Thought I'd share my experience of BMW ownership (even though this forum should be about test-driven cars so apologies in advance).

Mine was a '09 320d M Sport steptronic saloon on 17'' run-flats.... and the tyres mixed with very harsh suspension, I feel, was the downfall of an otherwise absolutely superb car in nearly all ways.

Had the car from BMW demo/managers ownership at 3000 mls and kept it to 36000 mls before changing for my current 2011 Octy vRS Estate as I... a, got fed up with being constantly 'kicked up the...' by the beemer on my daily commute on some intermittent crap roads around here and; b. needed extra loadspace for universtitiy 'house-moves' for two offspring!

The 320d engine at 178 bHP was simply the best diesel engined 2.0l I have ever driven with masses of torque immediately on tap from any speed low down or high and no turbo-lag at all. Very quiet also for any engine, let alone diesel,also no wind noise due to front end and side mirror design, eg. at extremely high speed you could hold a normal conversation without raising your voice.

The ride and handling on motorways and good A/B class roads was outstanding and felt totally well-balanced and safe. Then again this car had all the safety features as standard to either prevent you from making a mistake or to get you out of one! The auto 6 speed box was fantastic and smooth during changes with great steptronic control in manual mode.

It didn't matter if there was one, two or four passengers, the car handled the same with no loss of power felt. In fact, I'd say the car felt slightly better under heavier load due to less skittishness over bumps.

One very bad downside to rear-wheel drive was during snow, even a light dusting on a slight incline caused me major traction problems and extreme embarassment, eg, getting stuck on a slight slope in a public car park at Swansea the was iced-up and having to load 3 helpful blokes into the car's boot with two more in the back seat with my wife (steady now!!) whilst me in the front in an effort to gain extra traction. Surreal sight for everyone in that car park that day! Could all have been axe-murderers couldn't they!!

Fuel economy was really fantastic with me getting average of 52 mpg on daily 30 mile commute and 58/62 on longer motorway runs.

Downside to all this torque and power was the rate at which the car ate through the run-flats on the rear, and at (best price) £182 EACH (average price £230-240)!! not good.

Build quality and general feel was superb with good grade metal used and brilliant paintwork which always washed up to a new car appearance with great chip resistance(no chips during my ownership!)

Inside the car at first glance looks spartan but is of quality build and fits around the driver/ passengers like a glove. Not many 'gadgets' fitted as standard, although sat-nav and bluetooth were there. Other BMW options cost a fortune if you wanted them.

So, you're bored by now and wondering why with so many positives did he sell it then. Don't forget two things , the constant bum-kicking from that suspension and tyres and... everyone else has a 3-series of some kind don't they!! Not so many vRS's out there.

Thanks for reading to this point. Hope it helps someone.

Good fair review... BMs do look very spartan inside to my eyes. Nothing wrong with that, a Å koda is also spartan next to a blinged up Ford. But nothing beats the feelgood factor of an Audi interior. And all they do is add a bit of silver bezels to EVERYTHING. hehehe

With winter tyres on I'm sure your Beemer would have been fine (on said incline) - but loved the image of the story you painted getting up this incline! Have you seen the latest print ads from BMW explaining about winter tyres? They've come to realise their cars are getting flack for being RWD and useless in snow. Which they are not if correctly tyred.

Thanks Johann. You're absolutely right about Audi quality looks and feel...at a price though.

The BMW winter tyre thing...perhaps would have helped but I also had another problem with the car's computer skid control system on a run up a medium hill into work last year on light snow where even though I switched off the DSG on the dash the engine's computer cut the power to nothing more than a crawl and this caused me loss of all momentum on that uphil and some colleagues following almost all ground to the same speed as we only just limped up to the work car park entrance. I couldn't do anything about it the engine just took over... I didn't like that as I've been driving on snow in often very poor conditions in my many Golfs and other FWD cars without any mishap and full control.

