BMW M3 was put through reliability test involving 62,000 miles of hard driving and then dismantled with extraordinary results at the end
Published on Mar 31, 2026 at 12:19 AM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Mar 30, 2026 at 3:38 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
Everyone wants their car to last as long as possible, and a German publication recently put a BMW M3 through over 60,000 miles of hard driving in a reliability test to see how it fared.
Auto Bild, a top automotive publication in Germany, has something called the Dauertest.
In this, they take a car, run it hard for 62,000 miles, and then dismantle it to see what condition the engine is in, as well as look for anything that might have gone wrong, while also assessing its reliability.
A few years ago, Auto Bild used a G80 BMW M3 for the test, and after stripping the car down, there were some surprising discoveries.
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This is what the dauertest involved for the BMW M3
The test itself was quite simple.
Whichever car is bought, it’s then flogged for 62,000 miles and put through its paces.
At the end of that, each car is stripped down to see if there are any hidden surprises.
From October 2021 to November 2023, the G80 BMW M3 was the car used for the test.
During that time, it racked up 4,770 miles each month before the test reached its conclusion.
These aren’t gentle miles either, as the car is driven hard, including some miles on a race track.
It really did involve pushing the BMW to its limits.
The teardown then involved a complete strip of the engine and its components so every part could be assessed.
This is why the Dauertest results were a big surprise
After so many hard miles, you might expect to see a few things of note across the engine.
Yet after stripping it down, Auto Bild had quite a shock.
Little to no wear was found on any of the engine components.
For example, there were no leaks or hairline cracks, and no scratches within the cylinder walls.
The clutch was found to still be good for around 30,000 miles despite being seriously abused in the tests.
Auto Bild was full of praise for the BMW after the reliability test.
“None of the nearly 200 cars in Auto Bild’s long-term tests over the past 30 years have ever completed the test so flawlessly and reliably,” they said.
That is a huge testament to the work BMW put into this current generation of M3.
Plus, it means owners can enjoy the 3.0-liter S58 twin-turbocharged straight-six engine without concern.
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Henry joined the Supercar Blondie team in February 2025, and since then has covered a wide array of topics ranging from EVs, American barn finds, and the odd Cold War jet. He’s combined his passion for cars with his keen interest in motorsport and his side hustle as a volunteer steam locomotive fireman at a heritage steam railway.
