The Dauertest
Our German readers are most probably familiar with the dauertest performed by Auto Bild. The brief? The publication purchases a car, flogs it for 100,000 kilometers, and dismantles it after the testing period. Granted, 62,000 miles doesn’t sound like a lot, but do note that we’re talking loads of instrumented testing miles, and even more on the autobahn.
Auto Bild has been doing that for decades, and it’s not just with regular cars, either. A few years ago, it purchased a G80 BMW M3 for the dauertest, and the results were, erm, surprising.
(Almost) Zero Faults
It probably helped that the magazine purchased the simplest version of the car around. The car tested was a non-Competition model, rear-drive, and came with an honest-to-goodness manual transmission. It managed to rack 100,000 kilometers from October 2021 to November 2023, so that’s roughy 4,770 miles per month.
The engine teardown showed little to no signs of wear, and even the timing chain guides were in good condition. There were no leaks, hairline cracks, or scratches in the cylinder walls, which is impressive given it was driven hard. It had some heat spots on the clutch, likely due to the standing starts for testing, but it was still good for another 30,000 kilometers (18,461 miles).
No glitches were reported in the infotainment system, nor were there any electrical maladies reported. Brakes and suspension components also held up despite repeated track tests. The only fault mentioned was creasing in the seats.
BMW
Surprisingly Not Fragile
In the publication’s own words (translated from German), “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.” Funnily enough, the M3 proved more resilient and reliable compared to the standard 3 Series (320d xDrive Touring) that also underwent the dauertest.
Overall, it ranked second in the last 97 cars that were endurance tested since 2014. The only car that beat it was the CNG-powered version of the previous-generation Audi A3. It’s worth noting that Auto Bild also tested the last Audi RS 4, but a worn guide rail and a leaking crankshaft seal prevented it from earning a perfect score.
BMW
Where Are the Usual Reliability Kings?
That’s a very valid question. Based on the list we saw, Toyota/Lexus and Honda seem to suffer from minor (cosmetic) corrosion issues in Germany. The magazine hasn’t tested a Subaru in ages, and the lone entry, a diesel-powered Crosstrek, ranks 96th due to persistent drivetrain and powertrain problems.
From what we’ve seen, it’s Mazda and Suzuki that have consistently performed well in the dauertest, consistently outranking similar Toyota and Honda products. We also noticed that Auto Bild seems to favor both generations of the CX-5, putting it way ahead of the Honda CR-V.
Of course, experiences vary by customer and country. Location of final assembly is also a factor, as well as the owner’s adherence to maintenance and general care. This test doesn’t mean the M3 is the most reliable car in the world, but rather shows that it can rack up a good number of miles in a short time with few worries.
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