I was travelling in my brother’s E46 the other day – he’d gone out of town & I had it all to myself - and all I can say is that...I’m not impressed. There are so many of them on the road now that the car’s just lost that “exclusive luxury” feel for me. We’re almost like any other European city now...without the great roads.
I’ve always been a bit car-crazy – I have my engineer Grandfather & Father to thank for that - & so I had to test this car out. So, let’s start this review with the looks and the build. The front end is a bit boxy-looking & not as sleek as the 7-series, & it looks a bit like an old person’s car. The interior space is a whole lot smaller than BMW’s other models &, being extremely claustrophobic, I didn’t like it very much. And it’s definitely not very comfortable for passengers either, since the rear leg space is limited. Since it’s heavier than the others, fuel efficiency also leaves a lot to be desired.
Now, let’s move on to the features. While the millions of electronic extras are enough to make any newbie’s head spin, apart from getting a little flustered, I’m wondering about its reliability. For instance, the Indian weather is so hot & humid that I doubt their electronics will survive it for much longer. And my brother has already had this car for a while now. Also, I’ve heard quite a few acquaintances discuss how many times they’ve had to take it in for servicing because something or the other had malfunctioned.
Personally, I think the user interface isn’t user-friendly. Another reason I feel BMW & Indian weather aren’t compatible is because my brother’s Windshield wipers stopped working during the heaviest downpours in the monsoon season. Can you imagine driving along like that?
The suspension is hard, though that was probably modified to fit in with their RFT technology, which isn’t all it’s cracked up to be either. If anything happens to the wheels, they make a constant keening noise & it takes about Rs. 50, 000 to replace a single tyre. My friend’s rear shock absorbers on his 3-series had to be replaced within 6 months. He travels around a lot & says the car can’t really stand up to driving on Indian roads, even on the highways, because some aren’t in the greatest condition.
All-in-all, with limited service centres & technology too confusing & unreliable for the Indian situation, it’s not a car I would recommend. After all, you might end up paying more for the servicing & replacements than you did for the car itself!