M3 relibility - better info (please sign up)

[mkaresh]

I wanted more up-to-date car reliability information that included actual repair rates. So in late 2005 I started getting people together to make this possible. TrueDelta now reports absolute repair rates that make the differences between cars much clearer. Results are updated four times a year, so it's possible to track cars closely as they age.

We've had excellent participation by 3-Series owners. But recently with the E9X I started reporting results separately by engine, and getting enough participants for a low volume model like the M3 is a challenge. So I hope many people here will sign up and participate.

Participants simply report repairs the month after they occur on a one-page survey. When there are no repairs, they simply report an approximate odometer reading four times a year, at the end of each quarter.

To encourage participation, participants receive full access to all results, not just those for the M3, for free.

For the details, and to sign up to help out:

Car reliability research

Note: select 3-Series as the model. You'll be able to specify the powertrain later, which will identify your car as an M3.

[mkaresh]

A note: enroll an M3 as a 3-Series--we don't have the M3 listed as a separate model. Later you'll specify the powertrain, and from that we'll know the car is an M3.

More remain needed.

[mkaresh]

We should start having results for the 2008 M3 in May. Currently a couple participants short of the minimum.

Help make these results happen:

Car reliability research

[mkaresh]

We'll definitely have a partial result for the 2008 in May, and are only a couple of responses short for the 2009. Might still get them, but time is running out.

I'd like to have full results for both years with the following update, in August. It's doable--just need a few more owners involved.

Not yet signed up? Details here:

Car reliability research

[mkaresh]

We've updated the results for the E9X 3-Series to include owner experiences through March 31, 2010.

In terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2009 328i: 18, better than average

2009 335i: 92, worse than average

2009 M3: a few responses short of the minimum

2008 328i: 29, better than average

2008 335i: 81, about average

2008 M3: 40, better than average

A big thank you, once again, to this forum and everyone who has been helping. We'll have further updates in August and November. With more participants we could provide full results for all model years.

BMW 3-Series reliability comparisons

[mkaresh]

We've updated the results for the E9X 3-Series to include owner experiences through June 30, 2010.

Other sources of car reliability information won't cover the more recent months until the summer or even fall of next year.

In terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2010 3-Series: 12, better than average (more participants needed to split by engine)

2009 328i: 25, better than average

2009 335i: 91, worse than average

2009 M3: 46, about average, very small sample size

2008 328i: 40, better than average

2008 335i: 86, worse than average

2008 M3: 47, about average, small sample size

Thank you, once again, to this forum and everyone who has been helping. We'll have further updates in November and February. With more participants we could fully cover all model years.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help:

BMW 3-Series reliability comparisons

[mkaresh]

Starting this month we have a new question to measure, as objectively as possible, the severity of a problem. Many people have been asking for reliability stats that weight problems by how severe they are, and once we have enough responses with the revised survey we'll start providing this.

Also, updated reliability stats this month.

As always, the more owners participate, the better the information we can provide to everyone.

Car reliability research

[m3e46freak]

Volvo and Saab make some really reliable cars, however if your asking will this save you if you roll 11 times from doing 155mph on a road that says 65, then no, more than likely you deserved that roll over. Furthermore, anything can happen at any time and you will be safer in a BMW according to my research than a kia.

[mkaresh]

Volvo and Saab make some really reliable cars, however if your asking will this save you if you roll 11 times from doing 155mph on a road that says 65, then no, more than likely you deserved that roll over. Furthermore, anything can happen at any time and you will be safer in a BMW according to my research than a kia.

Did you mean "reliable" or "safe?" Volvos and Saabs tend to be very safe. Reliable, not so much.

