Avoid: 2016 (lowest Year Scores on complaints per year on the road, crash reports and recalls)
Best: 2020 (few owner reports)
7 model years of NHTSA owner complaints and recalls · How we grade
Across 6 model years, the BMW M4 has 48 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 18 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are engine and power train. 2016 drew the most complaints (22), 2020 the fewest (1).
Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for BMW M4 vehicles (US, public record). Typical used asking price $47,180–$74,697.
Complaint volume by model year. Raw NHTSA totals, not adjusted for sales volume or time on the road, so older and higher-selling years accumulate more. Every year links to its full breakdown.
Highest: 2016 (22 complaints). Lowest: 2020 (1).
Extremely positive sentiment among owners, characterized by high satisfaction with performance, daily drivability, and emotional fulfillment. The M4 is consistently described as a "dream car" that delivers a thrilling, occasion-like driving experience.
Very frequent warnings about expensive routine maintenance (tires, brakes) and major repairs (turbos) on used, high-mileage examples. Budgeting thousands annually is emphasized.
Recurrent mentions of being a "pain to live with," including difficulty entering/exiting, wear on bolsters, and compromised comfort for some passengers on long trips.
Recurrent strong advice against buying modified M4s due to unknown build quality, potential hidden damage from aggressive tuning, and the likelihood that the car was driven hard.
Isolated complaint that throttle response in the G82's most efficient driving mode is too sluggish.
Isolated mention that the advanced cooling system on the G82 requires 10-15 minutes to reach optimal operating temperature.
Owner insights cover all generations of the M4. Individual model years are broken down above.
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