BMW E46 M3 reliability - better stats

[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 updates actual repair frequencies, not just dots, four times a year, to track cars closely as they age.

We've had excellent participation by 3-Series owners, with nearly 1,300 signed up. I'd like to post separate reliability stats for the E46 M3--it's just a matter of getting enough owners involved. So I'm grateful that this forum has provided permission to post about this survey.

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. I'll share results in this thread after each update.

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

Car reliability research

[mkaresh]

I'm going to try to have separate stats for the E46 M3 in May. This will depend on how many owners have been participating.

Not yet signed up? Details here:

Car reliability research

[Tim in N FL]

Hats off to MKaresh's and True Delta's efforts to prospectively catalog the reliability of both enthusiast-oriented makes/models and more pedestrian models. I am participating in his efforts with my Audi B6 S4 (current DD) and the "family truckster" (Volvo V70). Once I sell the Audi, I'll be gearing up to purchase an '04-'05 e46 ///M3 and will look forward to reviewing the data you and other e46 M3 owners contribute.
Cheers and Thanks!,
Tim

[mkaresh]

Recently enhanced the related repair history survey so that it can (optionally) be used as a personal car maintenance record.

As always, more participants would be helpful. Updated Car Reliability Survey results in May, with a preview for participants soon.

Car reliability research

[mkaresh]

Updated results soon. I nearly split out the E46 M3 in this upcoming set, but the results were very close to those for the regular 3, so this seemed of little benefit while splitting the sample size.

So instead I'll only be including a note that the regular 3 and M3 have similar repair frequencies this time around.

With the next update, in August, I'd like to split the results, but it will only make sense to do this if more owners are involved.

[MisterM]

Thanks! Good info here. Wish we had a bit larger sample size to normalize the dataset.

[mkaresh]

We've updated the results for the E46 3-Series to include owner experiences through March 31, 2010. In terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2005: 125, worse than average (blip at the end of the standard warranty?)

2004: 98, about average

2003: 84, about average

2002: 113, about average

2001: 162, worse than average

2000: 94, better than average, but small sample size and doesn't seem accurate given results for other years

1999: 189, worse than average, very small sample size

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, results would likely be more consistent from model year to model year.

I'd like to report results separately for the E46 M3, like we are for the E90 M3. Just need enough participants to make this possible.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help make separate results for the M3 possible:

BMW 3-Series reliability comparisons

[mkaresh]

We'll have some initial stats for the 2002 and 2004 M3 in about two weeks.

For the 2003 we fell two responses short, and for the 2005 we were four short. So with just a few more participants for each year we could have results for four model years the next time around, in November.

Help make this happen:

Car reliability research

[mkaresh]

We've updated the results for the E46 M3 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.

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

2004 3-Series: 87, about average

2004 M3: 49, better than average, very small sample size, much lower average odometer

2002 3-Series: 99, about average

2002 M3: 120, about average, very small sample size, much lower average odometer

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 provide more precise results and cover all model years.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up:

BMW 3-Series reliability comparisons

[smshirk]

Thanks Mike, I see you get a lot better response here than the 996 forum on Rennlist

[mkaresh]

That 996 forum is a special case. But other 996 owners, including the admin of that forum, have asked me to cover the car. So I'm doing what I can.

[TNation]

That 996 forum is a special case. But other 996 owners, including the admin of that forum, have asked me to cover the car. So I'm doing what I can.

haha they hate you on that forum. But I think you're doing a good work, even if its limited.

[mkaresh]

A few people there enjoy causing trouble. For every one of them dozens of 911 owners have signed up to help.

[mkaresh]

We've updated the results for the E46 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:

2006: 152, worse than average, very small sample size

2005: 88, about average

2005 M3: 59, better than average, very small sample size

2004: 84, about average

2004 M3: 44, better than average, very small sample size, much lower average odometer

2003: 114, about average

2002: 86, better than average

2002 M3: 99, about average, very small sample size, much lower average odometer

Thank you, once again, to this forum and everyone who has been helping. We'll have further updates in February and May.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up:

BMW 3-Series reliability ratings and comparisons

[mkaresh]

Updated stats around the end of the month.

More participants remain needed to provide solid results for the E46 M3. To help make this happen:

Car reliability research

[mkaresh]

Updated stats around the end of the month.

More participants remain needed to provide solid results for the E46 M3. To help make this happen:

Car reliability research

[dworthy]

Rounds complete, I am glag you guys send out an email reminder every month!

[mkaresh]

We've updated the results for the E46 3-Series to include owner experiences through December 31, 2010.

