BMW 3 series wagons

Jh911
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BMW 3 series wagons

Post by Jh911 » Wed May 22, 2019 7:31 pm

I’ve been more and more of a wagon fan lately, much to my wife’s chagrin, and have been casually searching the used markets. I DD my 2003 4S, mostly. There are times when I need to fit my three sons in the back (or it’s in the shop for 6 weeks), so I use our third car - ‘05 Acura MDX. The MDX is fine. But I already own one SUV, and driving another miniature SUV/crossover just doesn’t do it for me.

So, anyone have any experience with BMW 3 series wagons? Pros/cons? Do they drive well? Etc.

I’m thinking somewhere in the 2014 range or newer, but my car did have an engine out stay at the indy shop last fall...so, might have to consider slightly older models.

Thanks for any input!!

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gnat
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Re: BMW 3 series wagons

Post by gnat » Wed May 22, 2019 8:41 pm

Haven't done more than looked at them from the outside, but we do have an e90 sedan (07) and much will be the same.

Personally I do not like the car. It feels cheap, with run flats installed it drives like its on roundish stone wheels, the performance is meh, and space isn't the greatest. Don't know how big your kids are, but if they are nearing or in their teens then trying to have them all in the back of a 3 for more than 10 minutes will not a pleasant drive make.

When I bought my P!g I started off looking for a wagon, but that was just when BMW stopped bringing the 5 wagon over here (bastards!) and every other wagon out there was just too small.

I rag on not-e30 BMWs, but the pros on her e90 are:

1) Great reliability given how we've treated it.
2) AWD is an option and we like our AWDs (the only major failure was the xDrive control literally days before the warranty ran out, solid since then (holy crap its 12 years old now!!!)).
3) "Ultimate Driving Machine" BS aside, once you get rid of the RFTs it's far more interesting than any Asian or American sedan. It replaced her F-150 and so it unfairly had to compare with the 996 as a "car".
4) Manuals are out there, especially in the older cars.

I get your feeling about another SUV, but you might consider replacing the MDX with a Cayenne. The 958.1s are getting pretty cheap now and if you go back to the 955 or 957 you can get a crap ton of vehicle for pennies on the dollar. You will not be bored in a 957 Turbo unless you are already dead inside ;)

Jh911
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Re: BMW 3 series wagons

Post by Jh911 » Wed May 22, 2019 9:32 pm

Thanks for the input, Gnat. And good point about the back seat- my boys are 2, 6 and 8. I can squeeze ‘em in tight in one row only for so long.
I’ll have to look at the Cayennes, too- I’ve never really liked the way they look, but driving one might change that I suppose.

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Battery Guy
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Re: BMW 3 series wagons

Post by Battery Guy » Thu May 23, 2019 2:42 pm

I have a 2016 BMW 335i GT - you might want to take a look at one of those if you have not seen one before. This is built on the long wheelbase three series platform, but with a hatchback. Huge amount of rear seat room - actually more than a five series. We picked ours up in Germany new, as a European delivery, and fit me, my wife and three teenagers and luggage for a ten-day European vacation. Unless you actually need to carry tall stuff the luggage area is bigger than the wagon and the rear seat does not compare to any other three series.

Also, for whatever stupid marketing reason you cannot buy either a wagon or a GT with a manual in the US, but you can buy the GT with the six. So you end up with a pretty fast car - 300 HP. Gnat’s point about the RFT is valid, but the F30 cars are better designed to cope with them than the E90 cars were. I just replaced my OEM Continentals with Bridgestone DriveGuards, and that also made a difference in smoothness. A lot of people on the Bimmerfest list have put on regular go-flat tires and carry a compressor and patch kit too - that is one other option.

Looking at used cars - probably best to go 2016 or newer - that is the F30 “LCI” year - BMW-speak for a facelift. Kind of like the difference between a 996.1 and a 996.2. There were a number of improvements that year across the F30 line.
6F6023DB-7541-41D7-AF04-F4ADFD50811E.jpeg
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These pictures are of my daughter and all of her crap that we had to take to college in North Carolina. Fit with plenty of room to spare. Overall we are really pleased with the car - I would probably buy another one but we expect to have this one for quite a while - it only has 41,000 miles on it right now. So far been completely reliable - literally no repairs whatsoever - just the standard maintenance.
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They really drive well for what is really a pretty large car. Let me know if you have any questions and I will try to answer.
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gnat
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Re: BMW 3 series wagons

Post by gnat » Thu May 23, 2019 3:12 pm

That is impressive about the GT. Too bad about that ugly rear end (not liking the "fast back" look on the SUVs either).

