Higher running cost than the inline six
Tires, brakes, and service all run higher than B58 cars. Budget accordingly.
How to check
Account for the higher annual cost when cross shopping against a six.
Variesno single repair costLow severity
BMW M850i G14
2019 to 2022ConvertibleM Performance
64Guide Score 64Good$3,012 a year to ownAbout 41st of 69
- Best year
- 2022
Photo: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The short answer
The M850i G14 Convertible pre-LCI inherits the G15 coupe's N63 V8 and chronic issue profile but trades structural rigidity for an open V8 GT experience.
The score, part by part
64Guide Score for 2021Goodabout $3,012 a year to own
- Place among the 69 generations
- About 41st of 69, likely 27th to 55th
- Likely score range
- 56 to 76
- Confidence
- Low
- Acclaim
- 43 of 100
- Chance of a bill over $10,000 in five years
- under 0.1%
- Best purposes
- Daily driver, 15th of 69
The seven parts and acclaim, 2021 model year
- Heritage counts 15 of 100
- 324% of it not measured
- Engine counts 15 of 100
- 46
- Drive feel counts 20 of 100
- 67
- Analog connection counts 10 of 100
- 64
- Weight counts 10 of 100
- 42
- Long-term value not scored
- not measured
- Ownership counts 17 of 100
- 70
- Acclaim counts 15 of 100
- 43
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
No permitted price yet: we have not found three prices for this car from sources that allow this use.
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 $3,012 a year to own ($2,014 to $4,546), about $14,034 over five years, bought at five years old or its own age if older, kept five years.
Expect about $2,000 to $4,500 a year; the bills that decide it are oil and coolant leaks and valve stem seals. Ownership risk: moderate.
Guide Score method v5-final.14, an editorial score built only from permitted, sourced data. How it works.
N63 V8 (TU3)523 hpAWD8-speed automatic17 city, 24 hwy mpg
Colors it came in, most wanted first. Pick one to see the page in it.
- Routine service a year, estimate
- $600 to $950
Best year to buy
2022The best year to buy, reading 64 of 100, about $3,012 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 2022, and no logged fault separates them.
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
Heavier, less rigid, more cruiser focused, a different buyer and a different resale curve.
What to look for
- All G15 checks (oil consumption history, cooling system, full records) plus the soft top mechanism, headliner, drains, and trunk seal
- Verify the top cycles fully
- Check by VIN that recalls are done (the fuel pump flange on 2019 cars, the brake unit on 2020 and 2021 cars)
- Cars built before late February 2021 have 15-year, 150,000-mile cover for injectors corroded by coolant
- On 2019 and 2020 cars BMW covers the engine coolant thermostat for 15 years or 150,000 miles (SI B01 01 21); a dealer can confirm it by VIN
Holds value
- Bowers and Wilkins Diamond audio
- Individual paint
- Working top mechanism
- Low documented mileage
- Complete records
Hurts resale
- Top mechanism faults
- Water damage
- Accident history
- Very high mileage
- Missing oil change records
Known issues to check
What goes wrong on this generation, roughly what a fix costs at an independent shop, and how to spot it before you buy. Every M850i generation compared.
Cooling on the 2021 car
- Oil and coolant leaks (hot vee)Medium$1,500
Inspect for leaks at valve covers, turbo oil lines, and the cooling system.
- Cooling system loadMedium$1,500
Verify cooling parts have been refreshed past 80k mi, ask if owner has run 5k to 7.5k oil intervals.
- Fuel injectors corroded by coolant (N63, 2019 to 2021 cars)LowVaries
Check coverage by VIN at a dealer and look for coolant residue around the injectors.
6known issues
5NHTSA recalls, 2019 to 2022
1owner complaints to NHTSA filed as the M850i
NHTSA files some owner complaints about this car under the 8 Series, so they are missing here. Read them by year, make and model at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Oil and coolant leaks (hot vee)
The hot vee turbo placement runs the V8 hot and stresses gaskets, hoses, and seals.
How to check
Inspect for leaks at valve covers, turbo oil lines, and the cooling system.
$1,500est. repairMedium severity
Cooling system load
The hot vee layout stresses radiators, hoses, the expansion tank, and the water pump. Shorter oil change intervals recommended.
How to check
Verify cooling parts have been refreshed past 80k mi, ask if owner has run 5k to 7.5k oil intervals.
$1,500est. repairMedium severity
Valve stem seals (older or tracked)
Worn valve stem seals are a known N63 and N63TU repair that drives oil consumption and startup smoke; no bulletin covers these later engines yet, but check for blue smoke at start-up on high-mileage cars.
How to check
Look for blue startup smoke, request a leakdown on high mileage cars.
$4,000est. repairMedium severity
Oil consumption (N63)
The N63 family is known to consume oil between changes. Improved on the TU2 and TU3 in these cars compared with the original N63 and the TU1 (2013 to 2019 550i, 650i, 750i, X5 and X6), whose oil consumption led to a 2022 class action settlement, but not zero.
How to check
Ask owner about oil top-ups between changes, review service records.
