Is there a reliable modern VAG or BMW engine?

[dsuk]

Recent reliability reports have shown that the German manufacturers engines aren't particularly reliable.

Ignoring the new belt cam VAG TSI engines that are unproven, are there any modern (<5yrs) VAG or BMW engines that are known to be trouble free over the medium to longer term ?

[greygoose]

The n54 3 litre twin turbo engine in the 1M seems pretty good, mine has just passed 40,000 miles tonight and has never used any oil.

[dsuk]

The Wikipedia page for the n54 states:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_N54

In at least the US market, the N54 engine has been characterized by a very large number of High Pressure Fuel Pump (HPFP) failures,[26]

On 26 October 2010, following an ABC News story about HPFP failures,[27] BMW announced a recall of vehicles with the pump in question from manufacturing years 2007-2010.[28] A class action suit has been filed against BMW regarding these problems.[29]

[greygoose]

I don't live in America though and have never had a HPFP failure.

[cib24]

I will be the first to say it. If you want reliability buy a Lexus, Toyota or Honda petrol or hybrid car. The engineering and build quality is legendary. I had a Honda Civic that lasted 335,000 miles following the normal service schedule and pretty much just changing the oil and filter along with ensuring the fluids were topped up.

[Driver101]

If you read the internet every car is unreliable.

[vinnie83]

With many german cars it's not the engine as such that are the weak points, it's the bits that make the engine run and that are attached to it that seem to be overcomplicated and unreliable.

[anonymous-user]

greygoose said:

I don't live in America though and have never had a HPFP failure.

No they sorted the issue before the 1m was released

As well as wastegate and turbo issues

[veevee]

dsuk said:

Recent reliability reports have shown that the German manufacturers engines aren't particularly reliable.

Ignoring the new belt cam VAG TSI engines that are unproven, are there any modern (<5yrs) VAG or BMW engines that are known to be trouble free over the medium to longer term ?

The question kind of cancels itself out. Newer than 5 years but reliable over medium/long term? I'll just hop in my time machine!

[BritishRacinGrin]

veevee said:

The question kind of cancels itself out. Newer than 5 years but reliable over medium/long term? I'll just hop in my time machine!

Seems fair enough to me, there must be plenty of examples that've done 150k+ in their five years.

[Dave Hedgehog]

lord trumpton said:

greygoose said:

I don't live in America though and have never had a HPFP failure.

No they sorted the issue before the 1m was released

As well as wastegate and turbo issues

They also have very low quality fuel which may have made issues like this more common

It is expected we will get more issues in the uk when we move to E10 fuel

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/9923895/New-gr...

[anonymous-user]

All modern bmw & vag engines are reliable.
A very small number will have problems, probably less than other brands.
Why do you ask?

[aeropilot]

The N52 is probably one of the most trouble free BMW engines of the past decade or so.

[Engineer1]

BritishRacinGrin said:

veevee said:

The question kind of cancels itself out. Newer than 5 years but reliable over medium/long term? I'll just hop in my time machine!

Seems fair enough to me, there must be plenty of examples that've done 150k+ in their five years.

But that's a different issue 150K+ in 5 years means it's been serviced approximately 7/8 times assuming 20k interval, so once every 7-8 months, things won't have worn out due to age, poor materials choices etc.

[jon-]

The V8 in the e9x M3 seems to have been very reliable, but that falls outside of 5 years old.

I think everyone is going through a learning process at the moment with the turbos and HPFP

[r11co]

aeropilot said:

The N52 is probably one of the most trouble free BMW engines of the past decade or so.

THe N52 represents the ultimate refinement of tried-and-tested technology for a petrol engine. What came after was venturing into uncharted waters - introducing the complex systems required to make diesel cars viable (and as a consequence fragile) into petrol cars.

[bodhi]

I got the impression that the x30d and x35d BMW lumps were pretty reliable, certainly haven't heard any widespread horror stories about them.

[DoubleSix]

r11co said:

aeropilot said:

The N52 is probably one of the most trouble free BMW engines of the past decade or so.

THe N52 represents the ultimate refinement of tried-and-tested technology for a petrol engine. What came after was venturing into uncharted waters - introducing the complex systems required to make diesel cars viable (and as a consequence fragile) into petrol cars.

N52 lovely refined thing...

[Bradgate]

My 2008 E92 330d has the M57 engine. It has now done 110k miles and I have had no mechanical issues whatsoever. I had the swirl flaps removed at 70k as a precaution.

My previous car was a 2004 120d with the N47 engine. I owned this car for 4 years and sold it at 135k miles. I had no mechanical issues with this car, which is why I was happy to buy another BMW diesel.

[Wills2]

I've had 6 BMWs, 1 Audi and 1 VW, driven over 350k in them over the last 10 years(some 85k some only 30k) and never had an issue.

I guess I must be lucky (but I doubt it)

Edited by Wills2 on Friday 30th May 15:44