Used Car of the Year 2010

USED CAR CHAMPION 2010: BMW 3-Series

Whether you want a stylish saloon, efficient mile-muncher, practical load carrier or sporty coupé, the BMW 3-Series line-up has something for you. The compact executive model routinely outscores the Ford Mondeo in the new car sales charts – and that statistic is great news for used buyers. With lots of examples hitting second-hand forecourts, prices are now more attractive than ever.

The whole range has been given a spruce-up recently, but the visual changes are virtually imperceptible, so even if you buy one of the earliest 2005 variants, it won’t look out of date.

Performance fans will rave about the storming M3, yet lesser models in the range are actually more appealing. Take the 320d as an example. It’s smooth and powerful, but offers incredible fuel economy. And post-2007 versions are seriously clean, with CO2 emissions as low as 128g/km.

Find a tidy 320d Touring and you’ve got a brilliant estate that will accommodate the family and put a smile on the driver’s face. Few cars can match the entertaining rear-wheel-drive handling of this range.

Downsides are few and far between. Rear-wheel drive isn’t a great choice in the snowy
conditions we encountered last winter, but the 3-Series does offer excellent dynamics and solid build. Better still, buyers of new models are likely to have added the firm’s pre-paid servicing deals, while those who didn’t were probably company drivers.

As a result, BMWs tend to have good service histories, giving extra confidence. The 3-Series finished in a steady 26th place in the Top 100 of our Driver Power satisfaction survey, so the ownership experience won’t hold any nasty surprises. The company has an effective approved used car programme. But the best-value examples will be tidy ex-fleet models from non-franchised outlets..

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