BMW

One star. MacArthur BMW — complete rip-off merchants. I asked them to replace a door actuator on my E53 X5. They refused, claiming they don’t have… Read more

the diagnostic computer for “cars that old.” It’s a simple bolt-on mechanical part — three Torx bolts, two plugs, done. No special tools or programming needed. They quoted me $472 for the genuine part. I bought the exact same OEM actuator online for $75. When I offered to supply the part myself and even bring my own E53-compatible diagnostic tool, they still refused. They admitted they only fit parts bought from them — even if I paid their rip-off price, they still wouldn’t touch the job. I was literally about to order a brand-new $218,000 BMW X5 this week. After this disgraceful treatment, I’ve cancelled every plan to buy another BMW. If this is how MacArthur BMW treats existing owners, stay well away.

First and last BMW we will ever buy. The iDrive 9 system is full of bugs and requires doing a hard reset on a regular basis. Today the touchscreen… Read more

(which controls everything in the car) stopped working again, completely frozen, can't access anything until the car was stopped, locked and then restarted. The foot operated motion sensor for the tailgate probably only works 2 out of 10 attempts yet somehow while loading the boot it activated and the tailgate starting closing and hid me in the head, splitting my head open and causing it to bleed - this was while I had a baseball cap on! The engine and transmission are great but the user interface is a massive let down and so unsafe as I am constantly searching the menus trying to find something that should just be a physical button. It had the potential to be a great car but the software is a complete nightmare, I would NOT recommend buying this car.

This is perfect fit for family – It’s used regular commute and serviced regularly. Usually twice in year with service packages.

I recently purchased this vehicle from a BMW dealership in Gosford, including a trade-in and finance, and the customer service was excellent. The… Read more

staff were friendly, took the time to explain every step of the process, and patiently answered all my questions. Once approvals and payments were finalised, the purchase process was straightforward and hassle-free.

The vehicle itself feels solidly built, with a quiet and efficient engine. It features a modern dual-screen setup, sporty M Sport accents inside and out, and an aggressive front and rear design complemented by matching rims and tyres. So far, the car has met my expectations. I’ll update this review in the coming months or years if any issues arise.

BMW 125i E82 Auto review – I bought a 125i auto brand-new back in the day. I have since had brand new 425i coupe and now own a brand new 330e. I would say my favourite car to… Read more

drive to date has been the 125i (I had an auto version). Absolutely no complaints and no problems during my two years owning it. If you are driving it hard around old bits of twisty road, it will be a bit twitchy on hitting bumps. I would advise being careful with right foot - especially in wet weather (same as any powerful rear wheel drive car).

Is there less than 1 star? I had a BMW 316i 2015 start falling apart as soon as its hit 75000kms. Everything went wrong from coolant, leaking oil and… Read more

now drivetrain. BMW refused to help although the car has been serviced by them until now. My friend had a Deawoo which is a better car than this BMW. Please avoid buying this so call luxury prestige car waste of money. No service and no quality. I refused to buy another BMW even if they sell it to me for $10000. Lots of stresses the day I got this lemon BMW. Less stress dont own a BMW

We purchased three new BMW cars in 2017. An X4, a 420 convertible and a 420 coupe for our daughter. Always serviced via log book at BMW dealer. … Read more

After the expiry of the warranty we had nothing but problems, all motors two litre twin turbo. Overheating, replaced waterpumps, piping cost $8000. All three cars, power windows wouldn't go up plus badge fell off X4 rubber around door perished, drivers door handle rubber fell to bits. Plastic fell off the front seats, so many problems. BMW answer its out of warranty not our problem. Two cars only travelled 50,000 and 60,000 klms.

BMW markets itself as a leader in engineering and innovation. But my experience has shown otherwise. The factory-fitted alarm system failed to… Read more

activate after a significant impact — something any budget aftermarket system would have detected. This isn’t just a small flaw, it’s a complete failure of the technology that BMW sells as a safety feature.

BMW’s response has been dismissive, with no genuine attempt to resolve the issue. Customers buy BMW for peace of mind, but what you get instead is false advertising and no accountability.

