Is the BMW M3 ULEZ compliant?

Most petrol BMW M3s from 2006 and diesels from September 2015 meet the Euro standards for London ULEZ and other UK clean-air zones, so they are generally exempt from the daily charge. Pure-electric versions are always exempt.

What insurance group is the BMW M3 in?

The BMW M3 sits in insurance group 32 of 50. Your actual premium still depends on age, postcode, annual mileage and no-claims history.

Is the BMW M3 reliable?

Our reliability score for the BMW M3 is 72 out of 100 (good), derived from DVSA MOT records, with a first-time MOT pass rate of about 83% at the reference age.

What economy does the BMW M3 get?

Expect roughly around 27 mpg combined for a typical BMW M3, based on official figures and our running-cost model. Real-world figures vary with driving style, load and conditions.

What are the common problems on the BMW M3?

On the BMW M3, the issues that come up most by mileage include Suspension, Tyres & wheels and Brakes. The section above breaks down each one with its typical mileage, repair cost and severity.

How many BMW M3s are on UK roads?

About 27,883 BMW M3s are currently taxed and on the road in the UK, from DfT vehicle-licensing data.

Is the BMW M3 reliable?

The BMW M3 scores 72/100 on Forecourt's MOT-based reliability measure, ahead of 32% of the cars we track. That is computed from 454,374 real DVSA MOT test results.

How much does a used BMW M3 cost?

A 2023 BMW M3 with around 21,933 miles is worth roughly £53,450 today (typical range £46,950–£59,900). Dealer forecourt prices sit higher and part-exchange offers lower; newer or lower-mileage examples cost more.

How quickly does the BMW M3 depreciate?

A new BMW M3 typically loses about 44% of its value over the first three years, then depreciates more slowly. Buying at three to five years old avoids the steepest part of the curve.

What insurance group is the BMW M3?

The BMW M3 sits in insurance group 32 of 50 — the more expensive end of the scale. Exact premiums depend on the trim (some versions sit a few groups higher or lower), your age, postcode and no-claims history.

What goes wrong on a used BMW M3?

The most common age-related issues we track for the BMW M3 are: suspension (typically around over 100k miles, £150-£450 to put right); tyres & wheels (typically around over 100k miles, £80-£500 to put right); brakes (typically around over 100k miles, £150-£500 to put right). A full service history and a recent MOT with no advisories are the best protection.

What does the BMW M3 cost to run?

Expect around 27 mpg combined, £195 a year in road tax, about £290 for a standard annual service. The full cost-of-ownership table above breaks this down per year and per mile for the exact year and mileage you choose.

Ranked #192 car in the UK · Saloon · 2,030 units sold last year

BMW M3

The BMW M3 spans the F80 (to 2018) and the big-grilled G80 (2021 on) - the benchmark super-saloon, now offered with rear- or xDrive four-wheel drive and even a Touring estate abroad. Its twin-turbo straight-six is a masterpiece, and the G80 added everyday usability to the old car's edge. Divisive looks aside, it remains one of the most complete fast four-doors you can buy.

Body: Saloon
Years: 2018–2026
Fuel: Petrol
Economy: 27 mpg
Insurance: Group 32

The short version

35/100

Forecourt score

Value 32 · Reliability 47 · Insurance 16

The BMW M3 loses value faster than most cars and is dearer to run than most. Its MOT-based reliability is good, 72 out of 100, ahead of 47% of the cars we track. On three-year value retention it ranks better than 32% of models.

The Forecourt score blends how this car ranks against the catalogue on value retention, reliability and insurance cost (weighted 40/40/20). Higher is better; running cost is not yet folded in.

Pick your version

Estimates are tuned to the version you choose.

Fuel

Petrol · 2993cc

Power

510 ps

Drivetrain

AWD

Cam drive

Chain

Quoted MPG

28 mpg

The volume M3. 3.0L S58 inline-6 twin-turbo, 510 PS, 8-speed M Steptronic auto, AWD xDrive. 3.5s 0-62. 28+ mpg achievable. The sport saloon benchmark.

Tell us about the one you're looking at

Year of registration2023

20182026

Mileage on the clock21,933 mi

0Expected: 21,933180k

Conditiongood

PoorFairGoodExcellent

Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical car.

Region

Remembered as you browse other cars.

Know the registration?

Optional — fills in the exact year and ULEZ status for your specific car. The registration isn’t stored.