Re: the winter tyre ads, more money for BMW or the tyre companies again!!

Anyway, good luck with the Yeti. I really rate them as a neighbour has one and swears by it.

I took a 320d M sport and Alpina D3, both manuals, for test drives. They are the best handling tourers you could want. Refined, comfortable and seamless power delivery. Alpinas extra power was fun, at silly speed before you realise. But they have their niggles that put me off buying one.

1st was that if you have big feet, size 11+, then when you use the clutch the foot rest bit gets in the way. This was causing me to double clutch just to make sure it was in.

2nd no matter where I put the steering wheel it blocked part of the speedo, just at the critical 30/40mph.

And 3rd that boot is WAY to small. Put the pram in and it was pretty much full

I've wanted a BM tourer for years and still do, but not until they change points 1 and 2 :'(

Tested the A4 Avant S line horrible from the off. Specced the Vrs up and it was £10000 cheaper than the A4

Long live my Vrs

I took a 320d M sport and Alpina D3, both manuals, for test drives. They are the best handling tourers you could want. Refined, comfortable and seamless power delivery. Alpinas extra power was fun, at silly speed before you realise. But they have their niggles that put me off buying one.

1st was that if you have big feet, size 11+, then when you use the clutch the foot rest bit gets in the way. This was causing me to double clutch just to make sure it was in.

2nd no matter where I put the steering wheel it blocked part of the speedo, just at the critical 30/40mph.

And 3rd that boot is WAY to small. Put the pram in and it was pretty much full

I've wanted a BM tourer for years and still do, but not until they change points 1 and 2 :'(

Tested the A4 Avant S line horrible from the off. Specced the Vrs up and it was £10000 cheaper than the A4

Long live my Vrs

The quality and power is there as you say but, unusually for me, I really hated the 'niggles' and thatannoyed me so much of the time. (getting older and more demandiing?? Maybe)

Thought I'd share my experience of BMW ownership (even though this forum should be about test-driven cars so apologies in advance).

Mine was a '09 320d M Sport steptronic saloon on 17'' run-flats.... and the tyres mixed with very harsh suspension, I feel, was the downfall of an otherwise absolutely superb car in nearly all ways.

Had the car from BMW demo/managers ownership at 3000 mls and kept it to 36000 mls before changing for my current 2011 Octy vRS Estate as I... a, got fed up with being constantly 'kicked up the...' by the beemer on my daily commute on some intermittent crap roads around here and; b. needed extra loadspace for universtitiy 'house-moves' for two offspring!

The 320d engine at 178 bHP was simply the best diesel engined 2.0l I have ever driven with masses of torque immediately on tap from any speed low down or high and no turbo-lag at all. Very quiet also for any engine, let alone diesel,also no wind noise due to front end and side mirror design, eg. at extremely high speed you could hold a normal conversation without raising your voice.

The ride and handling on motorways and good A/B class roads was outstanding and felt totally well-balanced and safe. Then again this car had all the safety features as standard to either prevent you from making a mistake or to get you out of one! The auto 6 speed box was fantastic and smooth during changes with great steptronic control in manual mode.

It didn't matter if there was one, two or four passengers, the car handled the same with no loss of power felt. In fact, I'd say the car felt slightly better under heavier load due to less skittishness over bumps.

One very bad downside to rear-wheel drive was during snow, even a light dusting on a slight incline caused me major traction problems and extreme embarassment, eg, getting stuck on a slight slope in a public car park at Swansea the was iced-up and having to load 3 helpful blokes into the car's boot with two more in the back seat with my wife (steady now!!) whilst me in the front in an effort to gain extra traction. Surreal sight for everyone in that car park that day! Could all have been axe-murderers couldn't they!!

Fuel economy was really fantastic with me getting average of 52 mpg on daily 30 mile commute and 58/62 on longer motorway runs.

Downside to all this torque and power was the rate at which the car ate through the run-flats on the rear, and at (best price) £182 EACH (average price £230-240)!! not good.

