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BMW F87 M2 buyer's guide
2016–2021 · M2, M2 Competition, M2 CS (N55, S55)
Last updated
Engines by year Model-year changes Known problems Other issues Warranty extensions Recalls Inspection checklist Red flags Which to buy Specs Paint codes Coding Ownership costs Sources
Models and engines by year
US-market models. Chassis codes: F87. Not sure which one you have? The VIN check decodes year, model and engine.
Model-year changes
| Model year | What changed |
|---|---|
| 2016 | M2 launches (unveiled November 2015) with an M-strengthened N55 (365 hp), a six-speed manual or seven-speed M DCT.8,9,10 |
| 2018 | New LED taillight design.9 |
| 2019 (LCI) | M2 Competition replaces the M2. S55 engine (405 hp), stiffer front suspension from the M3/M4, revised steering, stability control and differential, bigger brakes, 19-inch wheels, M3-style seats, M1/M2 drive-mode buttons and a larger grille.9,8 |
| 2020 | M2 CS: 444 hp S55, carbon roof and hood, adaptive dampers (a first for the M2), optional carbon-ceramic brakes, Misano Blue paint.9,8 |
US model years unless noted. "LCI" (Life Cycle Impulse) is BMW's name for a mid-cycle facelift.
Known problems and when they show up
Mileages are what the cited shops, specialists and owner forums report. They are typical ranges, not predictions for any one car.
N55 engine
M2 (2016–2018) · N55 bulletins
| Problem | When it shows up | What to know | Repair prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valve cover and gasket leak | about 60,000–100,000 miles | Burning-oil smell and oil on the spark plug wells. The plastic cover can also crack, so it is often replaced together with the gasket.1,2,3 | N55 valve cover / valve cover gasket (PCV) Owners paid: indie shop $930–$1,625 · dealer $1,450–$2,076 |
| Oil filter housing gasket leak | about 50,000–130,000 miles | Oil drips onto the belt and tensioner. Fix it before the belt is damaged.1,2,3,4 | N55 oil filter housing gasket (OFHG) Owners paid: indie shop $648–$763 |
| Electric water pump and thermostat | usually before 100,000 miles; reported failures range from about 30,000 to over 120,000 | Fails suddenly, often with no warning, then overheats.1,2,3 | N52 / N54 / N55 electric water pump + thermostat |
| Plastic charge pipe | can crack at any age, even at stock boost; about 40,000–90,000 miles (60,000–150,000 km) per EngineScope | Sudden loss of boost and a whoosh under load.1,3 | N55 charge pipe (intercooler to throttle) replacement |
| Oil pan gasket | usually past 100,000 miles | Expensive labor because the subframe must be lowered.1 | N55 oil pan gasket Owners paid: indie shop $1,588–$1,900 |
| VANOS solenoids | around 120,000 miles | Rough idle and cam timing faults.1 | VANOS solenoids (intake / exhaust) |
S55 engine
M2 Competition (2019–2021), M2 CS (2020) · S55 bulletins
| Problem | When it shows up | What to know | Repair prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crank hub | no mileage pattern | Rare (most sources say a small percentage, higher on tuned cars) but it can wreck the engine. Ask whether a one-piece/keyed hub upgrade was fitted.5,6,7 | No price yet |
| Charge pipe | age and boost related | The stock plastic pipe cracks, especially on tuned cars.6,7 | No price yet |
| Oil filter housing, valve cover and oil pan leaks | oil filter housing gasket about 60,000–80,000 miles | Shared with N55-era designs. A leaking OFHG can drip oil onto the belt.5,7 | No price yet |
| Turbo oil seals | reports from about 40,000 miles | Reported more often as cars age.7 | No price yet |
Known F87 issues beyond the engine
N55 M2: oil filter housing gasket and charge pipe. Watch for a leaking oil filter housing gasket and a charge pipe that cracks or pops off at the throttle body.9,10
M DCT shudder. The DCT can shake, shudder or slip.9
S55 crank hub. The S55 crank hub is not positively locked to the crankshaft. RD Motorsport says it can slip on tuned and standard cars alike. BMWBlog calls it mainly a concern on modified cars.11,10,9
Recalls. Machines With Souls lists one UK recall for the F87 (R/2020/352: injectors possibly missing damping elements). Check US recalls by VIN.9
Warranty extensions and service campaigns 4
Warranty extensions (4)
- SIB 31 01 24 Strut warranty extension Strut warranty extension on BMW G01/G02/G80/G81 and other models (2015–2024); BMW extended the warranty on this part for eligible cars. Service bulletin · Jan 2024
- NHTSA 10212779 Component and Issue Specific Limited Emission Warranty Extension Component and Issue Specific Limited Emission Warranty Extension on BMW G20/E90/E92/E93 and other models (2012–2021); BMW extended the warranty on this part for eligible cars. Service bulletin · Apr 2022
- SIB 64 06 13 Air conditioning warranty extension Air conditioning warranty extension on BMW G20/E90/E92/E93 and other models (2012–2021); BMW extended the warranty on this part for eligible cars. Service bulletin · Nov 2021
- SIB 12 17 16 Thermostat warranty extension Thermostat warranty extension on N20/N55 engines (2014–2017); BMW extended the warranty on this part for eligible cars. Service bulletin · Jun 2017
Filed by BMW with NHTSA. Extensions usually follow the car to later owners and can reimburse earlier repairs; a BMW dealer can confirm by VIN.
