We’ve covered, more than a few times, the tendency for European luxury cars to depreciate very quickly. These cars start at a high price point, meaning that they have further to fall when the new car smell is gone. They come with a higher cost of ownership, and they appeal to a demographic that enjoys the status that comes with owning the shiniest new car.
So we’re not surprised to learn that a used 2023 BMW 3 Series is selling for about the price of a new Nissan Altima, but, wow, it looks like dealers can’t give these cars away.
Used Luxury Cars Are Sitting On The Lot For 50+ Days
2026 BMW 3 Series Sedan Rear Angle ViewBME
CarFax released a report for June 2026 showing that used luxury vehicles were the weakest second-hand segment overall. CarFax reported a $900 average drop, month-over-month, in the western region, with used luxury cars tending to stay on the lot for at least 50 days before selling.
Checking in with CarEdge to get an idea of how quickly European luxury brands depreciate, here’s what we see five years in.
- BMW five-year depreciation rate – 50%
- Mercedes-Benz five-year depreciation rate – 46%
- Audi five-year depreciation rate – 48%
- Alfa Romeo five-year depreciation rate – 66%
- Volvo five-year depreciation rate – 51%
As is usually the case when we look at used luxury cars, pricing trends will disappoint new car buyers, while creating opportunities for bargain-hunters. As of mid-2026, a three-year-old BMW 3 Series should be very attractive for budget-conscious luxury car fans.
The 2023 BMW 330i Is Trending At Around $30,000
2026 BMW 3 Series Sedan Front ViewBME
According to our own price-tracking tool, an entry-level 2023 BMW 3 Series is trending at around 70% of its initial $43,800 MSRP, as of August 4, 2026, broken down by trim below.
- 330i Sedan – $30,880
- 330i xDrive Sedan – $32,630
- M340i Sedan – $35,356
- M340i xDrive Sedan – $35,594
If you’re looking for the best possible deal, you’re actually saving more money the higher you go up the ladder. An M340i xDrive Sedan initially sold at an MSRP of $56,850, meaning that it’s currently trending at just 62% of its original sticker price.
Going back a couple more years, we find 3 Series sedans selling for a little over half their original MSRP, with an entry-level 330i trending at $21,950 from a $41,250 sticker price.
Browsing our own marketplace, we can find the following listings up for grabs.
- A 79,933-mile 2020 330i is selling for $15,994 in Florida.
- A 58,361-mile 2021 330i is selling for $19,994 in California.
- A 64,115-mile 2022 330i is selling for $22,095 in New York.
- An 87,036-mile 2021 330i xDrive is selling for $22,299 in North Carolina.
- A 72,800-mile 2023 330i xDrive is selling for $28,690 in Connecticut.
Note that these listings are only provided to give you an idea of what’s available. There’s no telling what will be on the market in your area, and in your price range, when you’re ready to shop around, so you’ll want to run a search of your own.
In any event, these numbers suggest that you’ve got plenty of affordable listings to choose from. If you’re after a well-kept, lightly used 2022 model that’s going to be your baby, or you want a high-mileage, low-cost beater to daily drive for a couple of years and then sell for scrap, you’ve got plenty of options.
The Used Car Market Is Generally Holding Steady In 2026
2026 BMW 3 Series Sedan Side ViewBME
Luxury cars taking a dip over the course of the summer is not exactly indicative of a broader trend. That is, according to the Manheim used vehicle value index, as reported by Cox Automotive, wholesale used vehicle values were actually up by 2.4%, year over year, in July, despite a slight downtick from a month prior (in fact, the trend isn’t even universal among luxury cars).
Across all segments, there is a tendency for used cars to stay on the lot for about 47 days, which isn’t so bad, compared to 50+ days for luxury models. EVs and hybrids are in the same boat as luxury models, though. These cars are especially popular among leasers, meaning that there’s always going to be a steady influx of three-year-old models. Used Teslas tend to only take around 32 days to find a buyer, according to iSeeCars, but non-Tesla EVs can take 60 days to find a buyer.
They say that a rising tide lifts all ships, but used luxury cars and EVs tend to be slow sellers through all the ups and downs in the larger used car market. It’s rare to see second-hand BMWs flying off the lot.
Is A Used 3 Series Worth Buying?
2026 BMW 3 Series Sedan DashboardBME
Used prices for a three or five-year-old 3 Series may be very attractive at the moment, but a point that we’ve made time and again is that, when you buy a used luxury car, saving on the price tag often means spending more at the shop and on insurance and on premium fuel. That is, the high cost of ownership is a big part of why these cars sell for so cheap after they’ve put a few miles on the odometer, and outlived their warranties.
So, what does it cost to own a 2023 BMW 3 Series? FuelEconomy.gov estimates a 330i averaging around $2,600 a year in fuel expenses, assuming 15,000 miles driven per year, split 45/55 between highway and city driving. RepairPal puts a 3 Series at around $773 in annual repair costs, and insuring the car for a year, according to CarEdge, should cost around $3,211 for full coverage, for a 40-year-old driver with good credit and a clean record.
This adds up to an annual ownership cost of $6,584. Your mileage may vary, of course. You might not be buying full coverage for a 2021 luxury car that you bought for $16,000. You might not be putting anywhere close to 15,000 miles on your car each year, and you could be spending far more or far less on repairs. But, $6,584 is a safe ballpark estimate for a typical driver.
We’ve Always Liked The 3 Series
We reported on the 2021 BMW 3 Series, back when we first reviewed it, that “BMW’s cars have become synonymous with fun, proficiency, and balanced driving experiences — qualities the 2021 3 Series Sedan packages seamlessly into its suave and authoritative 4-door composition.”
We had high praise for both the entry-level turbo-four and the straight-six power plants, we found the firm ride and confident cornering to be very satisfactory, and we concluded that the sedan’s premium price was well worth paying. Five years later, it’s still the fun, refined driving experience it was at launch, and we stand by our initial review.
Does this mean it’s worth spending $6,584 a year to keep it running, and to keep it insured? For budget-savvy BMW fans looking to grab a great car well below sticker price, we’re going to say yes. For bargain hunters looking for a deal, that low purchase price might not look so attractive when you factor in $549 a month in ownership costs.
At the end of the day, you’re still saving tens of thousands of dollars on the price of a brand-new BMW. However, BMW Ultimate Care only covers three years of scheduled maintenance from the time the car first rolls off the lot, and a certified pre-owned model only comes with one extra year of warranty coverage.
We’re not trying to discourage anyone from buying a used 3 Series if they’ve had their eye on it, but it’s worth bearing in mind that cheap-to-buy doesn’t always mean cheap-to-own. Part of the appeal of buying a luxury car isn’t just that you could afford the sticker price, but that you don’t wince at the cost of premium gasoline and specialty maintenance, either.
Sources: BMW, RepairPal, CarEdge, FuelEconomy.gov, Cox Automotive, CarFax, iSeeCars.
