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Audi vs BMW Reliability

In our inspections, Audi’s average condition stays above the “decent” threshold to around 95k miles, about the same as BMW at 101k.

Based on 150 Audis and 343 BMWs. “Decent” means a condition score of 55/100.

vs
Head to head
AudiBMW
Cars inspected150343
Average condition63/10067/100
In good shape (60+/100)59%66%
Holds up to (avg dips below decent)~95k mi~101k mi
Repainted or replaced panel75%71%
Structural repair found3%2%
Fault codes recently cleared29%27%

Green = the better number of the pair. Condition reflects the mix of cars that came to us — age, price, model — so treat small gaps as a tie.

How they score
Audi
Excellent 27% Good 32% Mediocre 25% Poor 17%
BMW
Excellent 33% Good 33% Mediocre 19% Poor 15%
How long do they stay good?
Good cars by mileage
▬ Audi▬ BMW▬ all cars
0 25 50 75 100 Audi, 0–20k mi: 94%, drawn from the nearby bands (13 cars in this band)Audi, 20–40k mi: 91% in good shape (23 cars)Audi, 40–60k mi: 80% in good shape (25 cars)Audi, 60–80k mi: 44% in good shape (27 cars)Audi, 80–100k mi: 39% in good shape (23 cars)Audi, 100–120k mi: 45% in good shape (22 cars)Audi, 120–140k mi: 34%, drawn from the nearby bands (9 cars in this band)Audi, 140–160k mi: 24%, drawn from the nearby bands (5 cars in this band) BMW, 0–20k mi: 97% in good shape (33 cars)BMW, 20–40k mi: 98% in good shape (62 cars)BMW, 40–60k mi: 86% in good shape (57 cars)BMW, 60–80k mi: 59% in good shape (56 cars)BMW, 80–100k mi: 49% in good shape (55 cars)BMW, 100–120k mi: 43% in good shape (37 cars)BMW, 120–140k mi: 19% in good shape (21 cars)BMW, 140–160k mi: 12%, drawn from the nearby bands (12 cars in this band) 40k 80k 120k 160k 200k mileage when we inspected it
Good cars by age
▬ Audi▬ BMW▬ all cars
0 25 50 75 100 Audi, 1 years old: 94%, drawn from the nearby bands (9 cars this age)Audi, 2 years old: 93%, drawn from the nearby bands (8 cars this age)Audi, 3 years old: 93%, drawn from the nearby bands (11 cars this age)Audi, 4 years old: 87% in good shape (15 cars)Audi, 5 years old: 81%, drawn from the nearby bands (5 cars this age)Audi, 6 years old: 63%, drawn from the nearby bands (17 cars this age)Audi, 7 years old: 38% in good shape (21 cars)Audi, 8 years old: 50%, drawn from the nearby bands (12 cars this age)Audi, 9 years old: 40%, drawn from the nearby bands (14 cars this age)Audi, 10 years old: 46%, drawn from the nearby bands (7 cars this age)Audi, 11 years old: 45%, drawn from the nearby bands (10 cars this age)Audi, 12 years old: 29%, drawn from the nearby bands (8 cars this age)Audi, 13 years old: 16%, drawn from the nearby bands (7 cars this age) BMW, 1 years old: 98%, drawn from the nearby bands (15 cars this age)BMW, 2 years old: 96% in good shape (26 cars)BMW, 3 years old: 98%, drawn from the nearby bands (15 cars this age)BMW, 4 years old: 100% in good shape (30 cars)BMW, 5 years old: 94% in good shape (32 cars)BMW, 6 years old: 77% in good shape (35 cars)BMW, 7 years old: 58% in good shape (26 cars)BMW, 8 years old: 53% in good shape (30 cars)BMW, 9 years old: 52% in good shape (21 cars)BMW, 10 years old: 52%, drawn from the nearby bands (18 cars this age)BMW, 11 years old: 42%, drawn from the nearby bands (19 cars this age)BMW, 12 years old: 33%, drawn from the nearby bands (19 cars this age)BMW, 13 years old: 18%, drawn from the nearby bands (7 cars this age)BMW, 14 years old: 20%, drawn from the nearby bands (8 cars this age)BMW, 15 years old: 18%, drawn from the nearby bands (10 cars this age) 2y 4y 6y 8y 10y 12y 14y 16y vehicle age when we inspected it

Share in good shape (scoring 60+/100) by mileage and by age when we inspected them (each dot ≥5 cars; a band under 20 cars follows the nearby bands, so a run above the all-cars line stays above it, and a band of 20 or more uses the rate we measured; where a band has too few cars, the line follows the trend between the bands on either side; rolled-back odometers excluded from the mileage curve). Dashed grey = all cars we check.

Most common faults
Audi
Oil leaks · Engine
61%
Active error codes · Electronic equipment
42%
Tires condition & wear · Brakes and tires
40%
Fuel trim out of range · Engine
31%
Cracked or torn suspension bushings · Suspension
28%
BMW
Oil leaks · Engine
55%
Active error codes · Electronic equipment
36%
Tires condition & wear · Brakes and tires
34%
Low coolant / cooling system issues · Engine
27%
Leaking or worn shock absorbers · Suspension
17%
Trajectory by generation
Audi ▲ Newer Audis are holding up better 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 30% in good shape (age-adjusted; 19 cars, raw 32%) 30 2015–17: 68% in good shape (age-adjusted; 27 cars, raw 63%) 68 2018–20: 59% in good shape (age-adjusted; 25 cars, raw 64%) 59 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018–20 2021+
BMW ▲ Newer BMWs are holding up better 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 52% in good shape (age-adjusted; 34 cars, raw 53%) 52 2015–17: 66% in good shape (age-adjusted; 50 cars, raw 64%) 66 2018–20: 75% in good shape (age-adjusted; 52 cars, raw 81%) 75 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018–20 2021+

Share in good shape when inspected at the same age (5–10 years, age-adjusted), by model-year generation; dashed = all-brand average. All brands →

FAQ
?
Which is more reliable, Audi or BMW?
In our inspections, Audi’s average condition stays above the “decent” threshold to around 95k miles, about the same as BMW at 101k.
?
What are the most common problems with used Audis and BMWs?
On Audis we flag oil leaks (61%), active error codes (42%), tires condition & wear (40%). On BMWs: oil leaks (55%), active error codes (36%), tires condition & wear (34%).
?
How many Audi and BMW vehicles have you inspected?
150 Audis and 343 BMWs — 493 real pre-purchase inspections. Updated Nov 11, 2026.
?
How long do Audi and BMW stay in decent condition?
In our data, decent is a 55/100 score. The average Audi dips below it around 95k mi; BMW around 101k mi. Individual cars vary — get the one you’re buying inspected.
Buying a used Audi or BMW? Get a pre-purchase inspection before you pay.
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Based on 493 inspections · updated Nov 11, 2026