How reliable is a 2002 BMW 325i?

Answer 1

This is a very hard to answer question. I have a 2002 BMW 325xi, which is very similar to 325i. Mine is a all-wheel drive while 325i is rear wheel drive.

In terms of the engine, it has 184hp and 175lb/ft torque. The acceleration is great and for sure enough for daily drive. However, if you are looking for speed over 160km/h then this is not a car for you since it will take a long time (well, maybe since mine is a all wheel drive car, the acceleration will be slower).

Official number for 0 - 100kmh for 325i is 7.6 secs

while 325xi is 8.4 sec.

So you see I am almost a sec slower.

In terms of handling, it is very great at cornering as suspension setting is good. Mine is a auto (with no-clutch manual, called steptronic) transmission. It is working great without any problem over the almost 7 years period I owned this car.

In terms of interior, everything is easy to reach and controls for radio and air-con is simple (at least way more simple than Audi A4). You only get 2 cup holders though.

Seating in the front is very good. I do recommend a lumber support option if you can get one. Lumber support is a great option that support you back for longer ride comfort. Seats at the back is very supportive but leg room is not very large. It will work for adults though.

Exterior looks good. You get Xenon HID headlights for 325i. Xenon headlights are bright for night driving and it is up-down auto leveling. So you are not going to blind others while going uphill or downhill. It comes with a 16inch wheel and that's good enough for your daily driving needs.

Trunk's size is not going to be larger than a Honda Accord, but it is enough for 2 large luggage and no more.

Fuel Economy is not bad. Mine is an all-wheel drive so it takes 12.1L/100km while 325i should be only 11L/100km city. It recommends you with 91octane fuel but 89 is not going to hurt your car in any way (asked a BMW tech instead of sales persons).

Note that fuel economy is very great for high way for this car. Mine is a all-wheel drive and I went on a trip with my friend who has a 4-cylinder engine RAV4. My gas price is lower than his even I was using premium fuel. So on highway the car is very gas-friendly.

Hope this give you great details about this car. Do more researches and hope you find a car you like!