What is the best 3 series saloon?

[Court_S]

Triumph Man said:

I really like the E36 - shame there don't seem to be more manual 6 cylinder saloons around that haven't been turned into drift slaaaags.

My grandad had an Oxford Green 325 td (for some reason badged as a tds - not by him) and despite its bog-basicness it was a lovely car. It really did get me in to BMWs, and when I bought my first one, an E34, as soon as I opened the door and was hit by that smell of warm crayon (which I love) it brought back many happy childhood memories.

It's my favourite 3 series saloon, but as for which is objectively the best I suppose it would have to be an E90 or F30...

It was an E36 that got me into BMW’s too.

I had a lift in a friends mums car, an early saloon in burgundy. Sitting in the front, it felt a million miles away from the Astras and Cavaliers that my family had.

[Olivergt]

Starjet99 said:

E46 in SE trim and a six cylinder engine/ manual gearbox combo in a non-monochrome colour.

Mines a 325i face lift silver with black leather, does that count?

I prefer the E46 to E36 for looks though and definitely prefer the saloons or tourings rather than the coupes

For the 3 series in order of preference I think it would be:

E30
E46
E36

Not to impressed with anything later, but then I'm getting old and grumpy...

[TyrannosauRoss Lex]

I think the E36 is the most boring, perhaps bar the E90 saloon. For me, probably a late E46 330Ci.

[mfmman]

MikeM6 said:

Interesting they there is not much love for the F30 or the G20 yet...

I have a F30 330i

After 14 years of A4s and Passats and then the last 5 of Toyota Avensis, it's very very notable how quiet and smooth it is especially at lower speeds

I don't have much else of a BMW history to compare it to as the only other one was an E30 M3 that I sold 20 years ago (both silver with black leather though)

I'm pretty pleased with it though, super smooth, decent turn of speed without being too mad and not so bad on fuel on my 200 mile trip to a work site once or twice a week

[rob0r]

I've had..

E21 - multiple
E30 - multiple inc 318is / 325i
E36 - 328i
E46 - 320d
E91 - 325i (N52)

They've all been absolutely brilliant cars, highlights out of mine has to be the E30 318is, but my current '06 E91 325i manual is fantastic. It's done 130K and still drives like it's brand new, though I wish it had the 330i engine...

[TyrannosauRoss Lex]

rob0r said:

I've had..

E21 - multiple
E30 - multiple inc 318is / 325i
E36 - 328i
E46 - 320d
E91 - 325i (N52)

They've all been absolutely brilliant cars, highlights out of mine has to be the E30 318is, but my current '06 E91 325i manual is fantastic. It's done 130K and still drives like it's brand new, though I wish it had the 330i engine...

You don't happen to be the person who was wiz0r on the E21 forums, do you (or were....)??

[Pistonheader101]

340i f30

[DJMC]

Have had E30 - good, E36 - horrible and also ugly, E46 great car. 330ci cab, 2003.

Have driven every 3 series since the E46 and none were good enough to buy. Not driver's cars any more.

[DVandrews]

In it’s day E30... had 3 , including an M3 EVO 3

I’ve had

E21 - several
E30 - several
E46 - 328
E93 - 335

Interspersed with a good few 5 series.

E46 best looking, E30 M3 best dynamically (in it’s day)

Dave

[simonwhite2000]

Geffg said:

E36 328i M sport in techno violet.

Techno Violet - what a colour

[rob0r]

TyrannosauRoss Lex said:

You don't happen to be the person who was wiz0r on the E21 forums, do you (or were....)??

Yes I am!

[TyrannosauRoss Lex]

rob0r said:

TyrannosauRoss Lex said:

You don't happen to be the person who was wiz0r on the E21 forums, do you (or were....)??

Yes I am!

Do you remember fitting some E30 318is seats into a green E21? That was me! Long time no see! E21 sold back in 2011 I think. I was at uni at the time, I drove over to yours from Cardiff and then back in the day!

[bodhi]

I've personally owned:

E36 328i SE
E46 330d SE

E82 125i (it's 80-90% of a 3 Series )

And spent a lot of time driving

E36 325i
E46 325i Sport/320d/320cd
E92 335d
F30 320d XDrive

I'd say the "best" overall car of that lot would be the F30 320d, loads of new tech (including HUD which is my favourite gadget ever), lots of space, very effiicient etc, however as it was an XDrive on winter tyres it was the worse to drive of the lot - tonnes of body roll, no steering feel at all - it felt like a barge in all honesty. No doubt a 340i would be far better, but sadly haven't driven one of those yet.

