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Should I keep my BMW 3 Series?
Keeping an 8-year-old (2018) BMW 3 Series at typical mileage costs about $6,403 a year: $1,105 in value it loses, $1,609 insurance, $1,789 fuel, $1,799 maintenance and repairs and $100 registration.
By model year
What a BMW 3 Series costs to keep, by year
Next 12 months for a paid-off car at 12,000 miles a year, average insurance costs, $3.30 gas. Click a year to run your own numbers in Keep or Switch.
| Year | Value today | Cost to keep next year | Value lost | Maintenance and repairs | Efficiency | Repair complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $29,187 | $8,495 | $3,980 | $774 | 28 MPG | About average |
| 2023 | $24,451 | $7,670 | $3,003 | $995 | 28 MPG | About average |
| 2022 | $20,804 | $7,091 | $2,497 | $1,040 | 29 MPG | About average |
| 2021 | $17,759 | $6,953 | $2,018 | $1,434 | 29 MPG | About average |
| 2020 | $15,268 | $6,571 | $1,566 | $1,549 | 29 MPG | About average |
| 2019 | $13,291 | $6,727 | $1,519 | $1,671 | 27 MPG | About average |
| 2018 | $11,419 | $6,403 | $1,105 | $1,799 | 27 MPG | About average |
| 2017 | $10,005 | $6,538 | $1,072 | $1,933 | 26 MPG | About average |
| 2016 | $8,665 | $6,440 | $866 | $2,074 | 26 MPG | About average |
| 2015 | $7,564 | $6,446 | $756 | $2,220 | 26 MPG | About average |
| 2014 | $6,604 | $6,475 | $660 | $2,373 | 26 MPG | About average |
| 2013 | $5,765 | $6,895 | $576 | $2,566 | 22 MPG | About average |
| 2012 | $5,033 | $7,034 | $503 | $2,698 | 21 MPG | About average |
| 2011 | $4,394 | $7,118 | $439 | $2,869 | 21 MPG | About average |
| 2010 | $3,836 | $7,376 | $384 | $3,090 | 20 MPG | About average |
Should you keep it?
Keeping vs replacing your BMW 3 Series
- Cheapest year to keep: 2018, at about $6,403 a year.
- Older isn't always cheaper: value lost shrinks as a car ages, but maintenance and repairs grow, from $774 a year for a 2024 to $3,090 for a 2010.
A paid-off car is usually the cheapest car you can drive, even with repairs: a replacement starts losing value the day you buy it and comes with tax, fees and often a loan. Switching tends to pay only when repairs get large and frequent, or a much more efficient car cuts fuel costs enough. Keep or Switch compares your BMW 3 Series against any replacement, including the costs of switching.
Questions
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a BMW 3 Series per year?
For a 2018 model at typical mileage, about $6,403 a year in value lost, insurance, fuel, maintenance, repairs and registration, not counting any loan. Years in the table range from $6,403 to $8,495.
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