Selling a BMW that no longer runs

Below: where BMW comes from, which of its 32 US models draw the most owner complaints, what the brand's cars have in common, and a link to every BMW model page on this site.

From Munich motorcycles to South Carolina SUVs

BMW was founded on 7 March 1916 and is headquartered in Munich, Germany. It makes cars, motorcycles and bicycles. Its first successful motorcycle was the R32 of 1923, with a "boxer" twin engine whose two cylinders stick out into the airflow on either side.

Many BMWs sold in the US are built in the US. Wikipedia says the plant in Greer, South Carolina, known as the Spartanburg plant, has the highest output of any BMW plant, about 1,500 vehicles a day. It builds the X3, X4, X5, X6, X7 and XM.

The EPA's fuel economy list carries 32 BMW model lines, from model year 1984 through 2027. The 3 Series, 5 Series, 6 Series and 7 Series are all in it from 1984.

Which BMWs owners complain about most

As of October 10, 2026, NHTSA held 29,621 owner complaints across the 32 BMW models. Every count here is a BMW owner's own report. No BMW report here is a proven defect, and the total doesn't grade reliability. A model that has sold for decades in big numbers will always have more reports than a new one. Recent BMWs have also been out a shorter while to gather them.

What stands out:

• The 3 Series alone accounts for 10,099 of the 29,621, more than a third.
• The top three (3 Series, 5 Series and X5) hold 17,909 between them.
• The X5 is the SUV owners report most. It and the X3 are both built in Greer.
• The newest models barely register yet. The i5 has 28 complaints, the i7 25 and the XM 11. The iX3, first listed for 2027, has none.

A recall that reached across BMW's lineup

In November 2016 BMW recalled 136,000 US cars from model years 2007 to 2012 for fuel pump wiring problems. Wikipedia says the fault could cause a fuel leak, and the engine could stall or have trouble restarting. That 136,000 is the count for the whole campaign. The Wikipedia line does not say which models it covered, so do not read it as any single model's number. Own a BMW from those years? Any BMW dealer can run the VIN for open recalls. Our open recall guide covers selling a car that still has one.

Selling a dead BMW, start to finish

A BMW that will not start, will not shift or has sat for months can still be sold. You do not need to fix it, and you do not need to take parts off it. If it simply won't run, our non-running car guide sets out the choices.

What helps us give you a quick answer:

• The model and year, for example a 2009 5 Series or a 2013 X1, plus the mileage.
• Whether it starts, whether it rolls, and whether anything is damaged or missing.
• Whether you hold the title. If it is lost, see selling a junk car with no title.
• Where the BMW is now, like your garage, driveway, the street, or a repair shop lot.

Our truck comes to that spot, and pickup is free anywhere in the US. Once it is gone, take care of the plates and the paperwork.

Want to talk it over first? Call (877) 421-6008.

Every BMW model on this site

Each of the 32 BMW model lines EPA lists gets its own page here, using EPA model years. The EPA adds the latest BMW years as they are rated, so an end year of 2025 or 2026 does not mean the model was dropped.