N54 vs M50

Side-by-side reliability comparison

Higher reliability score
M50 BEST 88/100
+56 points over N54
0 / 100
AVOID N54 BMW
0 / 100
BEST M50 BMW

Specifications

N54
M50
Brand
BMW
BMW
Verdict
AVOID
BEST
Reliability
32
88
Years
2006--2010
1990--1996
Displacement
2979 cc
2494 cc
Layout
I6
I6
Type
Petrol Turbo
Petrol Na
Power
306 hp
150--192 hp
Known Issues
4
2
Total Risk Cost
€4,500--€10,700
€400--€1,100

Character

N54

"Huge tuning potential ("European 2JZ"). Constant problems. Project car, not daily."

M50

"Cast iron block legend. One of BMW's most reliable ever. M50TU added single VANOS. Strong internals handle 300k+ km. Cooling plastics only weakness."

Issues Comparison

N54 4

◆ CRITICAL
High pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failure €800--€1,500 30,000 km--100,000 km
◆ CRITICAL
Turbocharger failure (one or both) €1,500--€4,000 100,000 km--200,000 km
▲ HIGH
Piezoelectric injector failure (x6) €1,800--€4,000 60,000 km--150,000 km
● MODERATE
Wastegate rattle / actuator failure €400--€1,200 60,000 km--150,000 km

M50 2

▲ HIGH
Water pump plastic impeller failure €200--€500 60,000 km--120,000 km
● MODERATE
VANOS unit wear (M50TU) €200--€600 100,000 km--200,000 km

Models

N54 5

1 Series E82 2011--2012 1 Series E82 2008--2010 Z4 E89 2009--2016 3 Series E90 2006--2010 5 Series E60 2007--2010

M50 0

No models listed.

Full N54 Report Full M50 Report