Are M3's (sports/GTs) less likely to get into an accident?

[MiamiE93Vert]

On my way to work this morning I saw an SUV get hit by an ordinary four door sedan (did not see the make) and was curious as to the forum's thoughts on if M3s (or other high performance sport cars or GT's) were more or less likely to be in accidents.

Are there statistics on accidents by make and model? Subjectively at least, I don't remember seeing higher end cars in fender benders, but that of course does not mean it doesn't happen as regularly as with regular cars. Or maybe, there are less fender benders but a larger occurrence of major accidents from racing.

If there is indeed a lower amount of accidents, this could be explained by less sport/GTs on the road or less frequent driving, so less accidents, but still would not address the ratio of accidents to number of cars on the road. Plus, other than some outlier Youtube videos of inexperienced drivers in exotics, your typical sports car/GT driver should be more experienced and in tune with staying out of accidents than your average driver regardless of if the driver had or did not have more aggressive habits.

Thoughts? Maybe someone in law enforcement, collision repair or emergency response would have a more objective viewpoint.

[CityOfAngels]

Just think about what you're asking and see if you can come to a conclusion. It's not that hard.

[jeff@autocouture]

[kscarrol]

A quick way to arrive at an answer... Call up any insurance company and get a quote on an M3 and then get a quote on a luxury sedan on comparable value... Which one do think would be more costly to insure? Can't tell you all the variables that the insurance companies use to come up with quotes but their view of the M3 is pretty clear in my experience.

[bruza]

Originally Posted by CityOfAngels

Just think about what you're asking and see if you can come to a conclusion. It's not that hard.

[mdosu]

there are days I get up and just feel like smashing my M3 into a truck...

But seriously, it's mostly about the people who drive it not the car (though replacement parts cost does factor into insurance cost), I use to own an Evo 8. When i switched to the M3, my insurance went down 60%! yes 60%. Same personal info, didn't have kids or get married, same deductibles, literally just switched out the VIN number.

[radiantm3]

I always wonder if the average american driver is more concerned and aware about crashing into a more expensive car. For example whenever I drive behind an exotic, I tend to stay an extra few meters back compared to some accord and I make a more conscious effort to be careful around it. On the other hand there's always idiots tailgating me or cutting me off on the freeway in the M3.

[MiamiE93Vert]

Originally Posted by CityOfAngels

Just think about what you're asking and see if you can come to a conclusion. It's not that hard.

Ok then, I guess I am just not as smart as you are. Since this is such an easy question for you, please explain.

[MiamiE93Vert]

Originally Posted by kscarrol

A quick way to arrive at an answer... Call up any insurance company and get a quote on an M3 and then get a quote on a luxury sedan on comparable value... Which one do think would be more costly to insure? Can't tell you all the variables that the insurance companies use to come up with quotes but their view of the M3 is pretty clear in my experience.

...however, a large part of the quote would depend upon the cost of repairs and the overall value of the car, not necessarily the frequency of accidents.

[understeer]

Originally Posted by radiantm3

I always wonder if the average american driver is more concerned and aware about crashing into a more expensive car. For example whenever I drive behind an exotic, I tend to stay an extra few meters back compared to some accord and I make a more conscious effort to be careful around it. On the other hand there's always idiots tailgating me or cutting me off on the freeway in the M3.

The avergage American driver very likely sees an M3 as another 3 Series BMW in a sea of 3 Series BMWs. The performance of the car itself is probably a two edge sword. The excellent handling, braking and acceleration make it easier to avoid an accident in the hands of a skilled driver but it also makes many drivers overconfident and prone to drive recklessly and beyond their capabilities.

[Dgarcia41982]

Originally Posted by mdosu

there are days I get up and just feel like smashing my M3 into a truck...

But seriously, it's mostly about the people who drive it not the car (though replacement parts cost does factor into insurance cost), I use to own an Evo 8. When i switched to the M3, my insurance went down 60%! yes 60%. Same personal info, didn't have kids or get married, same deductibles, literally just switched out the VIN number.

Same here i went from an 08 evo x to an 08 E90 m3 and my insurance went down significantly. Insurance guys exact words were the m3 is less likely to be in a collision. Idk and i dont care

[bga23]

Originally Posted by understeer

The avergage American driver very likely sees an M3 as another 3 Series BMW in a sea of 3 Series BMWs.

The average American sees an M3 as just another BMW, they don't know a 3 series from a 5 series from a 7 series. And to them they're all expensive cars driven by some a-hole.

[M3PO]

I thought I saw a "Top 10" list somewhere (MSN maybe) that had the M3 on there as one of the most wrecked cars?

[M Pulse]

Originally Posted by MiamiE93Vert

On my way to work this morning I saw an SUV get hit by an ordinary four door sedan (did not see the make) and was curious as to the forum's thoughts on if M3s (or other high performance sport cars or GT's) were more or less likely to be in accidents.

Are there statistics on accidents by make and model? Subjectively at least, I don't remember seeing higher end cars in fender benders, but that of course does not mean it doesn't happen as regularly as with regular cars. Or maybe, there are less fender benders but a larger occurrence of major accidents from racing.

If there is indeed a lower amount of accidents, this could be explained by less sport/GTs on the road or less frequent driving, so less accidents, but still would not address the ratio of accidents to number of cars on the road. Plus, other than some outlier Youtube videos of inexperienced drivers in exotics, your typical sports car/GT driver should be more experienced and in tune with staying out of accidents than your average driver regardless of if the driver had or did not have more aggressive habits.

Thoughts? Maybe someone in law enforcement, collision repair or emergency response would have a more objective viewpoint.

Your logic is flawed!!! Cars don't get into accidents... people do.

