BMW Reviews

Bayerische Motoren Werke built aeroplanes during WW1, but following the Armistice in 1918, it was banned from making flying machines. Instead it turned to motor cycles and cars; with its first being a licence-built Austin Seven named the Dixi. BMW quickly progressed into making onto its own very fine sports and touring cars including the lovely 328.

Turbulent times WW2, with BMW coming close to bankruptcy and turning to Isetta and 600 bubble cars to help sustain it after trying to re-establish itself with a glamorous V8 powered range built in Munich. The 700 and subsequent ‘Neue Klasse’ models from 1961 saved the firm, while 1973’s 2002 Turbo was the very first turbocharged road car to be made in Europe. Today’s BMW ‘Series’ cars are effectively an evolution of the Neue Klasse and 2002, and are established as some of the best cars that money can buy.

501 and 502 (1952 - 1964)

Good: Dignified beautifully-made BMW saloon, quick and powerful

Bad: Rare in the UK, and expensive - very expensive - to repair

507 (1956 - 1959)

Good: One of the most beautiful cars ever made, excellent performance, an all-time great

Bad: It costs an arm and a leg to buy one

Isetta 250 and 300 (1955 - 1965)

Good: Packed with charm and fizzing with fun

Bad: Probably not ideal for a Friday evening on the M25

503 Coupe (1956 - 1959)

Good: Fast and elegant

Bad: Rare and expensive

600 (1958 - 1959)

Good: Four wheels for improved dynamics

Bad: Still has a front-opening door

700 (1959 - 1965)

Good: Good looking, economical, fun to drive

Bad: Rusty and getting parts in the UK can be a challenge

1500, 1800 and 2000 (1962 - 1972)

Good: Sporting models good to drive, and well made, BMW's future starts here

Bad: Rust is an ever-present problem

02-Series (1966 - 1977)

Good: Great to drive

Bad: Rot, high parts prices

2002 (1971 - 1975)

Good: Easy to work on, solid, high quality components, great fun to drive

Bad: More 1960s and '70s BMW corrosion, high parts prices

2500, 2800, 3.0 and 3.3 (1969 - 1977)

Good: Fast and roomy, and very cool

Bad: Survivor numbers are low, rust and corrosion are can be extensive

CS and CSi (1969 - 1975)

Good: Big, pretty, pillarless coupe still looks fresh today, fast in all forms, but impressive all-rounder in fuel injected form

Bad: As with all BMWs of this era: rust and high parts prices

3.0CSL (1972 - 1975)

Good: Utterly cool and desirable

Bad: Everybody knows and values for this limited-run car reflect this.

2002 Turbo (1973 - 1974)

Good: The first mass-produced European turbo car

Bad: Turbo lag, rust

5-Series (1972 - 1981)

Good: Timeless styling, wide range of four- and six-cylinder engines, excellent to drive, especially steering and gearchange

Bad: Rare, and rusty

3-Series (1975 - 1983)

Good: 323i is the iconic sports saloon of the era, fast and tuneful, build quality, ergonomics

Bad: 316 doesn't have the same all-round blend of appeal as the larger engined cars

6-Series (1976 - 1989)

Good: Room for four, fast in 635CSi form, well behaved, good looking and ever so cool in the right colour

Bad: Parts costs high, lots now now longer available, watch out for abused examples masquerading as cherished classics.

7-Series (1977 - 1986)

Good: Huge, sinister looking, wide and imposing

Bad: Tuneful engine encouraging fast driving, and that means heavy fuel consumption - especially in the smaller engined versions

M1 (1979 - 1981)

Good: Drives like a proper supercar, despite having an apparent lack of cylinders

Bad: The usual supercar issues of visibility, practicality and running costs - but who cares?

M535i (1979 - 1981)

Good: Great to drive with limited slip differential and Getrag gearbox, plenty of straight line speed too

Bad: The last of the rampant rusting BMWs

M635CSi (1985 - 1989)

Good: Understated looks, fantastic performance and soundtrack, the definitive fast BMW sports coupe

Bad: M Sport engine can be very expensive to rebuild

5-Series (1981 - 1988)

Good: Good value, comfortable and - sometimes - pacey 1980s executive saloon, with many modern car features, such as ABS and variable servicing

Bad: Relatively worthless despite their advancing years, 535i can be a troublesome car to drive quickly in the wet

M5 (1984 - 1987)

Good: Cracking drive, awesome six-cylinder soundtrack, and excellent performance, understated looks make this a brilliant Q-car

Bad: Rare and valuable now after years in the doldrums so very few bargains, expensive to run and - more relevantly - fix

3-Series (1982 - 1990)

Good: Image-defining 1980s saloon, lots of options, saloon, coupe, estate and convertible, as well as four- and six-cylinder engines, all well-engineered and good to drive

Bad: Lots of thrashed examples with questionable history, be careful when buying

M3 (1986 - 1990)

Good: Sweet to drive, beautifully balanced handling, fast, agile, and possibly the finest sports saloon to emerge from the 1980s

Bad: Left-hand drive only

7-Series (1986 - 1994)

Good: Large barge with six- and V12-power, all drive well and go hard, lots of interior room, especially the long-wheelbase cars

Bad: Electronics problems in higher-mileage cars, high parts and servicing costs

Z1 (1988 - 1991)

Good: Great drop-down doors, good fun, and a sweet handler

Bad: Expensive for what it is

5-Series (1988 - 1996)

Good: Good to drive, roomy, great value at current prices

Bad: Not really seen as classic cars yet despite their age

M5 (1988 - 1995)

Good: Brilliant super-saloon with excellent handling, strong performance, awesome soundtrack and communicative steering

Bad: Lots and lots of abused examples out there, horrendously expensive to fix engine faults - especially compared with low values for less-than-perfect cars

8-Series (1989 - 1999)

Good: Distinctive super coupe with strong performance

Bad: Bore liners can degrade on original 4.0-litre V8, V12 heavy on fuel

5-series E39 (1996 - 2003)

Good: Some great engines. Good ride and handling. Classy looks. Performed well in JD Power Customer Satisfaction surveys.

Bad: Electrical niggles. Some complaints over paint quality and assembly standards.

3-Series (1991 - 1998)

Good: Excellent build quality. Good balance of performance and economy. Plenty around to choose from.

Bad: Clocked mega-mileage ones around now. Average crash test rating. 316i and 318i are unremarkable to drive.

3-series E46 (1998 - 2005)

Good: Decent rear wheel drive handling. Some status. Plenty of choice.

Bad: Unremarkable looks. Turbo and injector problems with diesels. Hard on suspension components.

7-series E38 (1994 - 2001)

Good: Luxurious and capable, with a comfortable ride and decent handling.

Bad: Hard on tyres. Afflicted by wide-ranging niggles and problems. Bore liners of early V8s can degrade.

X5 (2000 - 2007)

Good: Excellent drive on the road and very capable off it. Commanding road presence and sky-high image. Five-star crash test rating from June 2003.

Bad: High second-hand prices and expensive to run. Not pedestrian friendly in NCAP tests. Diesel engines susceptible to hydraulic lock if driven through floodwater.