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2008 BMW 3-Series Pros and Cons at TrueDelta: 2008 BMW 335i Cabrio by lcchristens

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Introduction

Fun to drive, fun to drive; did I say it was fun to drive? Put the top down and let the sun shine in; fast and reasonably economical with fuel. Perfect road trip car for two; can put 2-4 pieces of luggage in the back seat (folds flat and has bag tethers) allowing the hard top to fold into the trunk. Have driven 900 miles in a day in this car. Road manners outstanding and it gets you there in style. Reliability issues of the first 3 years of ownership were all covered by BMW warranty.

Reviewed: 2008 BMW 3-Series

2dr Hardtop conv. turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD

Why the 2008 BMW 3-Series?

Powertrain performance

Wonderful and smooth power delivery in all conditions. Traction control works well with winter tires during snowy conditions and going up 15% grade hills with 3-4 inches of snow. Very precise braking, steering and placement on the road. Very satisfied with 5+ second 0-60 times.

Fuel economy

Very good fuel economy on highway if you allow cruise control to manage speed - 26-29 mpg. In town it drops to 19-21 mpg and if you play boy racer then it'll drop to the 15 mpg area.

Reliability & durability

Have owned this car for 5 years; have had two replacement high pressure fuel pumps; replaced steering rack; new turbo gaskets (both turbos); replaced articulating hard top cables - all in the first 3 years and all under warranty! Nothing has gone wrong in the past two years so perhaps this was relatively new model growing pains.

Dealer practices

Have had great service from two dealers now (Ann Arbor and Traverse City - both Michigan) and fair pricing for anything not covered under warranty.

Driving position & visibility

The most fun to drive car I have had in many years; the 3 series hits that sweet spot and with the top down brings a smile to me and my wife as well as many around us on the road.

Why Not the 2008 BMW 3-Series?

Tires

OEM Conti ProContactSport RFT are noisy!

Rear seat room & comfort

Tight fit for two adults in back for more than occasional rides or trips under 100 miles.

Cargo capacity

There is none with the top down (7 cu ft) but that isn't why you buy one of these!

Conclusion

Convertibles are more noisy than other cars even with the top up and the RFT tires are noisy. This is really a two person car so if you're not past "kid stage", don't do it unless you have another vehicle that can be the kids taxi.

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