One of the most important factors in maintaining any high-performance car is regularly checking and changing the oil, and the M4 is no different. And like any performance car, you need to use the correct oil to get the best results and avoid any damage – so what is the best oil for a BMW M4?
Which M4 do you own?
I’ll keep this section simple to get onto the important stuff quickly. There are two M4 generations, the original F82 / F83 model produced between 2014 and 2021, and the new G82 / G83 version released in 2021. In case you’re unsure which version you have, the front end gives it away pretty quickly:
The best oil for your F82 / F83 M4
For this generation M4, the best oils you can use are:
- 0W-30
- 5W-30
- 5W-40
If those numbers mean absolutely nothing to you, let’s go through what each one means and how they are different.
Firstly, the difference between 0W-30 and 5W-30 is the viscosity – basically, how thick the oil is. The 0W-30 has a lower viscosity, so it flows better, improving performance in the engine. This gives it a slight advantage in ideal conditions, but the 5W-30 can operate better at a wider range of temperatures. That means in very cold conditions, the 5W-30 will be better than the 0W-30 oil (the W in the name stands for Winter, with the higher the number, the better the performance).
What about the 5W-30 against the 5W-40 then? The difference here is that the 5W-40 can operate better at higher temperatures. This is going to be most useful for cars that are in warm urban areas, spending a lot of time in traffic, or engines that are pushed to their limit regularly.
So which oil is best?
Out of these three options, there isn’t a perfect choice – it depends mostly on where you live, and what type of driving you’ll be doing. All three oils are very similar in performance, but if I had to guess I think the 5W-30 will be the most popular choice for M4 owners.
The best oil for your G82 / G83 M4
What about the latest M4 version? Well fortunately the recommendations are very similar to the previous gen:
- 0W-40
- 5W-30
- 5W-40
The only difference in selecting the best oil is to go with a 0W-40 variant instead of the 0W-30. As we talked about earlier, the 0W-40 oil will perform slightly better at higher temperatures than the 0W-30.
Apart from that small change, the other recommendations are the same as the F82 / F83 generation. That’s not a huge surprise as the new engine shares a lot with its predecessor, so oil requirements will be similar.
What does the best BMW oil cost?
With a few different grades of oil to choose from, and a lot of oil manufacturers, you won’t be surprised that there’s a lot of choice out there. So what should you be paying for high quality oil in your M4?
BMW Twinpower Oil
Let’s start with BMW branded oil – it’s expensive (I found some at $12/L) but that’s to be expected carrying the BMW badge. Remember, you’ll need at least 6 litres for a change, probably more, so a full change can get pricey.
Pennzoil
A brand I’ve heard a lot of positive things about, Pennzoil is what you’ll get from a lot of BMW dealers if you take your car for a service. Pennzoil is owned by Shell, so in regions outside the US you might find different branding
Mobil 1
I’ve had some good feedback from owners I know using Mobil 1 on a variety of cars, but the 5W-30 variants seem to be a very popular choice for M4 owners. You can get Mobil 1 in the US and Europe through plenty of retailers and online, so it’s a great choice.
Summary
The best oil to run your M4 comes down to a few factors, but overall I think most owners will be using a 5W-30 variant. Consider your climate and how you’ll be using the car too though, and ask your local independent BMW specialist for advice if you’re unsure on selecting a brand.
For more info on owning and running a BMW, check out the below:
BMW Dynamic Handling Package Explained
Which BMW Models Have Ambient Lighting?