$1,500est. repairMedium severity
Fuel injectors corroded by coolant (N63, 2019 to 2021 cars)
Coolant residue can collect around the injectors and corrode them. BMW covers injectors that fail this way on M850i coupes, convertibles and Gran Coupes built before late February 2021 for 15 years or 150,000 miles (SI B01 17 24).
How to check
Check coverage by VIN at a dealer and look for coolant residue around the injectors.
Variesno single repair costLow severity
Ownership and safety
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, M550i, X4M, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5M, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, Alpina XB7, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, and 8 Series Coupe, Convertible and Grand Coupe, 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8, 2020-2021 530e, 530e xDrive, 330e, 330e xDrive, 745Le, 745Le xDrive, X5 xDrive45e, X3 xDrive30e, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 740i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, M760i Drive, M760Li xDrive, 750Li xDrive Alpina, Alpina B7 xDrive, and 2021 4 Series Coupe 430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive vehicles. When shifting into Reverse, a small portion of the rearview image may be obscured, or the screen may not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 8 Series Coupe, Grand Coupe and convertible 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8 and 740 Li, 740 Li xDrive, 750 Li xDrive, M760 Li xDrive, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xdrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, and 2019-2021 X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M50i, X5M, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, and 2021 M3, M3 Competition, M4 Coupe, M4 Competition Coupe, X5 xDrive45e, 745 Le xDrive. The rotor and shaft within the integrated brake system may not have been welded properly and could separate during a hard braking event, possibly resulting in a loss of the Antilock Brake System (ABS) and braking assistance.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 X3 xDrive30e, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, X4M, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, 840i Gran Coupe, 840i xDrive Gran Coupe, M850i xDrive Gran Coupe, M8 Gran Coupe, X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, and 840i xDrive Convertible vehicles. The sensors in the front seat belt buckles may inaccurately detect a belted occupant as unbelted, possibly causing the air bag and seat belt pretensioners to deploy improperly in the event of a crash.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 540d, 2018-2020 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 530e, 530e xDrive, X3 sDrive, X3 xDrive, X3 M40i, X3 M, and 2019-2020 X4 xDrive, X4 M40i, X4 M, X7 xDrive, X7 M50i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 750Li, 750Li xDrive, 8 Series Convertible and Coupe 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, X5 sDrive, X5 xDrive, X5 M50i, X6 xDrive, X6 M50i, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, Z4 sDrive, Z4 M40i, 740Le xDrive and 745Le xDrive, 2018-2019 640i xDrive Gran Turismo and Rolls-Royce Phantom, 2019 M850i xDrive Gran Coupe and Rolls-Royce Cullinan and 2020 Toyota Supra vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 750i xDrive, 2019 M850i xDrive Coupe, M850i xDrive Convertible, X5 xDrive50i, X7 xDrive50i, and M5 vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may not have been properly attached to the engine, which may cause the fuel pump flange to crack, resulting in a fuel leak.
Live from NHTSA, across the 2019 to 2022 model years.
What it costs to run
Our estimates at an independent shop, parts and labor; fuel from the EPA.
Fuel a yearEPA
~$2,240
At about 8,000 miles a year, our estimate for an M Performance car, the two-year budget's miles; 19 mpg combined, premium gasoline
Factory tiresEstimate
$1,600 to $2,200
20in staggered summer run-flats
Brakes, front and rearEstimate
$1,800 to $3,200
Pads and rotors, independent shop
Annual serviceEstimate
$600 to $950
Oil and inspections
Pricing tires for this car? Compare the factory sizes at Discount Tire, and ask a local shop to match it.
Maintenance schedule
- Oil serviceyearly or 10k mi~$250
- Brake fluidevery 2 yrs~$120
- Cabin microfilterevery 2 yrs~$90
- Spark plugsevery 60k mi~$500
- Tire set, wear itemevery 15k to 25k mi~$2,100
- Brake job, wear itemevery 25k to 40k mi~$2,500
Sources and methodwhat each figure covers
Fuel from EPA fueleconomy.gov: its yearly cost is for 15,000 miles with 55% city driving, moved here to the miles a year the two-year budget uses. The rest are our estimates at independent-shop and retail prices from September 2026. Service is a year of routine maintenance at 10,000 miles: one or two oil changes, brake fluid, filters, and spark plugs spread over their interval. Repairs are separate. Tires are a mounted set of summer tires; brakes are pads and rotors on both axles. Prices vary by region and shop.
Prices near you
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Set your ZIP and this page shows the asking prices of M850i G14 cars listed for sale within 100 miles of you today, with the cars themselves.
What they sell for
$32,000lowest example
$57,000highest example
3listings tracked
2020 BMW M850i
Sunset Orange · 18,000 mi · 8AT · AWD
$57,000listing score 70
2019 BMW M850i
Carbon Black · 38,000 mi · 8AT · AWD
$45,000listing score 73
2019 BMW M850i
Alpine White · 68,000 mi · 8AT · AWD
$32,000listing score 55
Representative listings, last reviewed September 2026. Examples chosen by us, not a live feed.
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Keep looking
The cars this one gets weighed against, by lineage and by price.
Follow the M850i
The M Index, once a month: any change to the M850i's guide or score, with the reason, new recalls on M cars, and one thing to check before you buy.