For anyone considering BMW, ask yourself: what good is luxury if the brand doesn’t stand behind its own promises?

Quality is Slipping for BMW – I have owned the M2 Competition (purchased new) for a few years. Like the M3 before, it is a beautifully balanced and suitably powered sports sedan.… Read more

It has not broken down on the side of the road, so it is reliable. However, does it live up to the $120K price tag? It depends on who you ask.

I've had the clutch replaced due to a squeaking rubbing noise and shudder that everyone in the vehicle felt. But in their 'wisdom', the flywheel wasn't replaced. I think it is common knowledge among technically minded people that you only replace the brake pads with the rotors, as they are two halves of the same component. So, for the maximum benefit, the clutch and the flywheel should have been replaced together. The noise and shudder remain, but BMW Australia says it's within spec. The dreaded term - 'within spec' - can explain away all issues about a vehicle and refuse warranty work, even excessive oil consumption.

So, when the hill assists brake paddle started to 'click' loudly after the first 18 months of ownership, that was explained away with the familiar, 'within spec'.

Do the squeaks and rattles drive you nuts? Then, the BMW may not be the brand for you. Not anymore. This time, the explanation was, 'You have to expect that from firm suspension'. I owned a Renault RS 265 with a firmer suspension without any NVH (Noise, vibration, and harshness) issues experienced with the M2C. Oh, and get this. BMW says the NVH issues must be reported within the first month of delivery. After that, the warranty doesn't cover it. What if the noise develops after that period?

I still enjoy driving the car, and opening up sensibly onto the highway onramp does put a smile on my face. Then it starts to rattling and squeaking. I guess this is quality engineering at its pinnacle.

2008 GS – Purchased with 10,000ks loved the grunt Rotax motor..now at 40000ks still love it..have added akropovik muffler..Fuelpro mapping..plastic throttle… Read more

rocker..comfort seat...easy to do 6000ks over six days "almost a ride" Yes they are a tall bike so not for those with ducks disease..Wont be buying from Worthy's Bmw on central coast

Very good but heavy – A great bike for long distance riding and long term ownership. I have two of the first GS1200 water cooled models 2013 and 2014. One now has… Read more

118,000km and the other 58,000km. Switches on the bars on the 2013 were not working properly so dissassembled and cleaned with electrolube, shaft drive unijoints gave up so replaced shaft, and also replaced both clutch micro switches on both bikes. Prices on parts high so purchase from Motorworks in the UK if required. Shaft drive replacement quote in Melbourne was $1490 for shaft and around $2500 to complete the job. To do it yourself is a 50minute job and the part cost was $650 secondhand from England and some lithium grease on the splines. Considering its an adventure bike note the driveshaft is not waterproof and the rubber boots will not prevent mud and water collecting inside the shaft drive assembly and rusting splines/final drive unit. Happy with the bikes after getting Platinum motorcycles Keilor) to sort out the snatchy throttle at low speeds. The suspension units standard on these bikes is very poor considering the original purchase price, and aftermarket units like Wilbers, TFX, Tractive etc add around 4 thou upwards for both front and rear replacement's but are a must for serious off-road adventure. Many early GS1250 bikes blew the front shock oil seal on rocky/off-road terrain, likewise the spoked wheels are not great and aftermarket tubeless wheels from Kite, Alpine add around $3500 but are the quality you would expect already fitted in view of the prices new for these machines. Traction control is great likewise the modes/abs/display/cruise control/tyre pressure monitoring and alerts when you get a puncture. I purchased both of mine 2nd hand for around $22,000 both with panniers and topboxes. Servicing and general maintenance is a piece of cake, likewise clutch replacement, fork seals, air/oil filters, battery. Its surprising how well these do offroad unless you happen to be alone and drop it -heavy to pick-up. Torque and power is great and the bike can be used for track day fun as well as general touring. Handling/braking is exceptional due the telelever front end. The motors seem to last forever and the comfort is very good. Gearbox clunky but long lasting. Buying secondhand suggested and use the money saving to fit better shocks front and rear.

