The BMW 3 Series Sedan is one of the best-known executive sedans, and many buyers in Singapore weigh it against rivals from Mercedes-Benz and Lexus. This page sets out what it costs to own one here, one cost at a time: the list price, the COE, road tax and car insurance.
The insurance prices are examples. Each was read on 20 October 2026 for one stated driver and car. Your own premium depends on your details, so use these as a guide to the costs, not as an offer.
Versions, new and older
The new-car list read on 2026-10-10 has two 3 Series Sedans, both petrol, made in Mexico and listed under the luxury body type:
- 318i Inspiring: 1,998cc, 154bhp
- 318i M Sport: 1,998cc, 154bhp
The quote form, which covers older cars too, lists eight versions. They run from the 318i through the 320i Luxury and M Sport to the 330i Luxury and M Sport. All but one have a 1,998cc engine. The insurance and road tax figures below are for the 318i with a 1,988cc engine, the version most insurers quote.
List prices on the day
As listed on 2026-10-10, with COE included in the list price that day:
- 318i Inspiring: S$319,888
- 318i M Sport: S$331,888
List prices move with every COE round. Ask what each offer includes before you compare totals.
The COE
The price page states that the 318i, with a 1,988cc engine above 1,600cc, needs a Category B COE. Category B closed at S$130,100 in the October 2026 1st round.
The COE page has the results of later rounds.
Road tax
For the 318i's 1,988cc engine, LTA's formula gives S$1,198.02 a year, before any age surcharge. The new 1,998cc versions are taxed on their own engine size, which is very close, so expect a similar figure.
Cars past 10 years carry a surcharge:
- Over 10 years: +10%
- Over 11 years: +20%
- Over 12 years: +30%
- Over 13 years: +40%
- Over 14 years: +50%
The road tax page works out any engine size.
Insuring a 3 Series Sedan
The BMW 3 Series Sedan price page prices one example:
- Car: 318i, registered 3 years ago, private use, comprehensive cover
- Driver: aged 40, married, office job, driving 10 to 19 years
- Record: 50% no-claim discount (NCD), no claims
- Repairs: authorised workshop, no options
13 insurers price the car for that driver. The lowest premium is S$861.03 a year. The insurer whose lowest plan is the dearest asks at least S$3,039.75. That is S$2,178.72 more, or 253% on top. All prices include 9% GST.
So the dearest lowest plan costs more than three times the lowest premium. For a car this common, that gap is a strong reason to compare at every renewal. A few prices on the page are estimates, and the insurer's own quote has the final figure.
The excess
Your excess is the part of a claim you pay. Most 3 Series plans carry S$600. Others sit at S$500, S$750 or S$800, one asks S$2,500, and one has no excess. A lower premium can come with a higher excess, so check both.
What raises or lowers the premium
The price page shows the lowest price after one change:
- No NCD (0%): S$1,312.24, S$451.21 more
- 20% NCD: S$1,312.24, S$451.21 more
- Driver aged 27, 3 years' driving, 30% NCD: S$1,292.98, S$431.95 more
- Driver aged 65, 20 or more years' driving: S$861.03, the same
- A new car, registered this year: S$886.61, S$25.58 more
- A car 8 years old: S$787.96, S$73.07 less
Losing your NCD lifts the lowest premium by 52%, the largest change here. A younger driver with three years' driving pays almost as much. A driver aged 65 pays the same as the example.
A new car costs a little more to insure, and an 8-year-old one a little less. These are the lowest prices only; plans higher up the list may move by more or less.
Against its rivals
The price page compares six cars for the same driver and car age:
- Lexus NX: S$972.39
- Lexus RX: S$972.39
- Mercedes-Benz GLC: S$925.60
- Mercedes-Benz E-Class: S$861.03
- Toyota Voxy: S$793.75
- Toyota Harrier: S$742.90
The six average S$878.01. The 3 Series Sedan is 2% below that and matches the E-Class. Two of the six, the Voxy and the Harrier, are cheaper to insure. More BMW models are on the BMW car insurance page, and the cheapest cars to insure page has a wider ranking.
Costs that depend on the owner
- Parking: season parking at home, plus what you pay at work and in town.
- Petrol: set by how far you drive and the pump price.
- ERP: set by your routes and the hours you drive.
- Servicing and repairs: follow the maker's schedule. Ask what the warranty and any service package cover, and for how long.
- Depreciation: depends on what you pay and what the car fetches when you sell.
Summary of yearly costs we can show
For the 318i, with dates:
- Road tax: S$1,198.02 a year, before any age surcharge (LTA's formula, checked 2026-10-19)
- Insurance, standard driver: from S$861.03 a year (20 October 2026)
- Insurance, no NCD: from S$1,312.24
- Insurance, car 8 years old: from S$787.96
The one-off costs, for reference: a list price from S$319,888 as listed on 2026-10-10, and a Category B COE of S$130,100 in the October 2026 1st round.
Before you buy: car insurance for the BMW 3 Series Sedan
Before you drive off, get your car insurance through Shenton Brokers. Compare car insurance for the BMW 3 Series Sedan to see today's prices from every insurer we compare and how they change with the driver and the car's age. Or get a quote with your own details.