Is a BMW Expensive to Maintain?

When buying a car, it’s easy to forget that the cost of the vehicle isn’t the only expense. Sure, it will likely be the most significant, but there are several often recurring costs you should factor in — especially if you’re getting a pre-owned vehicle that you intend to keep for a while. 

Barring the obvious, unavoidable cost of fuel, you should account for the cost of servicing and maintaining your car. In the case of a BMW, these costs can be particularly high. In fact, a June 2022 study found that BMWs happened to be the most expensive car to own over a 10-year period (of the 26 popular car manufacturers considered.)

Despite the rather gloomy introduction, we’re here to tell you that this news shouldn’t be a deterrent if you’re in the market for a Bimmer. They are, at the end of the day, excellent cars to drive. And you could argue that you can’t really put a price on that. This article answers the question, “Is a BMW expensive to maintain?” by telling you how you can significantly reduce the cost of ownership. 

Why Are BMWs Expensive to Maintain?

BMW is a luxury car manufacturer. The German marquee is known for its impressive engineering, with each component designed and built with high levels of craftsmanship. As a result, any spare parts you purchase from a BMW dealership will likely carry a hefty price tag compared to the same part for a similar car from another manufacturer. 

Furthermore, modern-day BMWs are complex cars with a heap of technology, most of which will require expensive fixes if something were to go wrong. 

BMWs have high-performance engines that require specialist knowledge and equipment to service properly. Consequently, the labor costs involved with maintaining them are rather high. The cost of ownership and service will differ depending on what model you’re driving and the BMW service center you’re visiting. Still, we’ve put together some information to outline how much general maintenance will set you back.

That said, it doesn’t have to be like this. The moment you leave the dealership network, things get much, much better. More on that later. 

BMW Oil Change Costs

A BMW oil change will typically cost between $130 and $180, including parts, fluids, and labor. Again, this figure is only an estimate and can be notably higher if you own a high-performance model like the BMW M4 or M5. With us, you can slash nearly half the price of an oil change depending on your model. Check out our oil change kits for more info. 

BMW Brake Service Costs

The cost of BMW brake pad replacement can set you back around $600 for both axles but can rise significantly higher if you opt for the higher-spec M Performance pads. If you need the sensors and rotors replaced, be prepared to spend close to $2,000. 

Again, you can save a lot of money on your brake jobs by ordering from Bimmers.com. Our brake kits include parts from some of the best brands in the business such as Brembo or Akebono, and cost far less than anything you’ll find in your local dealership. 

BMW Air Filter Replacement Costs

There are two essential air filters in your car — the engine air filter and the cabin air filter. As their names imply, the former filters ambient air before entering the combustion chamber, while the latter removes dust and smog from the air circulating inside the cabin through the air-conditioning. 

Getting the engine air filter and cabin air filter replaced by a BMW service center can cost you close to $60 and $40, respectively. We offer complete filter kits from brands such as MANN, that cost less than what your local dealership is asking for individual filters.

BMW Engine Cylinder Head Gasket Replacement Costs

The cost of replacing the cylinder head gasket on your BMW engine should give you a clearer idea of how brutal the labor charges associated with an authorized BMW service center are. The gasket itself is a reasonably inexpensive component, with a genuine BMW replacement part costing around $130 (for the BMW E90 3-Series.) 

However, if you were to have the part replaced at a BMW service center, you would likely be charged a bill over $2,500. Why? Simply because the process of replacing the head gasket is tedious and requires pulling apart the engine head to some degree. Therein lies the secret to reducing the cost of owning a BMW.

How Can You Reduce the Cost of Owning a BMW?

The simplest way to reduce the costs of living with a BMW is to carry out as much maintenance work as you can by yourself. If it’s something that requires a little bit of technical acrobatics, you should consider taking it to a trusted local mechanic rather than a BMW dealership. There’s a high probability that you could get the same level of expertise and attention for a fraction of the cost. 

The same report we mentioned earlier concluded that a BMW owner shells out an average of $911 every year to keep their car in running order. If you were to carry out an engine oil change, brake pad, and air filter replacement, you’re looking at about $850 in expenses, including the cost of labor.

We did the math and found that if you purchase the parts, the total for a set of brake pads, engine oil and filter, and air filter will cost you under $200. These prices were calculated for genuine BMW spares. You can get aftermarket options from reputed names for notably less, saving you even more money. This disparity in costs becomes even more apparent for more technical jobs, where a massive chunk of the final expenses comes down to labor costs. 

Yes, we agree that there’s a sense of credibility and trust in giving your car to an authorized service center when it needs work. But, several local technicians and centers, some of whom have previously worked with BMW, will deliver similar results. Most importantly, a lot of this work can be done by you, in your garage.

Another way to cut maintenance costs on a new BMW is by taking advantage of the BMW Ultimate Care Package. If you bought your car after 2017, it comes with the Ultimate Care Package to your purchase, giving you even less reason to worry. 

BMW Ultimate Care Package

All BMW vehicles sold after 2017 come with BMW Ultimate Care standard for the first 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. The following maintenance items are included with BMW Ultimate Care Package:

• Engine Oil
• Engine Filter
• Brake Fluid
• Cabin Microfilter (s)
• Engine Air Filter (s)
• Spark Plugs
• Remote Control/Key Battery
• Vehicle Check
• Fuel Filter (Diesel engines only)

As you can see, the package covers the cost of the essentials you’re likely to have replaced in the first few years of your ownership. BMW also lets you extend the Ultimate Care Package for a price, and we certainly believe it’s worth investing in. 

Finally, being proactive about maintenance and repairs is also a good idea. You can avoid expensive problems down the road by keeping your BMW in good condition. This means following the recommended service schedule and being quick to address any issues that arise.

Buy Genuine Replacement Parts from Bimmers.com

As we’ve established, owning a BMW can be expensive. But, as we also mentioned, many people don’t realize that many of those costs can be reduced by doing your own maintenance and repairs. One of the best ways to get the parts you need for those repairs is from Bimmers.com.

Bimmers.com is one of North America’s largest BMW-specific part suppliers. From engine, chassis, and transmission components to minor parts for the interior of a BMW, you can find it all by simply entering the model and year of your car in the shop section of the website. 

Ordering from the site and carrying out basic maintenance and repairs yourself is the easiest way to save a lot of money.