Excellent Roadster – Absolutely outstanding motorcycle with heaps of low down torque and enough HP to keep you smiling. Handling is a breeze with the low centre of… Read more

gravity allowing easy carving through tight twisties or fast sweeping curves. Lots of electronic aids just tick all the boxes when ordering especially the quick shift assist option it's so much fun! No regrets with my 2016 BMW R1200R purchase...love i.

This car is somewhat comfortable, but in my experience the features and ownership experience don’t justify the ~$95,000 price point. Range /… Read more

interstate travel: As an EV, interstate driving became a major frustration. In real-world conditions, I found the effective range to be around 280 km per charge depending on conditions. On a Melbourne–Sydney trip, charging stops, limited charger availability and queues made the trip blow out significantly — in my case it took around 17 hours, including roughly 8 hours spent charging/charging-related delays. That made long-distance travel impractical for me.

Charging experience: 0–99% charging takes roughly 70–80 minutes in my experience, and charging slows down noticeably as it approaches 100% (it’s not a simple “0–80%” story). Even on fast chargers, the maximum charging speed I personally saw was about 90 kW, and it dropped quickly as the battery level increased.

Features vs price: For the money, I was surprised at the lack of some “basic” driver-assistance features I expected to be standard, such as active lane keep assist / lane-centering style assistance (at least in the way it’s implemented in many other cars). Having to pay substantially more for higher trims/options to get what feels like a more complete package is hard to justify.

Reliability / major failure: The biggest issue for me was reliability. Within the first year, the car suffered a sudden failure while driving and stopped on the road with multiple warning messages, degraded braking and acceleration, and what I believe was a serious safety risk. It had to be towed to a dealership and was diagnosed as a DSC unit failure. The process took around three months to resolve, and I was only provided a courtesy car after escalation (supplied through SIXT, a basic Kia).

Depreciation: Depreciation has also been a concern. Based on what I observed in the market and the buy-back discussions I had, the value appeared to drop sharply within the first year, which is something buyers should consider. (About half the original price)

Overall, between the real-world range limitations, slow/variable fast charging, missing features for the price, the major breakdown and the after-sales experience, I wouldn’t purchase this model again.

ROAD RUNNER – I recently purchased my K 1200 GT... It is a big motorbike with a big heart... Very comfortable, plenty of space for touring away... Rides beautiful,… Read more

shaft drive is a bit of the new (louder) thing for me (compared to my previous Japanese HONDA VFR800). But, CRUISE CONTROL is a god given... Set it and "relax" your wrist... Great Cruising. Maintenance and parts are a bit on the pricey side, but nothing comes free these days... Maintain regular servicing intervals and Reliability is known, I traced the mechanic that was servicing for the previous owner, and these machines easily go over 100K kilometres, 130K plus... Yes Cruise Control is a God Given, brings the heaven on earth...

Great bike, reliability is an issue 2018 model – I purchased a brand new 2018 s1000r sport late May. The bike is absolutely amazing! I easily clocked up the first 1000kms in a week of pure riding… Read more

bliss. I have had an issue that made the bike unrideable, the fuel pump failed. Bike has 3000kms on it. Now I'd be livid if it wasn't for what I would consider the best customer service I have ever had. My local BMW dealership in Brisbane have bent over backwards too get to the bottom of the problem. Parts are being flown in from Germany and they have provided me a loan bike for the duration. Outstanding customer service. I'm sure once the bike is back (now been 2 weeks) I can give it the full 5 stars.

Great car for the price! – Upgrading from my first car (Mitsubishi 380), I wanted something sporty, but not too expensive. For around $15,000, this is the best looking car,… Read more

with great handling/performance car I believe you can buy. I looked at many other cars such as an E90 325i, Mazda RX8, Mazda MX5,b but for the price, nothing could come close to a Z4. Buying new may be a different story, as I believe these depreciate pretty quickly. But for a used E85, I couldn't be happier!

Like the shape but it is not reliable – Had this car 35d for a couple of years . Bought from Bmw orange . Well , because of the shape , i choosed it . However , my personal Experience is… Read more

not good . Especially the diesel .

All common problem of 35d are occured in my car after 5 years ( 70000kms) . DPF Thermostat, 44malfuncation , tubro noise . Finally , i sold it last year .

