What We Learned After Testing a BMW M3 Over 40,000 Miles | Car and Driver

Speed is an expensive habit, and the more you pay, the more you get. Take our long-term 2022 BMW M3. We could have spent more for the more powerful Competition trim or the quicker all-wheel-drive variant. Instead, we went with the $70,895 base model, which not only was less expensive but also allowed us to get a manual transmission. Our 2022 manual-transmission M3 delivered a lot of grins and very few gremlins over 40,000 miles.

00:00 Intro
00:18 We got the perfect spec
01:43 The driving experience
03:35 Acceleration results
04:00 The benefits of short gearing and fuel economy
04:45 People seem to like its styling
05:28 Criticisms and complaints
06:42 Driving in winter
07:41 Tire wear
08:48 Brake caliper wear
09:40 Maintenance and other costs
10:17 The verdict

[brandonchism]

For those wondering about cost of other items beyond 36k miles, dealerships vary on certain items due to labor cost differences in different cities. For context my 2022 M3 currently sits at 46, 580 miles. It’s also a manual in Isle of Man green. I paid for oil changes between scheduled services for intervals of 5, 000 miles. In the Miami area, those oil changes are between $200-$250. Fuel system service and coolant flush/service was $540 in San Antonio. Alignments were $280 in Atlanta. Getting a BMW factory replacement windshield and associated parts versus Safelite is just under $2k in Atlanta. Once out of free service, I started buying my own oil and filters and taking the car to whatever dealer was closest. As of today 4/4/23, my last oil change was in Gainesville, FL at a cost of $75 with me bringing oil. That’s all I can think of for now, but I can check my records if anyone has questions.

[verde]

These type of videos are so useful. Long term ownership reviews are way more valuable than a one time drive car review

[iwhineTL]

As an owner of a 22 M3 competition Xdrive (IOMG / Kyalami), it's unreal how incredibly fast this vehicle is and just an amazing machine all around. The compliments are also incredible. Lots of thumbs up, "Hey! what a beautiful car!" and "what a gorgeous color!". It was worth every penny.

[murk]

Such a beautiful car. I actually love the grille and hope to see more of it.

It’s so aggressive especially in black

[infidelrr]

After seeing its little sibling the M2, this suddenly became a real beauty to my eyes 😍😂

[stephantranquille]

That footage was surreal and daunting at the same time. Well done boyz!

[jjames]

Wow great review - I like this genre from the channel and the presenter did an excellent job. Very relatable. I enjoyed the anecdotes and it didn’t feel like a sales pitch. Plus the specifics on tires and differentiation of vehicle aspects combined with humor was excellent - nice job!

[geldwertinvest]

Thanks so much for those long-term reviews!

[gwaddles]

I love seeing this car driving on roads I drive.

[MikeAK]

Best and most informed automotive commentator hands down. Lucky to have taken him from Motortrend

[WarriorsPhoto]

Great video.

There's one thing I like about an M car is the gearing. They are geared to have fun. 🎉😊

[blucaller]

Really enjoyable review. Wasn’t expecting that from C/D

[Nyx_]

also the steering is actually very good, the wide front tires and front end setup give this car amazing turn in and aggressive front end grip, this was a huge improvement, bmw made the front end as sharp as possible, I have a 21 m4 manual

[jeremyjohn]

I love these reviews. Real world testing

[acerimmer]

Hate the grille but that green is so beautiful it could look like an Aztec and I'd still drive it!

[FreshlySnipes]

I’ve put about 12, 000 miles on my 2022 manual G80. It’s not my daily but it really is fantastic.

[theeric]

Thank you for the review. I didn't like the grille at first on the new BMW but after some time, I've come to appreciate the aggressive look. I also like the warning about driving on gravel. Good tip. If I were to ever get an M, this model M3 would be my choice. Love the color too 🖤🏁😎

[pavan]

I am literally looking at the same spec M3. Same colour interior and exteriror. I get a test drive next week, hopefully it feels as good for me as it did for you here!

[wreilly]

Darn. The primary thing I was interested in was the wear/dirt resistance on those white seats. Any thoughts???? (Loved the review. Placed an allocation order for an M3 Comp xDrive on Saturday)

Edit: Rewatching this video amongst others. M3 Comp arrives on Tuesday :).

[SteYoung]

Tip: You can set a shortcut via the number 1 to 8 buttons to turn on or off the dual climate control sync. Its first thing I did. 😂