Used BMW 4 Series Buying Guide (2014-2025)

A used BMW 4 Series is easiest to recommend as a 2017-2020 430i or 440i, or a 2021-or-newer 430i, once you have the car's recall printout in hand and know the starter campaigns are closed. The 2014-2016 428i and 435i cost less and still drive well, but they carry a pile of air bag and fuel-pump recalls, and some of those were filed as recently as late 2025.

The 4 Series is the two-door and Gran Coupe offshoot of the 3 Series, so it shares a lot with the sedan in our used BMW 3 Series buying guide. If you want the full-strength car, the used BMW M3 buying guide covers the M side, and we only touch the M4 here in passing. Shopping outside BMW? Our used Audi A4 buying guide is the closest rival we have written up.

First generation, 2014-2020

BMW split its coupes away from the 3 Series name for 2014. Car and Driver's 2014 428i test lists a 240-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four with 255 lb-ft and an eight-speed automatic. The car hit 60 mph in 5.3 seconds and pulled nearly 0.90 g on the skidpad on run-flat tires. C/D also warned about the long doors, a pinch point getting into the back seat, and an option sheet that made the price climb fast. The 435i sat above it with a turbo six. NHTSA's vehicle database lists 428i and 435i models for 2014 and 430i and 440i for 2020, which lines up with the engine rename partway through the generation.

A convertible was offered from the start, and NHTSA recall filings list a four-door 4 Series Gran Coupe from the 2015 model year. If you plan to carry adults in back, sit there yourself on the test drive. A coupe can look like a bargain until you try to get a car seat through that door opening.

Second generation, 2021 and later

The current car launched for 2021 with a much bigger grille, which C/D flatly called unfortunate. C/D's 2021 430i xDrive test lists a 255-hp 2.0-liter turbo with 294 lb-ft, 5.2 seconds to 60, and 34 mpg on its 75-mph highway loop. It also called the steering vague and the chassis too soft for a BMW coupe, and noted that heated seats and passive entry came in a $2,300 Premium package. So do not assume a used 430i has them.

The current C/D 4 Series page lists a 48-volt hybrid assist on both engines now, the 430i at 255 hp and the 2025 M440i at 386 hp, and no manual gearbox. One odd thing we noticed on C/D's model-year list: the Gran Coupe jumps from 2020 straight to 2022, so a "2021 4 Series Gran Coupe" listing is worth a second look at the VIN.

Recalls that matter on a used 4 Series

I pulled the NHTSA recalls API for each year on the evening of October 16, 2026. The 4 Series has more than most cars this size, and several are about fire or air bags.

• 25V636, 2021-2022 430i and 430i Convertible: the starter relay can corrode and short. The NHTSA record tells owners to park outside and away from structures until the starter is replaced.
• 26V056, 2021-2024 4 Series: the starter can overheat and catch fire from internal wear. Dealers replace the starter; owner letters went out July 21, 2026.
• 25V202, 2025 430i: the starter-generator battery connection can come loose and cause a stall or wiring overheating. The record I read still said second letters would go out once the remedy is available.
• 24V288 and 25V871, 2014-2015: the head air bag inflator can fail at a weld and rupture. Dealers replace the head air bags; the second campaign's letters were mailed February 12, 2026.
• 24V527, 15V189, 24V608: a driver air bag replacement on some 2014-2015 cars, a 2014 fuel pump, and a water-pump connector on 2014-2016 428i models.
• 19V352, 2019-2020: knee air bags that may have been folded wrong.

Our BMW recall check by VIN guide shows how to confirm what was done. Ask the selling dealer for the BMW service printout too, because a history report often shows "recall performed" without saying which one.

Pre-purchase checks

Decode the VIN first with our BMW VIN decoder walkthrough so you know if you are looking at a 430i, an M440i, a Gran Coupe, or a convertible, and whether xDrive is real. C/D lists the current warranty at four years or 50,000 miles with three years or 36,000 miles of maintenance on 2026 cars, which means a 2021 or 2022 is almost certainly outside basic coverage by now. Look at tire wear, since run-flats and staggered sizes are not cheap, and have an independent BMW shop scan for stored faults before you sign anything.

On a convertible, cycle the top several times and check for water marks in the trunk and on the carpets. A soft top that hesitates or stops partway is an expensive fix. That one goes on the inspection list every time.

History report and title

A sporty two-door deserves a careful history read. Check title brands free on NMVTIS, then read a full report; the CARFAX history report page lists the accident, owner, and odometer data included. A seller's two-year-old PDF tells you nothing about last winter. CarVins is a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller, not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck, Experian, or BMW. Right now one report is roughly $5.50 without an account and $4.50 with one, and about $6.75 buys both brands, while retail sits around $39.99-$44.99. Those figures can change between visits, so check the price at checkout before you pay.

Sources

• Car and Driver: 2014 BMW 428i test
• Car and Driver: 2021 BMW 430i xDrive test
• Car and Driver: BMW 4 Series
• NHTSA: recall 25V636
• CARFAX: vehicle history reports
• NMVTIS (U.S. DOJ)