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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  Best Ever SAV - 2015 BMW X3
  By mrspano@live.com - December 12 - 4:27 am

  This is by far the best SUV/SAV I have ever driven. Quick and agile. Nothing else compares.

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  A great all-around package. - 2013 BMW X1
  By M Houston - December 9 - 10:14 pm

  Driven my 2013 xDrive28 for 25000miles - and have no regrets. Really a surprisingly good wagon - the 8spd transmission and strong/efficient 4cyl. is impressive. Wish I had paddle shifters on mine, as I use the manual shifting option quite often and would prefer to use paddle shifters. Ergonomics are superb, electronics are for the most part all useful, iDrive system fairly intuitive, NAV system effective, though a bit frustrating to enter addresses/destinations using voice commands. Couldnt find a better package for the price two years ago when I bought it, and still cant find anything that on the whole offers fewer compromises. Yes it is small, but Im 510", and personally find the back seats quite comfortable, with plenty of headroom and legroom. If you are worried about the space back there (as I was), I would say dont rule it out, sit in it and see for yourself. My third BMW, and this one is by far the most reliable. Great car - highly recommended.

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  Worst Car I ever had - 2008 BMW 7-Series
  By Sam - December 9 - 6:18 pm

  I would never buy this piece of Junk. It is just a waste of money. Too many issues. I purchased a 5 year old CPO 750i. A few months later I found out that it has original air filters installed, the dealer did not even bother to check the basics. I filed a complain, both written and by phone. I wasted so many hours but no results. The customer rep says that the dealer is not answering them, what a BS.

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  In the shop after 600 miles - 2015 BMW X5
  By Fred - December 9 - 4:49 pm

  I purchased an x5 35d and after 600 miles the check engine light came on. Took it to the dealer and it was determined that it has a faulty sensor. But because its a diesel they dont stock the part. Its been three days and still waiting.

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  Great Crossover SUV IF you can afford it - 2007 BMW X3
  By Craig Fauver - December 9 - 3:51 pm

  I bought my 2007 BMW X3 3.0si with about 70,000 miles in January 2012. I was 28 years old at the time and excited about my purchase. It was a CPO and had a 6 month warranty with it. I drive about 30,000 miles annually and at almost 185,000 miles 4 years later I am left to ponder whether it was a good buy or not or whether I would do it again. The car I bought had a new sticker price of something close to $44,000, so considering that the first 5 years / 70k miles absorbed about $26,000 of that made me feel good about the purchase. It was KBBs book price for a private party sale in Good or Very Good condition. Now that Ive put 115,000 miles on it I look back at the service and maintenance history and just as I was starting to get impressed by how little went wrong in 115,000 miles but then I hit about 182k and it needed a starter, then tires, then transmission. Needless to say its been a bad month or so in the repair dept. Heres a list of what Ive needed to have done from 70 - 185k miles at the approximate mileage: Every 10k - new oil and filter. Every 20k - new air filter, clean MAF sensor. 80k - Water pump at approx. 90k - tires 125k - Coolant expansion tank was cracked and replaced 135k - tires 150k - windshield washer pumps 150k - brake pads and rotors. 155k - ignition coils and spark plugs 165k - fuel filter 170k - changed brake fluid, bled brakes, new anti-squeal on pads 182k - tires 182k - starter 182k - transmission fluid & filter, differential & transfer case fluid (transmission started slipping, dont believe BMW lifetime fluids get them changed every 30-50k depending on driving conditions and climate). 185k - transmission (bought used with 99k miles for $1480 - a tad under $2700 after mechanic and shop fees)

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  Never Again - 2008 BMW X3
  By Mackenzie - December 9 - 8:07 am

  I just got my 2008 BMW X3 a few months ago back in April. I bought it off a used lot and as I drove away, the engine light came on. Ive taken it in multiple times and Ive had everything from my radio just suddenly not wanting to work to my car cutting off in the middle of a busy intersection. This car has almost gotten me in many accidents with its poor driving performance. I actually had it in the shop for a week during Thanksgiving and as soon as I got it back it broke down and left me stranded the day after. I got it back to the repair place and it magically had 10+ new issues. We have spent well over 3k in the past few weeks on this vehicle. I would absolutely never suggest this car to anyone especially as their first car unless you want to constantly have your car in the shop and 0 money in your wallet. I will never purchase a BMW ever again. They say to get rid of a BMW once it hits 85,000 miles... I should have listened. Oh, and not to mention its HORRIBLE gas mileage. I fill up every week and it costs around 50 bucks every time. Its ridiculous.

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  My 550i - 2008 BMW 5-Series
  By Dewey Raynor - December 8 - 4:04 pm

  Greatest Car I have ever driven.

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  Luxurious, Sporty, Fun, Eye-catcher, Maintenance. - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By Fahiem Ahmadi - December 8 - 12:16 am

  I own a silver 2006 BMW 325i Sedan 3.0L I6. I honestly can say that i absolutely love this car very deeply. Its way ahead of its time, people always assume its a newer model just by looking at it. I surprise everyone when i tell them it is a 2006. This car has a lot to offer, it has the luxury look both outside and inside. A lot of people try to dumb down the 325i model compared to other cars in its class performance wise, but i honestly dont believe those people have owned or even been inside this car. For those of us who drive this car on a daily basis you can agree with me when I say this car holds its own on the road with both top end and acceleration speeds. In the 2 years ive owned this car you can bet ive done some racing on the highways and I have beat some pretty fast cars from G35s, Acura TLs, Lexus IS, Mercedes C/E Class, Other BMW models. This car has some heat in it. Automatic 6 speed tiptronic. Now by no means is this car an M3 or a GTR but when it comes to cars in its class this is the best, if not one of the best. Handles the road extremely well, it has saved me from some sticky situations with its handling ability and power steering. The overall design of the car is smooth, elegant and crisp with a driving on glass feel, you can literally be doing 100 mph and feel like the car is going 50. The stock audio system is very high quality both in sound and bass. Depending on what package you get, it comes with climate control, power seats, blue tooth, BMW assist, aux plug. MP3 CD, sun shade and added horsepower. The car is bilingual in its text. With that being said this car is just about 10 years old now and if your thinking of buying one just know that the initial purchase price is not the problem it is the cost of ownership. Meaning, you will put up some big money to keep this car maintained. Ive had this car for 2 years and the initial cost of the car was 16k. Plus -$550 on starter replacement and leak. -$2700 - Water Pump, thermostat, radiator, radiator hose -$543 - Head Gaskett -$434 - Oil Filter housing gasket (2x) -$540 - Belt Tensioner -$1000 - Brake pad, sensors, rotors. -$599 - Spark plugs 1-6 and Ignition coil 3 That is a total of $6366 and not to mention the $200+ a month for insurance .. Gas is decent on this considering the performance factor that comes with this car. The car is fun and exciting to ride in but can be costly. To be honest with you, even though i have broke the bank a few times with this car I truly enjoy driving it and absolutely love this car. If you are single with no kids I would recommend buying this car.

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  Disappointed - 2011 BMW M3
  By Keith Poe - December 7 - 2:34 pm

  Car build quality is extremely disappointing. I have very annoying wind noise on drivers side and significant rattling around front passenger door. Dealer response was terrible, and car was under warranty at the time!

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  Stay away - 2010 BMW 7-Series
  By Habibi - December 6 - 8:09 pm

  Do not buy this car unless its under warranty, valve problem burning and leaking oil .. Its a 7,000 dollar job dont waist ur money and this is my second car but never again