Safe to say I've spent a lot of time behind the wheel of an E46, and they are very tempting to suggest they were the best overall, but they always seemed to be the most problematic - the 325i was plagued by DBW issues (was a '99 model iirc), the 320d ingested it's swirl flaps then ate a turbo, and my 330d was always needing attention. Great cars, not so great ownership proposition ime.

The E92 was a fantastic thing, ridiculous amount of grunt and probably the most reliable and least rusty of the lot, my only complaint with the E9x range was it was a bit big for my tastes, hence me going with the 1 Series Coupé instead. Probably the best of the lot overall however.

However my favourite by a country mile is the E36. It was being stuck in the back of a 325i all the way to France when I was a teenager that started my love affair with BMW's - from my dad giving it the treatment up a mountain road near Clermont, to our trip back to the UK with his colleague who worked for French Police also, so the speedo needle hovered between 120 and 130 for the entire trip. The E36 is the perfect sized 3 Series for me (externally at least), and the 325i/328i were great fun - I probably just preferred the 325i for it's thrashy nature, although the M52 was a corking engine too.

So after all that drivel, I'd say the best was probably the E90 range, but my favourite was the E36.

[Court_S]

bodhi said:

I've personally owned:

E36 328i SE
E46 330d SE

E82 125i (it's 80-90% of a 3 Series )

And spent a lot of time driving

E36 325i
E46 325i Sport/320d/320cd
E92 335d
F30 320d XDrive

I'd say the "best" overall car of that lot would be the F30 320d, loads of new tech (including HUD which is my favourite gadget ever), lots of space, very effiicient etc, however as it was an XDrive on winter tyres it was the worse to drive of the lot - tonnes of body roll, no steering feel at all - it felt like a barge in all honesty. No doubt a 340i would be far better, but sadly haven't driven one of those yet.

Safe to say I've spent a lot of time behind the wheel of an E46, and they are very tempting to suggest they were the best overall, but they always seemed to be the most problematic - the 325i was plagued by DBW issues (was a '99 model iirc), the 320d ingested it's swirl flaps then ate a turbo, and my 330d was always needing attention. Great cars, not so great ownership proposition ime.

The E92 was a fantastic thing, ridiculous amount of grunt and probably the most reliable and least rusty of the lot, my only complaint with the E9x range was it was a bit big for my tastes, hence me going with the 1 Series Coupé instead. Probably the best of the lot overall however.

However my favourite by a country mile is the E36. It was being stuck in the back of a 325i all the way to France when I was a teenager that started my love affair with BMW's - from my dad giving it the treatment up a mountain road near Clermont, to our trip back to the UK with his colleague who worked for French Police also, so the speedo needle hovered between 120 and 130 for the entire trip. The E36 is the perfect sized 3 Series for me (externally at least), and the 325i/328i were great fun - I probably just preferred the 325i for it's thrashy nature, although the M52 was a corking engine too.

So after all that drivel, I'd say the best was probably the E90 range, but my favourite was the E36.

I’d agree re the E46. I love them, but they’re (well mine was) a pain in the arse. Still one of the prettiest, well proportioned but not one I’d want to own again in a rush.

My E90 was a better car despite not feeling as solid; it was a nice size too I thought. The F30 felt so much bigger.

[Chestrockwell]

I think in terms of looks, my fave is the E46, pre LCI sport, the post 2002 E46’s also look good however I feel like the front and rear lights are too modern for the shape of the car, they make it look fatter.

I had 2 330i sport’s in 2014 and 2015, best cars

[nomis36]

I’ve had 3 E36’s, an E46 and I’m now in an E92. One E36 was a touring, one was a saloon but M3, my E46 was a touring and my E92 is obviously a coupe. I know this is only about saloons but if I imagine all of my precious 3ers as saloons I’d say as an overall package the E9x had been the best.
Like others have said, they’re modern enough that they don’t rust and have just enough tech to make them comfortable but are old skool enough to still have decent driving dynamics.
I love my ‘92 and would still love it if it was a ‘90 although the looks of the pre lci E90 is very intolerant of being SE spec with small wheels and standard suspension to my eyes.

[RicoOS]

For me there is a clear winner.

E46 Alpina B3S, then in order followed by the Alpina B3 again E46, then in no particular order.

E30 325i sport, E38 328i sport, E46 330i sport.

But I prefer them all (except the E30) as either coupe or touring, but I may be biased given that I adore my E46 330CD.

[bad company]

340i M Sport. I may be a bit biased as I bought one.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[Pistonheader101]

bad company said:

340i M Sport. I may be a bit biased as I bought one.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

M340i is an m-lite so doesn't count

[MikeM6]

Pistonheader101 said:

bad company said:

340i M Sport. I may be a bit biased as I bought one.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

M340i is an m-lite so doesn't count

Depending on which generation he has, i.e. the previous model, it may not be an ’m light'. In any event, neither is an M car