Build quality and general feel was superb with good grade metal used and brilliant paintwork which always washed up to a new car appearance with great chip resistance(no chips during my ownership!)

Inside the car at first glance looks spartan but is of quality build and fits around the driver/ passengers like a glove. Not many 'gadgets' fitted as standard, although sat-nav and bluetooth were there. Other BMW options cost a fortune if you wanted them.

So, you're bored by now and wondering why with so many positives did he sell it then. Don't forget two things , the constant bum-kicking from that suspension and tyres and... everyone else has a 3-series of some kind don't they!! Not so many vRS's out there.

Thanks for reading to this point. Hope it helps someone.

I traded my 320d auto touring in for my VRS and i couldnt agree with your review more. Every good point and bad point is exactly as i found mine. They are incedibly well built and solid cars but i would never get an M-sport again. I would get a BMW again but it would be an SE or one with adjustable suspension as the run flat tyres on the rock hard suspension was shocking. As for price of tyres - tell me about it, but also the lack of tyres available for the stupis 255 wide rear tyres.

They arent very big inside either and the boot is very shallow compared to the octy but thats obvioulsy due to RWD.

The RWD was great but i too got stuck embarrasingly on a few occasions in winter. I then bought winter tyres and it never snowed again untill i traded it in. Typical.

All in all i think your review is spot on and the beemer was a great car but i have no regrets trading it in for my VRS which spec for spec seems to do absolutely everything my bemmer did for a lot less cash.

I traded my 320d auto touring in for my VRS and i couldnt agree with your review more. Every good point and bad point is exactly as i found mine. They are incedibly well built and solid cars but i would never get an M-sport again. I would get a BMW again but it would be an SE or one with adjustable suspension as the run flat tyres on the rock hard suspension was shocking. As for price of tyres - tell me about it, but also the lack of tyres available for the stupis 255 wide rear tyres.

They arent very big inside either and the boot is very shallow compared to the octy but thats obvioulsy due to RWD.

The RWD was great but i too got stuck embarrasingly on a few occasions in winter. I then bought winter tyres and it never snowed again untill i traded it in. Typical.

All in all i think your review is spot on and the beemer was a great car but i have no regrets trading it in for my VRS which spec for spec seems to do absolutely everything my bemmer did for a lot less cash.

Cheers or that... still love the look of them though (except the new 3 series which don't, IMO, look as good as the 2009/10 version).

Interesting I had the E92 335i msport and the suspension drove me mad so much so that after 3k the run flats went in the bin and fitted non RFTS miles better. It was however the most unreliable car I've ever owned 2 new turbos countless injectors and coils packs not what you expect from a car of that value. When it was running right it was amazing to drive and I loved the interior (full spec) traded it for the octavia vrs estate as our daughter was on the way I wanted more room than a coupe and reliable, after test driving every option out there the vrs won hands down in every way aside from soundproofing which I still think isn't great but everything else I love. I don't get to drive it often as its the baby carrier but I steal it more than I did the BMW which tells me everything.

Things I miss from the BMW are auto mirrors and wipers, heated seats and strangly enough the interior lights like led strips in the doors giving a faint glow when driving at night, and of course the outright kick you in the back power I don't miss the running costs though and the breaking down.

Interesting I had the E92 335i msport and the suspension drove me mad so much so that after 3k the run flats went in the bin and fitted non RFTS miles better. It was however the most unreliable car I've ever owned 2 new turbos countless injectors and coils packs not what you expect from a car of that value. When it was running right it was amazing to drive and I loved the interior (full spec) traded it for the octavia vrs estate as our daughter was on the way I wanted more room than a coupe and reliable, after test driving every option out there the vrs won hands down in every way aside from soundproofing which I still think isn't great but everything else I love. I don't get to drive it often as its the baby carrier but I steal it more than I did the BMW which tells me everything.