What is more , my x6 optioned comfort seat because i have a sore back. . However, i compared it with my firend nissam murano . My seat is Only look luxurious and nissan murano seat is much more comfortable after 1 hour driving . X6 is 3 times expensive than a murano .

Anyway , x6 is a cool car to drive .but bmw is not a reliable brand to be frank . Bit disappointed after had 3 bmws , i was a bmw fan since 20s.

Faultless and unique looking – Excellent Bike. I've had plenty of bikes and scooters over the years and bought my f800s due mainly to price. I was in the market for an 800 and was… Read more

looking at VFR's which I must admit to still liking. The BMW was a bit left of centre for me but since owning it for the past 3 years and clocking up just over 20,000kms I can't say I have any regrets whatsoever.

Shortly after purchasing I swapped over the clip on bars for a standard superbike bar and love the upright riding position.

This bike has a real 'quality' feel about it. The style is different enough to get noticed without being bizarre. Perfectly balanced, economical and when rolling (even at walking pace) feels like a 250. Handles freeways and long distances with ease.

Only carried a piliion once and there were lots of complaints due to cramped riding position and hard seat but that's not a big deal for me.

My bike's out of warranty so I keep away fom BMW therefore servicing is affordable and I can do most of it myself. Belt drive (lack of maintainance). Perfectly balanced engine. Light and agile. Unique looks. Expensive servicing if doing so through BMW franchise. Otherwise no more to service than a Honda.

This is an excellent car – Commuting, sports and family transport. With their Air Suspension which is very smooth driven. Radar control break and speed is another good features. I always turn on just prevent not concentration especially during traffic.

There is a reason this is the world's best selling adventure tourer – At a certain time in life, when you ride motorcycles, you realise: a) The body is getting a bit too old and sore for those bum up nose down sports… Read more

bikes and b) an upright sitting position actually makes a heck of a lot of sense! I found myself in that position earlier this year. I had sold my Honda Blackbird because it was too uncomfortable to ride (pity: great bike otherwise). I did not want the bulk of a tourer as I would be using the bike for commuting ,so that left adventure tourers. I ruled out some bikes (Ducati Mulitstrada- wife said NO Ducatis; Triumph Tigers- didn't do it for me; others like the Aprilia Caponord and the Guzzi- too eclectic; Suzuki V-Strom- bit ordinary and underpowered.) That left three, all of which I test rode: the Honda Africa Twin: a lovely bike with a silky gearbox but a bit underpowered for a 1 litre bike: the KTM 1190 Adventure: a rocketship of a bike, but too frenetic and rattly with a less than ideal seating position; and the R1200GS Liquid Cooled.

One ride and the GS blew me away.

This is a big bike physically-make no mistake- but once on the move it feels like a MUCH lighter bike. It is very flickable, probably due to its low CoG, and the telelever front end feels like it runs on rails. The ride is VERY comfortable, and the upright sitting position gives an excellent view of what's going on around; in fact, it is this point which makes you realise that the low slung sports bikes make no sense around the city. It brakes well and safely with its ABS, and the ESA adjustable suspension can not only give you different ride characteristics when solo, but can cope with passengers and luggage at the touch of a button. And did I mention the different ride modes also at the touch of a button? The windscreen is adjustable from the riding position, and works very well at low and high speed, and even the heated handgrips (which I thought were a bit of a gimmick) are terrific on cold Melbourne winter mornings.

And then there is that engine: What an absolute gem! Making great purring growl when started, it has bucketloads of torque almost from idle: That means it is fabulously usable engine on the road. With 125 hp on tap, it is no slouch either- though the Multistrada and KTM will leave it behind, that is not what this is all about. It has reasonable fuel economy, great luggage capacity with the well designed BMW Vario panniers and top box, and is just a pleasure to ride. I know it sounds like I'm hooked, and I guess I probably am! Seriously though, if you are considering a bike in this class, you MUST test ride one of these before you make a decision, and if you are a bit older with a bit of a sore back or shoulders, you will find you probably enjoy riding all over again, unlike being on a cramped sports bike.

VERDICT: Consistently rated at the top or top two in its class, this is a fantastic bike which is worth serious consideration.