Prior to June 2017, my mother had owned BMWs for the past 16 years, the last of which was a 2010 BMW 320d Touring SE Business Edition (yes, it really is called that). Before this, she had a 2005 car of the same shape, which was the same, apart from a slightly less powerful engine and no satellite navigation. It was a wonderful companion for the four years she owned it, and I personally drove it from South East England to Central Germany twice. On the legalised racing track which is the derestricted Autobahn, it cruised nicely at 85-90 mph, and had a fuel range of over 700 miles.
It is a cliche to say that a BMW is a high quality car with good handling, but this is exactly what one gets with a 320 Touring like this. The boot was not the biggest, and neither was the rear legroom, but the seats are comfortable, the performance and economy were excellent and it was very reliable. Her particular model had lovely light coloured leather seats with a matching interior, and the six speed automatic transmission, which was smooth and complemented the 184 bhp engine very well.
My mother eventually moved her on for the same reason I sold my 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Turbo Diesel: the bottom has fallen out of the diesel market, and new emissions regulations in London coming in from 2019 mean that such cars fall foul of the new legislation. My mother's petrol Mercedes produces around the same power, but it does not seem as fast due to the torque deficit in comparison with a diesel engine. The fuel economy is also nowhere near as good as the 320d, so I think she does miss it to an extent.
As long as one uses a a local non-franchised dealership, rather than an official BMW garage or a specialist, the servicing costs are actually pretty reasonable (apart from the headlight bulbs for some bizarre reason). It is certainly not a vehicle without appeal, although I did find the I-Drive infotainment system pretty frustrating and the lack of space (apart from in the front) a bit limiting. Also, keeping the speed below 70 mph on British motorways can be a challenge, as it definitely wants to cruise at a steady 85-90 mph!