Estimated market value

£53,450

Range £44,800 – £62,700

medium confidence

When new (2023)£84,000Age-based value£47,040Mileage adjustment+£0Condition & region-£13Market calibration+£8,873Forecourt price£55,900Private sale£51,000Part-exchange£44,850

Holdthis 3-year-old

Fair value — the 4-year mark is the sweet spot.

At 21,933 miles it’s below the ~27,488 typical for a 3-year-old — a well-kept reading.

Seen one for sale?

A data-led guide from the depreciation curve, UK parc trend and reliability — not financial advice.

The depreciation curve

How a 2023-registration BMW M3 loses value over time.

Marker = your selection
Dashed = mileage either side

What it costs to own

Over

Based on the 2023 car with 21,933 miles you entered above — worth about £53,450 today — here is the cost of owning it for the next 5 years, at roughly 7,311 miles a year.

5-year total

£25,640

Per year

£5,128

All-in per mile

£0.70

Fuel per mile

25.8p

If a company carAround £1,203/mo Benefit-in-Kind tax at the 40% rate (£601/mo at 20%) — 37% band

Depreciation£5,502

Fuel / energy£9,433

Servicing£2,570

Road tax£975

Insurance£7,160

If you're a company-car driver

At 37% BIK, a 40% taxpayer would pay about £1203/month in company-car tax (£601/month at 20%) — on top of the running costs above. Full BIK table below for context.

Best age to buy — around 5 years

A 5-year-old example loses roughly £3,900 a year — under half the £10,600 a one-year-old sheds. The steepest drop is behind it.

Uses current UK pump and home-charging prices (DESNZ weekly), typical-driver insurance and manufacturer service intervals. "Fuel per mile" is just the energy input — so an EV at ~9p and a diesel at ~22p make running-cost comparison direct. A guide; your own costs will vary.

How it compares

Where this car ranks against the 340 vehicles in our index — higher is better.

Holds its valuebetter than 32%

Reliabilitybetter than 47%

Fuel economybetter than 5%

Cheap to insurebetter than 16%

Percentile rank across our full index. A measure is shown only where the data spreads meaningfully across the index.

Petrol, diesel, hybrid or EV?

How the available versions compare on price, running cost, and the headaches each tends to develop.

M3 / Competition / CS / Touring

BMW's sport saloon benchmark. M3 Touring estate is first ever wagon M3 — historic addition. Cross-shop Mercedes-AMG C 63, Audi RS 5, Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. The M3 is the M division's volume halo product.

New price: £85,000
Annual fuel / energy: £2,100
3-yr depreciation: 36%

Watch for

·Tyre wear quick (Michelin Pilot Sport 4S/Cup 2)
·Brake pads/discs wear quick under track use
·Carbon ceramic brakes (optional) extremely expensive
·Strong residuals — M3 holds value

Fuel/energy costs based on this week’s UK averages (w/c 22/06/2026) · Petrol 153.3p/L, Diesel 172.5p/L, Electricity 27.0p/kWh · DESNZ

Estimated insurance

Group 32 of 50 (upper-mid — pricier to insure) · Comprehensive · 3 years NCB

Indicative annual comprehensive premiums for this car, by driver age band and risk profile. Pick the combination closest to your circumstances.

No-claims bonus3 years

0 yearsBaseline: 3 years15+

Risk profile:

Estimated annual premium · typical, age 33-39

£1,432/ year

Roughly £119 per month

Typical

Average UK driver — 3 years NCB, average postcode, no recent claims.

Age band	Lower risk	Typical	Higher risk
Age 17-25	£3,265	£4,081	£5,306
Age 26-32	£1,704	£2,005	£2,446
Age 33-39Selected	£1,260	£1,432	£1,690
Age 40-49	£1,070	£1,189	£1,379
Age 50+	£954	£1,060	£1,250

How we estimate this

Indicative annual comprehensive premium estimates. The 'Typical' figure represents an average UK driver in each age band; Lower and Higher risk show the realistic spread driven by factors UK insurers legitimately price on (postcode, occupation, claims history, NCB, voluntary excess, modifications). Based on 10,000 miles/yr, £250 voluntary excess, and the no-claims bonus selected above. Always get individual quotes before buying.

Expected annual costs

Adjust the annual mileage to match how you'll actually use the car. Insurance is what you selected above (age 33-39, typical risk, 3 yrs NCB).