[mkaresh]

We've updated the results for the E9X 3-Series to include owner experiences through September 30, 2010. Other sources of car reliability information won't cover the months since April until the summer or even fall of next year.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2010 3-Series: 15, better than average (more participants needed to split by engine)

2009 328i: 25, better than average2009 335i: 51, about average (compared to last time, many HPFP failures fell out of the one-year window)

2009 M3: 56, about average, small sample size

2008 328i: 52, about average2008 335i: 99, worse than average

2008 M3: 55, about average

Thank you, once again, to this forum and everyone who has been helping. We'll have further updates in February and May. With more participants we could fully cover all model years.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help:

BMW 3-Series reliability ratings and comparisons

[mkaresh]

We've updated the results for the E9X 3-Series to include owner experiences through December 31, 2010. Other sources of car reliability information won't cover the months since April until the summer or even fall of this year.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2011 3-Series: 63, about average (more participants needed to split by engine)

2010 3-Series: 15, better than average (more participants needed to split by engine)

2009 328i: 31, better than average

2009 335i: 53, about average (compared to last time, many HPFP failures fell out of the one-year window)

2009 M3: 49, about average, small sample size

2008 328i: 45, about average

2008 335i: 102, worse than average

2008 M3: 59, about average

Thank you, once again, to this forum and everyone who has been helping. We'll have further updates in May and August. With more participants we could fully cover all model years.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help:

BMW 3-Series reliability ratings and comparisons

[mkaresh]

We've updated the results for the E9X M3 to include owner experiences through March 31, 2011.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2009 328i: 34, better than average

2009 335i: 52, about average (many HPFP failures now well out of the one-year window)

2009 M3: 36, better than average, small sample size

2008 328i: 51, about average

2008 335i: 87, about average

2008 M3: 45, better than average

As in the past, the M3 is very similar to the 328i, which makes sense as neither model has experienced many powertrain problems.

We'll have further updates in August and November. With more participants we could fully cover all model years.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help improve this information:

BMW M3 reliability ratings and comparisons

[mkaresh]

We've updated the results for the E9X 3-Series to include owner experiences through June 30, 2011.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2011 3-Series: 39, about average (more participants needed to split by engine)

2010 3-Series: 13, better than average (more participants needed to split by engine)

2009 328i: 44, about average

2009 335i: 28, better than average (many HPFP failures now well out of the one-year window)

2009 M3: 41, better than average, small sample size

2008 328i: 52, about average

2008 335i: 77, about average

2008 M3: 51, about average

We'll have further updates in November and February. With more participants we could fully cover all model years.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help improve this information:

BMW M3 reliability ratings and comparisons

[mkaresh]

We've updated the our reliability stats for the E9X M3 and regular 3-Series (on our redesigned site) to include owner experiences through September 30, 2011.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2011 3-Series: 31, better than average (more participants needed to split by engine)

2010 3-Series: 20, better than average (more participants needed to split by engine)

2009 328i: 59, about average

2009 335i: 27, better than average (many HPFP failures now well out of the one-year window)

2009 M3: 36, better than average, small sample size

2008 328i: 50, better than average

2008 335i: 49, better than average

2008 M3: 51, about average

Thank you, once again, to this forum and everyone who has been helping. We'll have further updates in February and May. With more participants we could fully cover all model years.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help improve this information:

BMW M3 reliability ratings and comparisons

[mkaresh]

We've updated the our reliability stats for the E9X M3 to include owner experiences through September 30, 2012.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2011 3-Series: 27, better than average

2010 3-Series: 43, about average

2009 328i: 41, about average

2009 335i: 42, about average

2009 M3: 35, better than average, very small sample size

2008 328i: 37, better than average

2008 335i: 93, worse than average

2008 M3: 67, about average

We'll have further updates in February and May. We'd love to fully cover all model years of the M3, just a matter of getting enough owners involved!

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help:

BMW M3 reliability ratings and comparisons

[mkaresh]

We've updated the our reliability stats for the E9X M3 to include owner experiences through December 31, 2012.


Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2009 328i: 50, moderate


2009 335i: 39, low


2009 M3: 34, low, very small sample size


2008 328i: 31, low


2008 335i: 77, high


2008 M3: 62, moderate


Thank you, once again, to this forum and everyone who has been helping. We'll have further updates in May and August. With more owners involved we could fully cover all model years.


To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help improve this information:


BMW 3-Series reliability ratings and comparisons

[mkaresh]

We've updated our reliability stats for the M3 to include owner experiences through March 31, 2013.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2011 3-Series / M3: 31, low
2010 3-Series / M3: 39, moderate
2009 328: 45, moderate
2009 335: 69, moderate
2009 M3: 41, moderate, small sample size
2008 328: 31, low
2008 335: 64, moderate
2008 M3: 61, moderate

We'll have further updates in August and in November.

