Insurance institute scores BMW 3-Series convertible only 'MARGINAL' in side crash tests

who cares when it looks so good...

— LexusKindaGuy12 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 2:42:58 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Marginal is "cool" enough.

— answer (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 2:47:38 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

At least you die in style.

— Brembo (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 2:50:55 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

I guess I'll have to look twice if I'm the first car when the light turns green. This car rocks.

— Dallas335iCabrio (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 2:58:35 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

........... This is terrible, when I buy a car that I look for one that is safe and cool~

Better fix the problem soon!

— hkaudi (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 3:03:15 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 9   

No problem, the badge offers additional protection.

— SupraNeverBack (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 3:12:19 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 13   

The car definitely rocks but that's not the issue here.
It's about safety and not looks.

Btw, the tone would be different if it was Lexus/Toyota.

but i think expectations (of safety) are not very high in the case of cabriolets but still a company which calls itself Ultimate should have scored the same as Mitsubishi.

JUGNU

— JUGNU (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 3:25:20 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

This very unacceptable, where talking about $40K or close to $40 vechicle here. If it were a GM or Kia product than yeah, but come on.........this BMW?

BMW the self proclaim the ultimate driving machince, should they be safe too? even Kia better realibility than that.

— Lexus (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 3:28:58 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

I've had my 328i cab about two months and love it. Its a solid, amazing car.

These findings concern me and while I like my BMW, I think their "We're better than you are.." attitude (i.e. Tom Purves telling the Lexus guy he's not good enough for a BMW) and their general arrogance (the macho sales staff at my local dealer smacks of the movie "Boiler Room") is going to catch up with them enventualy.

While I like my car, at some level all their rah-rah PR is just B-S.

— nybimmer (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 3:34:38 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

My favorite food is peanut butter.

— EL34 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 3:45:41 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -5   

Why all the hostility towards BMW? All this BS about the drivers being arrogant.The lexus people on this site seem more arrogant to me.

— BMW_DRVR (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 4:57:32 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -3   

Marginal ratings for a bread & butter BMW product is pretty surprising & unnaceptable. In most cases BMW's are some of the safest vehicles to drive on the road.

— MunichRob (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 5:16:05 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

If concerned about crash records buy Honda, Subaru, or Volvo.

If you want playful driving and a chick magnet get a BMW.


As a brand BMW IIHS crash records are poor and inferior to Audi.

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/headrestraints.aspx?bmw

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/headrestraints.aspx?audi

— topneuro (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 5:38:11 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

the german fanboys wont comment on this sort of stuff. at most they will joke about it. since when do bmw drivers care about safety? the driving etiquette in germany is top notch, those who do crash are probably driving in a manner that would guarantee their death.

those who crash in a bmw are not worthy to drive one ;)

— gsh23 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 5:49:21 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

I have the Saab 9-3....and I'm glad it got the top safety pick, and the 3-Series didn't, as much as I love it.

— mstangpny07 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 6:56:12 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

who cares?
it's 'marginal' not poor or unsafe.

— enthusiastx11 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 7:19:53 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -6   

im a bmw fan, but i must say im not surprised.

the new bmw styling looks good, but the its cars just do not seem as built as they used to be.

— minimalist (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 7:31:06 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

bulldogz, thank you for the correction. In any case marginal just ain't cut it! period. It is a BMW, I expected more from a BMW.

— Lexus (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 7:38:05 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6   

It stuff like this that going to hurt the BMW image and sales number. Just like a couple days ago where Toyota has problem with their trucks.

It just goes to show no matter what brands your cars are from, every car has some kind of issues.

— Lexus (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 7:44:02 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 9   

If I was to buy a BMW 6 Series, it is one of my favorite coupe, I have very high expectation from BMW.

After all what happen to heritage, prestige and the ultimate machine? don't think this would hurt it image? I certainly think so.

— Lexus (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 7:56:03 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Did anyone here actually go to the site to see what the actual rating were? The marginal was for the rear passengers side impact collision. The driver and front passenger ratings were good for front and side impact collision. The driver may have experienced injury for a rib fracture due to an offset front impact. From the side the driver received a " good rating " and the rear seat passenger would have been marginal ......

you people on here make it seem as though the sky is falling. I have no problems with that rating and score system ... The 3 times in my life where someone would actually get in the back seat of a conv is such a rareity . The driver and front seat passnger have good rating for a front and side impact. Those are the most important .... bunch of idiots on here

— BMW4me4ever (View Profile)

Posted on 6/1/2007 10:45:35 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

SoCal, imagine if this was the Lexus IS350 instead, we will have over 200 post already.

