Sell your 3 Series. Get paid before it leaves.

To get a firm offer for a 2021-on BMW 3 Series, name the exact variant and trim, say whether it’s the updated (LCI) car, and have the service records and both keys ready. A licensed dealer can then price it by phone, pay a deposit, inspect it and pay the balance into your account before the car is collected.

This is the short version for 3 Series owners. For more on the variants BMW has dropped and on owning a 330e, read our full guide to selling a used BMW 3 Series.

What we ask about your 3 Series

A 3 Series offer starts with the variant, the trim, the version and the kilometres. After that, it comes down to history and condition. Have these answers ready and the call takes a few minutes, with fewer surprises at inspection.

Don’t go by the badge on the boot lid. Badges can be removed or swapped, so a careful buyer checks the papers, and so should you.

Which 3 Series do you have?

Every 3 Series sedan sold new in Australia since 2021 belongs to the generation BMW codes G20, which arrived here in mid-2019, Chasing Cars reported. BMW calls a mid-life update an LCI, and Australian deliveries of the updated sedan and Touring began in the fourth quarter of 2022.

So a car first registered in 2022 could be either version, and the year on the rego papers won’t settle it. The dashboard will:

Buyers comparing listings treat the LCI as the newer design. Tell us which version you have, along with the month the car was first registered.

Variants, trim and options that move the offer

The 3 Series variants sit a long way apart in performance and in what they cost new, so a car described as the wrong one gets the wrong number. CarExpert listed these in the 2021 Australian range, all with an eight-speed automatic:

• 320i: a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder, and the entry point until 2024.
• 330i: a more powerful 2.0-litre turbo four, sold as a sedan and as the 330i Touring wagon.
• 330e: the 2.0-litre turbo paired with a plug-in hybrid system.
• M340i xDrive: a 3.0-litre turbo six with all-wheel drive, also offered as the M340i xDrive Pure.

Above them sits the M3, which is bought by a different group of people. Trim matters as well. In 2021 the 320i, 330i and 330e came in Luxury Line or M Sport trim. From the update, CarExpert reported M Sport as standard on the 320i.

So put the variant, trim and version in one sentence. A made-up example: “2022 330i M Sport sedan, before the update, 54,000 km”. If you paid for factory options or extra-cost paint, the original invoice or build sheet lists them.

Aftermarket changes cut the other way: a tune, lowered suspension or non-original wheels narrow the pool of buyers. Keep the original parts if you still have them, and mention the changes up front.

What a buyer checks on a 3 Series

Private buyers and dealers work through much the same list. Run through it yourself first.

If your servicing was recorded digitally rather than stamped in a book, ask the servicing dealer for a printout of the history for your VIN. Add invoices from any independent workshop. Whatever you find on this list, mention it on the call, so the offer is made with the full picture.

Recalls and warranty

Search your VIN on the government’s vehicle recalls site before you ask for offers. Dealers and careful buyers run the same search. Recall work is done free at a BMW dealer, so book anything still open and keep the job card. Our guide to checking for open recalls explains how to read the results.

Check the warranty start date in your service booklet too, because buyers of a young car ask about it. Ask BMW how much cover is left on your car, and whether it passes to the next owner, before you rely on it in a sale.

When to sell: two variants gone, a new model revealed

BMW Australia trimmed the 3 Series range for 2024, dropping the 320i and the 330e. The 330i became the entry point, and the 330i Touring, M340i xDrive and M3 stayed. BMW said it would shift its focus from the 330e to the fully electric i4 eDrive35, Chasing Cars reported.

If you own a 320i or 330e, a buyer can now only compare it with other used ones. That doesn’t make it worth more on its own: kilometres, condition and history still set the price.

BMW revealed the next-generation 3 Series, coded G50, at the end of September 2026. Australian pricing and timing are for BMW Australia to confirm. A new generation changes what buyers compare your car with, but no published data yet shows how far it will move G20 prices, so treat confident predictions with caution.

Your own timeline usually matters more than the market. These are the points worth watching:

• The odometer is getting close to 100,000 km, the top of our buying range.
• A major service is coming up.
• The factory warranty is ending.
• A balloon payment on your loan is due.
• You need a different kind of car.

Selling a 3 Series with finance owing

You can sell a 3 Series that’s still under finance. The lender’s interest shows on the PPSR, so the loan has to be paid out at or before the sale. When you sell to us, we deal with your lender directly to pay out the loan, then pay you any equity. That usually takes 2 to 3 business days to settle.

Ask your lender for a payout figure before you call, so you can set it against the offer. If you owe more than the car is worth, the difference has to be covered before settlement. Our page on selling a car under finance covers the steps. On a novated lease, the finance company owns the car until the lease is paid out, so read our guide to selling a car on a novated lease mid-term first.

We prepare the sale paperwork and help with the transfer of ownership. We’ll also make sure your notice of disposal is done correctly. In most states it’s a quick online form. Usually no roadworthy or safety certificate is needed when you sell to us, but rules differ by state, and we confirm what applies on the call.

How selling your 3 Series to us works

Sell Your Car Australia is run by Autohaus Australia Pty Ltd, a NSW licensed motor dealer (MD 077404). Your offer comes from a valuer who has priced cars since 1992 and supplies dealerships nationwide.

The order never changes. You get a genuine offer by phone, not an online estimate. If you accept, the deposit is often paid the same day. We inspect the car at a time and place that suits you, then pay the balance into your bank account. We arrange collection anywhere in Australia, and the car is collected only after you confirm the funds have cleared. The valuation is free, there’s no obligation and no fees come out of the offer.

We buy 3 Series that are 2021 or newer with 100,000 km or less. If yours is older or has more kilometres, send it through anyway and we’ll tell you straight away if we can help. See how it works step by step, read how we buy other prestige and European cars, start a free valuation or call 1800 73 55 73.