Guides
Buying guides
Built on the same data as the scores: engine reliability with the reasoning shown, the years to buy and skip, known problems in plain English, and the buying process step by step.
The new M era
- The new M eraBig grilles, heavy hybrids and an electric M3Why the new M cars split opinion, what our scores say once the looks are set aside, and the cars still coming, with what we know so far.
- Buy or waitLast gas M3 or first electric one: should you buy a G80 now?What ends when, what comes next, and which G80 to buy if you buy now.
- Love it or hate itWhy the M3 and M4 got that grille, and does it matter when you buy one?Both sides of the argument, what it did to sales, and what it means for a used buyer.
- The XMThe BMW XM used: why it split opinion and what it costs nowThe case against, the case for, and whether a used one is a bargain or a risk.
- The M5How heavy is the new M5, and should a used buyer care?What the hybrid weight does to the drive and the running costs, and F90 or G90 for which driver.
Buying a car
- The processHow to buy a used BMW M carVIN decode, recall check, PPI, records, and the questions that save you thousands, in order.
- BuyingBMW Certified Pre-Owned, explained for M buyersWhat certification covers, how much factory cover is really left on a given car, what it adds to the price, and when it is worth it.
Choosing a car
- By model yearThe best and worst years of every BMW M car in our guideEach generation's best year, the weaker years and why: the engine, problems that hit only some years, and gearboxes that came later.
- By budgetThe best BMW M cars under $40kRepresentative cars under forty grand, ranked by score, with the tradeoffs of each.
- Head to headM340i vs M3: which one should you buy?The value benchmark against the real M car, scored side by side with the reliability gap most comparisons ignore.
Engines and known problems
- EnginesEngine reliability, ratedOur rating for every engine in the guide, from the B58 to the S85 V10, with the cars that use it and what goes wrong.
- Engine guideIs the N63 reliable?The V8 in the M550i and M850i has a complicated reputation. Which years earned it, what changed, and what ownership actually costs.
- Known issueThe S55 crank hub, explained for buyersWhat it is, which M cars are affected, how big the risk really is, and exactly what to ask a seller.
Problems by generation
Every generation of one model side by side: reliability, the costliest known repairs and the years to skip.
Head to head
The pairs buyers weigh most, with scores, problems and running costs side by side.