Category: Compact Executive 
Price Range: £21,525 to £38,060
Superb refinement, superb quality, terrific detail design - now even better to drive
Not much; a bit pricey, but you get what you pay for, and it's a bit cramped too.
If you're happy with a BMW - and plenty are - a sensible and hugely satisfying buy.
Generally well-built, with substantial bodywork and good-quality interior, the E46 3-Series performed only averagely well in some customer satisfaction surveys. Problems reported include heater and thermostat failure, turbo problems with 320d and 330i, ignition coil problems and failure of the SMG transmission and, at high mileages, the auto 'box. Affected cars should have been de-bugged by now under warranty.