Annual mileage7,311 mi/yr

2,000UK avg for this model: 7,31130,000

Routine service

£290

Annual main-dealer service

Major service

£280

Every 2 years, annualised

Road tax

£195

Standard rate, post year-one

Fuel

£1,769

27 mpg, £1.49/L

Insurance

£1,432

Age 33-39, group 32

Clean-air zones

✓ ULEZ compliant

All petrol variants meet Euro 4 standards and are ULEZ compliant.

Based on London ULEZ standards — Birmingham, Bath, Bristol, Sheffield, Glasgow and other UK clean-air zones generally follow the same rules.

Total expected£3,966 / year

Excludes depreciation and unscheduled repairs (see next section).

Unexpected costs

What out-of-warranty repairs typically run, by mileage band. Your selected mileage is highlighted.

0-30k miles

£120

per year · low risk

30-60k miles

£360

per year · low risk

60-100k miles

£780

per year · medium risk

100k+ miles

£1,350

per year · high risk

Tyres

205/60 R16 · 225/50 R17 · 245/40 R18

What a full set of four will cost you (including fit and balance), and which brand each tier of buyer should pick. A typical set lasts about 24,000 miles.

Budget

£300

set of 4, fitted · £60 per tyre

Mid-range

£440

set of 4, fitted · £95 per tyre

Premium

£620

set of 4, fitted · £140 per tyre

What to fit

Optional extras worth paying for

Factory options ranked by how much of their original cost they recover at resale. Anything above 70% return tends to make money back; below 40% is paying for your own enjoyment.

Option	New cost	Added used value	Return
Tow bar (factory-fit) Niche, but the buyers who want one will pay for it.	£650	£450	69%
Parking sensors & reversing camera Near-expected now — its absence costs more than its presence returns.	£500	£300	60%
Heated seats / cold-weather pack	£450	£200	44%
Adaptive / matrix LED headlights	£900	£400	44%
Metallic or premium paint Almost universal — an unusual colour is the bigger resale risk.	£600	£200	33%
Panoramic / opening roof	£1,100	£350	32%
Advanced driver-assistance pack	£1,500	£450	30%
Larger alloy wheels	£700	£200	29%
Premium sound system	£800	£200	25%

Parts most likely to fail

Drawn from owner reports and warranty data. Filtered for relevance to 21,933 miles.

Watch now

Failure typically happens around your current mileage.

Upcoming

A known weak point — but you haven't reached its usual mileage yet.

Already due

Past its usual failure mileage. Either already fixed, or about to.

SuspensionUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £150-£450medium severityParts high

Recorded in 7.8% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 447,033 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Tyres & wheelsUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £80-£500low severityParts high

Recorded in 5.2% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 447,033 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

BrakesUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £150-£500medium severityParts high

Recorded in 7.3% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 447,033 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Lighting & signallingUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £15-£120low severityParts high

Recorded in 5.8% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 447,033 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

EmissionsUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £150-£800medium severityParts high

Recorded in 4.0% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 447,033 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Driver's viewUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £60-£300low severityParts high

Recorded in 2.8% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 447,033 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

"Parts low/medium/high" indicates how easy the replacement part is to source — discontinued or specialist parts mean longer workshop time and bigger bills.

MOT outlook

How this model fares at its MOT as it ages — from 454,374 real DVSA test records.

MOT pass rate by age

86.8% at 3yr → 80.2% at 25yr

A 3-year-old M3 passes its MOT 86.8% of the time; by 25 years that has slipped to 80.2%. The y-axis is zoomed to this model’s range so the trend is readable.

Longevity

17%of 40-year-old examples are still taxed and on the road — a useful read on how well the model lasts.

From 64 vehicles registered in 1986.

Survival by registration year

17% of 1986 cars still on the road

Each point is one registration cohort. Older cars on the left, newer on the right. A flatter line means the model holds up over time; a steep drop means cohorts disappear from UK roads faster.

What’s on the road

The fuel-type split of every M3 currently MOT’d in the UK. From 43,715 vehicles.

Petrol 98.4%
Other 1.5%

Common MOT failures by mileage

The defect categories this M3 fails on most often, and how the failure rate climbs as the miles add up — from the same DVSA test records.

Category	0-30k	30-60k	60-100k	100k+
Suspension	3%	5%	7%	8%
Tyres & wheels	4%	5%	5%	5%
Brakes	1%	2%	5%	7%
Lighting & signalling	1%	2%	4%	6%
Emissions	—	1%	2%	4%
Driver's view	1%	1%	2%	3%

Share of MOT tests in each mileage band with at least one defect in that category. The peak band for each is highlighted.

