Every BMW on our Arlington Heights lot is up to $1,700 off through July 31. The math in this article just got even better. Browse BMW inventory →

Everyone assumes a BMW costs a fortune more than a Toyota. When you actually run the numbers on a used example of each, the gap is smaller than the internet says — and in some cases it disappears entirely.

Ask any casual car shopper why they bought a Camry instead of a 3 Series and you will get the same answer: "The BMW would cost me a fortune to own." It is one of the most repeated pieces of car advice on the internet, passed down from father to son, mechanic to customer, forum to forum.

It is also mostly wrong.

Not entirely wrong. A brand-new BMW does cost more to own than a brand-new Toyota. But on the used market — where most people actually shop — the comparison is dramatically closer than the conventional wisdom claims. Once you factor in the massive first-owner depreciation the BMW has already taken, the differences narrow, and in specific scenarios reverse.

This is the honest five-year math on a used BMW 3 Series versus a used Toyota Camry — the two cars that most directly represent this decision.

Setting Up a Fair Comparison

To make this meaningful, we are comparing two roughly equivalent used cars a buyer would realistically cross-shop:

The BMW: 2020 BMW 330i xDrive with 45,000 miles, current market value approximately $24,000.
The Toyota: 2020 Toyota Camry XLE with 45,000 miles, current market value approximately $23,000.

Both are four-door sedans in the same year, similar mileage, similar overall pricing tier. Purchase price gap: about $1,000, negligible.

Over the next five years, the owner drives 60,000 miles. Chicago-area driving with an even mix of suburban and highway. We are comparing what it actually costs to keep each car on the road and factoring in what it will be worth when the owner sells at the five-year mark.

Category 1 — Insurance

The most consistent difference between the two cars, and honestly the smallest gap in real dollars.

BMW 330i xDrive: approximately $1,900 per year for a good driver in the Chicago suburbs. Toyota Camry XLE: approximately $1,550 per year for the same driver.

Five-year insurance difference: $1,750.

The BMW is more expensive to insure because parts cost more and repair labor is higher. But we are talking about a $30 monthly premium difference, not the $200 many buyers assume.

Category 2 — Fuel

Both cars ask for different fuel. The BMW 330i requires premium (91 or 93 octane). The Camry runs on regular 87. Assume the driver averages 27 mpg in the BMW and 30 mpg in the Camry (real-world combined figures) and drives 12,000 miles per year at an average premium price of $4.35/gal and regular price of $3.65/gal.

BMW 330i five-year fuel cost: approximately $9,660. Toyota Camry five-year fuel cost: approximately $7,300.

Five-year fuel difference: $2,360.

The BMW's premium fuel requirement is a real recurring cost. Roughly $40 more per month.

Category 3 — Scheduled Maintenance

Both cars need oil changes, cabin filters, engine air filters, brake fluid service, tire rotations, and standard consumables. The BMW's B48 engine and ZF 8HP transmission are engineered to be maintained on a specific service schedule.

BMW 330i xDrive over five years at an independent BMW specialist:

5 oil services (every 12,000 mi with premium synthetic): ~$700
2 brake fluid services: ~$300
1 transmission fluid service (ZF 8HP at 80K): ~$550
Cabin and engine air filters: ~$250
Spark plugs at 60K mi: ~$300
Coolant service at 100K: ~$250

Total: approximately $2,350.

Toyota Camry XLE over five years:

10 oil services (every 6,000 mi with synthetic): ~$650
2 brake fluid services: ~$180
Cabin and engine air filters: ~$150
Spark plugs at 60K mi: ~$150
Coolant service at 100K: ~$180

Total: approximately $1,310.

Five-year scheduled maintenance difference: $1,040.

Meaningful, but not shocking. The BMW costs about $17 more per month to maintain on schedule.

Big caveat: at a BMW dealership, the BMW maintenance number roughly doubles. Independent BMW specialists like our shop close most of the gap. Toyota dealer pricing is closer to independent Toyota pricing, so the Camry number does not swing as much.

Category 4 — Unplanned Repairs

This is where the internet's "BMWs cost a fortune" narrative gets most of its data. Over five years, the BMW is statistically more likely to need repairs than the Toyota. But those repairs at an independent BMW shop are far cheaper than most buyers think.

BMW 330i xDrive — realistic five-year repair budget:

Valve cover gasket at 80K–100K mi: ~$500
Oil filter housing gasket: ~$400
Water pump / thermostat around 80K–100K mi: ~$850
Possible ignition coil pack: ~$250

Realistic five-year total: $1,500–$2,500 depending on driving conditions and luck.

