Is maintaining a BMW expensive?
Yes, BMW servicing is more expensive than many other manufacturers, whether they are premium or not, once the warranty expires. Over a ten-year period, a BMW may cost $12,000 more to maintain than a Toyota and $5,000 more than a Mercedes-Benz.
Because it’s a German car with specialized parts and technology, maintaining a BMW is pricey. It’s not merely a car to get people from point A to point B; it was designed for driving aficionados. A $400 battery replacement, for instance, might be necessary because the mechanic must register the battery with the engine control module. If not, the battery risk of an early demise since the vehicle won’t “know” how to charge it.
Additionally, the Digital Motor Electronics (DME) system in cars connects countless sensors and controls. A BMW may require a sophisticated method for a simple repair on another vehicle, which increases labor expenses.
Yes, a 3-Series BMW requires pricey maintenance once the manufacturer or certified pre-owned warranty has expired. A used BMW 3-Series typically costs $1,000 to $1,700 per year in maintenance and repairs.
A BMW 328i oil change can cost between $149 and $174, according to RepairPal. Nevertheless, depending on your area and BMW model, you can pay more than that.
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Superior Parts
It’s usually a good idea to only use genuine OEM components produced by BMW when a repair is necessary. Although there are aftermarket possibilities at the neighborhood auto parts shop, the majority are of lower quality. This implies that you’re much more likely to experience early failure.
Replacement parts for BMW cost more, as one might anticipate. The majority of these parts are produced by prestigious companies like Bosch and Bilstein. You are purchasing premium workmanship. Maintaining high-performance vehicles is considerably more expensive. The BMW M5 is a nice illustration. This powerful sports car has improved brakes, performance tires, and a unique sport suspension.
BMWs are expensive to maintain.
BMWs are by far the most expensive car manufacturer to repair, claims Your Mechanic. The competition is not even close. With an average maintenance cost of $17,800 over ten years, BMW comes in #1. Mercedes-Benz came in second with an average maintenance cost of $12,900 during a 10-year period. In contrast, the typical Toyota only cost $5,500 to maintain during a 10-year period because they are recognized for requiring less maintenance.
According to Your Mechanic, such high maintenance costs are usual in German premium vehicles. Audi comes in sixth with an average $12,400 maintenance expense over a 10-year period. This is primarily a result of the pricey, high-end parts that these luxury vehicles require. Naturally, it will cost a lot of money to fix those pieces when they break or need maintenance.
However, while being premium vehicles, they also have ongoing problems. For instance, according to Your Mechanic, a BMW is four times more likely to not start than a typical automobile. It was ranked seventh overall as a result. Additionally, the window regulator on the BMW required replacement 18 times more frequently than the window regulator on the ordinary car.
How much does it cost to keep a BMW running?
For a BMW, the average yearly maintenance expense is around $950. Although this is hundreds of dollars more than the national average, it makes sense given that BMW is a luxury brand.
Depending on your vehicle’s model, trim level, and mileage, your specific maintenance charges will vary. Let’s look at a few samples of typical annual prices for various models, going from the most costly BMW to the least expensive.
Which BMW model do you own?
The true surprise lies here. The cost of maintenance will be pretty minimal if you own an ancient BMW that was popular back in the day, like an E30 3 Series, for instance. It’s not a sophisticated automobile, so there aren’t many electronics or speciality parts, and since it was a widely sold model, replacement parts are easy to get and labor costs aren’t too high.
However, if you have a brand-new BMW 7 Series, it will cost much more because its parts are more expensive and high-tech. It is also much more complex, which means there are more potential problems and you must rely on more expensive specialists to work on it.
Therefore, when commentators and YouTubers make generalizations about how expensive it is to sustain any business, they are merely selling you clickbait.
Of course, certain BMWs cost a lot to maintain because they are difficult to repair and unreliable, like the E65 BMW 7 Series, which is a complete nightmare. However, some vehicles, like an E46 BMW 3 Series or an E39 BMW 5 Series, are manageably simple and affordable to maintain when done correctly.