NHTSA safety recalls 5
- Recall 21V554: passenger seat safety belt retractor 228I, 230I, 330E, 330I, 430I, 530I, 540I, M2, M235I, M240I, M3, M340I, M4, M440I, X1, X2, Z4, 2021. The passenger seat belt Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) may deactivate early, before the webbing fully retracts.
- Recall 20V666: n/a – vehicle engine assembly error M2, M4, 2020–2021. Fuel injectors may have been installed without a damping component which is used to reduce vibration.
- Recall 19V352: knee bolster 230I, 330I, 430I, 440I, M2, M240I, M4, 2019–2020. The driver and passenger knee air bag assemblies may have been improperly folded and assembled.
- Recall 17V719: instrument cluster/panel 230I, M2, M240I, X3, 2018. These vehicles may have an error in the software for the instrument panel, causing the display to not properly illuminate.
- Recall 16V653: frame and members M2, M3, M4, 2015–2017. BMW North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2016 BMW M2 Coupe vehicles, 2015-2017 M3 Sedan vehicles and 2015-2016 M4 Coupe and M4 Convertible vehicles.
Matched from NHTSA's public recall file by model and model year. A recall may cover only some cars from a year, and it may already have been done on yours. Check by VIN →
Test drive and inspection checklist
- Run the VIN for open recalls. Open safety recalls are free at any BMW dealer. Check on NHTSA's site or our recall page before you buy.12
- Scan for stored fault codes with a BMW-capable tool. A generic OBD reader misses most BMW modules. Specialist guides recommend a BMW-level scan (ISTA or similar) to catch faults that have been cleared from the dash but still stored.13,14
- Start it from cold. Ask the seller not to warm the car up first. Chain rattle, VANOS rattle, lifter tick and rough idle show most clearly in the first seconds after a cold start.13,15,16
- Ask a BMW dealer about warranty extensions and campaigns. Several BMW warranty extensions follow the car, not the owner, and some reimburse earlier repairs. A dealer can check the VIN. The list for this chassis is below.
- Get a pre-purchase inspection from a BMW specialist. A few hundred dollars for an independent BMW specialist is the usual advice, especially for M cars and high-mileage turbo engines.17,13
- Know which engine it has. 2016–2018 M2s have the N55; Competition and CS models have the S55. The checks differ.11,9
- Ask whether the crank hub has been done (S55 cars). If the seller says yes, ask for the invoice showing what was fitted and who fitted it.11
- Cold start. Watch for blue smoke on start-up or after idling (valve stem seals) and listen for a tap from the front of the engine that fades as it warms (cam alignment).11
- Signs of track use and tuning. Look at brake and tire shoulder wear, seat bolster and wheel wear, and ask who did any remap.11,9
- Oil change history. RD Motorsport recommends oil changes every 5,000–7,000 miles, well inside BMW's maximum interval.11
Engine items to listen and look for are in the known problems section.
Service-history red flags
- Oil changes only at the long computer interval. Several guides advise changing oil more often than the onboard service indicator (CBS) suggests, especially with lots of city driving.16,18
- Gaps in the records around known failure mileages. If the engine section below lists a job that usually comes due at the car's mileage, ask for the invoice. A missing record isn't proof it wasn't done, but it is a negotiating point.
- Tuned or "deleted" cars. Tunes, emissions deletes and removed parts complicate warranty claims and inspections and raise wear on turbo cars. Ask, and look for aftermarket intakes, downpipes and charge pipes.
- N55: ask for records of Valve cover and gasket leak; Oil filter housing gasket leak; Electric water pump and thermostat; Plastic charge pipe; Oil pan gasket; VANOS solenoids.
- S55: ask for records of Crank hub; Charge pipe; Oil filter housing, valve cover and oil pan leaks; Turbo oil seals.