One of her RFTs blew out it's side wall like 3 months after she took delivery. We put Mich PS all weathers on it and never have gotten around to getting a goo can. Hasn't had another flat since and we have AAA anyway :D

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Re: BMW 3 series wagons

Post by Jh911 » Thu May 23, 2019 4:26 pm

Thanks for your input Daryll. I can’t belive you fit all of your daughter’s college stuff back there! Funny, I had never seen a GT until a few days ago when an Internet search pulled up several when I was hunting bmw wagons. I’ll add it to the list!

It is a shame there are so few manufacturers selling manual transmission options- I was reading an article today about the new Supra- no manual offered. I am ok with having an automatic as long as I have my 6 speed in the Porsche. But still.

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Dr_Strangelove
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Re: BMW 3 series wagons

Post by Dr_Strangelove » Thu May 23, 2019 4:32 pm

My brother (from another mother,) drives a F31 328D Wagon. He loved the car initially though he has been disappointed lately with some quality issues and recalls he has had to bring the car in for lately. One issue which would plague all cars is the hood was not closing completely so it looked misaligned when shut. Most of the other recalls I believe were related to the diesel engine.

I asked him if he would recommend it and his response was "I'm glad I leased it." :lol:

I've driven it a handfull of times and it certainly has that low-end diesel pickup and is very toss-able around corners. If I could pick one up for low $2x,000's I'd totally DD one.
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Battery Guy
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Re: BMW 3 series wagons

Post by Battery Guy » Thu May 23, 2019 5:24 pm

gnat wrote: Thu May 23, 2019 3:12 pm That is impressive about the GT. Too bad about that ugly rear end (not liking the "fast back" look on the SUVs either).

One of her RFTs blew out it's side wall like 3 months after she took delivery. We put Mich PS all weathers on it and never have gotten around to getting a goo can. Hasn't had another flat since and we have AAA anyway :D
It actually looks better in person than in pictures. Oddly I have gotten more compliments about the BMW than I ever got on my Mustang or all of the various MB’s that I used to drive. Dark colors help hide the big ass, and I ordered mine with the luxury package that gets you the chrome trim around the windows - that helps too. Oddly a lot of these ordered for dealer stock are M-sport with the black trim and they look awkward, especially in white or silver.
The other alternative is the 4 series “Gran Coupe” which is BMW-speak for a hatchback with a smaller ass than the GT. But the rear seat room sold me on the GT. In my perfect world BMW would offer a long wheelbase wagon with the six and a stick, but that is never going to happen. The only reason we get the GT in the US and Europe is that China wanted a LWB 3 series sedan - you see those all over the place there, but Chinese don’t like hatchbacks. But the do like SUV’s. Go figure....
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Re: BMW 3 series wagons

Post by Battery Guy » Thu May 23, 2019 5:30 pm

Jh911 wrote: Thu May 23, 2019 4:26 pm Thanks for your input Daryll. I can’t belive you fit all of your daughter’s college stuff back there! Funny, I had never seen a GT until a few days ago when an Internet search pulled up several when I was hunting bmw wagons. I’ll add it to the list!

It is a shame there are so few manufacturers selling manual transmission options- I was reading an article today about the new Supra- no manual offered. I am ok with having an automatic as long as I have my 6 speed in the Porsche. But still.
Yep - BMW even announced that the next gen M3 would be automatic only, but they are now planning to offer a basic version with a stick. Can’t believe that there is no market for a Supra with a stick - but BMW is not offering the Z4 with a stick either. (Same car with different sheet metal). It might happen down the road though if there is demand, as the engine is the same B58 used in the 3 series, which was available until this year with a stick.

You can’t believe the stuff that I have fit into that car - it will easily handle a bicycle without removing the front wheel. Couple of months ago it took a fairly large 8-drawer dresser down to my son in CIncinnati. I would not trade it for an SUV.
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Re: BMW 3 series wagons

Post by Carioca67 » Mon Dec 02, 2019 7:02 pm

I have one. 2014. Red, M package. Bad: no backup camera + factory tinted glass = bad rear visibility. Lots of squeaks when temperature drops. Turbo oil line leak at 120,000km mark (I'm in Canada), replacement part is new design. Run flats are as bad as everyone says. When cold, DI sounds awful. When hot or cold, 4 cylinder sounds awful. But you don't notice it inside the car. Rear seat is definitely cramped. Good: it's a fast cruiser. Gobs of torque. The 8 speed ZF slushbox is fantastic. Like, really excellent. Headlights are VG. Zero problems with anything else (a surprise, cause my e46 that would not go for more 24 months before requiring something major. Did I mention the ZF is an excellent transmission?

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