You don't see higher end cars get into fender benders cause they make up a small percentage of the overall vehicles on the road... but it still happens. Small compacts & midsize vehicles in the range of probably ~$15k to ~$30k dominate our roads. Ask any auto maker what their top selling car is and it will always fit into this price range and class of vehicle.

[LarThaL]

Originally Posted by aelahi

Your logic is flawed!!! Cars don't get into accidents... people do.

You don't see higher end cars get into fender benders cause they make up a small percentage of the overall vehicles on the road... but it still happens. Small compacts & midsize vehicles in the range of probably ~$15k to ~$30k dominate our roads. Ask any auto maker what their top selling car is and it will always fit into this price range and class of vehicle.

Get me on the list for that $20k Porsche !!!

Sorry. Couldn't resist !!!

[MiamiE93Vert]

Originally Posted by aelahi

Your logic is flawed!!! Cars don't get into accidents... people do.

You don't see higher end cars get into fender benders cause they make up a small percentage of the overall vehicles on the road... but it still happens. Small compacts & midsize vehicles in the range of probably ~$15k to ~$30k dominate our roads. Ask any auto maker what their top selling car is and it will always fit into this price range and class of vehicle.

Agreed, there are less of them on the road, but if GTs/Sports cars make up less than 10% of the overall cars on the road, I still don't think they get in the same proportion of accidents. Driving around Miami (subjective and small sample size), There is a fairly high proportion to the norm of higher end Daily Drivers and Sports Cars; M3s, CL63s, Porsches, Maseratis, Ferraris, Bentleys, Audi S, plus Corvettes, Mustangs, galore. They are very common. Plus, Miami is no stranger to lots of accidents. I don't remember seeing, for example, a Porsche rear ended or an M3 rear ending another car. Of course it happens, but if it did when I was passing I would probably remember it.

You may be correct that it is just the drivers not the cars, and that the profile of a GT/Sports car driver is less accident prone than the general population. It may also be that since the higher end cars are more noticed, people drive differently around them. It would be interesting to see some statistics on this.

[Eau Rouge]

Originally Posted by MiamiE93Vert

Agreed, there are less of them on the road, but if GTs/Sports cars make up less than 10% of the overall cars on the road, I still don't think they get in the same proportion of accidents. [...snip]

You may be correct that it is just the drivers not the cars, and that the profile of a GT/Sports car driver is less accident prone than the general population. It may also be that since the higher end cars are more noticed, people drive differently around them. It would be interesting to see some statistics on this.

You're probably correct if my insurance agent knows anything about risk.

Property damage claims per thousand, bodily injury per thousand, driver's record, location of residence are factors in determining insurance premium, but the greatest factor of all is make and model with the rule being...The more units of a given make and model that are on the road the greater the risk of any one of those units being involved in a crash. So, if the make and model is a perennial top seller (e.g. Toyota Camry, Honda Civic, Ford F-150), the same driver will pay more to insure one of those vehicles than will be the case with a make and model that is relatively more scarce on the roads.

FWIW, three months ago, while sitting in my Allstate agent's office, he ran a for-sh!ts-and-giggles quote as I wanted to gain some perspective as to the relative cost of insuring my new M3 versus an alternative make and model. What I learned was that it would have been a little more expensive (~$100/year) for me to insure a ten year old Civic or ten year old Camry than the new 2012 M3. He explained that in the grand scheme of things, cars like the M3, Porsches, Lambos have far-below-the-average claim rates generally, and once the driver's age gets into the 30's, the liability and collision claim rate drops even more so as to leave the make and model a "very low risk" for insurance companies to insure.

[Z K]

Originally Posted by Dgarcia41982

Same here i went from an 08 evo x to an 08 E90 m3 and my insurance went down significantly. Insurance guys exact words were the m3 is less likely to be in a collision. Idk and i dont care

Same here .. Came from the Evo to the M3 and insurance rate dropped a lot. I guess a lot less people in M3s driving aggressively. lol

[VegasEgg]

Originally Posted by kscarrol

A quick way to arrive at an answer... Call up any insurance company and get a quote on an M3 and then get a quote on a luxury sedan on comparable value... Which one do think would be more costly to insure? Can't tell you all the variables that the insurance companies use to come up with quotes but their view of the M3 is pretty clear in my experience.

My insurance went down $300 a year w/ better coverage when I went from my old '06 Lex GS300 to my M3. I was shocked when they told me

[kscarrol]

Originally Posted by Jrollsp

My insurance went down $300 a year w/ better coverage when I went from my old '06 Lex GS300 to my M3. I was shocked when they told me

Really? Same insurance company? When you say better coverage, it sounds like you changed companies...

[Cortexiphan]

I think that if you drive an M3 as you drive a Camry, M3 will be less likely to get into an accident because of its handling, breaks, balance, etc. For example, if you see a dear in the middle of the road, it's easier to get away from it with an M3. Or if another accident is happening in front of you, it's also easier to break or get away by making sharp turns.

However, when you drive the M3 you tend to push harder, which increases the possiblity to hit somewhere.

[son_of_siggy]

Originally Posted by Z K

Same here .. Came from the Evo to the M3 and insurance rate dropped a lot. I guess a lot less people in M3s driving aggressively. lol

Also think about the average age of an M3 driver vs that of an Evo driver . . . There is a reason the 4 cyl tuner cars are $$ to insure. Almost every driver I met at meets when I had my 12' STi was in the 18-24 range. I felt old at 27.

I also think people in more expensive cars tend to be more mindful and protective of their own property. They're generally older as well, as young people, on average, can't afford the 50k+ cars. The "older" drivers tend to have more experience and respect for the capabilities and potential pitfalls.

Lastly, as has been previously mentioned, luxury/exotic cars make up such a small portion of cars on the road that it's expected you'd see them in accidents pretty infrequently.