Great car, great gas mileage, luxury feel with sporty handling. The car has had no major issues, maintenance is easy and parts are easy to find, it drives and handles like a dream, fuel economy is great for a 1997 car, the interior feel of the car is very nice. The car over all is a luxury car with a sporty feel, it is also a steal for the price!

excellent build quality, not spent a penny on it in nearly a year

Car is extremely tight even with high miles. Not loose in the front end like most high mile cars and smooth riding. I've owned Fords and Chevys before and they don't compare. Repairs can be expensive but if you can do anything yourself it's not to bad, plus shopping around for parts on the internet can save you loads of money. Bavarian Auto is one of the best places to get parts for BMW's online and you will be sure to get the right parts and not waste your time and money. 135,000 miles is still considered low miles for a BMW, but any american made car with over 100,000 is pushing it. I would still feel very confident with driving this car on long trips like Florida too.

Car is a '97 318ti Sport 5-speed (2-door hatchback) Bought this car used about one year ago with 178,000 miles. Previous owner took great care of the car. Maintenance has been very inexpensive, and can be if you avoid the dealership. Performance is about what you'd expect from a 4-cylinder, however it's a little enhanced thanks to the lower weight of the car compared with the coupe/sedan. Handling is outstanding, at least compared to my previous cars. Quality - overall pretty good. The window regulators have been an issue, but that's common with the E36 (and other German cars I hear). Interior materials could be better, but this was basically their entry model, so BMW saved money wherever they could. Overall I'd give it an A- Appearance - I love it. I've always loved the boxy shape of the E36, whether it was the sedan, coupe, or hatchback. I've surprised numerous people when telling them what year the car is when they've asked. Straight-on shot of the rear isn't the greatest, but overall I like the car, and always have, even before I owned it. CoO - Not very much. Again, if you find an independant shop of do some work yourself, maintenance costs are minimal. Take it to the dealer and you'll pay ($120/hr labor at my local dealer). Mileage is fantastic, 27-30mpg in the city, 31-35 on the highway. And being a 4-cylinder, it doesn't require Premium gas, only 89 octane minimum. So where there's only 87 & 91 octane you'll have to spring for premium, but in most parts of the US you can get by with midgrade. Fun - Tremendous. I've never had this much fun with a car I owned (granted my previous car's weren't the greatest). Took a trip to the Denver/Boulder area shortly after getting the car and had a blast in the mountains. Left the car in 2nd & 3rd gear while doing some mountain driving, reaching speeds close to 60mph, and still averaged 35mpg. The car handles incredibly, and I can't wait to get my summer tires (Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R's) on. Overall - Wonderful car. A tremendous buy if you can find a decent one cheaply. Hatchbacks have never been popular in the US, and neither have 4-cylinder BMW's, but when you combine the two it's wonderful. Add in the fact that you can easily swap in a 6-cylinder (including the S50/52 from the M3) and you have a terrific car for the cost.

Performance- Pretty quick, but lacks the power of other BMW's being a 4 potter. Handles like a dream! Build quality- Great quality, very solid. Appearance- Pretty nice looking. Cost of Ownership- Gas mileage is AMAZING I get 33+ miles per gallon depending on how fast i'm going. Fun factor- Sooooo much fun to drive on winding roads. Handles great, but as I already said could use some more power-- DASC or S52 swap would be great.