Used BMW M3 for sale: everything you need to know
The BMW M3 is an iconic performance car that remains at the top of its game. Based on the BMW 3 Series, the latest model is the biggest yet, and one of the most potent, with bold styling that is guaranteed to turn heads.
These days, the BMW M3 name signifies the four-door saloon and estate. If you want a two-door coupe, you need to choose the BMW M4. Beneath the surface, the two cars are largely identical. BMW currently offers a single BMW M3 Competition grade in the UK, and has now bolstered the rear-wheel-drive model offered at launch with an xDrive four-wheel-drive version.
The BMW M3 Competition competes in an exalted sector of the market, with several formidable rivals including the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio and Audi RS4. However, the brilliant BMW M3 is more than a match for any of them. Take a look at a BMW M3 for sale on heycar to discover just what’s on offer.
Should you buy a BMW M3?
BMW has really gone to town with the latest BMW M3. A headline-grabbing 510PS shows it means business; even the rear-wheel-drive car does 0-62mph in less than 4.0 seconds, with the grippier xDrive four-wheel-drive model’s launch control system rocketing it to 62mph in just 3.5 seconds. You’re guaranteed to surprise many a Porsche 911 at the traffic lights…
Or maybe not: because onlookers won’t fail to spot the BMW M3 on the road. Notable design details include bulging wheelarches, motorsport-spec wheels and an exposed carbon fibre roof. It looks the business, and feels it inside, courtesy of a ludicrously exotic pair of hip-hugging BMW M sports seats.
Then there’s the array of BMW M buttons, all designed to help you hone the adaptive suspension, M Steptronic gearbox and multi-mode stability control system. The traction control has no fewer than 10 stages and there’s even an M Drift analyser, which scores how skilled you are at driving the BMW M3 sideways. Yes, really.
A brilliantly capable and engaging car, the BMW M3 is a true driver’s delight. But it’s also a car you can use for everyday driving. The cabin is roomy, with decent space in the rear for passengers, plus a surprisingly generous 480-litre boot. If you take it steady, the engine isn’t too bad on fuel, and ride quality settles down nicely on the motorway.
The BMW M3 has always been about offering everyday usability and weekend excitement, and this latest model really perfects the recipe. That’s particularly true of the grippy, ultra-secure BMW M3 Competition xDrive, which allows you to use more of that power, more of the time. As we move to an electric future, cars like this won’t exist forever; if you’re thinking of buying or leasing a new BMW M3, do so while you still can.
The BMW M3 is a famous high-performance car that has evolved continuously for many years. The current model is arguably the peak all-rounder, combining the excitement of the original, the well-rounded brilliance of the E46 and the sophistication you get from modern engine and suspension technology.
It also looks really exciting, a thoroughly bespoke model with detailing that wouldn’t look out of place on a Ferrari or Lamborghini. It’s a real M-car, one that will make every drive that bit more exciting. Add in solid retained values and the all-round practicality offered by the latest 3 Series, and you have a family-friendly performance car that won’t disappoint.
A BMW M3 not for you? We've got 1000s of used cars for sale to suit all budgets and needs.
What’s the best used BMW M3 model to buy?
As there's only one variant of the M3 available – the M3 Competition – your only real decision to make on spec is whether you want rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The former is lighter but the latter will get off the line faster and give you extra traction when the weather's bad, although it's slightly more expensive.
The differences when you drive on the road are pretty minute, so good is the all-wheel-drive system. We suspect you'd be happy with either, but if it were our money, we'd go all-wheel drive.
Used BMW M3 fuel economy and performance
BMW M3 Competition 3.0-litre turbo petrol: M TwinPower Turbo technology helps this sonorous straight-six engine produce 510PS, which is good for 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds. Top speed is 155mph, or 180mph with the optional M Driver’s Package. It averages 27.6mpg.
BMW M3 Competition xDrive 3.0-litre turbo petrol: The xDrive uses the same 510PS engine, but paired with four-wheel drive. The extra traction helps cut the 0-62mph dash to just 3.5 seconds. It’s surprisingly efficient as well, capable of averaging up to 28.2mpg.
What used BMW M3 trim levels are available?
BMW currently offers the mighty BMW M3 in a single model grade called Competition. Those looking to buy or lease can choose from the standard rear-driven model or the xDrive four-wheel-drive version. Both have the same specification.
The BMW M3 Competition boasts a full BMW M makeover with flared wheelarches, an all-black BMW kidney grille and exposed carbon fibre roof. Trademark BMW M door mirrors are fitted, as are dual twin exhausts, each measuring 100mm in diameter.
Used BMW M3 dimensions and boot size
The BMW M3’s exterior dimensions are:
Length: 4794mm
Width: 1903mm
Height: 1433mm
Ground clearance: 120mm
The BMW M3’s boot space is:
Used BMW M3 road tax
You might expect an older BMW M3 to be cheaper to tax, but that isn't necessarily the case. Some earlier models have hefty road tax bills because of their high CO2 emissions.
M3s registered before 1 April 2017 are taxed according to their emissions, with annual charges varying considerably between generations. The V8-powered E90, E92 and E93 models are particularly expensive.
More recent M3s registered from April 2017 cost £200 a year in Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), although the expensive-car supplement adds £440 annually during the second to sixth years of registration. That brings the total to £640 while the supplement applies, before dropping back to £200.
It's therefore worth comparing the tax costs of different M3 generations rather than assuming an older car will be cheaper to run. Our guide to car road tax explains the different charges in more detail.
How much is it to insure a BMW M3?
The BMW M3 will likely prove to be an expensive car to insure, due to its desirability and high performance. The BMW M3 Competition has a group 41 insurance rating (out of 50 groups in total). The BMW M3 xDrive version is in group 42, despite its theoretically more secure handling in wet weather.
Read our full BMW M3 review
