Compare BMW 3 Series car start repair quotes from specialist garages

Looming hundreds of feet up in Munich's skyline is BMW's headquarters, a vast and impressive building designed to look like four engine cylinders - the configuration that drove much of the brand's early success.

BMW has come a long way since 1927, when it produced its first car, the Dixi, shortly to be renamed the BMW 3/15. In 2022, it was awarded 'Best Manufacturer' at the AutoCar Britain's Best Car Awards, and the same year, it triumphed at the WhatCar? Awards, winning more accolades than any other brand. The M5 special edition, celebrating 20 years of BMW motorsport, is one of the rarest M automobiles in the world.

See how BMW's maintenance prices compare to Audi and Mercedes in this guide.

Cars struggle to start for many reasons, making it hard to diagnose what's wrong. A dead battery is the most common cause; if this is the case, the engine should still turn over but won't get going unless you give it a jump start or use a battery charger. This guide explains how to change a car battery.

Other possible explanations include a faulty starter motor, clogged fuel injectors, a faulty - rather than flat - battery, issues with the alternator, a flooded engine, a jammed ignition lock and engine intake problems.

If a flooded engine is why your car won't start, you might not need to book a repair. Find out how to start a car with a flooded engine here.

Fortunately, the above issues can often be diagnosed and fixed by a mobile mechanic, so towing your car to a garage is unnecessary.