I am an auto enthusiast. I have owned other BMW's, Infiniti, and some sporty Volvos. I bought my 323i (loaded at $33,000) new as a 2000 model. I bought it b/c I wanted the tight feel I was accustomed to in BMW's, and because I enjoyed the demo car that I drove - also I wanted a stick. Other factors included great styling and quality, or so I thought.

I am unhappy to report that my car has been a headache from nearly day one. There have been numerous problems with it including: sunroof that won't open, or close, depending on it's mood, clicking noise emanating from the engine when you start the car, broken headlight module, broken engine thermostat, CD player that would not eject, and worst of all a myriad of squeaks and groans coming from the interior. My B-pillars squeak while I drive over road irregularities at the point where the seat belts adjust, can't get them to stop, the dash/center console groans over cracks in the road, the moonroof shade rattles in the roof when I have it opened, the armrest is terrible and squeaks if your arm is on it, the fact that mine is a stick doesn't not help. Worst squeak comes from the rear speaker deck, it sounds like it is being bent back and forth at random and is the most annoying thing I have ever had to deal with in any car at any price. These problems have ruined my experience with this car and I caution anyone looking for trouble-free living from buying a BMW.

Other weaknesses: despite what you may read elsewhere by freshly minted overly enthusiastic first-time new-owners, the stereo is not good, in fact it sucks. BMW put ten speakers in the car and managed to output a sound quality that is inferior to that in a Honda Accord. I am not kidding around here. There is no bass response and the sound distorts if you turn it up loud enough to hide the constant squeaking noises. There is also perennial brake dust accumulating on the alloys, no trunk release, and no standard split/fold seats or ski pass-through.

Pluses are styling and drivetrain/manual transmisson combination. This however does not erase the sins already mentioned, and I, after repeated attempts to correct these problems at the dealer - and on my own, am finally giving up on this one calling this car a dud.

You may have better luck if you decide to purchase, but be warned that not all is merry in Bavaria. As the adage goes - Let the Buyer Beware!

******* UPDATED ON 2/18/2001 **************

Well I am still living with my 323i. I finally took this car into the dealer shortly before the end of 2000 and demanded that the sqeaks, rattles, and other annoyances be fixed.

The dealer did get most of them fixed, after three days in the shop. I can say however, that I do not believe that my problems are unique. The loaner car (a gold automatic 2000 323i) had many of the same "mystery noises" my car had, although to a lesser degree. In the time since I have had my car back, two new noises have come to replace the old ones: my two front windows squeak when the are rolled down, especially in cold or damp weather. Additionaly, on my sport seats, the side bolsters make a squeaking noise against the plastic housing around the bottom of the seat. This noise is becoming very annoying and I forsee another trip to the shop to get it fixed.

ONE FINAL NOTE: BMW needs to re-evaluate it's quality control in order to retain it's superior standing in the automotive world. (ARE YOU LISTENING BMW???) One disturbing bit of information I have come across is the fact that BMW touts itself as packing more profit into each car than it's competitors. This may be good for BMW's appeal to stockholders, but it doesn't bode well for it's cars. I see a lack of quality assurance and/or parts, and inadaquete testing of new models before they are released as the ultimate victims of these higher profit margins.

Beautiful design and handling are great for sports cars, but BMW's are sport sedans, and there is no point in having a quiet luxurious interior if it only amplifies all of the squeaks, rattles, and other shortcomings that should have been caught before the car made it to showrooms.

UPDATED 12/2/2002
Well I have finally given up and sold this BMW as a trade on a new Lexus. They gave me $18,000 with 35,500 miles on it.

The following were never fixed:
1) Clicking noise coming from engine. Makes the car sound like a diesel, very unrefined, and dealer can't figure out how to fix.
2) Sunroof still doesn't open when it is supposed to.
3) CD's don't always eject
4) Right before I sold it, one of the outside mirrors broke. Don't ask me how, I didn't hit anything, but the plastic covering just popped off.

Never Again......
Amount Paid (US$): 32,500
Condition: New
Model Year: 2000
Model and Options: 323i, Sport/Premium Package