M Buyers Guide
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By budget · under $40,000

The best BMW M cars under $40k, ranked by score.

Forty grand covers more of the M range than most people expect, from a manual M240i to a V8 M550i to the first turbo M3. Below are the 10 highest-scoring representative cars under the cap in our guide, each ranked by the Guide Score of its own model year. That score weighs desirability, driving and reliability together, so a cheap car with an expensive appetite cannot hide.

Representative listings, last reviewed September 2026. Examples chosen by us, not a live feed. Real market prices vary with condition and region; use these as examples of what each budget tier looks like.

One row per generation, by budget:Under $30,000Under $50,000Under $75,000

ContentsJump to a section

The ranking

  1. 11st2016 M2 F87M car$30,000 · 58,000 mi · 7DCTdesirability 95enthusiast 88reliability 7489
  2. 22nd2015 M4 F82M car$30,000 · 64,000 mi · 7DCTdesirability 82enthusiast 93reliability 6983
  3. 3tied 3rd2010 M3 E92M car$34,000 · 78,000 mi · 7DCTdesirability 81enthusiast 92reliability 6882
  4. 3tied 3rd2015 M3 F80M car$34,000 · 62,000 mi · 7DCTdesirability 80enthusiast 93reliability 6982
  5. 3tied 3rd2009 M3 E92M car$18,500 · 114,000 mi · 7DCTdesirability 81enthusiast 92reliability 6882
  6. 66th2019 M240i F22M Performance$33,000 · 28,000 mi · 6MTdesirability 74enthusiast 79reliability 8781
  7. 7tied 7th1999 M Roadster and M Coupe E36/7M car$21,000 · 68,000 mi · 5MTdesirability 84enthusiast 77reliability 7380
  8. 7tied 7th2018 M240i F22M Performance$27,000 · 44,000 mi · 8ATdesirability 74enthusiast 79reliability 8680
  9. 7tied 7th2003 M3 E46M car$34,500 · 82,000 mi · 6MTdesirability 87enthusiast 93reliability 6280
  10. 7tied 7th2017 M240i F22M Performance$18,000 · 78,000 mi · 8ATdesirability 74enthusiast 79reliability 8680

How to read this list

The score rewards the whole car rather than the badge.

  • B58 cars (M240i, M340i) punch above their price because the engine is one of BMW's most dependable.
  • S55 M cars carry the crank-hub caveat on tuned examples (explained here).
  • The V8 M550i brings 456 hp, or 523 hp from the 2020 model year, for under $40,000, with V8 running costs attached (the N63 story).

Every generation page lists the known issues and what to check before you buy.

Before you spend any of it

At this price, the individual car decides everything, whatever the score says. Follow the buying process: records, VIN decode, recall check, and a pre-purchase inspection at a BMW specialist, every time.