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

2005: 88, about average

2005 M3: 77, about average, very small sample size

2004: 91, about average

2004 M3: 51, better than average, very small sample size, very low average odometer

2003: 106, about average

2003 M3: 74, better than average, very small sample size,

2002: 106, about average

2002 M3: 111, about average, very small sample size

In general the M3s are driven fewer miles per year than the regular 3s.
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 provide more precise results.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up:

BMW 3-Series reliability ratings and comparisons

[mkaresh]

We've updated our car reliability stats for the E46 M3 to include owner experiences through March 31, 2011.

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

2005: 107, about average

2005 M3: 103, about average, very small sample size

2004: 75, about average

2004 M3: 39, better than average, very small sample size, very low average odometer

2003: 110, about average

2003 M3: 28, better than average, very small sample size,

2002: 104, about average

2002 M3: 74, better than average, very small sample size

In general the M3s are driven fewer miles per year than the regular 3s.

We'll have further updates in August and November. With more participants we could provide more precise results.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up:

BMW 3-Series reliability ratings and comparisons

[mkaresh]

We've updated our car reliability stats for the E46 M3 to include owner experiences through March 31, 2011.

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

2005: 107, about average

2005 M3: 103, about average, very small sample size

2004: 75, about average

2004 M3: 39, better than average, very small sample size, very low average odometer

2003: 110, about average

2003 M3: 28, better than average, very small sample size,

2002: 104, about average

2002 M3: 74, better than average, very small sample size

In general the M3s are driven fewer miles per year than the regular 3s.

We'll have further updates in August and November. With more participants we could provide more precise results.

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

BMW M3 reliability ratings and comparisons

[mkaresh]

We have updated reliability stats for the E36 3-Series based on owner experiences through September 30, 2011.

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

1999: 127, about average

1998: 115, about average

1996: 92, better than average

1995: 206, worse than average

The sample sizes for all but the 1998 were small and even very small.

Thank you, once again, everyone who has been helping. We'll have further updates in February and May. With more participants, we could provide separate, more precise results for just the M3.

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 car reliability stats for the E46 3-Series (on our redesigned site) to include owner experiences through December 31, 2011.

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

2006 2-door: 40, better than average, very small sample size

2005: 122, about average

2005 M3: 66, better than average, very small sample size

2004: 102, about average

2004 M3: 78, better than average, small sample size

2003: 134, about average

2003 M3: 69, better than average, very small sample size,

2002: 64, better than average

2002 M3: 101, about average, very small sample size

2001: 112, about average

2000: 130, about average

1999: 131, about average, very small sample size

In general the M3s are driven about 70 percent as many miles per year as the regular 3s.

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 provide more precise results.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up:

BMW 3-Series reliability ratings and comparisons

[mkaresh]

We've updated our car reliability stats for the E46 3-Series to include owner experiences through June 30, 2012.

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

2006 2-door: 49, about average, very small sample size

2005: 60, about average

2005 M3: 27, better than average, very small sample size

2004: 90, worse than average on stricter recalibrated scale

2004 M3: 86, about average, small sample size

2003: 127, worse than average

2003 M3: 49, better than average, very small sample size,

2002: 70, better than average

2002 M3: 107, worse than average, very small sample size

In general the M3s are driven about 70 percent as many miles per year as the regular 3s.

The small sample sizes could be responsible for much of the variation from year to year. With more owners involved we could provide more precise results.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up:

BMW 3-Series reliability ratings and comparisons

[mkaresh]

We've updated our car reliability stats for the E46 3-Series and M3 to include owner experiences through September 30, 2012.

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

2006 2-door: 64, about average, small sample size

2005: 78, about average

2005 M3: 26, better than average, very small sample size

2004: 83, about average

2004 M3: 55, about average, small sample size

2003: 123, worse than average

2003 M3: 44, better than average, very small sample size,

2002: 98, worse than average on stricter, recalibrated scale

2002 M3: 102, worse than average, very small sample size

In general the M3s are driven about 70 percent as many miles per year as the regular 3s.

We'll have further updates in February and May. We'd love to provide more precise stats and cover more model years--just a matter of getting more owners involved.

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

BMW M3 reliability ratings and comparisons

[mkaresh]

We've updated our reliability stats for the E46 3-Series to include owner experiences through March 31, 2013.

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

2006 3-Series 2dr: 64, moderate, small sample size
2005 3-Series: 66, moderate
2005 M3: 45, low, very small sample size
2004 3-Series: 92, moderate
2004 M3: 53, low, small sample size
2003 3-Series: 113, high
2003 M3: 51, low, small sample size
2002 3-Series: 130, high
2002 M3: 96, moderate, very small sample size

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