A study and analysis of a 100,000-vehicle BMW VIN database in the USA was used to extrapolate the observed shares to the estimated U.S. BMW fleet of roughly 6 million vehicles.

The analysis showed that up to 700,000 BMWs in the U.S. may have a salvage/rebuilt status, and almost 4 million vehicles may have at least one safety recall.

Every Eighth BMW Has a Salvage or Rebuilt Title

The study reveals, 11.76% of the BMWs analysed have a salvage or rebuilt title.

Approximately every eighth BMW in the U.S. has a salvage or rebuilt title — that’s up to 700,000 vehicles on the road.

For a used-car buyer, this means a serious risk of ending up with a car that has a serious accident or major repair history.

Two-Thirds of BMWs Have at Least One Safety Recall

64.67% of BMWs in the sample have at least one manufacturer recall.

Around two-thirds of BMWs in the U.S. (≈64.7%) have at least one safety recall — that’s nearly 4 million vehicles.

Safety recalls indicate that the manufacturer has identified a potential safety-related issue and issued a campaign to inspect or repair affected vehicles.

Odometer Rollback: Every 25th BMW May Have a Fake Mileage

An average of 4.22% of the BMWs analysed show signs of odometer rollback — tampering with the mileage reading.

Roughly 4.2% of BMWs (about one in twenty-five) show signs of odometer rollback — that’s around 250,000 cars nationwide.

Rolled-back mileage means overpaying for a “low-mileage” car and inheriting hidden wear and tear on key components.

Average Age of the First Major Accident and Mileage to Salvage for BMW

EpicVIN’s study also estimated a typical “life cycle” for a BMW before serious incidents:

Average age at the time of the first major accident — about 10 years.

Average mileage at the time of receiving a salvage/rebuilt status — 106,158 miles.

These values provide a baseline for comparison with M-series models.

BMW M Series: Earlier Accidents and Faster Path to Salvage

The VIN study analysed BMW M Series models separately, as they are usually associated with more aggressive driving styles.

Key findings:

BMW M Series accounts for around 1.3% of all BMWs with salvage/rebuilt titles — more than 9,000 ‘M cars’ nationwide.

Average age at first major accident for M Series — about 3 years.

Average mileage to salvage/rebuilt status for M Series — 36,563 miles.

In other words, M cars reach serious accidents and salvage status much earlier and with far lower mileage than the BMW fleet overall.

Which BMW Models Most Often End Up With Salvage Titles

The VIN study also examined which BMW models and series most frequently appear among vehicles with salvage/rebuilt titles. Within the salvage top 10, the distribution by model and the estimated scale across the U.S. look like this:

Overall, the highest-risk group consists primarily of high-volume models like the 3 Series and X5 crossovers — these are the BMWs most frequently found with serious accident or reconstruction histories.

Flood Risk Geography: Where It’s Most Dangerous to Buy a BMW

The study also paid special attention to flood risks — damage from flooding and submersion.

According to the EpicVIN sample, the top 5 states for flood-related BMW cases look like this:

Florida (FL) — 62.27% of all flood-BMW in the dataset.

New York (NY) — 11.51%.

Texas (TX) — 9.58%.

California (CA) — 9.18%.

New Jersey (NJ) — 7.46%.

Flood damage is often masked cosmetically, which makes history checks especially important for vehicles originating from these states.

Models With the Highest Number of Safety Recalls

The VIN study also identified the BMW models with the largest number of safety recall campaigns in its database. 

Top BMW models by number of safety recall campaigns

Brief Recommendations for BMW Buyers

Based on the study, EpicVIN suggests a few practical steps for used BMW buyers:

Always check the vehicle’s VIN history before purchase: title status (salvage/rebuilt), flood damage, odometer rollback indicators, and any safety recalls.

Consider the state of origin — for BMWs from Florida, pay extra attention to potential flood damage.

Be especially thorough with M Series and popular models like the 3 Series and X5, which appear most often in salvage and recall statistics.

The study shows that for a premium brand like BMW, checking a vehicle’s history is not just a nice-to-have — it’s a basic requirement when buying on the used market.