— Lexus (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 8:11:16 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

wow some bad news about BMW, I know the jealous Audi and Lexus fans are excited, more reason to buy those Toyotas and Volkwagens.

— Larry (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 8:47:23 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

Whew. Good thing Lexus didn't have the IS or any of their cars as the subject of this article, otherwise so many insecure people would be making stupid comments about them!

Oh wait...

— Will_ (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 8:59:37 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

Saab rules

BMW drools (if lucky)

— mp2dtw (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 10:41:44 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

Ouch!!! BMW should insist on repeating the test and if the results are the same should take them seriously instead of brushing them off. This is kind of serious to be arrogant about.

— vdiv (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2007 11:32:56 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

lexusadmirer, your jealous bmw because is made by BMW your lexus is nothing more than rebadged camrys, 4runners and priuses. If shopping for cars is shopping for clothes BMW is more like shopping at Neiman-Marcus your Lexus is like shopping at JC Penney.

— Larry (View Profile)

Posted on 6/1/2007 12:49:21 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -8   

^^^^ haha that sounded funny, like a 7 year old, crying to his brother or sister.

— sewingmachine (View Profile)

Posted on 6/1/2007 1:13:31 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

Yes, LexusAdmirer, myself and all the Lexus fans here are jeslous of BMW. We are jealous because our Lexus does not goes overheat on a four laps on the test track. BMW has been know to have electrical problem with their cars, and now this?

And we are jealous because Lexus has one of the highest reliability in the auto business. We are jealous because BMW interior look like cheap plastic when compare to Lexus, MB and Audi.

Do know what marginal mean, it mean barely acceptable or pass man. Come on...as bulldogz stated that this car cost up to $50K+ fully loaded.

Lexus and Audi are not snob like you MOST of you BMW owner. Sure we can afford the BMW, but why get the BMW when you can get a Lexus or Audi.

What happen the self proclaim the ultimate driving machine? after all BMW is a brand with prestige and heritage right? this is going to hurt BMW sales for sure. People who is in the market for the 3 Series also cross shop for a A4, C-class and Lexus IS350 as well.

— Lexus (View Profile)

Posted on 6/1/2007 2:46:39 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6   

correction, it jealous not jeslous etc...

— Lexus (View Profile)

Posted on 6/1/2007 2:51:16 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

being a convertible is no excuse for getting marginal safety ratings.

— ctsang (View Profile)

Posted on 6/1/2007 9:18:34 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

since we are on this topic ... what would you rather have driver side intrusion of 2 to 4 cm or 10 to 12 cm? reason why I ask, is that if you look up the trechinical info section of the crash test where it measures in cm how much intrusion there is, then you will see that the average for a BMW is 2 to 4 cm whereas the Lexus ( all models is 12 to 14 cm ) ... which is safer?

— BMW4me4ever (View Profile)

Posted on 6/1/2007 11:05:37 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -3   

It should be of note that many cars only have "poor" or "acceptable" ratings when it comes to rear side impact. If we are to outraged, we should be upset at all manufacturers do not take steps to protect our rear passengers better. Check it out on the IIHS website, you'll be surprised.

— lewissalem (View Profile)

Posted on 6/1/2007 1:16:16 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

BMW4ever, all I'm trying to say here is that Lexus and Audi fans are not jealous of BMW. Every autos company has it strong and weak point. But this is a BMW not "KIA" it should rate higher. After all, what happen all the German superiortiy you BMW lovers was saying all this time?

BMW you can keep this BMW 3 Series, I think I get the Audi A4 convertible instead. Actually, if I wait awhile I can get the Lexus IS350 convertible too.

— Lexus (View Profile)

Posted on 6/1/2007 6:37:09 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

You've got to know that BMW will address the side and rear impact issues from IIHS. So perhaps in a year or two...

— Sycledude (View Profile)

Posted on 6/1/2007 11:26:35 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

Why am I not surprised that the reply button still isn't working? Someone has to fix these incredibly frustrating site glitches...

I'm not getting into the safety ratings, as I've never been in a major accident and don't plan on it. However, I have a question for CommonSense, if he's reading this: does the Vishnu kit void the 335i's warranty? Because today, I was entertaining the thought of a 335i cabrio with a Vishnu kit to replace the S4. The monster 380hp conversion would scare quite a few M3s, especially because the car is so unassuming. It's also quite beautiful, and I find myself staring whenever a 335i drives by, be it a coupe or convertible.

Not to say I don't enjoy the S4... the rear with stock exhausts is a weak point, but the front is classy and it looks great under the sun.

— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 6/3/2007 12:53:08 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1