pm

  I purchased the vehicle about 18 months ago and sadly it has been disappointing for the most part. First, the ride was rough and the run flats tires were terrible. I just traded them in for regular Michelin tires and what a difference though still not a great ride as I expected. Yes, there is no spare in the vehicle so RFTs or not the peace of mind of taking a long road trip is out of the question. The radio and other systems are difficult to understand and not user easy. Just today the the low oil light came on.System never gave a signal that the oil was getting low prior until this dangerous point. I had to buy the oil and sit by the roadside to put it in just not luxury at all. Audi!!!!

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  Looks Great, but looks can be deceiving. - 2004 BMW 3-Series
  By a587789 - February 26 - 5:51 pm

  I purchased this car used with 60k on it. At first it drove wonderfully. Then old age set in. After 25k miles, it started to break down. It seems like all the things in the engine that broke down, were plastic. Water pump, coolant reservoir, etc..... Not cheap to fix. Power steering pump went out quick and every mechanic, including BMW Mechanics, knew this was a major problem. $750 just to fix the pump. I decided it was time to part ways when I needed to make a 2k mile trip and I found out I had an oil leak, the window motor went out and the ac blower motor was going out. These are great cars if youre Bill Gates, but Im not. So I bought a Charger.

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  Glad to be rid of it - 2009 BMW 3-Series
  By carbug5 - February 20 - 6:55 pm

  Got rid of my 09 BMW 3 series with X drive. I wont miss the run flat tires, or nightmare suspension. The suspension bottoms out on bumpy New England roads and is not worthy of such a high price tag. The adaptive transmission lacks the response you would expect from a sports car. The radio is dissapointing. Filling the car with gas would cause a vacume and not allow me to fill up all the way. The dealers response to the above was oh well thats just the way it is. Got a G37x and love it so far. Much more car for the money. Now thats a driving machione

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  Update: Ultimate Costly Machine - 2005 BMW 3-Series
  By l3323 - February 16 - 12:05 pm

  Update: I have had my car for about four years now and this car is very fun to drive, the handling is undescribable. However, this car is not reliable in any way. I realize that BMWs are meant to be toy cars- just cars you keep in the garage and drive on the weekends. I have drain sooo much money into this car, that I could have possibly bought another car-cash. I purchased my car at 60k and only placed an additional 65k since getting the car. Suspension goes out completely, window strips wears easily, and to top it off the windshield motor has gone up. I have spent annually 2k a year in repairs. BEWARE! I am going to a Acura in a couple of weeks, is it a BMW? No, but at least its reliable