Typical mileage by age

The average odometer reading for a M3 at MOT, by age — measured from the same DVSA records, not assumed. A useful yardstick for whether a given car has done more or fewer miles than its age suggests.

0 yr37,382
1 yr35,161
2 yr21,633
3 yr27,488
4 yr35,721
5 yr43,428
6 yr50,143
7 yr56,385
8 yr62,832
9 yr69,014
10 yr74,810
11 yr80,257

Mean recorded mileage at MOT by vehicle age, from DVSA test records (ages with at least 10 tests shown).

Reliability

72/ 100

Good

Composite of MOT pass rate, defect prevalence and cohort survival from 447,033 tests — high confidence.

MOT outlook · age 5 years

83%first-time pass rate

32th percentile — Below catalogue average

Based on 29,068 MOT tests · ranked against 248 catalogue models with comparable data

Where this car sits in the catalogue

Pass-rate distribution across 248 catalogue models

Things owners say

01The straight-six is superb; the Competition is the one most chase, with xDrive for all-weather pace.
02The G80's grille splits opinion, but it's roomier and more usable daily than the focused F80.
03Manuals exist on rear-drive G80s for purists; most are the quicker, smoother eight-speed auto.

Safety recalls

Manufacturers occasionally issue safety recalls to fix a fault free of charge. You can check whether the BMW M3, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.

Check on GOV.UK

Opens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.

Theft risk

A general indicator from UK 2025 theft data and this car’s characteristics — not a prediction for any one vehicle.

Whole-car theft

Higher

Higher-value cars like this are relay-theft targets — keyless entry can be exploited from the driveway in under a minute.

Parts theft

Around average

Parts-theft risk is around average — catalytic-converter theft is the main thing to be aware of on any petrol or diesel car.

Worth doing

Keep keys in a Faraday pouch and away from the front door to block relay attacks.
A visible steering lock is a cheap, strong deterrent on a frequently-targeted car.

Clean-air zones

Whether driving a BMW M3 into a UK clean-air zone will cost you anything. Rules use the same Euro standard across most zones — petrol from 2006 and diesel from 2015 onwards are exempt; pure electric is always exempt.

Charging zones for cars

City	Area	Daily charge	Likely outcome
London	All of Greater London (within the M25)	£12.50	Likely exempt Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
Birmingham	Inside the A4540 Middleway	£8.00	Likely exempt Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
Bristol	City centre and part of the Portway	£9.00	Likely exempt Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
Glasgow	City centre	—	Likely exempt Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
Edinburgh	City centre	—	Likely exempt Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
Aberdeen	City centre	—	Likely exempt Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
Dundee	City centre	—	Likely exempt Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.

Zones that don't charge private cars

Bath — City centre (Private cars and motorbikes are not charged).
Bradford — Outer ring road and the Aire Valley (Private cars are not charged).
Sheffield — Inside the A61 inner ring road (Private cars are not charged).
Newcastle & Gateshead — City centres and the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges (Private cars are not charged).
Portsmouth — Part of the city centre (Applies to taxis, PHVs, buses, coaches and HGVs only).

Model-level guidance only. To check a specific registration, use the official gov.uk clean-air zone checker. Zone charges and boundaries are set by local councils and change over time.

Company car tax

What HMRC's Benefit-in-Kind charge looks like if you ran this BMW M3 as a company car, by tax year and income-tax band. Calculated from a CO₂ of 233 g/km, using £97,500 as the P11D value.

Tax year	BIK %	Tax @ 20%	Tax @ 40%	Monthly @ 20%	Monthly @ 40%
2025-26	37%	£7,215	£14,430	£601	£1,203
2026-27	37%	£7,215	£14,430	£601	£1,203
2027-28	38%	£7,410	£14,820	£618	£1,235
2028-29	39%	£7,605	£15,210	£634	£1,268
2029-30	39%	£7,605	£15,210	£634	£1,268

P11D value is approximated from the latest new price; the exact figure on your tax code will depend on options fitted. The 4% diesel surcharge applies only to non-RDE2 (pre-2021) diesels — we assume RDE2 compliance for current models. Bands and rates from HMRC's Autumn Budget 2024 confirmation through 2029/30.