For the details, including the descriptions of reported repairs, and to sign up to help improve this information:

BMW M3 reliability ratings and comparisons

[george jung]

http://youtu.be/FxmEyvHOjAY

[mkaresh]

We've updated our reliability stats for the 3-Series to include owner experiences through June 30, 2013. (Another source is about 14 months behind.)

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2011 3-Series / M3: 24, low
2010 3-Series / M3: 29, low
2009 328: 54, moderate
2009 335: 63, moderate
2009 M3: 34, low, small sample size
2008 328: 36, low
2008 335: 50, moderate
2008 M3: 42, low

We'll have further updates in November and February.

To view competitors' scores and descriptions of reported repairs, and to sign up to help:

BMW 3-Series reliability ratings and comparisons

[mkaresh]

We've updated our reliability stats for the 3-Series to include owner experiences through September 30, 2013.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2011 3-Series / M3: 32, low
2010 3-Series / M3: 45, moderate
2009 328: 46, moderate
2009 335: 93, high
2009 M3: 35, low, small sample size
2008 328: 60, moderate
2008 335: 56, moderate
2008 M3: 42, low

M3s do tend to be driven fewer miles per year than other 3-Series.

We'll have further updates in February and in May. The more owners participate, the more comprehensive and precise these will be.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help improve this information:

BMW 3-Series reliability ratings and comparisons

[mkaresh]

We've updated our reliability stats for the 3-Series to include owner experiences through December 31, 2013.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2011 328: 34, moderate
2011 335: 31, low
2011 M3: 14, low, small sample size
2010 328: 57, moderate
2010 335: 79, high, very small sample size
2009 328: 54, moderate
2009 335: 64, moderate
2009 M3: 31, low, small sample size
2008 328: 71, moderate
2008 335: 65, moderate
2008 M3: 31, low

We'll have further updates in May and in August. The more owners participate, the more comprehensive and precise these will be.

To see the repairs behind these stats, and to sign up to help improve this information:

BMW 3-Series reliability ratings and comparisons

[hollywood305]

My 1st BMW. I have 40k to spend. I'm leaning toward the M3...thoughts

[mkaresh]

Our reliability stats for the 3-Series now include owner experiences through March 31, 2014, making them nearly a year ahead of other sources.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2011 328: 28, low
2011 335: 27, low
2011 M3: 25, low, small sample size
2010 328: 69, high
2010 335: 66, moderate, very small sample size
2009 328: 48, moderate
2009 335: 33, low
2009 M3: 32, low, small sample size
2008 328: 84, high
2008 335: 77, moderate
2008 M3: 27, low

Thank you, once again, everyone who has been helping. Next update in August.

For a deeper dive, including the stats for other cars and repair descriptions, and to sign up to help improve this information:

BMW 3-Series reliability ratings and comparisons

[mkaresh]

We've updated our reliability stats for the 3-Series to include owner experiences through June 30, 2014 (making them about 14 months ahead of some others).

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2011 328: 36, moderate
2011 335: 37, moderate
2011 M3: 30, low, small sample size
2010 328: 78, high
2010 335: 91, high, very small sample size
2009 328: 49, moderate
2009 335: 39, low
2009 M3: 51, moderate, small sample size
2008 328: 96, high
2008 335: 96, high
2008 M3: 42, low

Note: M3s tend to be driven about 2/3 as many miles per year than other 3ers.

Next updates in November and in February. The more owners participate, the more comprehensive and precise these will be.

For repair descriptions, the stats of other cars, and to sign up to help improve this information:

BMW 3-Series reliability ratings and comparisons

[mkaresh]

We've updated our reliability stats for the 3-Series to include owner experiences through September 30, 2014.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2011 328: 46, moderate
2011 335: 38, moderate
2011 M3: 31, low, small sample size
2010 328: 64, moderate, small sample size
2010 335: 66, moderate, very small sample size
2009 328: 41, low
2009 335: 35, low
2009 M3: 78, high, very small sample size
2008 328: 96, high
2008 335: 95, high
2008 M3: 50, moderate

To view the repairs behind these numbers, check the stats for other cars, and sign up to help improve this information (next update in February):

BMW 3-Series reliability ratings and comparisons