I used to have a 2000 325i (But might have been 328i, can't remember the nomenclature) from around 2005 to 2012. It had a 5 speed manual transmission. The following thoughts may or may not still apply for newer ones.
Pros: Best handling, most fun to drive car I've ever had.
Not a big car, easy to park.
Fit and finish was nice.
I drove it about 15,000 miles per year, and it never left me stranded.
That inline 6 engine was great. Would often drive with the stereo off, just listening to the sounds of that motor.
Cons: Tires and brake pads didn't last very long. I think rotors also had to be replaced every time it needed new brake pads.
Cooling system wasn't very robust.
It was a real challenge to diagnose problems and keep it running at its best. You really had to understand how things work under the hood and be a DIY kind of guy, or it was very expensive. How many $1,000 repair bills are you willing to put up with if you are taking it to dealer or BMW specialist?
The last straw for me was having to replace part of the apparatus that seemed to me to be nothing more than what a PCV valve accomplishes. But instead of it costing about $20, like on a Honda Prelude I once owned, it was (you guessed it) gonna be about $1,000 to replace. Cooling system was also starting to leak again. Every man has a breaking point, and that was it for me. I sold the car and moved on.
I'll never own another modern BMW. But if I found a really nice, well maintained old E30 BMW, I might be interested. Those are fun to drive and DIY friendly. But not many people want to deal with a 30 year old car.
