Overview & Reviews
For 2000 3 Series coupes, convertibles and wagons are all new; the hatchback has been discontinued. After last year's complete redesign, 2000 sedans see only minor improvements.
- Luxurious, powerful, exceptional road manners.
- Pricey for their market segment, limited rear seat and cargo capacity.
User Reviews:
Showing 11 through 20 of 203.00-
Fun with Opportunities to Repair - 2000 BMW 3-Series
By briodo - November 2 - 10:40 pmThis is my first BMW, bought used at 80k miles, now has 134K miles and its falling apart. While the car is a blast to drive, it has cost me more over the last 2 years than the car is worth. And it now needs the CVC valve replaced, quoted at $900, far from the amount in the reliability section. If the car starts honking, you know this valve is gone. Cest la vie fast cars, pretty women, and good wine. It somehow will not be as much fun in a Toyota. Just cheaper.
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BEWARE FRAME Issue on all E46 models BEFORE You Buy - 2000 BMW 3-Series
By stockman77 - October 16 - 8:00 pmIve owned 7 BMWs, 3-E46s and have only learned recently that all E46s had a Class Action law suit for a defective frame build. I just bought my 323ci 6 months ago & after an inspection was told my frame is cracked and in need of repair. BMW initially told me they werent going to offer any assistance until I mentioned litigation and now they are "determining" what theyll do if anything beyond what I was told thus far. I bought this car because I know the 3-series very well and have come to depend on BMWs brand but NEVER wouldve bought the car, without a detailed frame inspection at least, had I known about this immense problem. The Repair is about DOUBLE what the car is worth.
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Once you own one, youll be hooked - 2000 BMW 3-Series
By followasign - June 30 - 10:21 amThis is hands down one of the best driving experiences youll ever have. Words really can not describe the "emotions" you feel when driving a BMW, you really should just drive one. I own 3 BMWs (one 5 Series and two 3 Series) and have had no major problems with them. My 323i is my project car and has been nothing but a pleasure to work on. Actually BMWs are the easiest car I have ever worked on. I completely rebuilt the front end, including struts, on my 323i for less than $400 and about 4 hrs. I replaced all 4 brake rotors, pads and sensors for less than $200 and a COMPLETE brake job took less than an hour!!! NEVER take the car to the Stealership, you will [violative content deleted] in parts & labor cost.
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Broke My Wallet - 2000 BMW 3-Series
By Broke My Wallet - September 10 - 2:00 amA maintenance nightmare. I have spent thousands fixing this car, one thing after another. I now have it working great and intend to sell it before something else goes wrong. However, it handles great on the road and is a very cool car. The looks sold me, but I should have looked beyond the outside appearance. Now I am paying for it. I should have known that BMW stands for Broke My Wallet
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Not as bad as everyone says it is! - 2000 BMW 3-Series
By Ken B. - August 21 - 11:42 pmMost everyone here complaints about the car being unreliable. Most of them also claims that they have replaced major things on their 10 yr old cars. I have been a BMW owner since 1994 and have driven nothing but BMWs ever since. Heres the real deal: Yes they have their quirks (window regulators, etc.) but most of the complaints Ive read here involves just basic maintenance. Yes the cooling system are not 100% but with a little TLC one can update all the issues and drive a Bimmer for 600,000+km for a lot less than a Civic! Dont be taken in by the hype, these cars are great and dont cost a lot to maintain! Stick with a manual transmission, the autos WILL fail if not maintained properly!
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They dont come better at this price - 2000 BMW 3-Series
By Beak - August 20 - 12:11 pmI am coming up on 11 years (145K miles) with this vehicle. I am still impressed every time I get in (shared with the wife). This car is fun to drive, is spirited enough and gets nearly 30 MPG around town. Never have had any reliability issues (still has the original plugs and clutch). I still like the way it looks and Ill drive it until ...
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100k hard miles in Arizona - 2000 BMW 3-Series
By Scott - July 9 - 1:58 pmIve had the car for 5 years and 75,000 miles. In terms of maintenance and parts failures this car has been very very easy. Total invested in non routine maint: not more than $1,000, and considering what the AZ heat does to rubber components, that isnt bad! I love this little car, and based on the really low trade in value, Im probably going to keep it for fun and get a new sedan. If youre looking for fun at a low cost, and the pricing on Edmunds is accurate, this is a great deal! My only complaint is this is a very heavy car for only 175hp under the hood. It doesnt accelerate fast, but handles great and feels comfortable even at excessive speeds (with the top down or up).
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Performance, Luxury, Well thought out - 2000 BMW 3-Series
By George - June 19 - 11:49 amPicked up with European Delivery Program (still frustrates me everyday that American drivers do not have the competence and courtesy of the Germans on the road). As with any car, maintenance will be required. Due to volume production of the e46, parts are very reasonable and you can save $$ if you have some mechanical inclination. Everything on the car is easy to work with and finely engineered. Now with 150k miles since new, the car still feels tight and solid, even after front end collision caused by erroneous driver. Airbag deployed, very little damage. The larger Ford excursion SUV didnt fare as well. I still trust the car to protect my family--no other make will suffice for me.
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Great car until it needs maintenance - 2000 BMW 3-Series
By LtBill - June 18 - 2:01 pmI am the original owner. It is garage kept and only has 71,000 miles. I have really enjoyed it - it still looks almost new. However, like other reviewers, I have had maintenance issues - all 4 window regulators broke early on (was told they are made by a vendor of BMW), both headlights and three turn signal bulbs replaced, windshield wiper fluid reservoir leaked and was replaced. Also have creaking and thumping of frame which my mechanic could not diagnose. Now I may need the bushings replaced and the ABS may also need to be replaced - over $5,000 for both in addition to normal maintenance. If it comes to that I will be looking for another car. I do not trust it long term.
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Impressed - 2000 BMW 3-Series
By Lance - April 29 - 1:45 pmThis fun little gas sipper has changed my mind about BMW. I always thought of them as an overpriced equivalent to Volkswagen. First, The power to weight ratio is great. Secondly, the ride and handling is sporty enough to zip around country roads in but not so stiff you cant enjoy a long haul on the interstates. Lastly, the fuel economy is astounding. I get 33-35 MPG highway and an overall average of 25.7. I dont baby it or drive it like its stolen, I just drive it the way one should. Maintenance has not been horrible. A new set of tires (touring 4 season) $600 with line up, window regulators $200 each installed, oil changes are $80 for BMW filter and full synthetic oil (15,000 mi).
