Every second used BMW in Poland has been in an accident

Transparency note: This press release was originally published in Polish. The text has been machine translated. You can find the original press release here.

An analysis covering over 23 million used cars in Poland shows that the average used BMW in Poland is 16 years old and has 236,000 kilometres on the odometer, with 76 per cent of them being imported. The brand stands out for its high percentage of accident-damaged cars – damage was reported in 52 per cent of cases. This result is 13 percentage points higher than the overall value for the entire database and 16 percentage points higher than in the case of Volkswagens, which are the most common in the database.

This year, BMW, one of the most popular premium car brands in Poland, celebrates its 110th birthday. The Polish branch of the manufacturer has officially been operating in Poland since 2003, but cars of this brand were present on our market even earlier. BMW cars account for 4% of the CARFAX database, which includes over 23 million used cars in Poland. CARFAX is a company that provides users with reports on the history of used cars from reliable and certified sources.

Over half of used BMWs in Poland have been in accidents In popular narrative, BMW drivers do not enjoy a good reputation – as many as 56% of Poles believe that it is people driving cars of this brand who pose the greatest threat on the roads. According to a CARFAX analysis, , the percentage of used BMWs in Poland that have been in accidents is 52%, which is 13 percentage points higher than for all cars in the database. For comparison, among cars of another popular premium brand – Audi (accounting for 6% of used cars in the Polish CARFAX database) – 44% have been involved in accidents in their history. Among Volkswagens – the most common brand in the database – the figure is 36%.

These statistics, while alarming, are a fascinating reflection of BMW's unique position in the Polish aftermarket. The high percentage of damage stems from three key factors that rarely occur together for other brands. First, a salvaged/used BMW is, for many young Poles, the only financially accessible gateway to the world of rear-wheel drive (RWD) cars. It is precisely this engineering characteristic, offering excellent handling but requiring significantly higher driver skill and humility, especially on slippery surfaces, that often loses out when faced with recklessness and inexperience," says Robert Lewandowski, Business Development Manager at CARFAX Polska. "Secondly, it's worth noting a little-known fact about the import structure. This high percentage of salvaged cars (52%) is not only the result of accidents on Polish roads, but also the result of so-called price arbitrage. Poland is one of the largest European markets for BMWs that have been damaged in Western Europe." Damaged cars are drastically cheaper there, making their repair and resale in Poland a lucrative business. As a result, many of these cars enter the country with a "history" that our system only now reveals.

Thirdly, there's a strong cultural factor at work, dating back to the 1990s. During the transformation period, BMW became the ultimate symbol of success and financial status in Poland, much more powerful than Mercedes or Audi. Today, this ethos has evolved into a culture of motorsport and drifting. Young drivers often deliberately seek out older models (like the 3 Series E46 or E90) as a base for the sport, which naturally increases the risk of collisions. Unfortunately, the complex multi-link suspension of these cars can be expensive to maintain, leading to cost savings on parts and tires. This, combined with the powerful engine, is a recipe for loss of vehicle control, as our data brutally demonstrates.

The most popular model – BMW 3 Series The average used BMW in the CARFAX database is 16 years old and has 236,000 kilometres on the clock. As many as 76% are imported. One in ten remains the property of the first registered owner. In terms of drive type, diesel cars dominate (52 per cent), while petrol cars account for 42 per cent. The most common model is the BMW 3 Series (36 per cent), followed by the 5 Series (23 per cent) and 1 Series (8 per cent), as well as the X3 (8 per cent) and X5 (6 per cent) models.

Across the entire CARFAX database, the average age of cars is 15 years and the average mileage is 220,000 kilometres. Fifty-nine per cent are imported, and 16 per cent remain in the hands of their first owner. Petrol cars account for 46 per cent and diesel cars for 37 per cent.