3 Series: the real 5-year cost
The BMW 3 Series 2024 is the premium saloon benchmark — and premium is the operative word in its running costs too. At £40,000 to buy and 44 mpg combined, five years at 8,000 miles a year totals £38,295: roughly £638 a month. Fuel costs £1,199 a year, insurance £720, maintenance £510 and road tax £190. That is the highest running total of any non-electric car here, driven by the purchase-adjacent costs of a premium badge: pricier insurance, pricier servicing, pricier everything.
Nobody buys a 3 Series to save money — but even enthusiasts should know exactly what the badge costs to feed before signing. Below, every cost is laid bare across five years of ownership. The 3 Series remains a superb driving machine, but the spreadsheet deserves equal attention.
| Purchase price | £38,995 |
| Fuel (5 yrs) | £6,161 |
| Insurance (5 yrs) | £3,560 |
| Maintenance (5 yrs) | £2,530 |
| Road tax (5 yrs) | £950 |
| Minus estimated resale value | −£14,428 |
Depreciation is the 3 Series' biggest bill: premium saloons shed value quickly as company-car cast-offs flood the used market in years two and three. That is painful for new buyers and wonderful for used buyers — a three-year-old 3 Series is one of Britain's great used bargains. To cut costs: use a BMW independent specialist, because main-dealer labour rates are eye-watering; shop around on tyres rather than defaulting to pricey run-flats; and keep every receipt, since documented history protects residuals.
Our verdict: buy the 3 Series for how it drives, never for what it costs. New, it is an indulgence; nearly new, it is a performance bargain with honest, predictable running costs. Few used cars offer this much engineering for the money.