Toyota Camry XLE — realistic five-year repair budget:

Alternator wear: possible ~$450
Water pump: possible ~$400
Occasional sensor replacement: ~$200

Realistic five-year total: $400–$1,200.

Five-year unplanned repair difference: ~$1,300.

Again, less than the internet claims. Modern BMWs are not the money pits their reputation suggests — they are cars that require the right shop and predictable preventive maintenance.

Category 5 — Tires

The BMW rides on 225/40-19 or 225/45-18 performance tires, staggered or non-staggered depending on the wheel package. Modern BMWs increasingly ship on run-flat tires, which cost more. The Toyota rides on 215/55-17 all-season tires.

BMW 330i tire cost per set (four tires installed, alignment): ~$1,400. Toyota Camry XLE tire cost per set: ~$800.

Over five years and 60,000 miles, each car needs about one and a half sets of tires.

BMW tire cost over five years: ~$2,100. Toyota tire cost over five years: ~$1,200.

Five-year tire difference: $900.

Category 6 — Depreciation

Here is where the story shifts dramatically, and here is where most cost-of-ownership comparisons cheat.

The BMW has already lost the largest percentage of its value. A new 2020 BMW 330i xDrive was roughly $45,000. It is now worth $24,000 — the first owner has already absorbed a $21,000 hit. Over the next five years, the BMW will depreciate to approximately $12,000–$14,000.

The Camry, priced at $23,000 today, will depreciate to approximately $13,000–$15,000 over the same period.

BMW five-year depreciation: approximately $10,000. Toyota five-year depreciation: approximately $9,000.

Five-year depreciation difference: ~$1,000.

Yes, you read that right. On the used market, BMW and Toyota depreciate at nearly the same rate. The BMW's brutal first-owner depreciation has already happened. The second owner pays a much fairer market price.

The Five-Year Total

Adding it all up:

BMW 330i xDrive — total five-year cost of ownership (excluding purchase price):

Insurance: $9,500
Fuel: $9,660
Scheduled maintenance: $2,350
Unplanned repairs: $2,000
Tires: $2,100
Depreciation: $10,000

Total: approximately $35,610

Toyota Camry XLE — total five-year cost of ownership (excluding purchase price):

Insurance: $7,750
Fuel: $7,300
Scheduled maintenance: $1,310
Unplanned repairs: $800
Tires: $1,200
Depreciation: $9,000

Total: approximately $27,360

Five-year difference: about $8,250, or roughly $137 per month.

That is the honest number. Not the "$400 a month more" claim the internet loves to make. A used BMW 330i xDrive costs about $137 more per month over five years than an equivalent Toyota Camry XLE.

For that $137, you get all-wheel drive that eats Chicago winters, an engine that actually responds when you press the pedal, a chassis that steers with real communication, and an interior that reminds you every day why you paid for it.

When Toyota Is Still the Right Choice

We would not be honest if we did not include this section. The Toyota is the correct choice if:

You drive more than 20,000 miles per year (the fuel gap widens dramatically).
You cannot use an independent European shop and would have to rely on the BMW dealership (maintenance costs double).
You will not perform preventive maintenance on schedule.
You want to keep the car for 10+ years without significant repair spending.
You care about resale certainty above driving experience.

There is no shame in wanting a car that just works with minimum friction. The Camry is the most-recommended used sedan in the world for a reason.

When the BMW Is the Right Choice

Choose the used BMW if:

You actually enjoy driving.
You will use an independent BMW specialist for service (not the dealership).
You will follow the maintenance schedule.
You can absorb an occasional $500–$1,500 repair without stress.
You value the driving experience and the interior enough to pay ~$137 per month for it.
You want all-wheel drive with real winter capability (330i xDrive vs. FWD Camry).

The used BMW is not a compromise or an act of financial masochism. It is a rational choice at a rational premium.

The Bottom Line

The internet has convinced a generation of car buyers that a used BMW is a $500-per-month maintenance headache. The real number, on a well-chosen used example serviced at the right shop, is about $137 per month more than the equivalent Toyota. Whether that $137 is worth it is a personal decision — but it is a decision, not a warning.

Any car buyer who has ruled out a used BMW purely on cost has ruled it out on bad information.

See Both Sides in Our Inventory

At Autos of Chicago, we sell BMW and Toyota — because both cars fit different buyers, and both deserve honest recommendations. Come by our Arlington Heights lot, drive the BMW you have been curious about, drive the Toyota you have been considering, and see which one actually fits your life.

Browse Our BMW Inventory → | Browse Our Toyota Inventory →

Or call us at (224) 858-4007 and we will pull whichever comparison you want to test drive.

If you want to line up financing before you shop, our team can sort that out too.

Address: 1555 E Rand Rd, Arlington Heights, IL 60004