M Buyers Guide
Check a car, free
BMW M3 F80

BMW M3 F80

2015 to 2018SedanM car

Guide Score 84Excellent$2,506 a year to ownAbout 16th of 69
Best year
2018
Example asking
$34k to $70k
Prices near you
Check a car

Photo: CANNIK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The short answer

The F80 is the first turbocharged M3, sold in the US as 2015 to 2018 models with the S55 twin-turbo inline-six and offered only as a sedan.

The score, part by part

84Guide Score for 2017Excellentabout $2,506 a year to own
Place among the 69 generations
About 16th of 69, likely 6th to 27th
Likely score range
76 to 91
Confidence
Medium
Acclaim
44 of 100
Chance of a bill over $10,000 in five years
3.2%
Best purposes
Tuning, 3rd of 69; Daily driver, 13th of 69

The seven parts and acclaim, 2017 model year

Heritage counts 15 of 100
2824% of it not measured
Engine counts 15 of 100
59
Drive feel counts 20 of 100
75
Analog connection counts 10 of 100
90
Weight counts 10 of 100
81
Long-term value not scored
not measured
Ownership counts 17 of 100
67
Acclaim counts 15 of 100
44

Each part is scored from 0 to 100 on a fixed outside scale. Acclaim comes from published expert lists, launch reviews and awards; the more acclaimed a car, the less its ownership cost counts in this all-time score (its dollars below are unchanged). A part marked not measured carries no weight for this car, and the others share its weight.

Long-term value, shown and not scored

5 prices from sources that allow this use (classiccars.com, driveway.com, enthusiastauto.com), read October 27, 2026: the middle one is $53,995, about 86% of the price new (60% once the price new is put in today's dollars). Asking prices sit above what cars sell for.

Long-term value starts to count in the score once 75% of the 69 generations have permitted prices. Today 43 do.

The cost to own

About $2,506 a year to own ($1,598 to $4,160), about $11,656 over five years, bought at five years old or its own age if older, kept five years.

  1. Crank hub slippage: about $360 over five years, rare (source)
  2. Rod bearing wear: about $215 over five years, rare (source)
  3. Cooling system / water pump: about $82 over five years, possible (source)

Expect about $1,600 to $4,200 a year; the bills that decide it are crank hub slippage, rod bearing wear and cooling system / water pump. Ownership risk: moderate.

Guide Score method v5-final.14, an editorial score built only from permitted, sourced data. How it works.

S55425 hpRWD6-speed manual or 7-speed dual-clutch17 city, 24 hwy mpg

Colors it came in, most wanted first. Pick one to see the page in it.

Routine service a year, estimate
$450 to $950

Best year to buy

2018The best year to buy, reading 84 of 100, about $2,506 a year to own.

No logged change between model years sets it apart; every year reads within 2 points of it, so buy on condition and records.

No year to think twice about: none reads 3 or more points below the 2018, and no logged fault separates them.

  1. 201584$2,526 a year
  2. 201684$2,506 a year
  3. 201784$2,506 a year
  4. 201884best year

From our log of the changes between model years, each with its source. Only changes the score reads count as reasons; recalls BMW fixes for free, options and tuning notes do not. The cost a year is for a car bought at five years old, or its own age if older, kept five years. How the score works.

The longer answer

Fast, sharp and very tunable, it is one of the more attainable modern M cars, and a good long-term buy when well specced and maintained.

What to look for
  • Full documented service history, clarity on any tuning and whether the crank hub has been addressed on tuned cars, evidence the charge pipe and cooling components have been maintained or upgraded, a clean accident record, and desirable options and colors
  • Check by VIN that recalls are done, above all the driveshaft recall on 2016 and 2017 cars (18V-713) and the head airbag recall on 2015 cars (24V-288)
  • Check for a fuel smell or wet fuel under the car on the driver's side, where the tank's welded top plate can leak; cars built through April 2016 have BMW's 15-year cover for it (SI B01 03 22)

Holds value

  • Competition Package
  • Six-speed manual
  • Signature colors such as Yas Marina Blue, Austin Yellow, and Sakhir Orange
  • Paints from BMW Individual
  • Low and well-documented mileage
  • Complete service records
  • Carbon ceramic brakes for buyers who want them

Hurts resale

  • High mileage
  • Accident or salvage history
  • Heavy or undocumented tuning
  • Common colors
  • Missing service records
  • Unresolved known issues

What to do next

Check a carFound one for sale? Paste the listing's link or its VIN, or enter its details, for a report on that one car.F80 M3 vs G80 M3See where the M3 F80 wins and loses, part by part.Take the checklistWhat to ask, look for and test before you pay.
Keep it on your shortlistSaved in this browser only, ready to compare.

Not built yet. Press it if you would use it, and we will build it.

Follow the M3

The M Index, once a month: any change to the M3's guide or score, with the reason, new recalls on M cars, and one thing to check before you buy.