Which F87 to look for
M2 Competition (S55), 2019–2021. Machines With Souls would only consider the S55 car: it is faster and more refined.9
M2 (N55), 2016–2018. Machines With Souls says this N55 is among the better versions of the engine and perhaps more reliable than the S55. BMWBlog rates it "middling."9,10
These are the views of the cited reviewers and specialists, not a ranking of our own.
F87 specs
BMW's US figures we have on file run from 365 hp (M2) to 405 hp (M2 Competition), with 0-60 mph as quick as 4.0 s.
A manual gearbox was offered in model years 2016–2021 (EPA listings). Full F87 specs: every US engine, transmission and drive by year →
Factory paint and option codes
Paint colors BMW of North America listed for the F87 in the ordering and pricing guides we read:
| Code | Color | Model years |
|---|---|---|
| 300 | Alpine White | 2017, 2021 |
| 475 | Black Sapphire Metallic | 2017, 2021 |
| B39 | Mineral Grey Metallic | 2017 |
| C16 | Long Beach Blue Metallic | 2017, 2021 |
| C1X | Sunset Orange Metallic | 2021 |
| C33 | Hockenheim Silver Metallic | 2021 |
64 option codes are listed for the F87 in the same guides. Search them.
Only model years covered by the guides we could obtain are shown.
Coding
The coding apps' own lists show 183 settings that owners can change on the F87 with a phone and an OBD adapter, in areas such as Welcome Lights, Seat heating/cooling, Convenient opening/closing, Display options iDrive system, Audio, Display options instrument cluster. 157 come from BimmerCode's list and 26 more appear only in Carly's list.
Ownership costs
Routine maintenance: oil service prices by engine size, published BMW Value Service prices (brakes, spark plugs) from 16 US dealers, and the F87 maintenance schedule.
Repairs we price that apply to the F87
| Repair and owner-reported prices |
|---|
| N55 oil filter housing gasket (OFHG) Owners paid: indie shop $648–$763 |
| N55 valve cover / valve cover gasket (PCV) Owners paid: indie shop $930–$1,625 · dealer $1,450–$2,076 |
| N52 / N54 / N55 electric water pump + thermostat |
| N55 oil pan gasket Owners paid: indie shop $1,588–$1,900 |
| VANOS solenoids (intake / exhaust) |
| N55 ignition coils (all six) |
| N55 charge pipe (intercooler to throttle) replacement |
"Owners paid" is the middle 50% of sourced owner prices across chassis with the same engine. Each job page reprices for your ZIP.
By model year
| Year | Models and engines | NHTSA recalls | Warranty extensions | Repairs we price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | M2 N55 | 1 | 4 | 7 Priciest: N55 valve cover / valve cover gasket (PCV), owners paid up to $2,076 (dealer, middle 50%) |
| 2017 | M2 N55 | 1 | 4 | 7 Priciest: N55 valve cover / valve cover gasket (PCV), owners paid up to $2,076 (dealer, middle 50%) |
| 2018 | M2 N55 | 1 | 3 | 7 Priciest: N55 valve cover / valve cover gasket (PCV), owners paid up to $2,076 (dealer, middle 50%) |
| 2019 | M2 Competition S55 | 1 | 3 | — |
| 2020 | M2 Competition S55 M2 CS S55 | 2 | 3 | — |
| 2021 | M2 Competition S55 | 2 | 3 | — |
Recalls and warranty extensions are counted when their published model-year range includes that year. Each one may cover only some cars, so check by VIN. Repairs counted are the ones whose engine was offered that year.
Sources
- BMWTuning: N55 FAQ
- BMWTuning: 5 most common N55 problems
- EngineScope: N55 reliability
- r/F30: how long has your N55 lasted?
- BMWTuning: S55 engine guide
- R44 Performance: S55 review
- Fast Car: F80 M3 / F82 M4 buyer's guide
- Wikipedia: BMW M2
- Machines With Souls: BMW F87 M2 buyer's guide
- BMWBlog: BMW 2 Series F22 buyers' guide (2022)
- RD Motorsport: buying an S55 M3, M4 or M2, what to check
- NHTSA recall lookup by VIN
- The Stable: E92 M3 buyer's guide
- Euro Premium Parts: E60 M5 reliability guide
- carsales: buying a used F30 3 Series (2015–20)
- carsales: buying a used E90 3 Series
- Road & Track: E46 M3 buyer's guide
- Drive-My: E60 5 Series buying guide (six-cylinder petrol)
Retrieved 2026-10-18. Bulletins and recalls come from NHTSA filings; owner prices come from the public posts linked on each job page.