Servicing & the dealer network

How well-supported BMW is across the UK — a practical read on how easy servicing, parts and warranty work will be to find.

Franchised UK dealers

~145

Large network

Premium mainstream

Network size relative to the UK's largest (BMW is 3.2% of all franchised outlets)

Servicing, parts and warranty work are easy to find UK-wide, and most independent garages know the brand well — which keeps maintenance competitive.

For context, the UK has roughly 4,500 franchised car-dealer outlets in total, plus about 15,500 independent garages.

Approximate figures, curated from public UK industry sources (NFDA, Car Dealer Magazine). Franchised networks shrink year on year — these indicate network size, not an exact count.

Dimensions & weight

Length

4,700 mm

Width

1,840 mm

Height

1,450 mm

Kerb weight

1,550 kg

Boot

460–480 L

Fuel tank

48 L

How many are still out there

Of every BMW M3 ever registered in the UK, this is what's actively on the road, parked off the road on a SORN, or gone for good.

Total ever registered

38,386

Currently taxed & on road

27,883

73% of all registered

SORN (off road)

10,503

27% of all registered

Scrapped or exported

UK fleet trend — 2014 to 2025

+4.8% vs 2024

18,58027,883

Source: DfT VEH0124 vehicle licensing statistics (year-end 2025) · Updated 1 Jul 2026

Common questions

BMW M3, answered

Is the BMW M3 ULEZ compliant?: Most petrol BMW M3s from 2006 and diesels from September 2015 meet the Euro standards for London ULEZ and other UK clean-air zones, so they are generally exempt from the daily charge. Pure-electric versions are always exempt.
What insurance group is the BMW M3 in?: The BMW M3 sits in insurance group 32 of 50. Your actual premium still depends on age, postcode, annual mileage and no-claims history.
Is the BMW M3 reliable?: Our reliability score for the BMW M3 is 72 out of 100 (good), derived from DVSA MOT records, with a first-time MOT pass rate of about 83% at the reference age.
What economy does the BMW M3 get?: Expect roughly around 27 mpg combined for a typical BMW M3, based on official figures and our running-cost model. Real-world figures vary with driving style, load and conditions.
What are the common problems on the BMW M3?: On the BMW M3, the issues that come up most by mileage include Suspension, Tyres & wheels and Brakes. The section above breaks down each one with its typical mileage, repair cost and severity.
How many BMW M3s are on UK roads?: About 27,883 BMW M3s are currently taxed and on the road in the UK, from DfT vehicle-licensing data.

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Same underpinnings

Built on the BMW CLAR platform

Rear/all-wheel-drive longitudinal platform for BMW's 3-Series and above. Steel-aluminium hybrid construction. Different badges, often substantially different residuals, but broadly the same mechanicals and repair cost profile.

BMW Cluster Architecture · BMW

Common questions

BMW M3, answered from the data

Is the BMW M3 reliable?: The BMW M3 scores 72/100 on Forecourt's MOT-based reliability measure, ahead of 32% of the cars we track. That is computed from 454,374 real DVSA MOT test results.
How much does a used BMW M3 cost?: A 2023 BMW M3 with around 21,933 miles is worth roughly £53,450 today (typical range £46,950–£59,900). Dealer forecourt prices sit higher and part-exchange offers lower; newer or lower-mileage examples cost more.
How quickly does the BMW M3 depreciate?: A new BMW M3 typically loses about 44% of its value over the first three years, then depreciates more slowly. Buying at three to five years old avoids the steepest part of the curve.
What insurance group is the BMW M3?: The BMW M3 sits in insurance group 32 of 50 — the more expensive end of the scale. Exact premiums depend on the trim (some versions sit a few groups higher or lower), your age, postcode and no-claims history.
What goes wrong on a used BMW M3?: The most common age-related issues we track for the BMW M3 are: suspension (typically around over 100k miles, £150-£450 to put right); tyres & wheels (typically around over 100k miles, £80-£500 to put right); brakes (typically around over 100k miles, £150-£500 to put right). A full service history and a recent MOT with no advisories are the best protection.
What does the BMW M3 cost to run?: Expect around 27 mpg combined, £195 a year in road tax, about £290 for a standard annual service. The full cost-of-ownership table above breaks this down per year and per mile for the exact year and mileage you choose.

Answers are generated from this car's Forecourt data — DVSA MOT records, DfT licensing statistics and our valuation model — and update with the weekly data refresh.