Things I miss from the BMW are auto mirrors and wipers, heated seats and strangly enough the interior lights like led strips in the doors giving a faint glow when driving at night, and of course the outright kick you in the back power I don't miss the running costs though and the breaking down.

Shocking reliability story there! Did you get it from new and what miles did you do in it before you traded it?

I should have tried non RFTs on mine just to see the difference.

I have 4 heated leather seats in mine and they really do work well, esp in the cold snap we're having round these parts now. Tis a pity re the non-folding mirrors on the vRS

Bought it as an ex demo 4 months old with 3k on the clock traded it after about 2 years ish with around 40k so not exactly loads of miles and the mrs drove it mostly so not beasted constantly either. It was just shocking I have a colleague with exactly the same car and exactly the same problems, although his has been fine for the last 18 months now after BMW had their senior engineers working on it total warranty bill on his was just north of 30k.

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My best friend has a 135i that's currently in for new turbos/wastegates/etc. Luckily his is still under warranty. It is an amazing engine when it works, so seamless. Adore it.

Bought it as an ex demo 4 months old with 3k on the clock traded it after about 2 years ish with around 40k so not exactly loads of miles and the mrs drove it mostly so not beasted constantly either. It was just shocking I have a colleague with exactly the same car and exactly the same problems, although his has been fine for the last 18 months now after BMW had their senior engineers working on it total warranty bill on his was just north of 30k.

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My best friend has a 135i that's currently in for new turbos/wastegates/etc. Luckily his is still under warranty. It is an amazing engine when it works, so seamless. Adore it.

That really is no mileage at all, what a story and a worrying one for BM owners.

I'd certainly not consider another one after all this evidence!

Just to add- his 135i is a '57 plate, but has covered around 80k... a lot of miles for a relatively young car.

All the same, he's very very glad that he got a warranty with it! As we speak, it's just having its second turbo fitted... then it should be right as rain. For now!

Yeah they're not great and BMW where a nightmare to deal with I won't be giving them any money again that's for sure.

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I had a '56 BMW 335i M sport touring. Quite rare I'm led to believe. I agree with the ride quality, absolutely uncompromising. I swapped the run flats to normal tyres and the difference was like night and day. The normal tyres eliminated the nervous twitchy skittering across road joints and over potholes etc. I think they gave more lateral grip as well and bags more confidence.

This was the best car I've ever owned. It was an auto box and very high spec. I miss the solid build quality and the handling. The handling was sublime. Made the car feel a lot smaller than it was and the steering gave natural instant feedback.

I found BMW service at Sytner Sheffield to be impeccable. The cost over 3 years was cheaper than when I owned my mk 1 Octy vRS!

It all came crashing down when the gearbox started leaking oil. I took it into the dealers and they charged me £600 for a service and to have a look at it and didn't even find out what the problem was.

After much wrangling and a quote for £450 from a damn good Inependant specialist to fix the gearbox the Beemer and I parted company. This is a common problem with the early 2006 models apparently. A seal that surrounds an electronic control unit fails and causes gear oil leakage. The car had only done 35K at the time.

Beemers are definitely not reliable but they handle like they're on rails.

As a driver on my second BMW now, current one being an even more torquey 330d, I'd say this about your experiences in the OP.

- I have some sympathy with the MSport ride quality issue. Try an SE spec and you'd be amazed at the difference! That's why BMW make the different specifications. It's not just about a few trim options!

- Ditch the run-flats at the earliest opportunity. Get some proper tyres on there instead. Kumho for summer. Yokohama for winter.

- Winter tyres make ALL the difference to RWD traction in snow. My workplace has an incline to its car park too. There was one morning this winter when my Beemer was the ONLY car to make it up the hill to the car park. That was without any Welsh Rugby props to act as ballast either. All the FWD cars were scrabbling for grip at the bottom of the hill! Their driver's were amazed - "What's a BMW doing sailing up a snow covered hill like that?" I had just one thing to say in reply: "Check the tyres!"