FRUNKenstein

My 210k mile S430 4matic daily is giving up the ghost, so started watching the auction list (I have a dealer's license). Lo and behold, up for sale today was a 2010 BMW 750Li xDrive with 104k miles. Auction estimate valued about $11,500. That's exactly what I was looking for. I went out to preview it and it was in decent condition but with an odd warning message about the battery being discharged during driving. Hmm. I start researching and, HOLY CRAP!! Apparently the N63B4400 engine used in all "50i" cars from 2008 to 2013 makes the M96 look like a Hans Mezger design. Anybody out there with experience with both engines?

Needless to say, I passed on the big Bimmer.

Kalashnikov

They don't call it Brings Mechanic Work for nothing.

Buy this one instead. Fun to drive and looks cool.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2004-Jaguar-...m=122183350951

5CHN3LL

Plaintiff bring this class action lawsuit against BMW on behalf of all persons who currently own or lease a 5 Series, 6 Series, 7 Series, X5 and/or X6 model BMW equipped with the 4.4-liter V8 version of the N63B4400 engine, manufactured between 2008 and 2013.

As alleged, these engines suffer reliability issues that result from problems relating to the timing chain, fuel injectors, mass airflow sensors, crankcase vent lines, battery, the engine vacuum pump and low-pressure fuel sensors. Such problems led to more serious concerns such as excessive battery drainage (the “Battery Defect”), oil leakage (the “Oil Defect”) and engine seizure, often causing pistons to crack the engine block due to the high pressure (the “Engine Defect”). Such engine reliability issues have arisen with the N63 Engine regardless of mileage, sometimes even occurring in vehicles with less than 20,000 miles.

(Sauce: http://gotaclassaction.com/bmw-named...b4400-engines/)

5CHN3LL

I’m being ironic, of course, but what shocked me was that today, some BMW engines barely make it past the 62,000 mile (100,000 km) mark. As my mechanic was talking, I was getting more and more intrigued.
The N63B44O0 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 is a bomb on wheels

What he was saying wasn’t making any sense. He claimed that the original N63 engine that goes by the codename N63B44O0 is a downright bomb on wheels. According to him, he changed at least a dozen of them because of faulty injectors or a faulty high pressure fuel pump.

It seems like the injectors would shoot too much petrol inside the cylinder which would in turn cause some shrapnel to come off that would eventually get stuck in all sorts of places and cause the piston to crack the case. Basically, you’d be in for a surprise when a rod or even a piston would shoot through the engine block.

(Sauce: http://www.autoevolution.com/news/bm...ems-88225.html)

m3driver

I have the 535xi wagon and love it. It has the dreaded n54 twin turbo motor that is supposedly plagued by problems. I've only ever changed the oil, and I have 96k on the clock now and it's never skipped a beat.

TonyTwoBags

WalterRohrl

I'm guessing KrazyK now has a 650i that he is busy documenting the 371 Modes Of Failure on and trolling BMW forums everywhere while trying to wangle a date with Chip, the owner of Vee Eight Innovations...After polishing the now exposed engine parts from the inside out he's going to work on replacing the battery with one of his own design (using a large russet potato and a paperclip) and then plans to sell it for half of what he paid for it while thinking about the good old days with his Toyota Corolla reliability-like 996.

gnat

I'm ed. ed I tell you that there are problems with a BMW motor!

Oh. Wait. That's not right. What's the opposite of ?

My love is e30s. They had problems back then and they still have problems now. It's simple, their German. You want reliable, look to the eastern parts of the Asian continent.

Kalashnikov

Would disagree ^^. Too much technology and liberal climate change agenda forced auto makers to make smaller and much more complex FI motors. Germans, being German, piled all kinds of new tech into their engines with predictable results. The more moving parts you add, the less reliable unit becomes.

Same BMW and Mercedes V8s from 1990s are extremely strong. 4.4 V8 engines from BMW were smooth, reliable, and very powerful. 6 speed 540i from 1997 will give a run to your average 993 in 0-100 mph. Benz V8s from that era are legendary, no other word for it. 4.3, 5.0, 5.5 motors from 1990s are extremely reliable.

Hell, there was just a story about 400k mile E55 being on sale a few months ago. We are talking about 500 hp supercar with SC V8 motor that will still still run neck-in-neck with latest 911tts and lamborghinis. Reason for the longevity? Very simple and under-stressed engine. Single overhead cam, big blower on top, limited engine electronics.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cult...-amg-for-sale/

5CHN3LL

I purchased an X5 diesel the year they became available in the US (2010) - and while I did like the massive torque, there were things about the car I didn't like. Example: when the urea additive tank emptied, the car would refuse to start. Sure, you got some number of warnings, but...if those warnings happen when you're up a mountain or otherwise in the middle of nowhere, you're boned.

The issue that soured me on the car was when the EGR cooler failed (cracked), it allowed exhaust to circulate into the cabin. The X5 was less than a year old when this component failed so it was fixed under warranty (I believe that service visit added up to $2K). As similar stories started popping up on the Internet, I decided to let that car go and "downgrade" to a Nissan Murano. The Nissan may not have environmentally conscious bamboo-inlaid trim, but it does seem to route all exhaust out the tail pipe rather than through the cabin. Which is nice.

Putting that thing in 2nd with the traction control off and standing on the brakes to spin the turbos up waiting for a light to go green, though, was FUN. Many other drivers were confused at how a 3-ton SUV just blew them off the line - but after the first 60 feet, the gig was up.

m54samrr

Still have a soft spot in my chest for my first high school ride... '73 2002, ran amazing even after my amateur "high performance" rebuild. Those cars were solid rides. That being said, my 996 gives me those feelings still. Closest car in feel to my little hotrod 2002. I think with all marques, there will always the bad with the good, cars from the Asian side of the house are not excluded from that.

VivG

I dunno, the family E46 (my first car) has been pretty solid. Needed everything that was a pump (fuel, water, power steering) to be replaced right after it hit 10 years, but otherwise no major problems.

Bought a 2013 328i. Turns out it has a design issue with the timing chain that can grenade the motor. Glad it's under warranty until the end of the decade. Something about me and buying cars with fatal engine design flaws.

Prelude Guy

Check out the Nissan VQ35DE engine history. Maximas, 350Zs, Muranos, and Altimas all had this engine. They are failing at an alarming rate.

The early BMW E46 M4 S54 engine was plagued with the rod bearing issue.

Honda engines will always have a warm place in my heart.

FRUNKenstein

My favorite thing I read was that they shortened the N63 service interval to 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever came first. AND you must change the battery at EVERY oil change.
Seems normal.

Slakker

My first '02 e55 motor didn't care for the aftermarket supercharger and folded on me. My second '05 did much better but with the factory SC and was fairly reliable. My cl65 started randomly expelling small parts during oil changes. My '11 M3 was starting to have multiple issues when I turned it back off lease at 55k, fun car but was going to be expensive. My 997tt turbo disintegrated and took out all of the O2 sensors with it (thanks to my x-pipe).

I also considered an e63 M5 pretty seriously until I researched all of the issues they had. Holy crud now that thing had problems.

Reliability of the high performance models does not seem to be a German specialty but damn I love their cars.