BMW 3 Series Buying Advice (2012-2017)

If one car embodies success, it's the BMW 3 Series. I don't mean 50 million in the bank because I just sold my company successful, but a fun job or a company taking its first real steps. You have some money to spend on a fun car.

I think many have this one high on the wish list. Maybe not this exact car, but a BMW 3 Series. It's the most successful BMW. It embodies the brand. It's the 6th generation, has been sold for 40 years, 12 million cars were on the road. Some crashed, in a drift course for example. However, it's BMW's core. This is the 6th generation, of which F30 is the codename. It was released in 2012, so finally they're entering the second-hand market. It's more comfortable than the previous generations, but we say that every time there's a new 3 Series.

They're more comfortable and quieter, growing with the target group as it were. Of course it has RWD. Many versions have AWD xDrive. The engine to have in any BMW, especially the 3 Series, is a straight-6. However, not many versions have that engine. The straight-6 returned in the M3, 335i, 340i, and this Active Hybrid 3. There are also 2 diesel engines: the 330d and 335d. Those are straight-6 as well. There are many 4-cylinder engines and even a 3-cylinder engine. ENGINES gasoline, diesel The number on Marktplaats shows this is a popular car; over 1,100 of this generation.

Slightly more sedans than the Touring wagons. The gasoline-diesel distribution is about 50-50. You see the automatic transmission advance in this class; 75% of the cars has one. The standard 8-speed automatic transmission is very nice. Why would you want to shift gears yourself? The cheapest 3 Series of this generation are diesels with much experience and few options. Prices start at 15,000 euros and go up to 100,000 euros for new M3s. There are more expensive cars, which are the very nice models. PRICES minimum, maximum Of course there are a number of things to watch out for, but this 3 Series is a reliable one. You can find things on the Internet, but no structural or big problems.

The previous generation 3 Series had some serious problems. This generation, the F30 and F31 Touring, has only small things. The few bigger things are often solved under warranty. There are some strange things to watch out for, such as rusting Sport Line seat frames. This was a manufacturing defect in the first model years. If you have an early Sport Line with its red rushes, look under the seat for corrosion. It's annoying when this starts making sounds. Another thing is the hood lock. The 2 catchers and the wiring to open it can break. A vibrating steering wheel can indicate lane departure warning (this one has it), that the wheels need realigning, or a defect steering box. BMW will try to rule out wheels and tires first, but there are cars with that problem. Most of the time this was solved under warranty, but it's something to keep an eye on. If you feel strange vibrations, this could be an expensive fix outside the warranty. The early 4-cylinder engines, produced until August 2013, have failing power brakes.

The pedal gets very hard. It feels like you can't brake, but you can under your own power. Very old-fashioned, but maybe not that safe. It occurs in the early 4-cylinder models, especially the 328i. The powertrain gets very little complaints. One thing to watch out for: low-mileage diesel engines. That's never a good idea. Diesel engines need some miles to warm up and regenerate particulate filters. I haven't had enough coffee today, so I'm not going to repeat that. Something's up with the particulate filters. A young diesel engine with a low mileage seems attractive, but driving short distances isn't great. 75% has an automatic transmission that needs no maintenance .

If you've seen more of these videos: flushing and an oil change can help solve some issues. Keep in mind this needs to happen at some point. We found some broken thermostats and waterpumps. More thermostats than waterpumps. If the thermostat breaks, it opens all the way. The engine won't warm up; it's cooled continuously. And the fan keeps running. If you notice this, look at the thermostat. It's something to stay on top of. Cooling a modern (and old) combustion engine is very important. If it goes wrong, the engine gets seriously damaged. The 335i's oil filter housing can leak. A new gasket isn't that expensive. We saw a number of 335is with a broken manual transmission. This is a warranty job, but still something to pay attention to if you test drive a 335i with a MT. Check if it shifts into every gear smoothly. I can't now because this one has an AT, but you know what I mean. It can have a lot of electronics. You know what I always say: test everything. Open the sunroof. It can get stuck when closing and won't move all the way. You can help it to close, but it's something to check. Check everything else as well. Until 2016 BMW installed an alarm system that could give an error. The car won't start anymore. You'll need a code to disable the alarm system. Guess the tip. Check if the code is included when buying a 3 Series with an alarm.

Those can break, usually one, making it sound tame. A 3 Series can have many cameras up front, in the back, and in the sides to create a top view. It's as if you're looking down on the car. That's fantastic, but water can get in (mainly the front-right camera) and cause errors. The final thing to watch out for is the wiring of the passenger seat. It can wrongfully say someone's sitting there. You'll have to fasten the seatbelt to silence the gong. Check if this doesn't happen, but you'll notice soon enough. We found this car at BMW Breeman in Rotterdam. A 3 Series Active Hybrid isn't the best known version, but it's stronger than a 335i. With the electric motor it has 53 hp extra for a total of 335 hp. It's a chic model. Brown leather and the dark blue exterior makes it almost royal.