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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  Worse BMW Ive ever owned - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By Randy - December 15 - 2:57 pm

  I have owned 4 BMW and was pretty pleased by all. 3 including this one was bought new. This model is horrible. Have to remove bumper to replace a headlight. Awkward to reach power window controls unless you have 5 arms. Electronics is a nightmare! Leaks water rear foot, and has never been in accident. Paint flaked off roof rails. Worse of all is the quality of the interior trim. It is made of WHITE cheap plastic that is painted interior color. Every time you scratch anything that is painted, Door panels, steering wheel etc., the cheap white plastic shows through. Should have been molded in SOLID color plastic. Also ALL 4 door handles have been sticking since 50,000 miles. Horrible craftsmanship and design. CHEAP, CHEAP, CHAEAP. Will never own another.

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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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  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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  06 325i - Current college student - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By Cesar - October 15 - 1:58 pm

  Bought an 06 325i with 67,000 last august. Saved up all my money to get a nice car to commute to and from school. Drives amazing, feels amazing, and quite frankly you feel amazing! It honestly feels like driving in a spaceship. You hear nothing except the sound of silence and the road. I am in love with my car. To do my oil changes it usually costs me about 90$ every 5-6,000 miles just because I try to be proactive with oil. Unfortunately things took a turn for the worst.. my water pump went this past june which cost me about 1,300 with the change of a battery too. The guy i bought it from didnt change his battery so that battery in there was from 2005 when it was first built. This shows how much of a monster this car! The only problem with the car is it can be expensive. Any repair will cost you a decent chunk. Luckily my father knows about cars and we can do the simple tasks such as oil changes and brake pad changes. Also the car is super low so be careful with potholes as well as speed bumps and going in your drive way since it can scrape the bottom of it. Love my BMW! Any repairs for this vehicle, Id suggest KAM specialties in Reading, PA. These guys are great and competitively priced.

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  Bimmer Junkie - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By Kevin Stewart - September 22 - 10:11 pm

  I have had my 325ci for one month now and let me say its the best car Ive ever owned. I recently owned a Mercedss Benz E320 I know there is now comparing the two my BMW is truly in a class of its own. The overall performance is superior, the way it handles on the highway is a delight for those individuals that want a fast ride. Riding with the top down on a bright sunny day is simply the best.

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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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  Great driving car - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By dic_camarillo - August 26 - 12:29 am

  We thoroughly enjoy our 2006 BMW 325i sedan. Ours has a sport package, which includes larger wheels (looks nice), sport steering wheel, but most important is the sport seats. Dual power seats with power side bolsters and manual seat bottom extenders. Compared to our 2009 328i (Premium - no sport), the seats on the 06 are so much better. The ride comfort isnt as good as the 09, but its still good for a performance sedan. The fit and finish is still good, materials are very well made and have held up well. Paint still looks good, except for the repainted bumpers from a parking lot ding (factory paint is so much better than a body shop repair). Overall, were very happy!

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  Suburb driving machine - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By donkeypunch321 - August 16 - 3:56 pm

  The way this car pulls, brakes and handles is nothing short of perfection. After having this car in the shop (for water damage that was my fault) I got a 2010 Passat rental. I am glad I did as it just made me appreciate the performance of this BMW all the more. One major flaw though is that all the wiring is beneath the floor carpeting and the panels actually lead the water to the electrical wiring and modules (super poor design). So when I left my windows open and it rained, it fried my electrical wiring and burnt a hole in my carpet ($6000 bill). ***So make sure you get quality rubber mats to keep rain and snow from penetrating the carpet from your shoes or windows open when it rains.

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  Would not purchase another BMW - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By h13cyl - March 5 - 3:09 pm

  In 2006 I purchase a new 325I. Have own many different type of cars and none have disappointed like this 2006 325I. Here is the history of the money pit In 2006 I purchase a new 325I. The bad head replaced, valve cover-broken bolts, door handle sticking, water pump, rear window replaced because of faulty defogger grid , rear windows sometime work, starter motor, ignition coils, less than 90k on my car. No more than a money pit. The Good fun to drive.

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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.